Australian Graduate Medical Schools -
Admission Requirements | 2023 - 2024

The medical school application process is long, complicated, and stressful, but in the end, rewarding if you’re successful. This guide will provide you with a rough idea of a timeline to the year as well as presenting past GAMSAT ^® and GPA requirements for different graduate medical schools around Australia.

The Admissions Requirements for the majority of universities falls under one of the following categories:

It’s important to remember, however, that the information provided below is only intended as a guide and does not replace the personal responsibility of each applicant to obtain up-to-date and objective information from medical institutions regarding their medical school applications.

Different graduate medical schools have different admission requirements and different criteria and weighting for GAMSAT® score cutoffs and GPA. If you’re not sure how to navigate the Australian medical school admission process, our expert tutors, Timothy and Emanuel, have summarised the contents of this page in this Australian Graduate Medical Schools - Admission Requirements video guide.

How Do I Get Into Medical School in Australia?

1. Understand the difference between graduate and undergraduate medical pathways in Australia
2. If you’re taking the graduate pathway, make sure you are familiar with GEMSAS
3. Know your options - there are 14 medical schools in Australia that provide a Graduate Entry Medical Program
4. Know each medical school’s entry requirements
5. Understand the medical school application timeline and be sure to submit your application and preferences on time
6. Prepare for and sit the GAMSAT® Exam
7. Pass your medical school interview

What is GEMSAS? (Graduate Entry Medical School Admissions System)?

GEMSAS (Graduate Entry Medical Schools Admissions System) acts as a single hub for applications to the ten medical schools that make up its members. It manages applications, calculates grade point averages (GPAs) and applies individual school selection rules to allocate and organise interview and course offers to candidates around Australia. For more details, you can visit their website.

How Does GEMSAS Work?

GEMSAS releases an Admissions Guide annually in around late April with all the policies and requirements for students looking to gain entry into a graduate-entry medical program in the following year. Students wanting to apply to graduate medical schools through GEMSAS should always read the most up-to-date guide, as it not only provides important information about how to lodge applications, but also provides a run down on the specific selection criteria and entry pathways for each GEMSAS graduate medical school.

Australian Graduate Entry Medical Schools

As of 2023, there are currently 14 Medical Schools that provide a Graduate Entry Medical Program, 13 of which require the GAMSAT ^® exam (or MCAT ^® Exam for international students).

Of these 13, ten are members of the GAMSAT ^® Consortium and their medical courses are participants in GEMSAS. The University of Sydney and Flinders University, are not part of GEMSAS , but still require the GAMSAT exam, as well as separate, direct applications.

Medical Schools that require the GAMSAT ^® exam include:

In addition, the GAMSAT ^® is required for the following courses:

Monash University is the final Medical School to provide a Graduate Entry Medical Program. However, the GAMSAT ^® Exam was removed as an admissions criteria in 2017, and is no longer required. Note however that domestic applicants for the Graduate Entry Medical Program at Monash University must have completed one of the approved bachelor degrees at Monash University - that is to say that external domestic applicants are no longer accepted.

For more details on the Monash University Medical School, you can visit their website.

Check out our Australian Medical Schools Guide for more detailed information about each med school.

Medical Admissions Timeline 2023

Medical Applications Timeline 2024

The above timeline provides you with a rough guideline to important dates throughout the year - Note however that it is important that you check the specific milestones and obtain up-to-date information from the appropriate medical institutions. GEMSAS publishes a comprehensive admissions guide every year, with the latest admissions guide generally published in mid-to-late April for entry in the following year.

Check for other key dates on the GEMSAS website here: GEMSAS Key Dates.

For non-GEMSAS Medical Institutions, it is important to review their specific information as their timelines will differ slightly from the GEMSAS ones.

GAMSAT Score Cutoffs

GAMSAT Cutoffs - Australian Graduate Entry Medical Schools

Note: Although some universities release official GAMSAT ^® average and minimum scores for each year, the majority do not. As such, this data is based on a combination of officially available information and information collated from forums such as PagingDr. Unless indicated otherwise, the scores below relate to CSP places and exclude rural and sub-quota places.

• ¹CSP - Commonwealth Supported Place
• ²BMP - Bonded Medical Place. Click here to learn more.
• ³These full-fee places are allocated to International students only and are not applicable for domestic students. 24 USYD CSPs are “Dubbo Commonwealth Supported Places”. 30 USYD places are reserved for undergraduate Double Degree medicine students.
• ⁴For the University of Melbourne, full fee places are available to both international and domestic applicants. The University of Melbourne does not specifiy how many places go to domestic vs international students. These full-fee places are also available for Guaranteed Entry Students. Regarding the BMP places, 30 are reserved for the MD Rural Pathway Applicants who apply outside of GEMSAS.
• ⁵In 2019, UQ introduced the MMI as part of their admissions process which may help explain the drop in cutoff scores. Prior to this, the GAMSAT ^® Score was the only criteria UQ used to rank students for medical offers.
• ⁶At UNDS, up to 10 of the full-fee places are open to International applicants.
• ⁷At Griffith, the total CSP and BMP places also include reserved places for 80 students from their Medical Science Pathway
• ⁸MQ report 20 of these 70 FFP places are for International students
• ⁹Approx 30% places are available for rural students, and up to 10% for Indigenous students.
• ¹⁰Up to 90 Commonwealth supported places are available - This includes CSP and BMPs. Note that up to 75% of places available are reserved for Flinders University Graduates. For 2023 entry, 73% of places went to Flinders University Graduates. The types of places at Flinders University are complex and it is recommended students carefully read the Flinders University Medical Admissions Guide. The scores provided as a cut-off for Flinders refers to non-reserved places for Flinders Graduates.
• ^{^}Scores provided for Deakin University do not include bonuses. For the 2024 cutoff scores, the score of 66 does not include any bonus. The lowest cutoff score with Deakin bonuses was 60.75 (12% bonus)
• ^#UQ also provides 135 places for its provisional cohort which refers to an undergraduate pathway at UQ where students are guaranteed a place in postgraduate medicine as long as they complete their bachelor’s degree at UQ and achieve certain academic requirements. 40 of these places are BMP. 96 UQ CSPs are allocated to the “Wide Bay cohort” and 39 CSPs are allocated to the “Darling Downs cohort” (rural training scheme)

It’s important to note that your GAMSAT ^® Score only makes up one component of your application, and there are various other factors that need to be considered. For more information, you can refer to the section below on the different admissions criteria and weightings. As always, it’s best to get in contact with the relevant medical institutions for further details and up-to-date information.

GAMSAT Score Calculation

These scores are what Universities use to rank your application and will ultimately help decide if you have a place in their Graduate Entry Medicine Course.

For more information on how GAMSAT ^® Scores are calculated and what they mean, visit our guide to understanding your GAMSAT ^® Results.

In terms of using these cutoffs, although they’re able to provide a rough guide, it’s important to understand that it’s nigh impossible to predict the cutoff scores for this year due to the multitude of factors that go into determining these. For example consider the potential influence of the cohort itself:

Currency of GAMSAT ^® Results

In November 2022, ACER announced that your GAMSAT ^® results are now valid for four years. Previously, results were only valid for two years.

This change is backdated, so GAMSAT ^® exam results from September 2020 can be used for medical schools application in 2024 with a 2025 start.

Note that the above information is specific to Australian universities and the details may differ, particularly for students based in the UK. To learn more about sitting the GAMSAT ^® Exam this year, read the ACER Admissions Guide.

GPA Calculation

Your GPA is a score out of 7.0 that is calculated using your marks throughout your previous studies. Your GPA does not need to be derived from a science degree, and excellence in other fields is equally recognised.

Like the overall GAMSAT score, the different universities use slightly different formulas to calculate your GPA, and some only use your GPA as a hurdle. It is important that you have a look at how your GPA is calculated at the universities you wish to apply to, as this may carry significant weight as to how competitive you are depending on the differences. Most universities use a weighted GPA, meaning that your marks in your final year of study are worth more than your earlier marks.

UQ calculates GPA using a unique method which weights subjects by their credit value rather than the year in which the subjects were completed. In addition, the University of Melbourne uses their own method where the final 2 years are weighted equally: the final-minus-2 x 1, the final-minus-1 x 2 and the final x 2. For further details refer to the latest GEMSAS Admissions guide.

For many applicants, calculating their actual GPA according to each specific university can be confusing. The GEMSAS GPA Calculator is a great tool provided by GEMSAS themselves, which is freely accessible on their website.

The sections below on criteria and weightings explain the differences between the calculations done by each university and the minimum requirements. Students should note that entry is competitive and a GPA required for interview selection is likely to be much higher than the general minimum of 5.0. To complicate matters even further, many universities have made some exceptions and amendments to calculations due to interruptions from COVID-19 - these can be viewed in the section below on GEMSAS GPA changes.

Postgraduate Studies and GPA Calculations

For many applicants, calculating their actual GPA according to each specific university can be confusing. We’ve linked the GEMSAS GPA Calculator at the bottom of this page, which students with current applications can utilise.

For students who have completed post-graduate studies, having an idea of how each university interprets your GPA can be even more difficult. The below table summarises the different types of postgraduate study and how they may be considered by different universities. Note that this table should not be taken as an exhaustive summary - For example, some universities require you to have completed any postgraduate study by an earlier deadline compared to a bachelor’s degree for it to be eligible for consideration in any GPA calculations. Students completing a bachelor’s degree can apply in their final year before their degree and results are finalised; if they are successful, they will receive a conditional offer conditional on completion of the bachelor’s degree. On the other hand, many universities require you to have completed a postgraduate degree by mid-year for it to be eligible for consideration in any GPA calculations. As always, the most accurate and up-to-date information is best found in the GEMSAS guide and from the universities themselves.

What GPA do I need for med school Australia?

While all of the medical schools (except Flinders) have a minimum required GPA score (usually around 5.0 - 5.5 on a 7-point scale), the truth is that medicine is a highly competitive course and that the actual minimum GPA required to obtain a place is much higher. Read our article How Does GEMSAS Interpret Your GPA? If you’d like to know more.

Graduate Entry Medicine - Admission Requirements

Your GAMSAT ^® Score is generally just one aspect of your overall application, and unfortunately, students can all too often place too much emphasis on the GAMSAT ^® exam and neglect the other areas of their application.

The criteria to select applicants for interviews used by Australian Graduate Medical Schools can be broadly summarised into three different categories:

2023-2024 Medical Admissions Changes

Rurality

Since 2023 entry, GEMSAS has used the Modified Monash Model (MMM) system to determine if applicants meet the rural background criteria as opposed to the Australian Standard Geographical Classification - Remoteness Area (ASGS-RA) system that was used previously. This change in method will apply to all GEMSAS universities for the purposes of determining rural schemes and sub-quota eligibility

A tool is available to assist applicants in determining their MMM category, and can be found here - Ensure that you select Modified Monash Model 2019 in the classification filter. The same time requirements as was used previously apply - Applicants will need to have resided in a MM 2 to 7 area for 5 years consecutively or 10 years cumulatively. For further details on these changes, as well as minor changes to the documentation requirements, refer to the most recent GEMSAS Admissions guide.

University of Melbourne

For University of Melbourne students applying through GEMSAS, it’s important to be aware that COVID-19 impacted grades will not be transferred electronically to GEMSAS unless you’ve requested this change. Following 2020, the University of Melbourne made the decision to exclude 2020 subject results from student academic transcripts. In order to have these results included in any GEMSAS applications, you’ll need to submit a request. Note that you cannot choose which results are included, all results from 2020 will be included once the request is made. Furthermore, it’s important to note that 2021 results are automatically included in GPA calculations. For further information, refer to the GEMSAS Applications Guide.

For 2023 admission, the University of Melbourne introduced the MD Rural Pathway in line with their commitment to offer at least 30% of its CSP places to applicants from a rural background. Within this 30%, 30 places are offered through the MD Rural Pathway, with 15 of these places reserved for graduates of La Trobe University’s Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences (Medical) degree, and the remaining 15 places open to graduates from other undergraduate medical degrees.

The MD Rural Pathway is targeted at applicants who are committed to undertaking their medical education wholly in rural settings and becoming part of rural and regional Australia’s workforce. Applications are submitted directly to the University, separate from the GEMSAS application process. Applicants will need to provide a personal statement regarding their connection with their rural or regional community. For further details, visit the University of Melbourne’s website and refer to the GEMSAS Admissions Guide.

Another important change is the removal of prerequisites from 2022 entry onwards. Previously, students needed to successfully complete specific subjects in anatomy, physiology and biochemistry at the level of second-year undergraduate study, within 10 years of commencement of the medical degree.

Deakin University

For the 2024 intake, Deakin University has updated the way in which their Rural Training Stream (RTS) works. Each year, 30 domestic places in the Doctor of Medicine (MD) are held for applicants applying through this stream which is designed to increase access for students from rural communities. For students in the RTS, all four years of the MD course will be held at rural training sites.

Deakin University has now introduced a tiered priority system for the RTS, with places first allocated to eligible Tier 1 applicants, and if places remain, to Tier 2 applicants and finally Tier 3 applicants. For further information, head to the Deakin University website.

University of Notre Dame (Sydney & Fremantle)

For 2024 entry, UNDS and UNDF have removed the requirement for a portfolio. Instead, they have introduced Casper, an online test previously used by UOW. Casper is an online video-based scenario, situational judgement test and is designed to evaluate aspects of your social intelligence and professionalism such as ethics, empathy, problem-solving and collaboration. It asks what you would do in a tough situation and, more importantly, why. Similarly, they have also introduced bonus points for rurality, WA residency and Higher Degree by Research (HDR) completion.

UNDF and UNDS have also updated their guidelines to provide the specific weightings used to rank students:

• Interview Offers:
  • 30%: Unweighted GAMSAT Score
  • 30%: GPA
  • 30%: Casper score
  • 10%: Bonus points for rurality, HDR completion and WA Residency (UNDF only)
• Medical School Offers:
  • 50%: Combined GAMSAT, GPA, Casper, and bonus points
  • 50%: Interview (MMI)

For UNDF, applicants who have resided cumulatively in Western Australia for 10 years or more as at 31 May 2023 may receive bonus points applicable to the interview ranking. Specific documented evidence of residency will be requested from applicants who are offered an interview. For further information, head to the GEMSAS Admissions Guide.

University of Queensland

The University of Queensland has introduced a new program called the Central Queensland – Wide Bay Regional Medical Pathway (RMP) which offers up to 90 places - up to 60 in the Central Queensland – Wide Bay region and up to 30 in the Darling Downs – South West region.

Applicants offered a place in the CQ-WB RMP or DD-SW MP will not be permitted to transfer between pathways or to the Greater Brisbane program pathway.

Successful applicants will commence Year 1 in Brisbane and then complete their medical studies (years 2 – 4) in Central Queensland (CQ), Wide Bay (WB) or Darling Downs-South West (DD-SW). Applicants will be sorted into Tier 1, 2, and 3, with preference given to applicants from Central Queensland / Wide Bay / Darling Downs - South West and applicants with a rural background. Refer to the GEMSAS Admissions guide for more information.

From 2023 admission the University of Queensland now requires certain prerequisites: Integrative Cell & Tissue Biology & System Physiology. UQ also provides a list of equivalent subjects at different institutions on their website.

University of Western Australia

The University of Western Australia has significantly increased the number of medical school places available, from 63 last year to 103 for 2024 entry. Approximately 30% of places are available for rural applicants, up to 10% are available for Indigenous students, and 28.5% of all domestic medical places are BMPs.

In 2022 UWA changed how they rank applicants for an offer. They currently use the following weightings: 30% to GPA, 20% to GAMSAT® score and 50% to interview score. All scores will be standardised prior to ranking. In addition, it’s worth noting that rural applicants will be ranked based on a separate weighting structure: 22.5% to GPA, 15% to GAMSAT® score, 37.5% to interview score, and 25% to rural rating. There are few specific details provided regarding this rural rating, save for the following statement: The rurality score will be calculated on the most recent 5 years spent in a defined rural area (as per the rural eligibility definition).

This is a significant change compared to previous years where an equal weighting of 33% was provided to each of the three elements for non-rural students.

University of Wollongong

For 2023 entry, UOW replaced the Casper test with the Altus Suite which added a ‘Snapshot’ - A 15-minute one-way video interview with standardised questions. For 2024 entry, UOW has removed ‘Snapshot’ and returned to using the Casper test only. This test is a 100-120 minute online video based scenario, situational judgement test and is designed to assess areas such as ethics, empathy and communication. For 2024 entry, Casper scores will be used as a hurdle requirement for interview ranking and will be combined with interview score and portfolio score for final offers.

Casper testing dates for UOW MD domestic applicants for the 2023-2024 admissions cycle are:

• Wednesday 3 May 2023 - 10am AEST
• Sunday 28 May 2023 - 10am AEST
• Thursday 8 June 2023 - 7pm AEST

Ensure that you check the UOW website for the most up-to-date information and dates.

It is recommended that applicants try and register to take the test on the first available date. If you have not yet registered for Casper by the time of GEMSAS applications closing, you must register immediately to ensure you are included in the final test dates in time for consideration this year. Applicants without a Casper score will not be considered for entry.

University of Sydney

For students who applied in 2020 for 2021 commencement, the University of Sydney did not conduct interviews. Offers for places were made based on GAMSAT ^® Scores alone, with a SJT, Interview, or GPA used as a tiebreaker where necessary. These changes have been continued to 2024 commencement - For the majority of students, interviews will not be conducted for 2024 entry. Furthermore, contrary to the recent change made by ACER to extend GAMSAT score validity to 4 years, USyd will only accept GAMSAT test results obtained in the past 2 years for 2024 entry - Valid sittings include September 2021, March 2022, September 2022, and March 2023.

USyd will rank students by each section of the GAMSAT ^® exam. This means that USyd will not look at overall or average scores in the ranking of applicants. It’s important to note as well that the exact method used to combine and rank students has not been provided. Students must still meet a minimum score of 50 in each section (except for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants). For the GPA, standard applicants will be required to have a minimum of 5, and rural applicants a minimum of 4.5.

It’s also worth noting that USyd has outlined potential additional selection tools in their admissions guide:

So what does this mean? It’s difficult to say exactly as there have been some conflicting observations. With the interview requirement lifted, it would be reasonable to expect an increase in the GAMSAT cutoff scores - However, 2021 entry actually saw a drop in the student-reported cutoff scores from 69 to 66. That said, there was fluctuation in the following years with an increase to 72 for 2022, and then decrease down to 67 for 2023 entry. One possible reason for this fluctuation is the method used by USyd to rank students by each section of the GAMSAT ^® exam. One potential hypothetical is that USyd may have shifted the weighting for the sections away from Section 3 with a greater emphasis on Section 1 or 2 or both to compensate for the removal of the interview. Another possibility is that they may have adjusted the method between different years. Overall, the main takeaway is that students should consider cutoff scores from 2021 entry onwards as entirely separate from historic cutoff scores - These more recent scores are indicative of current trends and it’s likely we’ll get a clearer picture each year additional data is gathered.

USyd has also introduced a new Dubbo MD stream for 2022, which will also be available for 2024 entry. This stream has been developed with the aim to attract more practitioners to rural and/or remote medical practice. Students wishing to be considered for the Dubbo MD stream will also need to submit a Personal Statement demonstrating a genuine interest, intention and aptitude for practising medicine in rural and regional areas. There are 24 places offered in the Dubbo MD stream.

Offers for the Dubbo stream will be made in sequence commencing with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants and Australian rural/regional applicants with the highest ranked scores, after reviewing personal statements and, if required, an additional interview. The University will give applicants due notice of any additional requirements. MD applicants who have made applications for both the Metropolitan (Sydney) and Dubbo streams are advised that only one offer into the MD program will be made. Applicants who are offered a place in either the Metropolitan (Sydney) or the Dubbo stream will not be considered for admission to the other stream. If you do not wish to be considered for a particular stream, do not select it.

For further details about the 2024 changes for USyd, refer to their website here.

USyd have also stated that they will be introducing assumed knowledge in physiology, anatomy, and molecular/cellular biology for students entering from 2020 onwards. A ‘Foundation Knowledge Course’ will be accessible online for students that covers the assumed knowledge.

GEMSAS GPA Changes

In light of the significant disruptions and transition to online learning caused by COVID-19, many universities opted to change the way in which they graded assessments for 2020, with many universities moving to something akin to a pass/fail model. This had significant ramifications on the calculation of GPA scores and each university outlined their positions on GPA/WAM methodology for prospective GEMSAS applicants who completed their key/qualifying degree in 2020.

With regards to how each medical school will review results from 2020 for 2024 entry information can now be found in the 2024 GEMSAS Medical Admissions guide. A summary has been included below:

University	GPA Calculation
ANU	Ungraded Pass (UGP/CRS) results will not be included in the GPA calculation. UGP passes are included in the ‘credit count’ for a particular GPA year, however, they are excluded from the calculation and that particular GPA ‘year’ will be calculated based on the available graded course results only. An applicant must have a minimum of 0.375 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) worth of graded results available for a GPA to be calculated for that particular GPA ‘year’, i.e.: if 1.0FTE is the equivalent of 8 courses (or 48 credits with 6 credits per course), then using this module, you must have a minimum of 3 courses (0.375 FTE) that are graded (not UGP/CRS) for that year. It is important to note that as a minimum an applicant must have at least 0.375 FTE of graded results in at least 2 of the 3 GPA years to have a valid GPA calculated.
UNDS	An applicant’s GPA will, subject to the exclusions below, be calculated on the most recent 3-FTE years of study of completed/completing degrees at AQF Level 7 or above. All grades/results (including fail grades, if applicable) from the most recent 3-FTE years of completed/completing study will be used. Some institutions have decided to change their grading system to pass/fail for either Semester One, 2020 or for the whole of 2020. These qualifications will still be accepted provided they remain a minimum three-year full-time equivalent (FTE) undergraduate degree, or other accepted qualifying degree.
USYD	It is recommended that students check the USYD Medical Admissions Guide for the most up-to-date information. According to the guide, standard applicants must have a minimum GPA of 5 as at 8 June 2023 (Sydney, Australia time), as calculated by the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC); rural applicants must have a minimum GPA of 4.5 as at 8 June 2023 (Sydney, Australia time), as calculated by UAC. The UAC guidelines for calculating GPA can be found here.
UOW	The GPA calculation is based on three years of full-time equivalent study (3.0 FTE) in your most recent eligible degree (or combination of degrees, if applicable). For the purpose of the GPA calculation, eligible degrees include Bachelor, Honours, Graduate Diploma and Master by Coursework programs. Ungraded Pass (UGP/CRS) results will not be included in the GPA calculation. UOW will include UGP in the ‘credit count’ for a particular GPA year, however, these are excluded from the calculation and that particular GPA ‘year’ will be calculated based on the available graded course results only.
Griffith	Due to COVID-19 applicants for admission in 2024 will have any study completed in Semester/Trimester 1 2020 assessed as follows: Ungraded passes to a maximum of one semester/trimester FTE study will be disregarded. Semester/Trimester 2 of 2020, a maximum of 50% of ungraded passes can be disregarded. Graded courses or a combination of graded and ungraded courses will have a GPA calculated using the GEMSAS schema – ungraded courses will be disregarded. Applicants may request to have ALL Semester/Trimester 1 grades in 2020 disregarded. However, applicants cannot request to have individual Semester/Trimester 1 grades in 2020 disregarded. Requests to have Semester/Trimester 1 2020 grades disregarded must be sent to medicine@griffith.edu.au no later than 5pm on 31 May 2023. Due to COVID-19 applicants for admission in 2024 in a 4 year Bachelor degree with embedded honours will have any study completed in Semester/Trimester 1 2020 assessed in the same way as a Bachelor degree.
UQ	There will be no variation to the GPA assessment methodology for periods of study that were affected by COVID-19. The GPA for the UQ preference is calculated over the entire duration of the degree. This means that grades are not divided into years for a ‘count back’ assessment of the GPA. As a result, UQ’s GPA assessments are weighted by credit value of the subjects rather than the year in which the subjects were completed. All subjects studied while enrolled in the key degree are included in the GPA calculation, whether or not they counted towards the award of the degree. Any other study for which credit was given towards the degree must also be included, this includes failed attempts at subjects in earlier degrees that were repeated and passed to attain credit in the new degree. Letter grades are used in all GPA calculations by The University of Queensland. Percentages are only used when equivalent letter grades are unavailable. For further details on how UQ calculates GPA, refer to their guide here.
Flinders	It is recommended that students check the Flinders Medical Admissions Guide for the most up-to-date information.
Deakin	2020 Calendar year results will not be used in the GPA calculation. Applicants who studied in the final year of their most recent degree in 2020 and who completed at least 0.25FTE of their final year requirements prior to 2020, will have their GPA calculated as Final-2 x 1, Final-1 x 2 and Final x 3. Applicants who studied in the final year of their most recent degree in 2020 and had less than 0.25FTE of their final year requirements completed prior to 2020, will have their GPA calculated from the Final-1 and Final-2 years only. Years will be progressively weighted x5 and x1 to give greater weight to the most recent results. An Honours year (embedded or standalone) will be considered and may count as your final year in the GPA calculation. Applicants should note that 2020 calendar year results will not be used. A GPA year must have at least 0.25FTE of graded results.
UniMelb	Results for 2020 subjects completed before the COVID-19 pandemic will be included in entry score calculations. Results for honours completed in 2020 will be included in entry score calculations for 2022 and all future intakes. All other 2020 subject results will be excluded from entry score calculations for 2022 and all future intakes. For the avoidance of doubt, subjects from all other study periods will be included in entry score calculations.
UNDF	An applicant’s GPA will, subject to the exclusions below, be calculated on the most recent 3-FTE years of study of completed/completing degrees at AQF Level 7 or above. All grades/results (including fail grades, if applicable) from the most recent 3-FTE years of completed/completing study will be used. Some institutions have decided to change their grading system to pass/fail for either Semester One, 2020 or for the whole of 2020. These qualifications will still be accepted provided they remain a minimum three-year full-time equivalent (FTE) undergraduate degree, or other accepted qualifying degree.
UWA	The GPA is calculated on the most recent three full-time-equivalent years (FTE) of study (e.g. 3 FTE is 144 credit points at UWA). Please note this excludes any exemptions, credit or advanced standing. As a temporary measure due to impacts of COVID-19, all results obtained from studies undertaken during Semester 1 2020, and concurrent non-standard study periods, were treated as ungraded pass/fail in the GPA calculation. As the impact from this period on the overall GPA has lessened, the GPA calculation will now treat results from this period as shown on the transcript. Fail results that appear on the transcript will be included in the GPA calculation The credit value/unit weighting of ungraded passes will count towards the three years of FTE study; however, the result itself is left out of the calculation. For example, if a student has 0.125 FTE of ungraded pass in a particular year, that year's GPA will be based on 0.875 FTE of results. Where an applicant has more than one year or FTE of ungraded passes within their most recent three years FTE the calculation will include results from older study where available. Both the result and credit value/weighting of ungraded fails are included in the GPA calculation. An ungraded fail will confer a GPA result of 0 for that unit. For further information refer to the UWA medical admissions website.
MQ	The following method of GPA calculation will be used when a qualifying degree was completed in 2020: All graded unit results from 2020 will be included in the calculation using the normal weightings. Ungraded units from 2020 will be excluded from the GPA calculation Refer to the GEMSAS GPA guidelines for further details regarding subjects completed in 2020: Note that non-award units will not be used as part of the GPA calculation.

GAMSAT ^® Only Medical Schools

There is one particular medical school that uses only your GAMSAT ^® Score to rank applicants - The University of Sydney. Note that contrary to the recent change made by ACER to extend GAMSAT score validity to 4 years, USyd will only accept GAMSAT test results obtained in the past 2 years for 2024 entry. As mentioned above, USyd have now removed interviews from their admissions process and changed the way that GAMSAT ^® Scores are used - You can review the above section for further details.

Prior to 2020 entry for UQ, your GAMSAT ^® Score alone determined your success. However UQ has now introduced an interview process and also uses GPA as part of their ranking criteria. Selection for interview at UQ is now based on a 50/50 combination of your unweighted average GAMSAT score and GPA (note that UQ uses a unique method to calculate GPA scores ). We can see the effect that the addition of the MMI has had on the UQ cutoff scores - You can refer to this table to see the drop over recent years. For more information, make sure to review the latest GEMSAS guide.

GAMSAT ^® and GPA Medical Schools

The majority of schools use a combination of GPA and GAMSAT ^® Scores to rank applicants for an interview. The exact calculation differs between medical schools, with some ranking students for each individually then combining the rankings, and others simply adding the scores together. Although it’s not a completely accurate method, calculating a combination score can be helpful in providing applicants with a rough idea of their chances and competitiveness:

GAMSAT ^® & GPA Combination Score Formula

The formula above assumes that the GPA and GAMSAT ^® Score are equally weighted, and although this is generally the case, it is always important to check with the relevant medical school for further details.

For example, if we take student John, who has a GPA of 6.63 and a GAMSAT ^® Score of 67, his overall combination score can be calculated as:

Regardless of what particular method a medical school uses to calculate your rankings and combine your scores, a combination of your GPA and GAMSAT ^® Score will be used. Review the table below for a list of combination score cutoffs as a rough guide.

GAMSAT , GPA, Portfolio & Other Schools

There is currently 1 medical school in Australia that include a portfolio in the assessment process:

University of Notre Dame Sydney and Fremantle previously both utilised a portfolio in the assessment process. However, this has been removed for the 2024 entry and replaced with the Casper test (also utilised by the University of Wollongong). For further information on these changes, head up to our section on all the changes for 2024 above.

Including a portfolio allows medical schools to gauge who you actually are through your life experiences and values. As such, a strong portfolio with an impressive array of skills and assets can compensate for less-than-adequate GPA and GAMSAT® scores, and because of this, the cutoffs for these universities tend to be lower. However, it is important to note that there are no clear guidelines on how portfolios are marked.

Nevertheless, a portfolio is a great way to show you have that characteristics and experiences to ensure you’ll one day make a great doctor, and it’s worth also noting that even once applications are submitted, you should continue to search for opportunities over the coming year that may contribute to your portfolio should you miss out this time and have to apply again. Be proactive and build on your activities now so that you’re making the most of the often-long road to securing a place. Becoming a better person at the same time is just collateral construction.

Since 2022 entry, UOW has used GPA scores as a hurdle requirement and increased the cutoff to 5.5. Interview offers are provided based on a 50-50 combination of GAMSAT® scores and portfolio scores, with GPA and CASPer scores as a hurdle requirement. Final medical school offers are made based on a candidate's interview, Capser and portfolio scores in a 25:25:50 ratio. GPA and GAMSAT results are not included in the formula after the interview.

UOW provides guides on writing and compiling your portfolios here:

• UOW Portfolio Guide
• UOW Portfolio Template

Additional Criteria & Requirements

All Graduate Entry Medical Schools in Australia will fall into one of the above categories (with the exception of Monash). However, beyond looking at an applicant’s GAMSAT ^® Score, GPA or Portfolio, there are several other factors that some universities consider and it’s important to check with each medical institution for up-to-date details and exact information. Some notable examples include:

This above list is by no means exhaustive and it’s important to check with the relevant medical institutions for specific details.

Australian Graduate Medical Schools - Criteria and Weightings

• ¹For the interview offers, UNDF/UNDS allocates 10% of the weighting to bonus points for rurality, completion of Higher Degrees by Research, and WA residency (UNDF only). For the medical school place offer, students are ranked by a combination of the GAMSAT ^® , GPA, Casper and bonus points (50%) and interview (50%).
• ²Prerequisites apply (check the UQ website for more information). UQ uses GPA as a tiebreaker for interview offers, and MMI Score as a tiebreaker for medical school offers where necessary.
• ³Deakin offers a Rural Training Stream for which the criteria and weightings differ from the General Stream - For further information refer to the section above.
• ⁴The University of Melbourne calculates GPA according to the following ratio - (Final Year-2: Final Year-1: Final Year) : (1:2:2)
• ⁵The University of Wollongong uses GPA as a qualifying hurdle for interview offers. GPA scores will not be used in ranking for interviews or places offers once the hurdle has been met.
• ⁶Contrary to changes made by ACER, USyd will only accept GAMSAT test results obtained in the past two years. The GAMSAT scores alone are used to rank students for offers. Note that it is unclear what weighting they will use for the 3 sections of the GAMSAT exam. You can read more in their application guide
• ⁷MQ have a compulsory personal statement that must be submitted with application and will be graded as satisfactory or unsatisfactory for interview offers
• ⁸UWA applies a different weighting for rural applicants: 22.5% to GPA, 15% to GAMSAT score, 37.5% to interview score, and 25% to rural rating.
  ⁹While there is no minimum GPA requirement, a Flinders equivalent GPA of 5.5 out of 7 is generally considered competitive but selection also depends on GAMSAT overall score and interview score.
  ^ A GPA of 7 is awarded to masters by research and PhD studies (NB: UWA awards this for PhDs only)
• ^*Overall minimum scores are listed, but all universities also require a minimum section score of 50 in each section (discretionary for UNDS/UNDF).
• ^**Griffith University & UWA use unweighted GPA Scores. UQ uses a unique method to calculate the GPA based on credit value rather than the year in which the subject was completed. Griffith & UQ convert the GPA to a percentage.
• ^wUMelb, UQ, UNDS & UNDF use an unweighted GAMSAT Score - Each section of the GAMSAT Exam is weighted equally.
• ⁺⁺ 2023 entry unofficial minimum scores drawn from self-reported scores in the PagingDr forum ( pagingdr.net ). In most instances, the scores listed ignore bonuses (rural etc.), but some scores may include such bonuses and may be for bonded or full-fee place types and will be marked accordingly. Many medical schools do not publish official cut-off scores so these should be used as a guide only.
• ^&Some scores listed here are derived by combining GAMSAT/GPA score (GPA/7 + GAMSAT/100) which is roughly used to rank applicants.
• ^#These scores includes rural and other bonuses
• CSP - Commonwealth Supported Place.
• BMP - Bonded Medical Place. For more details see here.
• UAC - University Admissions Centre. For more details visit the USYD Website or the UAC site.

Australian Graduate Medical Schools - Weighted & Unweighted Scores

The above table breaks down how each medical school calculates your GPA & GAMSAT score. Please note that the process can become a lot more complicated than this - Certain universities include postgraduate study , Deakin will provide bonuses , and the specific details may change depending on a number of factors. It’s highly recommended that you read through the GEMSAS Admissions Guide carefully as well as their guide on GPA calculations.

Finally the impact of COVID-19 has created an additional layer of complexity - You can read more here.

Finally a word on Monash University. Although this particular medical school does offer a Graduate Medical Course, a GAMSAT ^® score ceased being necessary from 2017 onwards. Any applications will be instead assessed on two factors:

1. Academic Record (WAM)
2. MMI (Multi-mini Interview)

Most importantly perhaps, entry will only be open to candidates who have completed certain degrees at Monash University:

The Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Gippsland Partnership Program) from Federation University is also accepted for entry to Monash University.

For more details, visit the Monash University Medical School Website

Medical Interviews - MMIs & Format

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some medical schools have opted to run interviews online rather than in-person. The relevant details from the GEMSAS Admissions guide have been summarised below:

Check out our Guide to Medicine MMIs: Multiple Mini-Interviews for more detailed information.

Is it hard to get into Australian medical school?

There’s no ignoring it - Getting into medical school in Australia is hard and competitive. As you would have learnt on this page, the application process itself is long and confusing, requiring you to excel in a wide array of fields and skills. Firstly, your GPA is generally taken into consideration, meaning that you have to have performed at a high level for the past three years of tertiary studies. You then have to sit the GAMSAT ACER exam - testing your humanities, writing and science skills - and not just pass the minimum threshold, but attain a competitive score. Some universities will even want you to submit a portfolio or complete prerequisite subjects. And once you’ve done everything you can to gain an interview offer, you also need to ace the interview itself as most universities use this as 50% of your overall score to gain an offer into medical school itself. It can be quite overwhelming, and it is undoubtedly an intense and difficult process. However, while it’s important to understand how the process works in order to make good decisions, it’s also equally important to look after yourself and do the best with what you have.

Even though the pathway to medicine can be long and difficult, there are many options, so don’t give up!

Retaking the GAMSAT exam

The competitive nature of the admissions process and the incredible cut-off scores for the GAMSAT® exam seen for contemporary applications means that a re-sit of the exam and hopefully a corresponding score boost is often necessary to improve a student’s chances in the subsequent year. It is extremely difficult to rebound back into the GAMSAT ^® again, as it is such a draining affair. However, students should be comforted in the fact that they know what to expect, they have a better feel for what’s high-yield study, and they feel the pressure to motivate further revision. Read our page on How to prepare for the GAMSAT ^® to learn how to optimise your study and preparation.

Chances of getting into medical school

Whilst the exact numbers of applicants are never released, we can estimate that there are over 10000 medical student hopefuls applying each year, with around 2000 spots up for grabs across the country. Whilst these odds may not seem to fall in your favour, it’s important to continue reminding yourself that there are still 2000 students each year who receive that beautiful acceptance letter. If medicine is something you truly want to study, the tough application process is worth it. Remember that GAMSAT ^® , GPA and interview performance (and portfolios) are all important - do not neglect one aspect of your application and hope that the others balance it out. Give everything your best shot, believe in yourself and trust the process.

How can I get into medical school if I have a low GPA?

We often talk about how best to study for the GAMSAT ^® , the minimum GAMSAT ^® score needed to get in, and how to improve a GAMSAT® score. But most medical schools use a combination score, using both the GAMSAT® score and the GPA, for interview rankings. So what happens if your uni grades are low? Can you still get into medicine?

If you are concerned about a low GPA, the first thing you should do is look through the GPA calculation and weighted and unweighted scores section of this page, followed by the GEMSAS admission guide for detailed information about each university's requirements. It’s important to get an accurate idea of what your GPA actually is, whether it differs across universities and therefore whether you may be more competitive at certain medical schools.

For example, some universities such as the University of Wollongong only use the GPA as a hurdle. Some universities will use a weighted GPA such that your final years of study will carry more weight than the first few years, whereas unweighted GPAs will equally spread the weight of each year of your studies - you can use this to your advantage depending on your position. And some universities will give you automatically boosted GPAs for completing higher degrees such as PhDs and Masters degrees.

You can have a read through our guide, What are my options for studying medicine if I have a low GPA? , for much more detailed information and examples

What is the easiest University to get into medicine in Australia?

It is hard to give an accurate depiction of which medical school is the “easiest” to get into. As can be seen in the “criteria and weightings” table above, each medical school has subtle differences in how they choose their students. Depending on your strengths or weaknesses, some universities may present more challenges than others.

For example, a student who scores highly on GAMSAT but does not have many pertinent life experiences to fill a portfolio might be highly competitive for a university that puts a strong emphasis on GAMSAT, such as USyd. However, such a student may not be as competitive at UoW due to the portfolio requirements.

Another example is a student who had a poor undergraduate GPA but went on to do a PhD. This student would be advantaged at universities that award an automatic GPA of 7 for completed PhDs, but would be disadvantaged at universities that only consider undergraduate studies in the calculation of the GPA.

Therefore, in considering which medical school would be easiest for you to get in, consider which parts of your application are the strongest, and which medical school’s criteria are in your favour.

Place Types at Australian Graduate Medical Schools

There are three main types of graduate medical student ‘places’ in Australia. These are Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs), Bonded Medical Places (BMPs), and Full-Fee Paying Places (FFPs). The table below summarises what each means and who may be eligible. Students should always check with the universities and the GEMSAS guide for the most up-to-date information regarding the numbers and requirements for each type of place. There are other entry pathways that are not outlined in the table below, such as those for Indigenous Australians. This information is also provided by individual universities and in the GEMSAS guide.

Note: according to GEMSAS, most schools are obliged to fill 25% of Commonwealth-subsidised places (i.e. CSP + BMP) with rural background students; however, this sub-quota can be filled from a combination of CSP and BMP offer types and is not restricted to only CSPs or only BMPs.

Medical School - What Does it Involve?

Whilst each graduate medical school in Australia is different, there are a few aspects about medical training that you can expect to experience if you become a medical student. After all, completing graduate medical training allows you to work as a doctor throughout the country.

Firstly, medical school can generally be split up into ‘pre-clinical’ and ‘clinical’ phases, referring to when learning is primarily university-based versus clinical placement-based.

In the pre-clinical phase, tutorials are often structured as problem-based learning. This means that classes will be guided and presented around an example of a patient scenario. Some universities will structure further learning around this, for example anatomy laboratories. Students will also need to learn the relevant communication and clinical skills for becoming a doctor, such as how to take a pain history or how to perform a cardiovascular examination. It is also common for students in their pre-clinical phase to have some exposure to clinical placements.

In the next phase, transitioning from learning in tutorials and lectures to the clinical environment can be challenging, but is nonetheless rewarding and develops important knowledge and skills.

Universities time their rotations differently, however generally students will spend the most time placed in the main specialties (general medicine, surgery, general practice etc.) and less in the more niche specialties. Universities also offer (or even mandate) rural clinical school training, where students can spend a period of their course placed in a regional or rural area. There may also be options to attend elective placements interstate or overseas that students may organise themselves.

For more detailed information about each university, check out our Australian Medical Schools: General Overview guide.

How to Order your Preferences

It’s near impossible to conceive of a way in which you can ‘play the system’, in regards to GEMSAS preferencing. All offers are coordinated centrally via GEMSAS and if a medical school doesn’t want you, you’ll get passed onto your next preference for consideration. Below are some tips - Remember, don’t overthink it!

Each applicant’s eligibility and competitiveness will be assessed for their number one preference. If the applicant does not meet the requirements or is not highly ranked enough to gain an interview offer at their first preference, they will be assessed for their second preference. If the applicant is then not eligible or highly-ranked enough for their second, they will be assessed for their third and so on (until an interview offer is made or all preferences are exhausted).

After interviews, the above process will be repeated using interview scores in the calculations (according to each school’s selection rules). However, a student cannot be accepted for a graduate medical school position at a school that is higher on their preference list than the school they interviewed at. For example, if you complete an interview at your fourth preference school, your application for a final offer will be considered for your fourth, then if unsuccessful your fifth preference and so on. It will not be considered for your first, second, or third preferences in such a case.

Clearly, it is important to choose your preferences wisely. It is important to read carefully through this page and the GEMSAS admission guide - learn about how each university weighs its admission criteria and find where you may be more competitive. You may find that you have a lot of life experience and extracurricular activities that lend well to a university that uses a portfolio. Or if you find that you have a low GPA but a high GAMSAT ^® score, you may want to apply for universities that give greater weight to the GAMSAT ^® score in the calculation of your final score.

Ultimately, however, it is most important that you order your preferences based on where you actually want to study and where you will be the happiest. A medical degree requires a lot of time, energy and commitment, and you need to know that you will be comfortable with your decision, especially if it involves moving interstate.

Below are some tips on how you might choose to order your preferences:

1. Rank all medical schools on a blank piece of paper based on where you actually want to live/attend/thrive/survive
2. If you do not want to live somewhere, do not preference it
3. If you end up with more than 6 preferences on that page, cut out the ones for which you would be least competitive

Useful Resources

1. What is the GAMSAT ^® ?

   Everything you need to know about the GAMSAT ^® Exam from structure and overview to which universities require the GAMSAT ^®

2. How to study for the GAMSAT ^® Exam

   A breakdown of how to approach study effectively and how to set up a GAMSAT ^® study schedule.

3. Understanding your GAMSAT ^® Results

   Covers everything you need to know about your GAMSAT ^® Results - From how scoring works to the results release dates.

4. GradReady GAMSAT ^® Preparation Courses

   The Best Results at the Best Value - The only provider with statistically significant results over 10 years - Average student improvement of 20+ Percentile Points.

5. InterviewReady Courses

   Get ready for your medical application interview with tailored preparation for specific universities and formats. 90% Medical School Admission Rate.

6. GAMSAT ^® Non-Science Background: How to Prepare

   A breakdown of how to approach GAMSAT ^® study effectively if you come from a non-science background.

7. GEMSAS GPA Calculator





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Undergraduate Medicine

Another option for those interested in studying medicine is undergraduate entry. This is open to those finishing high school and typically requires an ATAR score and typically a UCAT ^® score; however, many undergraduate medical schools also accept students who have already completed another undergraduate degree.

The following universities require the UCAT ^® Exam for entry into their undergraduate medical schools:

Undergraduate Medical Schools

^*Provisional offers to complete undergraduate degree followed by graduate medicine (see below section), but application and entry is based on ATAR and UCAT scores