Healthcare Professions English Test 2026 rankings

Anyone preparing for the Healthcare Professions admission test in English usually faces the same doubts: how the score is calculated, how many places are actually available, how rankings work, whether there are sliding lists, and what happens if you are not admitted immediately.
In this guide we address all these points clearly, one by one, explaining how the official system works, what is already confirmed for 2026, and what has not yet been published, referring to the 2025 rules, which are currently the latest official reference.

Our goal is to provide a clear, readable and reliable framework for students who are studying and want to understand what really matters to pass the selection.

How the score is calculated in the 2026 test

For the 2026/2027 academic year, at the time of writing, no new ministerial decree has been published that changes the scoring system.
As a result, the 2025 rules still apply and remain the official reference.

The test consists of 60 multiple choice questions, with a maximum score of 90 points.
The scoring system works as follows:

Each correct answer is worth 1.5 points.
Each incorrect answer results in a penalty of 0.4 points.
Each unanswered question is worth 0 points.

This means that guessing can be risky, while leaving a question unanswered does not lower the score. This is a key element in managing both time and strategy during the exam.

Candidates are included in the ranking only if they obtain a score higher than 0. Anyone who submits the test without answering any question is not considered eligible.

Minimum score: what it really means and how to estimate it

There is no national minimum score that guarantees admission to Healthcare Professions courses in English.
The only formal requirement is obtaining more than 0 points.

In practice, however, the score required to enter depends on three main factors:

The number of places available for that specific course and university.
The overall level of preparation of candidates taking that selection.
The number of withdrawals and subsequent sliding rounds.

To estimate a realistic target score, the only correct approach is to analyze historical university data, looking at the score of the last admitted candidate after the final sliding round.
These data are not collected in a single national archive, but are published locally by each university.

For this reason, preparation should focus on ranking position, not on an abstract fixed threshold. Monitoring performance in realistic simulations is essential to understand how competitive one’s score actually is.

Available places in 2026 and official allocation

For 2026, the final number of available places has not yet been published.
The most recent official data refer to 2025, which remains the current benchmark.

In 2025, the total number of places for Healthcare Professions was 38,444, divided as follows:

36,943 places for European Union candidates and non European Union candidates legally resident in Italy.
1,501 places for non European Union candidates resident abroad.

Allocation is not managed nationally by language, but by individual university and course.
Each university defines how many places are available for English taught courses within its own admission notice.

This is why anyone targeting a specific course must always check the local university announcement, as this determines the real level of competition.

How rankings work: national or local

One of the most common misunderstandings concerns rankings.
For Healthcare Professions taught in English there is no single national ranking.

Rankings are managed locally by each university.

Each institution:

Organizes the test.
Collects candidates’ course preferences.
Builds the ranking based on the obtained scores.

Separate rankings are drawn up for:

European Union candidates and non European Union candidates resident in Italy.
Non European Union candidates resident abroad.

Places are assigned following score order, taking into account expressed preferences and available places.

How sliding lists work and what to expect

Sliding rounds are a central part of the admission process.
They are used to fill places that become available when candidates do not enroll or withdraw.

The mechanism follows precise rules:

Sliding occurs within each university ranking.
Places reserved for non European Union candidates resident abroad, if unused, may be reallocated to other candidates.
Each sliding round has a strict enrollment deadline. Missing it means losing the place.

Sliding continues until:

All places are filled.
The ranking is exhausted.

There is no fixed number of sliding rounds, and dates are communicated only by universities.

How to read results and scores on official portals

There is no single national portal for viewing results.
Each university publishes outcomes through:

Its student restricted area.
The official online notice board.
Dedicated admissions or competition pages.

Results usually show:

The total score.
The ranking position.
The candidate status, such as admitted, not admitted, or waiting list.

Correctly understanding these statuses is essential to avoid missing opportunities. Many students lose places simply due to lack of clarity or attention.

When results are published and where to find them

For 2026, official dates are not yet available.

In 2025, results were generally published between mid and late September, with sliding rounds running from September through October, and in some cases into early November.

Dates vary by university and are always communicated in local calls or subsequent notices.

Is there a final national ranking

No.
Even after all sliding rounds, no national final ranking is created.

Each university completes its own admission process independently.
Only in specific cases, when places remain vacant, universities may publish additional calls to fill those places with candidates who took the test elsewhere.

Tie breaking criteria

When two or more candidates obtain the same total score, ranking order is determined by specific criteria.

Priority is given, in sequence, to:

Score in biology questions.
Score in chemistry.
Score in physics and mathematics.
Score in logical reasoning.
Score in reading comprehension and acquired knowledge.

If a tie still remains, priority is given to candidates with certified disabilities in the cases provided by law.
As a final criterion, the younger candidate prevails.

Withdrawals, reassignments and chances after the first round

Not being admitted in the first round does not mean exclusion.

As long as the ranking remains active, admission is possible through:

Withdrawals by other candidates.
Missed enrollments.
Further sliding rounds.

Some universities require an explicit expression of interest to remain in the ranking.
Failure to do so can result in automatic exclusion from reassignments.

Once all places are filled, even later withdrawals do not generate new sliding rounds.

If you are not admitted: what is officially предусмотрено

If admission is not obtained, the system provides several formal options.

Candidates may request access to administrative documents to verify the procedure.
They may pursue legal protection within the prescribed time limits.
They may participate in future selections or apply for admission to later years if places and credit recognition are available.

The term “gap year” does not appear in official documents, but structured paths do exist that allow students to use time productively and reapply better prepared.

This is exactly where structured practice, realistic simulations and clear performance tracking make the difference. Platforms like TestBuddy are designed to support preparation in a concrete way, helping students understand where they truly stand, without unnecessary pressure.

Sources

The information in this guide is based on the official ministerial decree on admission procedures, the ministerial decree on available places, the official notices of the Ministry of University and Research, and institutional university admission calls and portals.