How GAMSAT scoring works
Last updated
GAMSAT® scoring confuses a lot of people, mostly because the numbers look like percentages and aren't. This guide explains what you get, how the overall score is calculated and what universities do with it.
What you receive
Your results show four scores, each on a scale of 0 to 100:
- Section 1 — Reasoning in Humanities and Social Sciences
- Section 2 — Written Communication
- Section 3 — Reasoning in Biological and Physical Sciences
- An overall GAMSAT score
They also include a chart showing your approximate percentile — how your overall score compares with others who sat in the same window.
The overall score formula
The overall score is a weighted average in which Section 3 counts twice:
Overall = (Section 1 + Section 2 + 2 × Section 3) ÷ 4
| Section | Share of the overall score |
|---|---|
| Section 1 | 25% |
| Section 2 | 25% |
| Section 3 | 50% |
Example. Scores of 60 in Section 1, 64 in Section 2 and 58 in Section 3 give (60 + 64 + 2 × 58) ÷ 4 = 240 ÷ 4 = 60.
Raise Section 3 by four points, to 62, and the overall rises by two, to 62. Raise Section 1 by four points instead and the overall rises by only one. That's why Section 3 deserves the largest share of your preparation time.
You won't be able to reproduce your official overall score exactly. ACER calculates it from unrounded section scores and rounds only at the end.
Scaled scores, not percentages
A score of 60 does not mean you answered 60% of questions correctly. Your raw score — the number of questions you got right — is converted to a scaled score.
Scaling exists because ACER uses several versions of the test, and no two are exactly equally hard. Scaling adjusts for that, so a given score means the same level of performance whichever version you sat. A five-point difference represents the same change in ability anywhere on the scale; in raw terms, it's typically harder to move from 80 to 85 than from 50 to 55.
What's a good score?
There's no pass mark. Each university sets its own minimum scores every year, and some combine GAMSAT scores with your grade point average and interview in their own way. Some apply their own weightings to the sections.
The useful questions to ask are:
- What overall score did the programs you're targeting need in recent years? (Check each university's admissions pages and GEMSAS for Australian programs.)
- Do they set minimum section scores?
- How do they combine the GAMSAT with your GPA and interview?
Re-sitting and which score is used
You can sit the GAMSAT as many times as you like, but only once per window. If you have several sets of results, admissions bodies and universities will normally use your highest set automatically. If you want a different set used, contact the admissions body (GEMSAS, UCAS or CAO) or the university.
How long results last
- Australia: four years.
- UK and Ireland: two years.
Validity can differ between institutions, so check the rules for each program you apply to before you register.
Can scores be adjusted or appealed?
ACER does not adjust scores for disadvantage on the day — there's no individual baseline to adjust from. If you need reasonable adjustments, apply in advance by the registration deadline. ACER's information booklet explains the separate appeals and complaints process.
Practise where it counts most: try our 20 free Section 3 questions, or read the Section 3 guide.
Source: ACER GAMSAT Information Booklet 2026.