HPAT Course

The maximum score you can achieve on the HPAT is 300 points. However, the highest score ever achieved is 260 points. In the next paragraph, you will find more information about the scoring system and the admissions criteria for medical studies in Ireland.

• Section 1 = 40%
• Section 2 = 40%
• Section 3 = 20%

No, in addition to HPAT, your school-leaving exam results will also be taken into account during the admissions process (as well as which subjects you take in your final exams).

You can earn a maximum of the following number of points:

• Total = 865 pts.
• School-leaving exam results = 565 pts.
• HPAT score = 300 pts.

The highest score ever achieved in the history of HPAT is approximately 260 points, while last year it was approximately 225 points. In practice, an HPAT score above 170 pts is considered very good, while only the top 5% score more than 190.

• University College Dublin – 743*
• Trinity College Dublin – 743*
• Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland – 741
• University College Cork – 738
• National University of Ireland, Galway – 737*

* not all students with this score were admitted by the university

Preparation for HPAT – what exactly does each section cover?

HPAT section 1: Logical Reasoning and Problem Solving

This section of the HPAT test consists mainly of tasks based on short texts, while some tasks are also presented in graphical form. This section of the exam assesses your ability to reason, draw logical conclusions, find solutions by identifying relevant facts, evaluate information, identify additional or missing information, and generate and test plausible hypotheses. You have an average of 88 seconds to complete each task in this section, and you can earn as much as 40% of all the points available in the medical entrance exam in Ireland.

HPAT section 2: Interpersonal Understanding

This part assesses your ability to understand and think about people. The questions are based on a scenario, dialogue or short text presenting specific interpersonal situations. Most passages are followed by several questions. The main purpose of this section is to assess your ability to recognize and understand the thoughts, feelings, behaviour and/or intentions of other people.

HPAT section 3: Non-Verbal Reasoning

The questions in this section may take several forms. They are all based on patterns or sequences of shapes and are designed to assess abstract reasoning and problem-solving skills in non-verbal contexts.

HPAT is a very difficult test! Many practising doctors consider HPAT the most difficult test they have ever taken. The questions are completely different from those you will encounter at school or university, and the time allowed for all the tasks is very limited (an average of 81 seconds per question).

HPAT–Ireland was designed to assess logical reasoning and problem-solving skills, as well as non-verbal reasoning and the ability to understand people’s thoughts, behaviour and/or intentions. The test places strong emphasis on general skills and personal abilities that have been identified as important for a competent healthcare professional. HPAT–Ireland is intended to complement academic achievement; it does not assess academic knowledge and does not require a specific understanding of any academic discipline.

Importantly, the test is not based on assessing abilities that we possess innately! This means that you can prepare effectively for HPAT and increase your chances of getting into your dream medical degree program

Effective preparation for HPAT takes place across several areas:

Strategy

The number of tasks you complete does not always translate into progress and a better score the next time you take HPAT. In addition to studying itself, a good preparation strategy is essential, taking into account both theoretical and practical aspects. A good teacher or course can make learning easier and your progress much greater.

Practice

Although this section is called practice, it is worth starting by noting that proper theoretical preparation effectively translates into higher HPAT scores. Practice is essential, but combining it with theoretical preparation in Critical Thinking, Interpersonal Understanding and Non-Verbal Reasoning will deliver the best results.

Practising concentration and task-solving speed

Completing several sections separately without keeping track of time can create the false impression that HPAT is much easier than it actually is. If you are unable to maintain your concentration and an appropriate task-solving pace, you will not achieve a high HPAT score.

English language

For many people, English is a barrier to achieving a high score. An insufficient command of the language will make it difficult for you to understand instructions and answers, causing you to lose a significant amount of time and struggle to select the correct answer. In addition, the Interpersonal Understanding section is highly sensitive to the differences between words relating to human emotions and relationships – you must master these words perfectly and not only understand them, but also feel their nuances.

Working on your weaknesses and strengthening them

Test yourself in practice, identify your weaknesses, work on them and … repeat the entire process until your weakness becomes a strength. Work smart. Support from a specialist who can objectively assess your strengths and weaknesses, as well as your progress, can have a significant impact on improving your HPAT results.

Based on our experience and an in-depth analysis of previous exam papers, as well as which teaching methods work and which do not translate into better results, we have developed an HPAT course that will comprehensively prepare you for the medical entrance exam in Ireland. As part of our course, you will prepare for the exam holistically. On average, our students improve their scores by several points. If you want to feel confident during the exam and receive an offer from a medical university in Ireland at the end of June, our course will be an excellent choice for you.

Comprehensive preparation

we will not only prepare you for every section of the HPAT test, but also ensure that you are fully prepared in terms of language and strategy.

Working with a specialist

do you want to be sure that you are working not only hard, but above all smart? Our specialist will ensure that your learning is smart and well organized, and that your skills improve week by week.

Individual approach

each of our students comes to us with a different knowledge base and different strengths and weaknesses. Before you begin, we will assess where you currently stand and then prepare an individual, tailor-made learning plan. We will then monitor your progress from lesson to lesson and adapt the program to your needs.

Carefully selected homework

you will receive precisely selected materials to work on at home, ensuring that you prepare for the right HPAT tasks at the right time and in the right way.

Flexibility

do you want to reschedule a lesson during the course so that you do not have to give up your plans? No problem – simply let us know in advance , and we will arrange a suitable time for you to make up the lesson. Our HPAT course is flexible

As with all other specific university entrance exams, each person has different needs and comes to us with a different level of knowledge and skills, which makes it impossible to determine in advance how much time they will need to prepare. At EduWorld, the course begins with a test and a diagnostic meeting, after which we determine the recommended number of lessons. For most people, the appropriate number is between 16 and 50 lessons.

Are you worried that you will take the wrong subjects in your school-leaving exams, miss a deadline, fail to gather the necessary documents or get into your dream university but not know how to complete the formalities required to enrol?

We can help you with all of this – we will guide you through the entire application process from A to Z. With our support, you will avoid unnecessary stress and, above all, mistakes that could ruin your chances of getting into your dream medical degree program in Italy.