IMAT English certification: what really counts

When preparing for the IMAT, one of the most common sources of confusion is the English requirement.
Students often ask whether an English certificate is mandatory, which certificates are accepted, and what happens if they already hold a B2 qualification that is not listed everywhere.

This article is meant to clarify what you actually need to do, how the English certification fits into the IMAT process, and how to move forward without unnecessary stress or wrong assumptions.

All the information shared here comes directly from the official ministerial documents regulating the IMAT.
The purpose is to connect those documents with practical decisions students need to make while preparing for the exam.

Is an English certificate required to take the IMAT?

For EU and Italian candidates, the answer is no.

An English certificate is not mandatory in order to register for the IMAT or to sit the exam.
During the application on Universitaly, candidates are simply asked whether they already hold an English language certification. This field is optional.

This means that even without any certificate, you can complete your registration and take the IMAT regularly.

This point is essential, because many students mistakenly believe that lacking a certificate could block their access to the test. That is not the case.

Why does the English certification exist then?

The English certification does not increase your score.
It does not give extra points and does not improve your ranking directly.

Its role is limited to one specific scenario: tie-breaking.

If two or more candidates obtain the same total IMAT score, the ranking is decided using additional criteria. After comparing subject scores, if the tie still remains, priority is given to the candidate who declared a recognized English certification, provided it was obtained before the application deadline.

So the certification is a secondary criterion, not a performance booster.

When and how the certificate must be declared

If you have an English certification, it must be declared during the IMAT application on Universitaly.

There are two key conditions:

• the certificate must be already obtained by the application deadline
• being registered for an exam or waiting for results is not sufficient

The declaration is made through self-certification, and universities may later verify the documentation.

Which English certifications are accepted for the IMAT

For the IMAT, it is not enough to hold a generic “B2” or “C1” level.
Only the certifications explicitly included in the official ministerial list are considered valid.

Recognized certifications include those issued by institutions such as:

• Cambridge English
• IELTS
• TOEFL ETS
• Trinity College London
• Pearson PTE General
• City and Guilds
• EDI

Each certification corresponds to specific CEFR levels, depending on the test and score achieved.

In addition, students who have completed at least one academic year in a program fully taught in English may have their language proficiency recognized automatically, according to the official rules.

Is LanguageCert B2 accepted for the IMAT?

This is where confusion often arises.

LanguageCert B2 is a valid English certification in many academic and professional contexts.
However, for IMAT purposes, only certifications included in the official ministerial list are considered.

Since LanguageCert is not included in that list, it cannot be used as a valid English certification for IMAT tie-breaking purposes.

This does not mean the certificate has no value.
It simply means that it is not applicable within this specific admission procedure.

What if you only have LanguageCert?

If you are an EU or Italian candidate and your only English certification is LanguageCert B2:

• you can register for the IMAT without issues
• you can sit the exam normally
• you just cannot use that certificate as a tie-breaking criterion

For most students, this does not affect their chances at all.
The IMAT outcome depends primarily on the exam score, not on the presence of a certificate.

Students who want full coverage even in tie scenarios should make sure they obtain one of the certifications included in the official list within the required timeframe.

Why focusing on preparation matters more than paperwork

The English certificate is an administrative detail.
What truly determines admission is how well you perform on the IMAT.

That is why, while understanding the rules is important, the priority should always be structured preparation, realistic simulations, topic-by-topic practice and continuous performance tracking.

This is exactly the gap TestBuddy was created to fill: helping students prepare for admission tests in a clear, organized and low-anxiety way, using simulations, analytics and adaptive study paths that show real progress over time.

Official sources

All the information in this article is based on official IMAT documentation, including:

• the IMAT ministerial decree and annexes published by the Ministry of University and Research
• the Universitaly application guidelines for IMAT candidates

The full and updated documents can be consulted through the official IMAT decree and the Universitaly portal.