Preparing
GAMSAT study material
GAMSAT study material falls into five groups: ACER's official practice tests, free practice tools, science textbooks or bridging courses, third-party books, and paid courses. This page lists what is in each group and what each section needs.
The short version
- Start with ACER’s material. It is the only official GAMSAT material, and Practice Test A comes with your registration.
- Add free timed practice for the middle of your preparation, so the official tests are still unused near the end.
- For Section 3, use first-year university chemistry and biology and Year 12 physics. ACER suggests a bridging course if you are not confident in a subject.
- Books and courses are optional. ACER recommends no preparation provider.
GAMSAT study material by type
| Type | What it is | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| ACER official | Practice Tests A and B (e-books), online practice tests in the real test software, the Section 2 Online Test Generator, the platform demo and preparation videos | Practice Test A included with registration (A$568). Other items from A$22. |
| Free practice tools | Timed mocks, practice questions by subject, Section 2 prompts and score calculators. Ours: 22 mocks with 3,012 questions. | Free to start |
| Science foundations | First-year university chemistry and biology and Year 12 physics, from textbooks, university bridging courses or vocational providers | Varies |
| Third-party books | Practice questions and content reviews from prep companies and independent authors | About A$20 to A$1,000 |
| Courses and question banks | Online question banks, video courses and in-person programmes | Question bank subscriptions from about £15 a week. Courses about A$300 to A$6,000. |
ACER's official material
ACER says it “produces the only official GAMSAT preparation materials”. You buy it through an ACER account, and you do not need to be registered for the test to buy it.
- Practice Test A and B e-books. Each is a full-length Section 1 and Section 3 with answers, about 4 hours 10 minutes under exam conditions. Practice Test A is included with GAMSAT registration.
- Online practice tests. Section 1 and Section 3 in a copy of the test software with a timer. ACER says they “contain new questions not previously published in the e-books”.
- Online Test Generator. Two Section 2 tasks, scored automatically as a score range and percentile band. ACER gives no other feedback on practice essays.
- Free items.The online platform demo (nothing in it is marked) and ACER’s preparation videos.
Prices in each currency are on the GAMSAT books page. When to use each test is on how to prepare for the GAMSAT.
Free GAMSAT resources
These cost nothing:
- ACER’s free material: the GAMSAT Information Booklet, the preparation videos and the platform demo.
- Our first mock. A full timed GAMSAT practice test with a worked explanation for every question, with no account needed. A free account gives you more.
- Practice questions by subject: chemistry, biology and physics.
- Section 2: the quote generator with 115 themes, and the timed Section 2 practice test.
- Calculators: the score calculator and the GPA and GAMSAT calculator.
Most prep companies also offer free sample tests or trials. Their prices and what each includes are on the prep courses page.
What each section needs
| Section | Material that helps |
|---|---|
| Section 1 | Wide reading (novels, poetry, essays, opinion pieces, cartoons) and timed multiple-choice practice on passages |
| Section 2 | Practice prompts, a timer, and someone to read your responses. Your own writing, never pre-written essays. |
| Section 3 | Science to the level ACER assumes (the first year of university studies in biology and chemistry, and A-level/Leaving Certificate/Year 12 in physics), then timed questions that give you data to reason from |
The Section 3 topic list is on the GAMSAT syllabus page.
Material to avoid
- Uploaded copies of ACER papers.ACER’s material is sold under a personal licence, and no sat GAMSAT paper has been released. PDFs passed around online are usually uploaded ACER e-books, uploaded prep-company question banks, or questions recalled from memory. See GAMSAT past papers.
- Pre-written essays. ACER checks every Section 2 response for plagiarism and warns that text borrowed from pre-prepared essays can be flagged even if you have not seen the original source.
- Material written for a different exam. MCAT and UCAT material tests different skills in a different format. See GAMSAT vs UCAT.
Common questions
What is the best GAMSAT study material?
ACER’s official practice tests, because they are the only material written by the people who write the exam. Use them near the end of your preparation, under timed conditions.
Is there free GAMSAT study material?
Yes. ACER’s information booklet, preparation videos and platform demo are free, and Practice Test A comes with registration. Free practice tests and question sets are also available online.
Do I need GAMSAT books?
No. Books are optional. If you buy one, see GAMSAT books for what each covers and costs.
What should I study for GAMSAT Section 3?
First-year university chemistry and biology, and Year 12 physics, which is the level ACER assumes. Then practise questions that give you data or a scenario to reason from.
Can I use old GAMSAT material?
ACER says its preparation material does not change from year to year unless it says otherwise. The exam format did change in 2022, so use practice tests that match the current 62 and 75 question sections.