IMAT Syllabus (Translated)
IMAT 2025 Syllabus – English Translation
General Admissions Requirements
Admission tests for the following degree courses will assess the ability to understand and analyse a variety of written texts, to carry out logical-mathematical reasoning, and to demonstrate general knowledge—especially in historical, geographical, social and institutional fields—as well as disciplinary knowledge in mathematics, chemistry, physics and biology.
1. Reading Skills & General Knowledge
- Comprehension of English texts of different kinds and communicative purposes (all questions are in English, including symbolic language).
- Identification of textual cohesion & coherence; inference of specific information.
- Source texts: short scientific essays, classic/contemporary fiction, newspaper & magazine articles.
- Orientation in space & time; knowledge of main national & international institutions; understanding of legal, economic & citizenship issues.
2. Logical Reasoning & Problems
Questions test the ability to complete a reasoning path consistent with given premises, expressed verbally or symbolically, on abstract or practical problems requiring various forms of logical reasoning.
3. Biology
- Chemistry of life; weak interactions; organic molecules & enzymes.
- Cell theory; pro- & eukaryotic cells; viruses; membrane structure & transport; organelles & functions.
- Cell cycle: mitosis & meiosis; chromosomal sets & maps.
- Reproduction: sexual & asexual; life cycles.
- Mendelian genetics; chromosomal theory; molecular genetics (DNA structure, replication, code, protein synthesis); human genetics (mono- & poly-factorial traits, autosomal & X-linked diseases).
- Mutations; natural & artificial selection; evolutionary theories; genetic bases of evolution; heredity vs. environment.
- Biotechnology: recombinant DNA technology & applications.
- Anatomy & physiology of human systems; tissues; homeostasis.
- Bioenergetics: ATP; redox reactions; photosynthesis, glycolysis, aerobic respiration.
4. Chemistry
- Matter: states, heterogeneous & homogeneous systems, elements & compounds.
- Ideal-gas laws.
- Atomic structure: sub-atomic particles, atomic & mass numbers, isotopes, electronic configuration.
- Periodic table: groups & periods; transition elements; periodic trends (atomic radius, ionisation energy, electron affinity, metallic character).
- Chemical bonding: ionic, covalent, metallic; bond energy, polarity, electronegativity.
- Inorganic nomenclature & properties of oxides, hydroxides, acids, salts.
- Stoichiometry: atomic & molecular mass, Avogadro’s number, mole concept, basic calculations, balancing reactions, reaction types.
- Solutions: water as solvent, solubility, concentration units.
- Aqueous equilibria; chemical kinetics & catalysis.
- Oxidation & reduction: oxidation numbers, oxidants & reductants, balancing redox reactions.
- Acids & bases: definitions, pH, neutrality, basicity, hydrolysis, buffer solutions.
- Organic chemistry: carbon bonding, structural & empirical formulas, isomerism; aliphatic, alicyclic & aromatic hydrocarbons; functional groups (alcohols, ethers, amines, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, esters, amides).
5. Mathematics
- Number sets & algebra: naturals, integers, rationals, reals; ordering, scientific notation; operations, proportions, percentages; powers & radicals; logarithms (base 10 & e); combinatorics; polynomials, notable products, factorisation; algebraic fractions; 1st- & 2nd-degree equations & inequalities; systems of equations.
- Functions: domain, codomain, sign, continuity, maxima/minima, increase/decrease; elementary functions (algebraic, exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric); composite & inverse functions; trigonometric equations & inequalities.
- Geometry: polygons, circle & circumference; lengths, areas, volumes; isometries, similarities; loci; angle measure (degrees & radians); sine, cosine, tangent & special values; trigonometric formulas; triangle resolution; Cartesian plane; distance & midpoint; straight-line equation; parallelism & perpendicularity; distance point-line; conics (circle, parabola, hyperbola, ellipse); Pythagorean & Euclidean theorems.
- Probability & statistics: frequency distributions, random experiment & event, probability.
6. Physics
- Physical quantities & measurement: base & derived quantities, SI & technical units, prefixes, scientific notation, conversions; scalars & vectors, vector operations.
- Kinematics: motion description; velocity & angular velocity, acceleration & centripetal acceleration; uniform & uniformly accelerated rectilinear motion; uniform circular motion; harmonic motion.
- Dynamics: force as interaction, vector forces; inertia principle, mass & 2nd law; weight, elastic force, friction; action–reaction (3rd law); impulse & momentum, conservation of momentum; moment of force & angular momentum; work & kinetic energy, conservative forces & potential energy, conservation of mechanical energy; power.
- Fluid mechanics: density & compressibility, hydrostatics (pressure, Pascal, Stevin, Archimedes), fluid dynamics (continuity, Bernoulli, viscous forces).
- Thermodynamics: temperature, thermometers, heat & calorimetry, heat propagation, specific heat, latent heats, ideal-gas laws, 1st & 2nd principles.
- Electricity & electromagnetism: electric charges, Coulomb’s law, electric field & potential, capacitors & energy; DC & AC circuits (Ohm’s law, Kirchhoff’s rules, Joule effect); magnetic field of currents, forces on currents, electromagnetic induction.