When do I need to start my med school application process?

The deadline for undergraduate applications is usually at the end of September, though exact dates may vary according to schools. Check each University’s website for details.

If I receive an offer, can I defer for a year?

Most schools allow students to defer entry but this is not always the case and may depend on the type of offer you receive. It is recommended you contact schools directly to find out.

What UCAT score do I need to get into med-school?

Every school has different selection criteria and admission requirements. These usually include a combination of UCAT® exam and ATAR, as well as an interview. Due to this combination of scores, there is usually no distinct cut-off value; a student with a very high ATAR and low UCAT® exam may receive an interview offer, and vice versa. Cut-offs values for UCAT® exam scores are sometimes shown on the University website but are often kept confidential, though it is possible to form a general idea by looking at students’ profiles. A comprehensive description of admission criteria can be found on our blog.

I heard only some sections of the UCAT are used for admission, is that true?

Every university differs in how it uses UCAT® exam scores. Some use the average score of all three sections, while others consider scores from all the sections but don’t weigh them equally. In universities that consider the UCAT® exam and ATAR equally, the score of an individual UCAT® exam section may be used when differentiating between students of similar marks.

Please refer to our comprehensive description of admission criteria for more details.

What ATAR score do I need to get into med school?

Every school has different selection criteria and admission requirements. These usually include a combination of UCAT® exam and ATAR, as well as an interview. Due to this combination of scores, there is usually no distinct cut-off value; a student with a very high ATAR and low UCAT® exam may receive an interview offer, and vice versa. Furthermore, these criteria may be different between students applying to the same course due to factors such as rural or metropolitan schooling. Cut-offs values for ATAR scores are sometimes shown on the University website but are often kept confidential, though it is possible to form a general idea by looking at students’ profiles. A comprehensive description of admission criteria can be found on our blog.

What else is considered in an application?

In addition to UCAT® exam and ATAR scores, the selection process usually includes an interview. The interview may be a multi-station mini interview or take a different format such as a panel interview. Universities use a combination of UCAT® exam, ATAR and interview results to determine entry, though the respective weight of each component varies from school to school. Refer to our comprehensive description of admission criteria for more details.

What is the weighting of the interview in the admission process?

Universities use a combination of UCAT® exam, ATAR and interview results but the respective weight of each differs for each schools. Refer to our comprehensive description of admission criteria for more details.

What should I expect on the interview?

Most universities use an MMI format. The MMI is a series of 5 to 10 interview stations consisting of timed interview scenarios, allowing the assessment of soft skills such as interpersonal skills or ethical and moral judgement. Applicants rotate through the stations, each of which has its own interviewer and task/s. Tasks may include reacting to a scenario describing an ethical dilemma, traditional interview questions like “why do you want to attend this school?” or even essay writing. Check our blog for a comprehensive guide on the topic:

How the MMI differs between Australian medical schools

What you need to know about MMI Interviews

When are interviews held?

The timeline for interviews depends on each individual school but they usually occur around January.

Can I prepare for the interview?

Most definitely. Multi-station mini interviews are very challenging and your results will improve drastically by practicing interview strategies and getting feedback on your performance. Interview preparation is included in most of our packages. Check our blog entries for free preparation tips:

Top 5 MMI Tips

Are you InterviewReady?

What are the different places in medical school? And what does CSP, BMP and ERC mean?

There are two main types of places in medical school offered by universities: full-fee and Commonwealth-supported places (CSPs).

Full-fee placed students must pay the full cost of the course

CSPs are subsidised by the government, with tuition fees reduced to a fraction of the full-paying fee.

Within the group of CSPs, there are different position types:

Most students are regular CSP students and attend medical school with no further requirements or restrictions

Bonded Medical Places* (BMP) require students to commit to working in an area of workforce shortage after completing their fellowship. 25% of all first-year CSP medical school places are allocated to this scheme.

Extended Rural Cohort (ERC) place are only offered in some universities. Students in this scheme undertake the majority of their clinical education within hospitals or community based practises in regional or rural areas.

From the 2016 academic year onwards, the Medical Rural Bonded Scholarship (MRBS) Scheme will be closed to new applicants. The 100 medical places per year which were available for MRBS commencing medical students will be transferred for use in the BMP scheme.

The numbers and type of places in medical school varies between universities. In addition, some universities set aside places for students originating from rural area, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, as well as for international students. See university websites for specific information.

*Conditions of BMP may vary. Please check the latest updates on our blog:

Medical school place types and changes to the bonded schemes

What It Means To Have A “Rural” Place

What are the differences between undergraduate, guaranteed, provisional entry and postgraduate entry?

Two main types of medical degrees exist: the undergraduate and the postgraduate degree.

The undergraduate degree starts straight after high school and lasts 5 to 6 years. Admission usually relies on a combination of UCAT® exam and ATAR scores and an interview.

The postgraduate degree is undertaken after a first undergraduate degree and lasts 4 years. Graduate entry requires sitting of the GAMSAT® exam.

Guaranteed entry in post-graduate courses may be offered to Year 12 students with very high ATAR scores, with the understanding that students must first complete an undergraduate degree before entering a post-graduate medical degree. These students are not required to sit the GAMSAT or the UCAT® exam.

In provisional entry, students are selected based on their UCAT® exam and ATAR scores, as in undergraduate entry. However, students are required to enrol in an undergraduate course (either pre-med or another course) for 2 to 3 years and to maintain a minimum grade throughout the course in order to be progress on to a post-graduate medical degree.

How is UCAT score calculated?

UCAT® exam results include scores for each of the three sections, as well as an aggregated score. The score for each section is expressed on a scale of 0 to 100, though this is a not a percentage score. ACER has not released any information regarding how each of the section scores are calculated.