GAMSAT Section 1 timing isn't about rushing through the questions. You have 62 questions to answer in 100 minutes, but you can't just divide the time by the questions. Let's explore how to set a realistic pace, build personal checkpoints, move on from difficult questions and practise making better timing decisions under exam conditions.
Key Takeaways
- GAMSAT Section 1 currently gives candidates 100 minutes to complete 62 questions.²
- This works out at approximately 1 minute and 37 seconds per question, but the figure should be treated as an average rather than a fixed limit.
- Personal pacing checkpoints are more useful when they are based on your own timed practice rather than a universal question-by-question schedule.
- Moving on can be the better decision when rereading or comparing the same answers is no longer producing new evidence.²
- In your final minutes, prioritise unanswered questions because incorrect answers are not penalised and all questions have equal value.²
How Long Is GAMSAT Section 1?
The simplest answer is that the GAMSAT Section 1 is 100 minutes. Of course, you could also say that it's 62 questions.² Ultimately, whether you think this is long or not is down to how quickly you feel you can answer that many questions in that amount of time. Just remember that the format has changed over the years, so while there was a 10-minute period in the past, there isn't one now. Base your pacing on the 100-minute allocation used in the present test.
GAMSAT Section 1, officially called Reasoning in Humanities and Social Sciences, currently contains 62 questions to be completed in 100 minutes.² It is computer-based and completed at a test centre as part of the same sitting as Reasoning in Biological and Physical Sciences.⁴ The current format uses a single 100-minute allocation, so older advice referring to separate reading and answering periods no longer reflects the present test.¹
How Much Time Should You Spend on Each Question?
Dividing 100 minutes by 62 should give you an average time that might help you decide how long to spend on each question. However, it isn't a rule set in stone; it's more for gauging your progress after several questions than a hard-and-fast rule for every single question.
After all, questions are often grouped around the same stimulus, so you might be reading materials for several questions at once. Spending more time understanding a passage may be time better spent on several questions. Also, don't think that shorter stimuli come with easier or faster questions.
Individual question time will vary, but if you group questions into larger amounts, you can check your pace throughout the test. You can spend more than 1 minute and 37 seconds on a question, but you can't spend more than this time on every question. Work at a sustainable pace throughout the whole test, and remember to leave yourself extra time at the end to revisit questions you skipped.
available per question.²
Why a Fixed Time-Per-Question Rule Does Not Work
Having a fixed time per question can actually harm your efficiency. While questions may carry the same weighting in terms of marks, they won't in terms of complexity and length. Related questions that use the same stimuli mean that your reading time is being shared across multiple questions.
Don't ask whether every time has taken the right amount of time. Check to see whether the time you're spending is still working. Some questions are worth spending more time on. If you have an understanding of the GAMSAT Section 1 question types you'll have a better idea of what questions are worth spending more time on.
Dividing 100 minutes by 62 questions gives an average of approximately 1 minute and 37 seconds per question.² However, this is a pacing reference rather than a strict limit for every item. Some stimuli may take longer to read but then support several related questions that can be answered more quickly.
Build Personal Pacing Checkpoints
Pacing checkpoints should be based on your timed practice. Don't copy somebody else's schedule. Record where you are at different points across several practice sessions, and compare the timings accurately. Look for recurring slowdowns and adjust your approach before they affect the rest of the section.
| Timing pattern | What may be happening | What to test next |
|---|---|---|
| You are consistently slow at the start of new stimuli | You may be trying to understand every detail before looking at what the questions actually require | Test reading for the main idea first, then return to specific details as needed |
| You repeatedly reread the same section | You may be spending extra time without gaining new evidence | Set a personal decision point for choosing an answer and moving on |
| You spend a long time choosing between two options | You may be over-comparing plausible answers after narrowing the field | Eliminate the less-supported option, make your best choice and continue |
| Your pace feels comfortable early but drops sharply later | Earlier question groups may be consuming more of the total allocation than you realise | Introduce pacing checkpoints earlier and compare them across several practice attempts |
| You finish comfortably but your accuracy falls | You may be prioritising speed over careful reasoning | Allow more time where the evidence genuinely requires closer analysis |
| Only certain question groups repeatedly slow you down | Your timing problem may be linked to particular stimulus types rather than your overall pace | Practise those groups separately before testing your pacing again in a full section |
When Should You Move On From a Difficult Question?
Consider whether the extra time is actually improving your chances of getting the answer right. Spending a little longer on a question is worthwhile if you're finding new evidence, clarifying the writer's meaning, or eliminating an option for a clear reason. If you're circling the same uncertainty without making progress, you might need to move on.
A good strategy for your GAMSAT Section 1 exam is to recognise the difficult passages and remember you don't have to solve them before you move on. Make the strongest choices you can with the evidence you have, and ensure you have time left for the remaining questions. You can skip questions and return to them.
Consider moving on if you have reread the same material without finding new evidence, keep comparing the same two options or notice that additional time is no longer increasing your confidence. ACER recommends not spending too long on any one question and returning later if time permits.² Make the best-supported choice you can, continue with the section and revisit the question if you have time.
Should You Read the Passage or the Questions First?
Not everyone can use the same approach. You should test each method to see what works for you. Measure your accuracy, completion rate, and the time taken across different question groups.
Three Ways to Approach a Question Group
Read the stimulus first
Build an overall understanding of the argument, tone or context before answering the questions. This can be useful when meaning depends on the stimulus as a whole, but you may spend time processing details that the questions never require.
Preview the questions first
Look briefly at what the questions are asking before reading the stimulus closely. This can help focus your attention on relevant information, but it may encourage you to read too narrowly or form assumptions before understanding the overall context.
Briefly scan both
Take a quick look at the stimulus and the questions before deciding how to proceed. This can help you gauge the length and demands of a question group, but the scan itself needs to remain brief enough not to add an extra step that costs time.
How to Use Your Final Minutes
You should aim to use your final minutes to complete the test, and you will if you followed a comprehensive study plan. Check for unanswered questions, make some choices, and then review your earlier answers. There's no penalty for incorrect answers, so you may as well put something in since leaving an item blank gives up a chance to score without offering any advantage.²
ACER states that incorrect answers do not attract a penalty and that all questions have equal value.² In your final minutes, prioritise making sure every question has an answer before spending extra time reconsidering responses you have already selected.
How to Practise GAMSAT Section 1 Under Timed Conditions
Timed practice is a way to get more familiar with the test format. You want to hone your reasoning while learning how your pacing works. Build up to full simulations. Outside of that, you should also think about your reading list.
References
- Australian Council for Educational Research. GAMSAT Information Booklet 2020. 31 Oct. 2019, https://gamsat.acer.org/files/GAMSAT_Info_Booklet_2020.pdf. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.
- Australian Council for Educational Research. GAMSAT Information Booklet 2026. 20 Nov. 2025, https://gamsat.acer.org/files/GAMSAT_Information_booklet.pdf. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.
- Australian Council for Educational Research. “Preparation.” GAMSAT, https://gamsat.acer.org/preparation. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.
- Australian Council for Educational Research. “Test Day.” GAMSAT, https://gamsat.acer.org/test-day. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.
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