If you’re applying to study medicine in Ireland from abroad, the HPAT can feel like an unfamiliar hurdle, on top of navigating a foreign university system, a different application process, and, in many cases, a different first language. Here’s what you actually need to know if you’re preparing to sit the HPAT from outside Ireland….
If you’re preparing for the HPAT this year, or just starting to think about it, we’ve got something for you. Ace the HPAT is running a free HPAT class on Tuesday 15th September at 7pm, open to any student thinking about sitting the exam this year or in the future. What to expectIn this class….
Every year, some candidates prepare hard for the HPAT but don’t improve much, while others make steady progress with the same amount of effort. Below are ten habits that separate strong preparation from wasted preparation. 1. They get moving early.Top scorers sit their first practice exam almost as soon as they start preparing, then space…
You’ve been reading for years, so it’s easy to assume you already know how to do it. But the way you read a textbook chapter or a novel for pleasure is a poor match for HPAT, and using that same approach against a HPAT passage will actively work against you. HPAT reading is a different…
Medicine remains one of the most competitive courses in Ireland, with points consistently at the very top of the CAO scale. Even slight changes from year to year are closely watched by students, parents, and schools. The recently published 2025 entry points highlight some slight increases when compared with 2024. The Numbers at a Glance…
From 2027, students applying to medicine in Ireland will face a new points system that rebalances the role of the Leaving Certificate and the HPAT (Health Professions Admission Test). These changes come alongside a significant increase in available medicine places from 2026, but applicants need to understand exactly how the revised system will work —…
Ireland is set to significantly increase the number of available spots in undergraduate medicine programmes, reflecting a strategic effort to bolster the healthcare workforce amid growing national demand. Expansion Details: What’s Changing? 1. Over 200 Additional Undergraduate Medical Places by 2026The Irish Universities Association (IUA) confirms that, by 2026, more than 200 extra places will…
Kristen took the Ace the HPAT course and scored in the 96th percentile in 2025. Below she shares her experiences with the classes and shares tips for preparing for the exam. I first started studying for the HPAT at the beginning of fifth year after being introduced to the concept in transition year. I quickly…
Dara enrolled in Ace the HPAT as a 5th year student and scored in the 99th percentile in the HPAT exam in 2025. He shares his experience here. I remember when I first started studying for the HPAT in fifth year. It felt like such a daunting exam. Every YouTube video I watched, every blog…
The Irish Times reported on 1st July 2025 that the deans of medical schools in Ireland recently agreed to reduce the weighting of the HPAT from 300 to 150 points
