HPAT-Ireland study guide
HPAT-Ireland · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
HPAT-Ireland is a 2.5-hour online multiple-choice assessment independently developed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), used by Irish universities as part of admission to undergraduate medicine and to two University of Limerick professional-qualification programmes (MSc Occupational Therapy and MSc Speech and Language Therapy). It is administered as a remote computer-based test through ProctorU, so candidates can sit it from any suitable location that meets the technical requirements. The test assesses logical reasoning and problem-solving skills, non-verbal reasoning, and the ability to understand the thoughts, behaviour and intentions of others; a Written English component can also be added, and it is required only for the two UL MSc applicant groups listed above. Each of the three HPAT-Ireland scores is expressed on a scale of 0 to 100 and these are not percentage marks; candidates also receive an overall score and an overall percentile ranking compared with other test-takers in the same year. The HPAT-Ireland study guide has 4 sections and about 1,220 words.
01Logical Reasoning and Problem Solving
Logical Reasoning and Problem Solving in HPAT-Ireland asks you to evaluate arguments, identify assumptions, draw only those conclusions that the evidence supports, and solve structured problems. Most arithmetic is simple; the difficulty is precision and time.
280 words, about 1 min02Interpersonal Understanding
Interpersonal Understanding presents brief social or healthcare scenarios and asks you to infer what someone is likely feeling, thinking or intending, or to choose the most appropriate professional response. The key is evidence-based empathy: read behaviour, words and context, then select the interpretation or action that fits all three.
317 words, about 2 min03Non-Verbal Reasoning
Non-Verbal Reasoning measures pattern detection, sequence completion, classification and spatial transformation using abstract shapes. No medical knowledge is needed.
322 words, about 2 min04Written English (Optional)
Where the Written English component is offered, it assesses control of standard written English: grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, vocabulary choice, clarity and coherence. It is not a creative-writing test.
301 words, about 2 min