[Undergrad] EAS/SCATS/UES/SEAS General Discussion and Enquiries

[animalpeace28]

Hello the general community of MSO,

I am a year 12 student from NSW who is completing the HSC this year and wishes to study medicine next year. However I recently received my UMAT which was extremely disappointing sitting at only 82 percentile (172 -58/49/66).

Initially I was thinking of apply for UNSW, UWS, JMP as well as UQ, UAdel, JCU, Monash and even UWA for interstate unis. But since my umat is so low and my predicted atar is probably around 97-98 I am uncertain about my chances of getting an interview anywhere.

Despite this, I am eligible to apply for EAS under category two (severe family illness) in hopes of a greater chance of being considered. How much would this help me if let’s say I work hard in the next month and a bit and I get around 99 atar at the end of the year?

Also if I am applying for the EAS scheme for interstate as well do I need to fill in separate EAS applications for every state? Like one for QTAC, one for VTAC etc or can I use the EAS form which would be filled out when applying under UAC in NSW? I also would like to know when the application needs to be in by as well as the different procedures for different unis in applying for medicine in general.

I hope the above makes sense because it would honestly be a dream come true if I am offered a chance to study medicine (bonded/unbonded/remote campus whatever I’m willing to take).

Thanks guys!!

 

[Ruffle]

Hey there!
82 %ile is still a really good result, don't be disappointed! The UMAT field is tough so getting into the top 20 percent is already an achievement.
JCU may still be up for grabs if you submit a written application.
It's hard to say exactly how much SEAS could help you, but depending on the severity of the impact on your studies, an application could make the difference between a med offer/not getting an offer. If you get your ATAR above 99 and do a really good interview, you have a chance I reckon!

Yes you would have to fill in a separate application for every TAC, and some unis e.g. Monash, UWA, Curtin have their own EAS schemes. They all close at different dates too, so make sure you get your applications sorted before they're due (and it can be quite a time drain applying for everything haha). The due dates should be on the forms/on the websites.
Best of luck!

 

[animalpeace28]

Hey there!
82 %ile is still a really good result, don't be disappointed! The UMAT field is tough so getting into the top 20 percent is already an achievement.
JCU may still be up for grabs if you submit a written application.
It's hard to say exactly how much SEAS could help you, but depending on the severity of the impact on your studies, an application could make the difference between a med offer/not getting an offer. If you get your ATAR above 99 and do a really good interview, you have a chance I reckon!

Yes you would have to fill in a separate application for every TAC, and some unis e.g. Monash, UWA, Curtin have their own EAS schemes. They all close at different dates too, so make sure you get your applications sorted before they're due (and it can be quite a time drain applying for everything haha). The due dates should be on the forms/on the websites.
Best of luck!

Hi Ruffle

Thanks so much for the speedy reply!
Ahh I guess in that case I would have get the doctor and the school to fill in multiple EAS forms...hopefully they won’t mind

Would you by any chance know when interviews are held for different unis? And wether they have different arounds for interviews/offers? I am worried especially for interstate interviews as I will be overseas from the 1st of Jan till the 26th Jan next year which is problematic since I’ve heard most interstate/second round interviews are during this time?

Oh also I am curious about which unis accept EAS bonus and a list of all unis that don’t place such a heavy consideration on umat.

Thanks again!

 

[hpfanfiction]

The non-UMAT unis are JCU (rural score if applicable and especially your written application are crucial), Griffith (USC campus cutoff was 99.35 ish last year but likely increase this year, main campus cutoff was high 99s) , USyd (need 99.95), UniMelb (need 99.90 and the interview is deferred until year 3 so a risky option ) .

Flinders (high 99 ATAR needed) and perhaps the joint Flinders/CDU are often cited as programs with much less emphasis on the UMAT (in past years , it only appeared to count about 10% towards a final place ), but I can’t find this officially stated on their website anywhere .

There’s also FFP places at Bond and UniMelb , both of which are also non-UMAT . I wouldn’t recommend the latter option even if you can afford it as again, it relies on a late interview and doing an undergrad degree which isn’t very employable .

 

[Ruffle]

Hi Ruffle

Thanks so much for the speedy reply!
Ahh I guess in that case I would have get the doctor and the school to fill in multiple EAS forms...hopefully they won’t mind

Would you by any chance know when interviews are held for different unis? And wether they have different arounds for interviews/offers? I am worried especially for interstate interviews as I will be overseas from the 1st of Jan till the 26th Jan next year which is problematic since I’ve heard most interstate/second round interviews are during this time?

Oh also I am curious about which unis accept EAS bonus and a list of all unis that don’t place such a heavy consideration on umat.

Thanks again!

No problem! Adelaide U is usually held late Nov-mid Dec, after year 12 exams and often right in the middle of schoolies/leavers . (but they offer based on UMAT scores so I don't think you'll get an interview during this time.)
Home state rounds will be held around this time as well, but I don't think you'll get one either tbh as your UMAT+predicted ATAR is a bit low for UNSW and UMAT is too low for WSU or JMP. It depends on when they process your EAS application and if that has any effect on your standing.

Yes interstate interviews will be held during that time. If you're overseas, then tough luck sorry! They will absolutely not give concessions for family holidays, unless it's a serious reason why you have to go. (I myself cancelled an overseas trip for interviews and it was very much worth it.)

I/someone else here can get back to you re. the EAS thing. hpfanfiction has replied re. umat.

 

[animalpeace28]

No problem! Adelaide U is usually held late Nov-mid Dec, after year 12 exams and often right in the middle of schoolies/leavers . (but they offer based on UMAT scores so I don't think you'll get an interview during this time.)
Home state rounds will be held around this time as well, but I don't think you'll get one either tbh as your UMAT+predicted ATAR is a bit low for UNSW and UMAT is too low for WSU or JMP. It depends on when they process your EAS application and if that has any effect on your standing.

Yes interstate interviews will be held during that time. If you're overseas, then tough luck sorry! They will absolutely not give concessions for family holidays, unless it's a serious reason why you have to go. (I myself cancelled an overseas trip for interviews and it was very much worth it.)

I/someone else here can get back to you re. the EAS thing.

hpfanfiction has replied re. umat.

The non-UMAT unis are JCU (rural score if applicable and especially your written application are crucial), Griffith (USC campus cutoff was 99.35 ish last year but likely increase this year, main campus cutoff was high 99s) , USyd (need 99.95), UniMelb (need 99.90 and the interview is deferred until year 3 so a risky option ) . Flinders (high 99 ATAD needed) and perhaps the joint Flinders/CDU are often cited as programs with much less emphasis on the UMAT (in past years , it only appeared to count about 10% towards a final place ), but I can’t find this officially stated on their website anywhere . There’s also FFP places at Bond and UniMelb .

Woah I really appreciate both of your super detailed replies!!

It’s such a shame that so many unis look at UMAT heavily, I think for now I am just hoping for the worst. Hopefully someone on MSO has had first hand experience with entry with EAS

If I don’t get into med I would consider physio or vet at Sydney uni as alternatives. Would you guys know of any information in transferring into medicine after starting tertiary education? As in if you apply for the UMAT or GAMSAT pathways are there any prerequisite courses esp for graduate courses? I am confused as to how graduate entry works because if someone completed a bachelor degree with nothing to do with health/science/medicine wouldn’t they have missed out on heaps of assumed content covered by those who transferred from med science for example?

Cheers

 

[hpfanfiction]

Both of those options are good backup choices as they are both degrees which lead to a career . Medicine is highly competitive so it’s important to and great that you have backup options .

People with either a completed or incomplete degree can apply to some unis as a non-standard applicant (ie on the basis of UMAT for the first 3 unis listed below and one or both of ATAR/GPA depending on the uni ) and interview. There are no unit/subject related prerequisites for non standard entry apart from the ones which apply to school leavers (Highschool English and/or Chemistry etc)

UNSW (50:50 ATAR and GPA ) , JMP , UWS (these two unis use marks as a threshold , as they did with school leaves entry ) and JCU (highly rural score and especially application reliant ) all accept non-standard applicants . Curtin is a non-standard option for those with a completed degree , and Adelaide Uni is an option for people who are studying at Adelaide Uni (internal applicants).

People with a completed degree or in their final year of their degree can apply for graduate entry medicine based on some combination of GPA/GAMSAT/ interview +/- portfolio (exact criteria depends on the specific Uni ). I’m not an expert on graduate entry and MSO in general is rather undergraduate entry focussed , but pagingdr has lots of information on the topic . I highly recommend doing some reading/research before posting there though

Most graduate medicine courses don’t have any subject/unit related prequisites because the GAMSAT (unlike the UMAT) does rely on some scientific knowledge , but there are some rare exceptions (UniMelb comes to mind immediately . Monash is only open to applicants who did their first degree at Monash ) . Graduate medicine is 4 years long - only 1 year shorter than many undergraduate courses and only 6 months shorter than Bond. Typically the academic years are longer (ie fewer holidays) from first year (as opposed to just from clinical years) and the rate of content delivery is faster too (and as it’s students’ second if not third or fourth degrees , they will often have become more familiar with their own learning styles etc) . Graduate entry candidates and students come from a variety of backgrounds.

 

[Crow]

If I don’t get into med I would consider physio or vet at Sydney uni as alternatives. Would you guys know of any information in transferring into medicine after starting tertiary education? As in if you apply for the UMAT or GAMSAT pathways are there any prerequisite courses esp for graduate courses? I am confused as to how graduate entry works because if someone completed a bachelor degree with nothing to do with health/science/medicine wouldn’t they have missed out on heaps of assumed content covered by those who transferred from med science for example?

Hi there, this is probably opening another can of worms unrelated to this particular thread, but I'll do my best to answer.
I believe the only universities that have anatomy/physiology prerequisites are Melbourne and Sydney (possibly Monash but you can only apply there as a Monash graduate anyway). Sydney you don't need to do any courses in your undergraduate degree, you just need to do some mandatory online courses once you've been given an offer and enrolled (in fact, I think you may even need to do this regardless of whether you are from a non-science undergraduate background or not - EDIT: Biology prerequisite is only for the DMD, not the MD). As for Melbourne, you need to satisfy several anatomy and physiology prerequisite courses. You can view the required courses here: Prerequisites — MDHS Study

You definitely don't need to do a health/science undergraduate degree to satisfy the prerequisites for Melbourne though, you can take these either as elective courses in whatever degree you do end up doing, and I believe you can just do them as additional "bridging" style courses with Melbourne as well.

In terms of needing to do health/science courses in your undergraduate degree, other than the above mentioned unis, the graduate medicine courses will have no assumed knowledge, which means you can come from a non-science background and the course should be manageable. Of course those with a health undergraduate degree will have an advantage in that they will have learned some of the relevant content before, but by no means should this influence a person's choice of undergraduate degree - all degrees should be completed on their own merits, and not with the sole purpose of pursuing graduate medicine.

Many would also argue that the most recent GAMSAT would be more suited to the style of Arts/Philosophy students than science students, given the first two sections are humanities/essay based and the science section has greatly transitioned away from being knowledge-based towards being critical reasoning based (unsurprisingly, given the very name of the section is reasoning in the biological and physical sciences).

If undergraduate medicine doesn't work out for you, we definitely encourage you to ask about alternative degrees on here, as together MSO's members have a wealth of knowledge! (Just do so in an appropriate thread )

 

[hpfanfiction]

animalpeace28 - Here's some information on EAS and similar schemes for each of the unis you enquired about above. Due to limited data , there isn't much information out there, but generally speaking, it's much more likely to boost the ATAR requirement than lower the UMAT cutoff.

UNSW- definitely accepts EAS for Medicine. It is probably a separate category reserved for a small number of spots (and also probably for the most compelling EAS applications). Otherwise, it would bump up your ATAR (but not UMAT) , and in turn, chance of a place. Unfortunately , your UMAT is still likely to be too low for an interview offer though
Local applicants | Medicine

UWS- UWS doesn't state that medicine is an exception to EAS , so *maybe* they do accept bonus points for disadvantage. ATAR is only used as a threshold though. UWS also has a quota for people who live in the GWS area (and the UMAT/ATAR cutoffs for these applicants is slightly lower)
Whilst your ATAR is good enough (even without an EAS adjustment), your UMAT score would still be below their cutoff (even if you're GWS), unfortunately
Educational Access Scheme | Western Sydney University .

JMP- EAS isn't listed here Entry support schemes , which makes me suspect that they don't recognise EAS for medicine. Even if they did, it would only be to pass the academic threshold (which you would pass without EAS anyway). Unfortunately JMP require 50/50/50 so you'd be ineligible for entry based on your UMAT score

UQ- QTAC have EAS (it's a separate pathway and application to NSW's EAS though) , but they don't have their own medicine-specific scheme and nor is medicine listed as an exception to EAS. At best, it *may* help boost your ATAR to an OP1 equivalent (also note that subject-related bonuses apply)- and from there, it would be reliant on your UMAT (which unfortunately is below recent cutoffs). UQ is one of the rare unis which publishes cutoffs
Educational Access Scheme - QTAC
Admission schemes
Pathways and entry requirements

UAdel- Apply via SATAC. Adelaide Uni's website specifically acknowledges that the ATAR they use includes any applicable adjustment factors
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery | Degree Finder
Adjustment Factors (Bonus Points) | Study at Adelaide
It sounds like it would help with ATAR , but not your UMAT. Last year a non-rural applicant with a UMAT aggregate of 172 (coincidentally, your exact score) got an interview invite, but someone else with the same score missed out (so we suspect that 172 was the cutoff, and that it came down to decimal places). If the cutoff remains the same, you may have an outside chance of an interview offer, and an application to SATAC would help your ATAR and chance of a place offer if you do get an interview (because final places are 40% ATAR/40% Interview/20% UMAT based )

JCU- As with UQ, apply for the special education scheme via QTAC. JCU don't specifically refer to whether EAS counts for medicine, but I suspect that it does. Your ATAR is high enough for JCU (but, the higher the better) and JCU doesn't use UMAT so applying here would be a good option for you. Ultimately, your chances of an interview invite depend most highly on your rural score and even moreso, your written application.

Monash- Recognises SEAS and Monash Guarantee for medicine. The UMAT cutoff is still 175 for Monash Guarantee and Monash require 50/50/50 so you wouldn't make the cutoff unfortunately.

UWA- Has the Broadway scheme but this pathway appears to only be open to WACE students (ie students who did Year 12 in WA)
Broadway Pathway Eligibility > Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences: The University of Western Australia
Edit - thanks Ruffle
UWA also has a little known scheme called UWay UWA's UWay program can help you apply to university.
Again this adjusts the ATAR and it applies to medicine

Edit 2- thanks again Ruffle
Curtin - Has its own scheme/pathway Special consideration, undergraduate, entry options - Future Students | Curtin University, Perth, Australia
I know the initial post didn’t enquire about Curtin (Curtin also has a 50/50/50 requirement which would make animalpeace28 ineligible unfortunately ) but adding it here as it may be an option for others who are reading this thread

 

[animalpeace28]

Thank you everyone for your help! Makes a lot more sense now I really appreciate it

 

[animalpeace28]

animalpeace28 - Here's some information on EAS and similar schemes for each of the unis you enquired about above. Due to limited data , there isn't much information out there, but generally speaking, it's much more likely to boost the ATAR requirement than lower the UMAT cutoff.

UNSW- definitely accepts EAS for Medicine. It is probably a separate category reserved for a small number of spots (and also probably for the most compelling EAS applications). Otherwise, it would bump up your ATAR (but not UMAT) , and in turn, chance of a place. Unfortunately , your UMAT is still likely to be too low for an interview offer though
Local applicants | Medicine

UWS- UWS doesn't state that medicine is an exception to EAS , so *maybe* they do accept bonus points for disadvantage. ATAR is only used as a threshold though. UWS also has a quota for people who live in the GWS area (and the UMAT/ATAR cutoffs for these applicants is slightly lower)
Whilst your ATAR is good enough (even without an EAS adjustment), your UMAT score would still be below their cutoff (even if you're GWS), unfortunately
Educational Access Scheme | Western Sydney University .

JMP- EAS isn't listed here Entry support schemes , which makes me suspect that they don't recognise EAS for medicine. Even if they did, it would only be to pass the academic threshold (which you would pass without EAS anyway). Unfortunately JMP require 50/50/50 so you'd be ineligible for entry based on your UMAT score

UQ- QTAC have EAS (it's a separate pathway and application to NSW's EAS though) , but they don't have their own medicine-specific scheme and nor is medicine listed as an exception to EAS. At best, it *may* help boost your ATAR to an OP1 equivalent (also note that subject-related bonuses apply)- and from there, it would be reliant on your UMAT (which unfortunately is below recent cutoffs). UQ is one of the rare unis which publishes cutoffs
Educational Access Scheme - QTAC
Admission schemes
Pathways and entry requirements

UAdel- Apply via SATAC. Adelaide Uni's website specifically acknowledges that the ATAR they use includes any applicable adjustment factors
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery | Degree Finder
Adjustment Factors (Bonus Points) | Study at Adelaide
It sounds like it would help with ATAR , but not your UMAT. Last year a non-rural applicant with a UMAT aggregate of 172 (coincidentally, your exact score) got an interview invite, but someone else with the same score missed out (so we suspect that 172 was the cutoff, and that it came down to decimal places). If the cutoff remains the same, you may have an outside chance of an interview offer, and an application to SATAC would help your ATAR and chance of a place offer if you do get an interview (because final places are 40% ATAR/40% Interview/20% UMAT based )

JCU- As with UQ, apply for the special education scheme via QTAC. JCU don't specifically refer to whether EAS counts for medicine, but I suspect that it does. Your ATAR is high enough for JCU (but, the higher the better) and JCU doesn't use UMAT so applying here would be a good option for you. Ultimately, your chances of an interview invite depend most highly on your rural score and even moreso, your written application.

Monash- Recognises SEAS and Monash Guarantee for medicine. The UMAT cutoff is still 175 for Monash Guarantee and Monash require 50/50/50 so you wouldn't make the cutoff unfortunately.

UWA- Has the Broadway scheme but this pathway appears to only be open to WACE students (ie students who did Year 12 in WA)
Broadway Pathway Eligibility > Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences: The University of Western Australia
Edit - thanks Ruffle
UWA also has a little known scheme called UWay UWA's UWay program can help you apply to university.
Again this adjusts the ATAR and it applies to medicine

Edit 2- thanks again Ruffle
Curtin - Has its own scheme/pathway Special consideration, undergraduate, entry options - Future Students | Curtin University, Perth, Australia
I know the initial post didn’t enquire about Curtin (Curtin also has a 50/50/50 requirement which would make animalpeace28 ineligible unfortunately ) but adding it here as it may be an option for others who are reading this thread

Woah thanks for breaking down my chances for each uni!

So the would the only uni worth applying to at this stage be JCU and possibly UAdel? Should I save the hassle and forget UQ since my UMAT is a lot lower than even the bonded cut off?

I was just looking at Flinders, am curious to see if they accept EAS?

 

[hpfanfiction]

Woah thanks for breaking down my chances for each uni!

So the would the only uni worth applying to at this stage be JCU and possibly UAdel? Should I save the hassle and forget UQ since my UMAT is a lot lower than even the bonded cut off?

I was just looking at Flinders, am curious to see if they accept EAS?

Well , those 2 unis are probably the ones which give you the most realistic chance of an interview (in JCU’s case , depends highly on your application and for Adelaide Uni, on both the ultimate UMAT cutoff and your Adjustment Factor application being successful ) . However , given the limited information we have about cutoffs in general and especially the effect of EAS/similar schemes , I still suggest applying everywhere you can *just in case* , but with the understanding that an offer is highly unlikely (because you have to be in it to have any chance at all, and all you’re losing in most cases is a preference , given Uni applications tend to be UAC/VTAC/QTAC /SATAC/TISC etc based )

Flinders do accept bonus points or rather adjustment factors (and as with Adelaide Uni, apply to the scheme via SATAC).
https://www.flinders.edu.au/content...medicine-course-admission-information-set.pdf
Universities Equity Scheme - Flinders University

It would be an excellent option for you because selection is based on 90% ATAR/10% UMAT
Study the Bachelor of Clinical Sciences, Doctor of Medicine - Flinders University

 

[dumpling23]

Hi there! Sorry I didn’t mean to intrude but I’m in a similar situation as animalpeace28, except I received a lower UMAT score (168 - 50/58/60), and have a predicted atar of 99+

I was wondering if passing the 50/50/50 rule and studying super hard for high 99s will mean I have a chance? All this self doubt is from a thread that I read stating 160 was not enough for 99.95.

I’m planning to apply to UNSW, WSU, Monash and possible UQ since they are the most convenient for me.

Please be as brutal as possible.

Thanks

 

[Crow]

Hi there! Sorry I didn’t mean to intrude but I’m in a similar situation as animalpeace28, except I received a lower UMAT score (168 - 50/58/60), and have a predicted atar of 99+

I was wondering if passing the 50/50/50 rule and studying super hard for high 99s will mean I have a chance? All this self doubt is from a thread that I read stating 160 was not enough for 99.95.

I’m planning to apply to UNSW, WSU, Monash and possible UQ since they are the most convenient for me.

Please be as brutal as possible.

Thanks

Hi dumpling, you may be best posting in the UMAT results and discussion thread unless your enquiry is specifically regarding EAS here’s the link:
UMAT 2018 Results Discussion
The information you give us in the template there will help us give you more specific advice

 

[dumpling23]

Hi dumpling, you may be best posting in the UMAT results and discussion thread unless your enquiry is specifically regarding EAS here’s the link:
UMAT 2018 Results Discussion
The information you give us in the template there will help us give you more specific advice

Hi! I'm really sorry, I just reposted

 

[AHHHHHH]

Hi, I was wondering if one were to have a 70ish percentile UMAT with a 99ish ATAR in 2016 and a 6.5/7 GPA over 2 years and were to apply under EAS scheme for UNSW med and for JCU med, would this be competitive for either university or hopeless?
Cheers

 

[Woo18]

JCU does not use any EAS for their med school selection.

 

[entirety]

JCU does not use any EAS for their med school selection.

Can you post a link that mentions this? I cant find it anywhere

 

[Woo18]

Can you post a link that mentions this? I cant find it anywhere

Hi, I don't have a link for this I have made phone calls to QTAC and JCU Admissions and also attended the open day as this is my sons school of choice and have been told by both Qtac and the faculty of JCU that EAS or subject bonuses do not get used for Medicine, Dentistry, Vet or Physio as they are highly competitive courses it does however get used for their other courses. UQ is the only Queensland Uni that uses EAS and Subject bonus for Medicine. I have just googled JCU EAS and it opens up a section about selection processes and mentions that no bonus schemes are used other than regional which also won't be used for medicine. Really hope this helps. PS did a bit more looking and it mentions under special considerations that EAS counts but not for special application courses. Hope this has answered your question.

 

[pha0015]

I also have EAS for financial disadvantage, and was wondering if my scores (umat: 179, 63, 54, 61 overall 89th and predicted atar ranging from 97-99, although I'll probs get around 98) would gain me entrance in Monash, Adelaide and UNSW (which I assume all have eas).