Monash University in Focus

University Name: Monash University School of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Location: Clayton, Melbourne

Founded: 2008

Degree: MBBS (Hons.)

Entry Pathway(s): UMAT® Exam and GAMSAT® Exam

Enrollment Size: 300 Undergraduates, 75 Postgraduates

Website: http://www.med.monash.edu.au

 

Founded in 1958 by Sir John Monash, Monash University has become one of the biggest and most acknowledged universities in Victoria and certainly in the country. It has many campuses sprawled out over the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, including some rural outposts for certain degrees. In spite of Monash’s numerous acclaimed degrees, the biggest reason why people think of Monash is medicine, both undergraduate and post-graduate. Monash’s medical degree has a huge focus on practical learning and hands on approach to clinical medicine that is well-known among all the hospitals.

Monash University’s MBBS with honors is the most competitive undergraduate degree to enter in the whole country. It simply has to do with the sheer number of applicants they get. It is also worth mentioning that recently, the course has been upgraded to an honors degree.

Similar to most other undergraduate degrees you will need sit the UMAT® Exam a raw score of at least 50 in each section to be considered. Though it varies from year to year, the percentile cut-off for metro students (no rural benefits) is around 92-94%.

While on paper the university says that their ATAR cutoff is 95, it is virtually unheard of for a metro student (no rural benefits) to get in with anything shy of 98+, the median mark being around 99.20.

The final part of the selection process is the interview for which you will be invited on the basis of your ATAR and UMAT® Exam. For the interview the university will invite the top 1200 students generally and select 300 (including 100 places rural students).  

Though it changes every year, the number of applicants the degree gets is around 4000-6000 and with only 300 places available, the competition can get tough.

The postgraduate course at Monash is undergoing some major changes in 2017. There will be the same 75 places available however 50 of those places will be solely available for the students studying the biomedicine course at Monash. For the remaining 25, it’s a free for all with Monash students, inter-university and interstate students all applying. Importantly from this year onwards there will be no requirement for the GAMSAT® Exam, however bigger emphasis will be put on university grades as well as the interview process.