Post-UCAT Discussion 2025

[RainRainGoAway]

Personally, I think that, assuming you had adequate prep time and put in enough study for the ucat, you probably won’t be able to improve it enough to get an interview invite, unless you’re rural. We’ve seen this year that metro applicants are needing 98%+ to get invites.

I just wanted to add another perspective, I agree with many of the points here.

You can improve on UCAT if you reflect on why your score may have been what it was. This is what I did and some how managed to go from 60% to 94% percentile. However, I agree with the sentiment that cut offs are rising and with a uni load in tow it might be difficult.

 

[Deleted member 55240]

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[A1]

Hi everyone-I scored around the 50th percentile in the UCAT this year and I’m thinking about re-sitting next year while doing another degree (non-standard entry). I’m trying to decide whether it’s worth continuing to aim for UCAT entry, or if I should focus early on graduate-entry pathways instead. Could anyone please share what minimum ATAR is realistically needed to stay competitive for UCAT-based medicine offers? I just want to know the point at which it’s better to stop chasing UCAT and focus on the grad route.

If you take a gap year the only gain is being eligible to apply to Adelaide, IMO not worth it.
(UQ/USQ/CQU no gap year, Monash interstate needs ATAR 99.7+, UWA interstate needs UCAT 99.5%ile etc).

Starting uni you're still eligible for JCU, WSU, JMP, UNSW (and Bond).
JCU is unpredictable, WSU interstate you'll need 99%ile, pretty hopeless.
That leaves you with JMP around 97-98%ile, UNSW with GPA 6.5+ and 95th %ile.

Worth trying in 1st year & 2nd year. If still not in you go on to GAMSAT. It doesn't have to be either/or.

 

[MjM91]

If you take a gap year the only gain is being eligible to apply to Adelaide, IMO not worth it.
(UQ/USQ/CQU no gap year, Monash interstate needs ATAR 99.7+, UWA interstate needs UCAT 99.5%ile etc).

Starting uni you're still eligible for JCU, WSU, JMP, UNSW (and Bond).
JCU is unpredictable, WSU interstate you'll need 99%ile, pretty hopeless.
That leaves you with JMP around 97-98%ile, UNSW with GPA 6.5+ and 95th %ile.

Worth trying in 1st year & 2nd year. If still not in you go on to GAMSAT. It doesn't have to be either/or.

Totally agree with this. Due to being a mature age applicant and a bunch of unique personal circumstances I decided the best option to apply was the undergrad pathway with a GPA, and then if I didn’t get in that way by the end of 2nd year then apply as postgrad. It’s been a lot of really hard work, but I’ve gotten 6 interview invites at the end of 1st year, so I'm pretty confident I’ll be able to convert at least one of them into an offer. It can definitely be done.

 

[buzyb33]

Been a crazy year with UCAT . Cut offs been so high this time that I didn't end up with an invite anywhere despite a 93 percentile. I finished my VCE and planning to take a gap year if the ATAR comes up well. However, family is planning to move to SA early next year. Does the mean I will need to apply as an SA resident next year if I am residing there from say January 2026?

 

[Deleted member 55240]

Been a crazy year with UCAT . Cut offs been so high this time that I didn't end up with an invite anywhere despite a 93 percentile. I finished my VCE and planning to take a gap year if the ATAR comes up well. However, family is planning to move to SA early next year. Does the mean I will need to apply as an SA resident next year if I am residing there from say January 2026?

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[buzyb33]

I would have thought so - the UCAT would be lower as a domestic Adelaide student as well. Would the second round of Monash go any lower for UCAT? You are right on the cusp?

I hope it does but again after seeing this year's cut offs, I guess plan B seems to be the only option (even if I scrape through second round, I am already behind 250 odd people when it comes to UCAT). The nightmare scenario I don't want to end is being categorised as interstate for both unis i.e SA due to my VCE and VIC due to residing in SA .

 

[Deleted member 55240]

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[MjM91]

Been a crazy year with UCAT . Cut offs been so high this time that I didn't end up with an invite anywhere despite a 93 percentile. I finished my VCE and planning to take a gap year if the ATAR comes up well. However, family is planning to move to SA early next year. Does the mean I will need to apply as an SA resident next year if I am residing there from say January 2026?

Yea you’ll be a domestic applicant, it’s based on the state you live in.

 

[BlueJogger28]

Totally agree with this. Due to being a mature age applicant and a bunch of unique personal circumstances I decided the best option to apply was the undergrad pathway with a GPA, and then if I didn’t get in that way by the end of 2nd year then apply as postgrad. It’s been a lot of really hard work, but I’ve gotten 6 interview invites at the end of 1st year, so I'm pretty confident I’ll be able to convert at least one of them into an offer. It can definitely be done.

Thank you so much for the advice you shared earlier—it’s been really helpful in clarifying the UCAT vs graduate-entry pathways.

I have another question I’d appreciate your thoughts on: I’m trying to decide whether to enrol in a Bachelor of Biomedical Science or Health Science. My concern is that if I don’t get into medicine, I might end up with a degree that has relatively limited job opportunities. Would it be smarter to choose something like Computer Science and/or Economics, which seem to have broader career prospects? The downside, as I understand it, is that these degrees don’t cover Chemistry or Biology, which could make preparing for GAMSAT harder. I’d be grateful for any advice or personal experiences you can share.

 

[MjM91]

Thank you so much for the advice you shared earlier—it’s been really helpful in clarifying the UCAT vs graduate-entry pathways.

I have another question I’d appreciate your thoughts on: I’m trying to decide whether to enrol in a Bachelor of Biomedical Science or Health Science. My concern is that if I don’t get into medicine, I might end up with a degree that has relatively limited job opportunities. Would it be smarter to choose something like Computer Science and/or Economics, which seem to have broader career prospects? The downside, as I understand it, is that these degrees don’t cover Chemistry or Biology, which could make preparing for GAMSAT harder. I’d be grateful for any advice or personal experiences you can share.

Absolutely choose a degree that you both have interest in and gives you options postgrad. You may choose not to do medicine when you’re done. Or you may take a few years to get in. Either way, don’t waste your money on a degree that doesn’t get you anything.

 

[The1&Only]

The downside, as I understand it, is that these degrees don’t cover Chemistry or Biology, which could make preparing for GAMSAT harder. I’d be grateful for any advice or personal experiences you can share.

Based on what I've noticed such degrees do not provide such an advantage that unis say they do (most of the content can be learnt from yt). Plus chem and bio make up only 1 of the 3 sections of the GAMSAT.

 

[MjM91]

Based on what I've noticed such degrees do not provide such an advantage that unis say they do (most of the content can be learnt from yt). Plus chem and bio make up only 1 of the 3 sections of the GAMSAT.

Also, you can choose chem and bio subjects as electives in whatever degree you do. Additionally, since many if not most people that missed out on undergrad med choose biomed etc, you will potentially find it more competitive and harder to achieve the high grades that you could possibly get for much less effort in a different degree. For example, a degree that has a low minimum entry rank is probably an indicator of how competitive your classmates are. It’s also worth trying to find a degree with as little group work as possible, because your group grades may drag down your gpa. I personally managed to avoid any subjects with a group work component for my first 8 subjects, specifically to ensure I had the best shot at achieving a very high grade.

 

[PeanutBurger]

If you take a gap year the only gain is being eligible to apply to Adelaide, IMO not worth it.
(UQ/USQ/CQU no gap year, Monash interstate needs ATAR 99.7+, UWA interstate needs UCAT 99.5%ile etc).

Starting uni you're still eligible for JCU, WSU, JMP, UNSW (and Bond).
JCU is unpredictable, WSU interstate you'll need 99%ile, pretty hopeless.
That leaves you with JMP around 97-98%ile, UNSW with GPA 6.5+ and 95th %ile.

Worth trying in 1st year & 2nd year. If still not in you go on to GAMSAT. It doesn't have to be either/or.

oh... is it 95th%ile for UNSW? i got a barely 94th (2370) this year and am hoping for 6.875 GPA (non rural, no bonuses). do you reckon i won't be cutting it? especially looking at JMPs insane 2510 cut off, i don't have the highest of hopes...

 

[movpin]

oh... is it 95th%ile for UNSW? i got a barely 94th (2370) this year and am hoping for 6.875 GPA (non rural, no bonuses). do you reckon i won't be cutting it? especially looking at JMPs insane 2510 cut off, i don't have the highest of hopes...

You should almost definitely get an interview (though offer would likely depend on a strong interview). I'm pretty sure last year the UCAT cutoff was 91st and your GPA is well above the assumed cutoff of 6.5-6.6. JMP's insane cutoff this year is only due to them preferencing local students, otherwise most unis' cutoffs haven't increased significantly this year.

 

[A1]

oh... is it 95th%ile for UNSW? i got a barely 94th (2370) this year and am hoping for 6.875 GPA (non rural, no bonuses).

We've been told the ATAR/GPA hard cutoff last year was 99.50/6.5, and according to movpin above UCAT cutoff was 91%ile.

But that does not mean passing both cutoffs with 6.5 & 91%ile will get an interview.
I have direct info that a 6.8 / 3190 got an interview then a place offer, but a 99.50 / 3260 got no interview despite meeting both cutoffs.

i.e. After the hard cutoffs interviews are given on combined ATAR/GPA+UCAT.
If you scrape in with GPA 6.5 you need a higher UCAT, but with 6.875 *maybe* you only need 93-94%ile. Good luck.

 

[KalkiteSpur]

We've been told the ATAR/GPA hard cutoff last year was 99.50/6.5, and according to movpin above UCAT cutoff was 91%ile.

But that does not mean passing both cutoffs with 6.5 & 91%ile will get an interview.
I have direct info that a 6.8 / 3190 got an interview then a place offer, but a 99.50 / 3260 got no interview despite meeting both cutoffs.

i.e. After the hard cutoffs interviews are given on combined ATAR/GPA+UCAT.
If you scrape in with GPA 6.5 you need a higher UCAT, but with 6.875 *maybe* you only need 93-94%ile. Good luck.

It's like cutoffs are only going to keep getting crazier and crazier. The future of UCAT and undergrad med is beyond asinine.

 

[movpin]

but a 99.50 / 3260 got no interview despite meeting both cutoffs.

The cutoff was higher than 99.50 last year, I'm pretty sure it was 99.55.

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A1 adds: Yes first round was 99.55. Second round included non-standards with 6.50 which I believe equiv to 99.50.

 

[wins3j2]

As you guys know UWA came out this afternoon, interstate cutoff seems to be 2560 FYI.

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A1 adds: Gosh ... it's 99.5%ile, again!!

 

[psg]

You should almost definitely get an interview (though offer would likely depend on a strong interview). I'm pretty sure last year the UCAT cutoff was 91st and your GPA is well above the assumed cutoff of 6.5-6.6. JMP's insane cutoff this year is only due to them preferencing local students, otherwise most unis' cutoffs haven't increased significantly this year.

Hi ,
Can I ask historically how are UNSW 1st / 2nd round interviews allocated for non standard applicants ? If someone's ATAR and UCAT are above the hard cut off and they are in first year of university, would UNSW still wait for GPA and they get 2nd round or can they get 1st round interview based on their ATAR ?
Thanks