Non-standard Medicine Entry

[Sass#]

Doesn't that Pathway require gamsat? Also can I transfer into it as a non standard applicant

Thanks.

No it doesn't. It says it down the bottom of the info page - Completion of the Bachelor of Medical Science program with a GPA of at least 5.5 will see graduates gain seamless entry into the Doctor of Medicine (5099).

However I just realised the Bachelor of Medical Science requires an ATAR of 99.90

Degrees

A Griffith University degree can help you achieve your career goals. With a wide range of courses available, you can find the perfect program to suit your needs. Griffith University has a strong reputation for providing quality education, and you can be assured that you will receive the best...

www.griffith.edu.au

 

[VNAYA1]

Hi, is it true that for UNSW both standard and non standard applicants compete in the same application pool?
Also, does anyone have any idea what a 96th-99th percentile would be for 2025 after AR being removed?

Thanks a lot

 

[AnubisHorus&Ra]

No it doesn't. It says it down the bottom of the info page - Completion of the Bachelor of Medical Science program with a GPA of at least 5.5 will see graduates gain seamless entry into the Doctor of Medicine (5099).

However I just realised the Bachelor of Medical Science requires an ATAR of 99.90

Degrees

A Griffith University degree can help you achieve your career goals. With a wide range of courses available, you can find the perfect program to suit your needs. Griffith University has a strong reputation for providing quality education, and you can be assured that you will receive the best...

www.griffith.edu.au

Unfortunately, you're right. It's a guaranteed entry specifically for school leavers and is very conditional to getting a stellar ATAR due to demand. Which is a different system to unguaranteed entry from generic med sci programs. Incidentally,



USQ has the garunteed medicine pathway as well, but requires the UCAT.



University of Sunshine Coast also has a similar program (guaranteed entry for med sci) for predominantly QLD students. UCAT not required, but ranks you lower if you don't have it. Still worth thinking about though.

 

[stoobious]

Have a couple questions:
-What would be the realistic GPA for rural uni student for JCU (mainly), JMP, and others, does it "lower" standard of entry still apply after secondary?
- Does the amount of courses influence entry via non-standard (i.e. 4 courses vs 6 vs 8) or does it not matter for full time students?
- If my results are released after most offers, am I still eligible (Results release late Feb and most offers in in Dec- early Feb)?

 

[DrDrLMG!]

Have a couple questions:
-What would be the realistic GPA for rural uni student for JCU (mainly), JMP, and others, does it "lower" standard of entry still apply after secondary?
- Does the amount of courses influence entry via non-standard (i.e. 4 courses vs 6 vs 8) or does it not matter for full time students?
- If my results are released after most offers, am I still eligible (Results release late Feb and most offers in in Dec- early Feb)?

Yes, there are generally lower GPA requirements to be competitive for rural applicants via non-standard (and graduate) entry pathways.
If you’re a full time student, with a 1.0FTE course load, that counts as full time. If you’ve done less than 1FTE at the time applications are considered this CAN impact competitiveness.
You’re still eligible but you may not be competitive if you’re in first year uni due to the above (less than 1FTE). If you’ve moved beyond first year and have completed more than 1FTE, then it won’t be an issue.

 

[ck8]

Hey guys, I'm a first year university student studying nursing I wanted to ask how high of a UCAT would be the best for a GPA around 6.5+ to make it into medicine and how likely are an individuals chances?

 

[AnubisHorus&Ra]

Hey guys, I'm a first year university student studying nursing I wanted to ask how high of a UCAT would be the best for a GPA around 6.5+ to make it into medicine and how likely are an individuals chances?

Great choice in picking nursing!
UCAT is usually done in percentiles. If you're a metro student you'd be looking at 95-99% to make it in. Though 85%+ have been able to make it in before.
Here's the data that has been collated: Aus Med and Dent Undergraduate Offers 2025 Entry - Collated Data

We can't really give you a 'score' to aim for per se (Unis are tempermental, even if we say you've got a helluva good chance of getting an interview, there's no guarantee) because every year it seems to go up and different unis have different ways to calculating it e.g. some unis weigh VR heavier than other sections and some don't consider SJT. There's also a collated data thread for interview invites too from 2023, 2024 and 2025 that you'll probably find handy. They sometimes have a breakdown of UCAT score from other applicants by section.

Your individual chances depend on your circumstances:
Are you metro or rural? (Metro UCAT 85%+, rural anywhere from 50%+, but the higher the better)
Which state are you from?
Which uni are you at now?
Are you willing to go interstate?
Would you be able to finance let's say Bond university which doesn't use the UCAT, but cost almost $500k from start to finish?
Are you willing to take the GAMSAT route if you can't make it in as an undergrad?
Have you done the research required for each individual uni that you're willing to travel to?

Usually the chances of undergrad entry rests at less than 10%, and just over 10% for GAMSAT entry, but are affected by the answer to those questions.

 

[izilurkeyr]

hey guys, with Newcastle JMP, how difficult is it to gain entry via the non-standard pathway. For reference I only got a 96.1 atar in 2024 and am currently commencing an undergrad degree. Is there a rough idea how many places there will be for non-standard, and the GPA + UCAT needed?

... also, I saw somewhere that UNSW non-standard med had some issues recently with offers and even saw a comment saying non-standard was removed?!?! Is that true??? I'm rly confused pls help me, thank you!!

 

[A1]

with Newcastle JMP, how difficult is it to gain entry via the non-standard pathway. For reference I only got a 96.1 atar in 2024 and am currently commencing an undergrad degree. Is there a rough idea how many places there will be for non-standard, and the GPA + UCAT needed?

Non-standard and school leavers are in the same pool so same level of difficulty, no separate how many places.
If you have done 1+FTE year uni by end of year (8+ course units) you need GPA 4.8+ to meet the hurdle. Then interview selection is solely on UCAT, about 96+ %ile. Place offer is on the interview score.

... also, I saw somewhere that UNSW non-standard med had some issues recently with offers and even saw a comment saying non-standard was removed?!?! Is that true???

In the 1st round UNSW interview selection the ATAR/Rank cutoff was 99.55 and it was reputed GPA 6.5+ was capped at 99.50, thus no non-standard got an interview at all.

However in the 2nd round, either the cutoff dropped to 99.50 or UNSW removed the capping to allow GPA 6.5+ to be >99.50 (I tend to think it was the latter), many non-standard got interviews and subsequently place offers.

 

[izilurkeyr]

Non-standard and school leavers are in the same pool so same level of difficulty, no separate how many places.
If you have done 1+FTE year uni by end of year (8+ course units) you need GPA 4.8+ to meet the hurdle. Then interview selection is solely on UCAT, about 96+ %ile. Place offer is on the interview score.


In the 1st round UNSW interview selection the ATAR/Rank cutoff was 99.55 and it was reputed GPA 6.5+ was capped at 99.50, thus no non-standard got an interview at all.

However in the 2nd round, either the cutoff dropped to 99.50 or UNSW removed the capping to allow GPA 6.5+ to be >99.50 (I tend to think it was the latter), many non-standard got interviews and subsequently place offers.

I see, thank you so much!!

 

[stoobious]

Non-standard and school leavers are in the same pool so same level of difficulty, no separate how many places.
If you have done 1+FTE year uni by end of year (8+ course units) you need GPA 4.8+ to meet the hurdle. Then interview selection is solely on UCAT, about 96+ %ile. Place offer is on the interview score.


In the 1st round UNSW interview selection the ATAR/Rank cutoff was 99.55 and it was reputed GPA 6.5+ was capped at 99.50, thus no non-standard got an interview at all.

However in the 2nd round, either the cutoff dropped to 99.50 or UNSW removed the capping to allow GPA 6.5+ to be >99.50 (I tend to think it was the latter), many non-standard got interviews and subsequently place offers.

Is the GPA minimum the same for rural in JMP (even below 4.8)? Is the UCAT cutoff also below 96% (I assume from 80%-50%)?

 

[A1]

Is the GPA minimum the same for rural in JMP (even below 4.8)? Is the UCAT cutoff also below 96% (I assume from 80%-50%)?

Though the ATAR hurdle is lower for rural-school students the GPA hurdle appears to be same for rural applicants. But 4.8+ shouldn't be a worry.

Rural UCAT cutoff tends to be 60ish %ile. I remember seeing it occasionally in the 50s in some years.

 

[PeanutBurger]

Hi, if you complete 0.75 FTE (full-time equivalent) by the end of next year (so combining all three terms at UNSW), then UNSW med will see which is more competitive - your GPA or your ATAR. They will then solely use the most competitive rank alongside your UCAT/interview. If you complete less than 0.75 FTE by the end of next year, then UNSW med will rely solely on your ATAR

However, you should aim to complete 1 FTE (i.e. 48 credit points or typically 8 courses at UNSW but pls double check for your course specifically) because anything less than 1 FTE converts to a pretty poor rank.

Also for your GPA, try to aim for 6.5+. UNSW isn't very transparent with the GPA to ATAR/rank conversions but I was able to get an offer with a 6.625 even though my ATAR was 98.something (2024 entry)

Also congrats on the amazing ATAR!!

hi there, so you said you had a 98 atar in 2024 but still got an offer in 2025 with your high GPA? just seeking clarification because i also want to apply to unsw med and i had a lower atar last year like yours.

only problem is, i heard that some guys with good UCATs and 7 GPAs but low ATAR didn't even get interview offer. or else, they had second round interview offer. do you know anything about that? i thought it would just be GPA in calculation, but if the anecdotes are true, this means that ATAR is taken into consideration.... ngl i would NOT like that

 

[2xq]

Hi, is it true that for UNSW both standard and non standard applicants compete in the same application pool?

Correct.

Also, does anyone have any idea what a 96th-99th percentile would be for 2025 after AR being removed?

Thanks a lot

no because no one can predict the future

 

[2xq]

hi there, so you said you had a 98 atar in 2024 but still got an offer in 2025 with your high GPA? just seeking clarification because i also want to apply to unsw med and i had a lower atar last year like yours.

only problem is, i heard that some guys with good UCATs and 7 GPAs but low ATAR didn't even get interview offer. or else, they had second round interview offer. do you know anything about that? i thought it would just be GPA in calculation, but if the anecdotes are true, this means that ATAR is taken into consideration.... ngl i would NOT like that

The criteria for applicants in their tertiary studies is to have already met the 96 MINIMUM ATAR or equivalent requirement from their LATEST SECONDARY QUALIFICATION. If you have not met that requirement for someone within your first tertiary degree, you have not met the minimum standards for UNSW medicine.

 

[PeanutBurger]

The criteria for applicants in their tertiary studies is to have already met the 96 MINIMUM ATAR or equivalent requirement from their LATEST SECONDARY QUALIFICATION. If you have not met that requirement for someone within your first tertiary degree, you have not met the minimum standards for UNSW medicine.

yes, i have met those, and also my anecdotal people also met it. they still didn't get their interview offer (so i heard). so there is just no relation of the ATAR anymore after commencing tertiary studies (if better than ATAR)?

 

[A1]

yes, i have met those, and also my anecdotal people also met it. they still didn't get their interview offer (so i heard). so there is just no relation of the ATAR anymore after commencing tertiary studies (if better than ATAR)?

See the 2nd part of my post here
> Non-standard Medicine Entry

In brief, to have a chance at getting a UNSW interview you need either ATAR 99.50+ or [ATAR 96+ (to be eligible) then GPA 6.5+].

 

[PeanutBurger]

See the 2nd part of my post here
> Non-standard Medicine Entry

In brief, to have a chance at getting a UNSW interview you need either ATAR 99.50+ or [ATAR 96+ (to be eligible) then GPA 6.5+].

Ah, right. That makes sense, I suppose. Thanks for the help A1

 

[stoobious]

Do any other minimum atar exist for other Unis (like the 96/91 minimum for UNSW)? Also what is the deal with Bond, does it also do non-standard or do you have to be doing a Bond degree for you to be eligible?

 

[2xq]

Do any other minimum atar exist for other Unis (like the 96/91 minimum for UNSW)?

Please have a look at the relevant tertiary institutions websites as they list the requirements on their pages. Alternatively, there is a nifty table you can look at (though take it with a grain of salt as it could be slightly outdated)

[Undergrad] - (2023 Updated) Med schools Selection Criteria Y12s & Non-standards

Hi - Welcome to MSO. Join us and post up your questions you'll get lots more useful tips than just from this table. __________________________________________________________ Hope this helps sort out the different requirements to get an undergrad/provisional Medicine place in Aus. For dentistry...

medstudentsonline.com.au

Also what is the deal with Bond, does it also do non-standard or do you have to be doing a Bond degree for you to be eligible?

I would highly suggest that you read up on Bond's medical program from the Bond website.