Your Guide to Australian and UK Universities That Don't Require UCAT
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Written By Team MedView
Reviewed By Thomas Nicolson (Currently studying Doctor of Medicine - MD at the University of Queensland)
Are you interested in pursuing a medical career but worried about taking the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)? Or, perhaps you're simply looking at alternative pathways that don't involve the UCAT.
The good news is that there are ways to approach medical school without completing the UCAT and we have the list of universities in Australia and New Zealand that offer undergraduate medicine programs but don’t require you to complete this test.
Here, we'll explore these universities and their unique admissions processes, giving you the information you need to make an informed decision about your medical education journey.
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Exploring alternative pathways: Universities offering undergraduate medicine without UCAT
The vast majority of medical schools in both Australia and New Zealand require UCAT scores for undergraduate medicine admission. But, there are a handful that don't use the UCAT as part of the admissions process.
Bond University
The admissions process for Bond University's Bachelor of Medical Studies, Doctor of Medicine, which is situated on the Gold Coast, is extremely competitive and involves 3 steps. The first step involves assessing students on their prior academic record and following this, around 50% of applicants are invited to complete the next step.
The second step involves psychometric testing and determines whether you're invited for the third step, which is a structured Multi Mini Interview (MMI).
In the interview, applicants are assessed on the following qualities:
- Outstanding academic achievement
- Leadership
- Communication skills
- Ethical decision-making skills
- Motivation
- Non-verbal reasoning
The minimum academic rank you need to be considered competitive for psychometric test selection is an ATAR of 96 and above.
It's important to know that up to 180 domestic places are offered for Bond University's Medical Program, with 80% of places for undergraduate applicants and 20% for graduate applicants.
James Cook University
James Cook University (JCU)'s Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, located in Queensland, offers an undergraduate medical program that does not involve UCAT.
The entry requirements include meeting a certain ATAR threshold but the range varies.
For example, the ATAR range of secondary students offered a place in the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery for Semester 1, 2023, spanned from 91.85 to 99.95 in JCU Cairns and 91.65 to 99.95 in JCU Townsville.
JCU also requires you to submit references and undergo an interview as part of the admissions process.
The University of Sydney
The University of Sydney offers a Guaranteed Entry program, which gives you a confirmed place in an eligible degree with available places, granted you achieve the required selection rank and meet additional admission criteria.
Applicants need an ATAR of 99.95 in order to proceed to the assessment day, which includes a written task and group interview. Keep in mind that this is an incredibly competitive program with only 30 domestic places available.
Griffith University
Applicants for the Bachelor of Medical Science at Griffith University at the Nathan or the Gold Coast campuses don't need a UCAT for this process but do need an ATAR of 99.85 and above.
Other prerequisites include:
- Applicants having completed secondary studies up to 3 years before applying
- Applicants have not attempted tertiary study at diploma level or higher
University of the Sunshine Coast
The University of the Sunshine Coast, located in Queensland, provides an opportunity for applicants to study its Bachelor of Medical Science program without any need to obtain a UCAT score.
The entry threshold for this medical school is a minimum ATAR of 99.80 and applicants must have completed Year 12 no more than 3 years before and have not previously attempted any tertiary study at diploma level or higher.
Enrolments into this program are capped at 20 places per year, making it an extremely competitive medical school.
Australian National University
The Bachelor of Health Science at Australian National University (ANU) is also an option. This degree requires an ATAR of 85 and above and offers a pathway to the postgraduate Doctor of Medicine and Surgery at ANU without having to sit the Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT).
Keep in mind that this is extremely competitive, with up to 30 students offered entry to the Doctor of Medicine and Surgery. This is contingent on one's GPA, an interview process and successful completion of the Bachelor of Health Science. 10 of the 30 places are reserved for rural and Indigenous students.
The Tuckwell Scholarship is also an option, offering 25 talented school-leavers the opportunity to study at ANU. Although, this is an incredibly difficult scholarship to land thanks to its prestigious nature.
Graduate entry into medicine
For those who have already attained an undergraduate degree, graduate entry into medicine can be considered as another pathway.
Each university has its own set of requirements for admission and there are some that don't require the UCAT.
Australian National University
As we touched on earlier, you can gain access to the Doctor of Medicine and Surgery at ANU as a graduate but you must have completed or be studying the final year of a Bachelor degree when applying.
If the completion of your Bachelor degree was more than 10 years ago, you'll need to meet additional study requirements, while those with higher-level qualifications, like Honours, Graduate Diplomas and Masters, may be taken into consideration if the program is complete, or you are in your final year at the time of application.
Other requirements include:
- Achieving the minimum weighted GPA
- Successful completion of the GAMSAT with a minimum overall score of 55, with a minimum score of 50 in each section
Selection for an interview is based on a 50:50 composite score derived from your GPA, which is weighted 50%, and your overall GAMSAT score, which is also weighted 50%.
The University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne offers a Guaranteed Entry pathway for graduate students.
To qualify for a full fee paying place in the Doctor of Medicine, you'll need a 99 ATAR, while those looking for a Commonwealth-supported place through the Chancellor's Scholarship program need to achieve a 99.9 ATAR.
Applicants also need to sit and pass an MMI interview in the final year of their Bachelor's degree and full fee paying applicants must have a weighted average mark (WAM) above 75 from their Bachelor's degree.
University of Wollongong
Admission to the University of Wollongong's Doctor of Medicine graduate program involves the following admission criteria:
- A weighted GPA from a valid undergraduate degree
- A minimum GAMSAT score of 50 overall with no individual section score below 50
- A valid Casper score (this is a situational judgement test designed to assess ethics, communication and empathy)
- An admissions portfolio of your experiences and achievements
Applicants who meet the GPA and Casper qualifications are ranked for admissions interview using 50% GAMSAT and 50% portfolio scores, with around 160 applicants invited to interview.
Griffith University
The graduate entry Doctor of Medicine program at Griffith University requires the following to be considered:
- The completion of a Bachelor degree with an overall GPA of 5.0 or above on a 7-point scale
- A minimum GAMSAT score of 50 in each section
- Completing the Griffith University Multi Station Admissions Assessment (GUMSAA)
Notre Dame University
Admission requirements to the Doctor of Medicine program at The University of Notre Dame include:
- A completed Bachelor degree within the last 10 degree
- A GAMSAT score of 52 or higher, with a minimum score of 50 in each section
- An overall GPA of 5.2 or higher
- A Casper score
- Completing a MMI
For context on the above requirements, successful applicants of the Doctor of Medicine program have an average GPA of 6.70 and an average GAMSAT score of 66.
Macquarie University
The 4-year graduate-entry Doctor of Medicine degree at Macquarie University has an extensive list of requirements for applicants. These include:
- A minimum GPA of 5.0
- An AQF Level 7 Bachelor's qualification
- A minimum score of 50 overall in the GAMSAT and 50 in each section
- A satisfactory Personal Statement
- Satisfactory MMI performance
- The completion of a previous degree within the last 10 years
Deakin University
The Doctor of Medicine at Deakin University has 3 entry streams for applicants, which are the General Entry Stream, the Rural Training Stream and the Indigenous Stream.
To be considered for the General Stream, applicants must have the following:
- A GPA of 5.0 or greater
- A minimum GAMSAT score of 50 in each of the 3 sections and an overall score of 50 or above
International perspectives: UK medical schools without UCAT
For those looking to study in the UK without obtaining a UCAT score, there are a number that don't require the exam.
While the UCAT is generally more common, the BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) is another exam option that can be necessary for medical school admission.
But, 2023 was the last year of the BMAT, which means a changing admissions landscape in the UK for 2024, and in many cases, the universities that required the BMAT could now swap to the UCAT with the retirement of the former.
Here are UK-based medical schools that don't currently require the UCAT to be considered for admission.
- Brighton & Sussex Medical School — it's important to note that this medical school used the BMAT in 2023, which doesn’t exist in 2024, so likely to swap to something like the UCAT
- University of Cambridge — this school also used the BMAT in 2023, so this is going to change in 2024. The University of Cambridge has a 5% interview offer rate for internationals, making it a difficult option
- University of Buckingham — this medical school requires academic qualifications, a personal statement and references for admission consideration
- The University of Edinburgh — this university requires academic qualifications and an Assessment Day of interviews
- Imperial College London — this school used the BMAT in 2023, which will change in 2024
- Lancaster University — this school used the BMAT in 2023, which will change in 2024
- University of Leeds — this school used the BMAT in 2023, which will change in 2024
- University of Oxford — this school used the BMAT in 2023, which will change in 2024, and it's important to note it's incredible difficult to obtain admission to this university degree
- University College London — this school used the BMAT in 2023, which will change in 2024, and has a 2% acceptance rate for internationals
- University of Lancaster — a personal statement, academic reference and a transferable skills statement are used to shortlist applicants for interview
Summary
Ultimately, there are a number of paths to becoming a medical professional without taking the UCAT.
Whether that be through an undergraduate degree, a graduate entry program or studying abroad in the UK, there is something for everyone when exploring medical school admission.
But, you don't have to do it alone. If you'd like extra support from industry professionals or to catch more UCAT updates, sign up for our monthly newsletter. Stay ON THE PULSE by being the first to catch UCAT and medical school admissions news.
STAY AHEAD OF THE COMPETITION!
Frequently asked questions
Which Australian universities require UCAT?
A number of Australian universities require applicants to undertake the UCAT as part of the admissions process.
These include medical schools like The University of Adelaide, Curtin University and Monash University. Check out our guide for the UCAT cut-off scores for university entry in Australia for a deeper dive into these medical schools.
What is the lowest UCAT score accepted in Australia?
UCAT cut-off scores are incredibly competitive in Australia and in order to be considered for an interview, students need to achieve a score of at least 3100 and above. Rural applicants may be eligible with lower scores.
What is the best way to prepare for the UCAT?
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to preparing for the UCAT and the process can feel incredibly daunting, which is why you might've considered alternative pathways that don't include the exam.
But, if you're interested in support for UCAT preparation, MedView can help. We understand the process of applying to medical schools is not only complex and confusing but it’s more competitive than ever before!
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The UCAT
The UCAT, or the University Clinical Aptitude Test is the medical school admission test required for many universities in Australia and New Zealand. The UCAT is designed to assess applicants for the aptitude, attitudes and beliefs required of a doctor. In order to defeat the UCAT - we should understand what it is. First off, it’s a two hour computer based exam. There are 5 separately timed subtests - Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning and Situational Judgement. In this blog we break down each of the sections and offer guidance on how to prepare for this important exam.
Verbal Reasoning
Verbal Reasoning is meant to assess your ability to read something and draw appropriate conclusions. You can see why this would be important to a doctor - you’re part of a multidisciplinary team and will have to communicate effectively. In addition, doctors have to keep current with new research and draw reasonable conclusions from published findings. Decision making involves 11 text excerpts with 4 questions each, meaning this section has 44 questions in 21 minutes - that means an average of 29 seconds per question. That doesn’t even take reading the stem into account!
Decision Making
Decision Making is essentially data interpretation from graphs, tables, text and charts. You don’t need to have background knowledge on any subject, because part of what they’re testing is your ability to understand new information. Can you think of a time a doctor might have to do the same? This section has 29 questions in 31 minutes - an average of 64 seconds per question. Compare the timing of section to verbal reasoning, it’s more than double. Consider the length of time per question as an indication of how much the test writers want you to analyse.
Quantitative Reasoning
Quantitative Reasoning is a straightforward mathematics section - there are nine scenarios each with four questions. You’ll have access to an on screen calculator - which is functional but pretty clunky! You’ll have to strike a balance between using mental maths to be quick, and keeping your wits about you, and staying accurate. This section has 36 questions in 24 minutes - an average of 40 seconds per question. It’s not a lot of time to question your maths abilities!
Abstract Reasoning
Abstract Reasoning is used to evaluate your ability to locate patterns and understand logic, separate from your language abilities. If you’ve seen the guides online with pictures asking you to find a pattern - that’s abstract reasoning. This section is sometimes hard for students to grasp, because it’s such a different set of skills. It’s also probably the biggest struggle with time management. This section has 55 questions in 13 minutes - that’s only 14 seconds per question. Don’t even think about going into this section unprepared!
Situational Judgement
Situational Judgement assesses your judgement and character in different situations - the situations are usually clinical or education based. Either situations you’ve likely been in, or a situation you could be involved in future. Then you’ll have to evaluate the appropriateness, importance or consequences of the situation. It’s one way for universities to evaluate the characteristics that are important for future doctors! Situational Judgement has 69 questions in 26 minutes - an average of 25 seconds per question.
With so much to do - how can I set myself up for success?
Prepare
This sounds like a no brainer, but preparation is the most important thing you can do if you want to succeed on the UCAT. Going over questions is one thing but the most effective thing you can do is to practice under exam conditions. That means doing computer based exams - so when you get to test day, you know what to expect. Luckily MedView has a bank of questions.
Identify Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Time is a precious resource when you’re preparing for medical school admissions - you have to continue doing well in your studies, prepare yourself for an interview, and master a new exam. There’s not infinite time - so you have to learn how to study smarter, not just harder. So many students waste their time by continuing to drill skills that they’ve already mastered. It’s important to identify the weak points that need more TLC.
Learn Skills
Each type of question requires a specific psychometric approach to understand and answer so quickly. Skills and strategies to identify the problem and solve the challenging question are essential for success. MedView has a range of 1:1 tutoring, group workshops, practice exams and questions alongside our spiral learning curriculum to help students develop the skills necessary to succeed in time conditions. Our UCAT students are 5x more likely to receive an interview offer.
Sitting full-length practice exams under simulated conditions is the most effective preparation for developing UCAT skills. As this will familiarise yourself with the extreme time pressures, as well as allowing you to practise concentrating on psychometric skills for two hours. It is also important to practice using the computer-based platform that will be used when you sit UCAT as well.
Seek Help
Find friends that have taken the test before and ask for their experience. Better yet, schedule a free Academic Assessment with MedView today! When you start your journey as a MedView student, you are allocated an Education Coordinator who has experience helping hundreds of students get into med school. They’ll help you stay on track with your goals, offer you support, and help you succeed on your path to medical school.
Next Steps
The UCAT is an important exam that is key to medical school admission for undergraduates. We recommend starting your UCAT preparation early and integrating it into your study load to give yourself the best opportunity to succeed. If you’d like to learn more about the UCAT or how to get into Medical School, check out our free eBooks and blogs!
- What is the UCAT?
- How Universities use your UCAT Results
- A Quick Guide to Australia Medicine eBook
- A Quick Guide to New Zealand Medicine eBook
- How to Prepare for the UCAT
- What UCAT scores will get me into med?
MedView offers a range of UCAT preparation courses as well as personalised 1:1 tutoring with our expert team. If you would like to know more about the UCAT and how MedView can help, get in touch today.
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What can you do before the year starts?
Before the year starts, it is vital that you understand that the journey to becoming a doctor is a long and arduous process. Medicine is a life-long commitment whose pathway extends beyond the 6 years of study. It includes a progression from a house officer to a registrar, and application onto training schemes if you opt for the surgical pathway.
The vast majority of people who apply for medicine, do not have a clear picture of what they want to do in the future. This uncertainty is not something to worry about now – you have plenty of time to figure out exactly what you want to do. There is something in medicine for everyone. If you are still uncertain about the medical pathway beyond the 6 years of study, I would recommend doing further research.
Another thing you can do over the summer break is to identify your motivation to become a doctor. If it’s for the money, you may not be in the correct profession - it will be at least 10-12 years until you start earning the big bucks that all doctors are known for! If you have an inherent nature to help people and seek to make our society healthier, then you are on the right track.
Once your head is in the right place, enjoy your summer! The year will belong, and you will have to make social sacrifices to make your studies a priority. Make the most of the time you have by seeing friends and family, as you will inevitably see less of them throughout the year. You are likely to experience burnout sometime during the year, so optimising your rest now is important.
The single most effective way to distance yourself from your competitors is to start early and hard. After you have rested throughout December and into the new year, it is time to get started and get ahead. The Flying Start Course offered by MedView was my ticket to success. It is a highly intensive programme starting in late January that covers the first 6 weeks of content for the three core papers in the first semester. The advantages of this course are numerous:
- The most valuable aspect of Flying Start is the content covered. As the first semester contains 3 out of the 4 core papers, it is so important to get a good start. An early lapse within the first few weeks can completely derail your entire year. Being exposed to similar content ahead of time builds your confidence and gives you the opportunity to begin learning before others.
- There is a radically different teaching style from high school to university. Flying Start emulates the style you are accustomed to, while simultaneously teaching university material. This eases your transition and places students into a more comfortable and familiar environment.
- You can meet other motivated people. You may have heard the horror stories of people sabotaging each other, taking their notes and hiding their bags. While these are mostly exaggerated, there will still be those who resort to other measures to gain an advantage. The people doing Flying Start will be motivated just like you, and eager to get ahead. Working together and building these strong relationships before the year starts means that you have a better support group in place. I have met several bright individuals who were passionate and together, we were able to navigate the difficult year and succeed as a group!
MedView believes in a holistic approach to medical school admissions, meaning we surround the student with a team of experts to help develop their candidacy and skills in all three major pillars in their journey to medical school, and now it’s even more accessible with the MedView Hub App!
Over the last decade there’s been a mass adoption of smartphones and a shift in the way people behave online and communicate. Australians are spending more time online, often using multiple screens, and consuming vast amounts of content each day. And it’s only going up!
Recent figures show that almost eight out of ten Australians use social media, and 87% of them use their mobile phones to access it. Fifty-nine percent of Australians access social media everyday or most days, and over a third of people check social media more than five times per day.
We often go online to chat with friends and family, share photos, or be entertained by cat videos. But the very same platforms we use to socialise can also be used to gather knowledge that we can apply in our offline lives. One of the areas where users can reap the benefits is online communities. MedView prides themselves on finding the best tutor, strategist or consultant for each student whether they be in Australia, New Zealand or the United Kingdom and having an online community platform allows even more core benefits for our students in a shorter amount of time. Now students can access over 320 tutors, strategists and consultants and get answers to their Synapse questions, interact in exclusive workshops, and most importantly make friends. The meaningful relationships with other members of the community increases knowledge and collective wisdom.
The MedView Hub App is our own online community platform for students, parents, tutors, and alumni to create a network of opportunities to participate in smart, focused conversation on specific medical school admissions topics (unlike the Instagram and Facebook chatter).
Over the last decade there’s been a mass adoption of smartphones and a shift in the way people behave online and communicate. Australians are spending more time online, often using multiple screens, and consuming vast amounts of content each day. And it’s only going up!
Recent figures show that almost eight out of ten Australians use social media, and 87% of them use their mobile phones to access it. Fifty-nine percent of Australians access social media everyday or most days, and over a third of people check social media more than five times per day.
We often go online to chat with friends and family, share photos, or be entertained by cat videos. But the very same platforms we use to socialise can also be used to gather knowledge that we can apply in our offline lives. One of the areas where users can reap the benefits is online communities. MedView prides themselves on finding the best tutor, strategist or consultant for each student whether they be in Australia, New Zealand or the United Kingdom and having an online community platform allows even more core benefits for our students in a shorter amount of time. Now students can access over 320 tutors, strategists and consultants and get answers to their Synapse questions, interact in exclusive workshops, and most importantly make friends. The meaningful relationships with other members of the community increases knowledge and collective wisdom.
The MedView Hub App is our own online community platform for students, parents, tutors, and alumni to create a network of opportunities to participate in smart, focused conversation on specific medical school admissions topics (unlike the Instagram and Facebook chatter).
Find out more and begin your journey to medical school by speaking with a MedView Academic Advisor for free today!
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