How Will Medical Schools Use UCAT? Here's a Summary

How Will Medical Schools Use UCAT? Here's a Summary

2 months ago by Rob

A common question asked by medicine hopefuls is how UCAT will be used to select applicants into medical school.

Most universities use a combination of three factors when selecting students into medicine or dentistry. These include:

  1. UCAT ANZ scores (either cognitive subtests* only, or all UCAT subtests)
  2. Medical interview performance
  3. Academic performance (ATAR / IB or GPA)

*UCAT cognitive subtests include UCAT Verbal Reasoning, UCAT Decision Making, UCAT Quantitative Reasoning and UCAT Abstract Reasoning

Each university is different, and some universities change their medical entry requirements at short notice. Further, they are often not transparent about the weightings of various subtests of UCAT, UCAT/ATAR weighting for interview selection, and UCAT/ATAR/Interview score weighting for final offers.

Please note that cut-off ATAR/UCAT scores are substantially lower for rural students. Some Universities also have lower thresholds for other categories such as those from low socio-economic status schools, those from under-represented schools, etc. What is given below is a general guideline and you should check with each university regarding your specific circumstances.

Here’s a summary of how universities select students for entry into medicine:

 

Course

How is UCAT used?

How is UCAT weighted?

How are students selected for interview?

How are students selected for a place?

Adelaide University

Medicine

Cognitive subtests only
(SJ used in the case of ties)

20% UCAT

Based on UCAT

20% UCAT

40% interview

40% ATAR

Auckland University

Medicine

All five subtests combined

15% UCAT

Based on GPA/CST

15% UCAT

25% interview

60% GPA/CST

Charles Darwin University

Bachelor of Clinical Sciences

All five subtests combined

10% UCAT

No interview

10% UCAT

90% ATAR

Curtin University

Medicine

Approx 90th+ percentile required for standard applicants

30% UCAT

35% ATAR

35% Casper

(To be selected for interview)

Based on UCAT + ATAR + Casper

20% UCAT

40% interview

40% ATAR

Flinders University

Medicine

All five subtests combined

10% UCAT

No interview

10% UCAT

90% ATAR

Griffith University

Dental Science

Approx 90th+ percentile required for standard applicants 20% UCAT Based on UCAT

20% UCAT

40% interview score

40% ATAR/GPA

Monash University

Medicine

Approx 90th+ percentile required for standard applicants

33% UCAT

December round: Based on UCAT only (scores of approx 3000+ required)

January round: Based on 50% UCAT + 50% ATAR

33% UCAT

33% Interview

33% ATAR

Newcastle University / 
University of New England
JMP

Medicine

Cognitive subtests only

100% UCAT

(to be selected for JMP assessment)

100% UCAT

Joint Medical Program Assessment (Personal Qualities Assessment + MSA interview)

University of New South Wales

Medicine

Overall cognitive subtest score;
50th percentile minimum required for interview selection
(in reality 90th+ percentile needed for standard applicants)

33% UCAT

Based on UCAT + ATAR

33% UCAT

33% Interview

33% ATAR

Otago University

Medicine

Minimum score in each
subtest required

Mininmum threshold requirement only

No interview

GPA

University of Queensland

Medicine

Cognitive subtest score;
SJ and VR used as secondary
and tertiary selectors, respectively

25% UCAT

UCAT

(3030 required in 2023; 2560 for rural category)

25% ATAR

25% UCAT

50% Interview

University of Tasmania

Medicine

Cognitive subtests only

(cut off 50th percentile)

Minimum threshold requirement only

No interview

ATAR

University of Western Australia

Medicine

Approx 80th+ percentile required for standard applicants

20% for standard applicants;

15% for rural

UCAT and predicted/actual ATAR

20% UCAT

30% ATAR

50% Interview;

(Rural:

15% UCAT

22.5% ATAR

27.5% Interview

25% Rurality Rating)

Western Sydney University /
Charles Sturt University
Joint Program

Medicine

Approx 90th+ percentile required
(lower for rural and GWS students)

Interview selection not determined by overall UCAT score, individual subtests may be subject to weighting

100% UCAT

(to be selected for interview)

100% UCAT

(once minimum academic threshold  requirement is met)

75% Interview

25% UCAT

Note: Please ensure you check the relevant university website for the latest information, as changes can occur frequently and without notice.

Comprehensive admissions information relating to all courses (including dentistry and postgraduate medicine) can be found at https://www.medentry.edu.au/universities/university-admissions-guide

The Medical Entry Handbook has additional information.

 

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