Your Guide to Australian and UK Universities That Don't Require UCAT

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.

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.

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!

MedView Education takes med school admission to a new level through personalised admission support, application review, entrance exam and interview tutoring, and extracurricular mentoring for students in Australasia.

Our dedicated team and personalised support helps students get the results they need, with our UCAT students 5 times more likely to receive an interview and 4.5 times more likely to gain admission to an Australian medical school.

If you'd like extra support from industry professionals with years of experience, we can help — simply book a free consultation with our MedView advisors for guidance on this process.