Is my UMAT score good enough?

Last updated 07th May 2018

Is my UMAT® Exam score good enough?

So the wait is over and UMAT® Exam results have been released! Whether you have studied on your own or used an online UMAT® Exam preparation course, it is fair to say that you have worked very hard in the past few months. You may have done better than you expected or not as great as you hoped – but if so, remember not to let these results jeopardize your performance in your end of year 12 exams! I have tried to summarize the main criteria the various universities offering an undergraduate medicine degree use to give interviews and then subsequently, pick people for the course. As many universities don’t release their UMAT® Exam cut-offs or similar admission data, the following figures are only estimates based on scores obtained by past students (but since most unis use a combination of ATAR and UMAT® Exam for admission, it can be quite challenging to estimate these values). As this is a UMAT® Exam-related blog, the post-graduate-only universities such as ANU, Notre Dame or Flinders aren’t mentioned here, though I have included guaranteed-entry universities.
 

What do the UMAT® Exam results mean?

Your UMAT® Exam result will give you 5 scores – a score for each section, an overall score and a percentile. Each university uses these scores differently but a majority simply use the overall score.
 

Types of places offered

Almost every university has a certain number of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP). A CSP allows you to study medicine for a fraction of the normal fee; these places are highly competitive and require a very high ranking. Most universities also have a quota for the Bonded Scheme (BSP). This is a scheme in which after completing their specialty training, medical students must agree to work in an area of workforce shortage for a length of time that is equal to the duration of the undergraduate course. In addition to these places, some universities also offer places for rural students, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and students who would like to go and work in rural areas. The main reason why I would like to highlight this is so that you know that there are a variety of positions offered and your selection into the course could be bettered by adding them in as preferences. Also note that almost all universities have a quota for international students.
 

The University of New South Wales (UNSW)

Selection into the course is based on an equally weighted system of UMAT® Exam, ATAR and interview. However to attain an interview, the UMAT® Exam raw score and ATAR estimate are taken into account and students are ranked based on an equal combination of the two. A minimum ATAR of 96.00 or equivalent and a minimum overall raw UMAT score of 150 are required to be considered for an interview. 
 

The University of Western Sydney (UWS)

Selection is based on a combination of ATAR, UMAT® Exam and Multistation Mini Interview (MMI). First an ATAR threshold is used to filter students – but the cut-off scores can vary depending on school location. For people who are living within greater western Sydney (GWS), the ATAR requirement is 93.50. However for non-GWS students, the requirement is 95.50. They do not look at the ATAR past this point – this is just a cut-off.

Next, UWS looks at your UMAT® Exam score. The UMAT® threshold changes each year and is altered by the performance of all the applicants applying. The UWS doesn't disclose their UMAT® threshold, however note that GWS applicants may have a slightly lower threshold than non-GWS applicants. 

Applicants who meet both the academic and UMAT® thresholds are then invited to interview. After the interviews are carried out, students are then ranked with a 2/3 weighting on interview and a 1/3 weighting on the UMAT® Exam scores UWS calculate. 

The University of Newcastle and University of New England (JMP program)

Again, ATAR scores are simply a threshold. On the JMP admissions page an ATAR of 94.30 or higher is listed as the minimum required ATAR by applicants who completed their Year 12 studies in a non-rural area. For those who completed Year 12 in a rural area their cut-off is 91.40.

UMAT® scores are also taken into consideration. A threshold score of 50 in each of the three UMAT constructs is required. Using the UMAT® score and ATAR score, candidates are ranked and then offered an invitation to the Joint Medical Program Assessment, where they will undergo a Personal Qualities Assessment and a Multiple Skills Assessment. 
 

The University of Sydney (USYD)

This is a graduate-entry course and so the only way to get in at an undergraduate stage is through guaranteed entry. The ATAR required is 99.95 and UMAT® Exam is not considered.
 

Monash University

Like the UNSW, Monash uses an equally-weighted system of UMAT® Exam, ATAR and interview for selection into the course. However, the interview is an MMI style. UMAT® Exam and ATAR are equally weighted to get an interview.
 

Melbourne University

Similar to USYD, this is a graduate-entry course and the only way to get in at undergraduate level is through guaranteed entry. The ATAR required is 99.90 and UMAT ® Exam is not considered.
 

The University of Queensland (UQ)

This is a provisional entry scheme. It means that students are selected and then must complete an undergraduate course followed by the post-graduate medical degree. Students must then maintain a minimum GPA of 5 in their chosen undergraduate degree to progress into the post-graduate medical course. A minimum of 50 in each section of the UMAT® is required for consideration and a minimum ATAR of 99 is required. UQ then use an applicant’s section 1 score as a “tie-breaker” if their UMAT® Exam and ATAR are the same. In 2013, for a non-bonded place, a UMAT® Exam score of 186 and section 1 score of 61 was sufficient. For a bonded place, a UMAT ® Exam score of 181 and section 1 score of 60 was
sufficient.

Griffith University

At Griffith, a provisional entry scheme is in place with high achieving High School graduates gaining entry into the Bachelor of Medical Science program. A GPA of 5 must then be maintained in an undergraduate medical science course to progress into the post-graduate medicine course.
 

James Cook University (JCU)

JCU do not use UMAT® Exam scores for entry into medicine. Instead, an interview is given based on ATAR estimates and an application form. Admission into the course is then awarded based on the results of the interview.
 

The University of Adelaide

A minimum ATAR of 90 is required for consideration into the course. The overall UMAT® Exam percentile is used for interview selection. In 2013, this was approximately 86 or so. Selection into the course is based 20% on UMAT® Exam, 40% on ATAR and 40% on the interview.
 

The University of Western Australia (UWA)

Similar to UQ, this is an assured pathway scheme. Students must maintain a GPA of 5.5 in their undergraduate course before they can progress into the post-graduate medical course.The minimum ATAR required is 99 and UMAT® Exam scores are then used to select which students will progress to the interview. UWA uses the overall UMAT® Exam score and not the percentile. UCAT, ATAR and interview scores are then used in a 1:2:2 ratio to determine entry.

Here is a table that summarizes the above information

++ Some universities have an ATAR/UMAT® Exam cut-off and if you are below this, they won’t consider you.

* These values were taken from the university website.^ These are very rough estimates based on students who got interviews in 2013 and are subject to change

.# These scores vary greatly so cutoffs are hard to estimate. (For example with a high ATAR, a low UMAT® Exam can still get you an interview)1 Refer to the UMAT® Exam selection process detailed above.2 JCU requires you to fill out an application form and uses it, rather than the UMAT® Exam to determine who gets an interview.Final points/

Remember, the above selection processes may vary slightly from year to year, but tends to stay largely unchanged. Also, some of the above values given are only approximations, as the universities do not always release their UMAT® Exam or ATAR cutoffs. Furthermore, these values will vary based on the number of applicants in a given year. Keep in mind that, although some universities have cut-offs values, in order to gain admission into the course, your scores must be much higher than the cut-off. (E.g. The minimum ATAR for entry at UNSW is 96, but the median ATAR of entry is actually 99.6, thus illustrating the competitive nature of the students’ scores). 

Furthermore, if you are applying interstate, the cutoffs are likely to be much higher than the one I have quoted above, as there are less spots for interstate students and interviews are only handed out once a certain quota is fulfilled.

Ultimately, there is no point stressing about your scores now – it’s all over and done now and you can’t do anything about it! The main focus should now be your end of year 12 exams and preparing to smash any interviews that come your way!