AMC MCQ · Updated July 2026
AMC MCQ Pass Mark Explained — What Score You Actually Need
By the Mostly Medicine team · reviewed by an AMC pass-graduate IMG on our team
The AMC CAT MCQ is not scored as “get 60% right”. Your performance is reported as a scaled score on a 0–500 scale, and 250 is the pass mark. Because the test adapts its difficulty to you, the raw number of correct answers behind a passing score varies between candidates — which is why chasing a fixed percentage is the wrong mental model.
The scaled score system
The AMC does not report your raw score (number of questions correct). Instead it reports a scaled score from 0 to 500, with 250 as the pass mark. Scaling accounts for the difficulty of the specific questions you received — the CAT adapts to your performance, so no two candidates sit an identical set. A harder question answered correctly contributes more than an easier one, and the scaling model makes results comparable across sittings.
What’s actually in the exam
- 150 questions total — 120 scored items + 30 unscored pilot items
- You can’t tell which questions are pilots, so treat every item as scored
- Computer-adaptive delivery at Pearson VUE centres — difficulty adjusts to you
- One best answer per question; no penalty for wrong answers, so never leave blanks
What raw percentage does 250 correspond to?
The AMC doesn’t publish one — deliberately. Because question difficulty varies per candidate, the raw-correct count behind a 250 differs between sittings. Prep-community estimates commonly land around the two-thirds-correct region on practice banks, but treat that as a rough training benchmark, not an official target. The reliable strategy is consistent performance across all blueprint domains — see AMC MCQ tips for the trap patterns that cost marks.
Your score report
When results are released, you’ll see:
- Your scaled score (0–500)
- Pass / fail status against the 250 mark
- A performance breakdown by domain showing relative strengths and weaknesses
You won’t see a raw score or which questions you got right. If you fall short, the domain breakdown is your remediation map — target the weakest domains before booking a resit.
Why 250?
The pass standard is set through formal standard-setting with practising Australian clinicians, benchmarked to the level expected of a graduating Australian medical student, and reviewed periodically — the AMC adjusted the pass standard from 2026, so always sanity-check the current AMC specifications and the AMC Handbook 2026 guide before your sitting.
Common misconceptions
- “I need 70% to pass.” There is no official percentage. The scaled model means your raw-correct count is not the number that matters.
- “My score is out of 100.” It’s out of 500 — a 250 is the pass line, not “50%” in any meaningful raw sense.
- “Everyone sits the same paper.” No — the CAT adapts per candidate, which is exactly why scaling exists.
Next steps after your result
Passed? You’re eligible for the AMC clinical exam — plan it with the timeline planner. Not this time? Use the domain breakdown to target weak areas, drill specialty-wise MCQs, and check 2026 booking windows for your resit. New to the pathway? Start at the IMG Australia pathway guide.
FAQ
What score do you need to pass the AMC MCQ?
A scaled score of 250 on the AMC’s 0–500 scale. The AMC does not publish a fixed raw-percentage equivalent — because the CAT adapts question difficulty to each candidate, the number of correct answers behind a 250 varies between sittings.
Is the AMC MCQ scored out of 100 or 500?
Out of 500. Your result is always reported as a scaled score on the 0–500 scale, with 250 as the pass mark. You will not see a percentage or a raw number-correct score on your report.
How many questions are in the AMC CAT MCQ?
150 questions in total — 120 scored items plus 30 unscored pilot items that the AMC is trialling for future exams. You cannot tell which are pilots, so treat every question as if it counts.
Does the AMC MCQ adapt during the test?
Yes — it is a computer-adaptive test (CAT). The difficulty of the questions you receive adjusts to your performance, and the scaled-scoring model accounts for that difficulty. This is why two candidates with different numbers of correct answers can receive the same scaled score.
Still confused about scoring? Ask the free AI mentor — or join the IMG community on Telegram for the daily MCQ.
Last reviewed: 30 July 2026
Next review: 30 January 2027
Author: Mostly Medicine team