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Curtin University Medicine Entry Guide — UCAT, Course Structure & Selection
Curtin offers a direct-entry, school-leaver Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (B-MBBS) in Perth, WA, with selection based on ATAR (minimum ~95), UCAT, the CASPer situational-judgement test and a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI). UCAT is one of three weighted criteria — interview ranking weights CASPer 35%, ATAR 35% and UCAT 30%, while final offers weight ATAR 40%, MMI 40% and UCAT 20%. The five-year program runs pre-clinical years on campus before clinical placements across metropolitan, rural and regional WA, with rural applicants supported by the StepUp to Curtin scheme.
Get help with your applicationKey Admission Information
Applications (school-leaver, 2026): open early May, close late September via TISC; UCAT ANZ July–August; CASPer during the application period; interviews early December to late January; final offers from late December with further rounds in January–February. Campus: Bentley, Perth, WA. Figures are indicative; confirm against the official Curtin pages for your year of entry.
Overview: Medicine at Curtin University
Medicine at Curtin is delivered through the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (B-MBBS) — the only direct-entry undergraduate medical degree in Western Australia (UWA and Notre Dame offer graduate entry). It combines foundational biomedical sciences, early clinical exposure, problem-based learning and progressive placements across metropolitan, rural and regional WA.
Eligible Year 12 students can apply straight into medicine without first completing a separate degree. Curtin Medical School was established specifically to help meet WA's healthcare workforce needs, with a strong emphasis on rural, regional and under-represented communities.
Students typically enter via undergraduate school-leaver entry (TISC — ATAR, UCAT, CASPer, MMI), Curtin lateral entry for current first/second-year Curtin students, or the StepUp to Curtin rural and equity scheme. Compare options in our overview of medical school entry requirements.
How Do You Get Into Medicine at Curtin University?
Curtin uses a multi-stage process combining academic results, two separate admissions tests and an interview. To be considered, applicants must first meet the minimum eligibility threshold (ATAR ~95 and the Chemistry prerequisite), then complete UCAT ANZ and the CASPer test in the application year.
- Interview shortlisting: eligible applicants are ranked by CASPer (35%), ATAR (35%) and UCAT (30%); top-ranked applicants are invited to a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI)
- Final offer ranking: after interviews, offers are determined by ATAR (40%), MMI (40%) and UCAT (20%)
This two-stage model means a strong UCAT helps secure an interview, but the final offer leans most on academic results and interview performance.
Typical 2026 timeline: applications open early May, close late September via TISC (CUMBS); UCAT ANZ July–August; CASPer during the application period; interview offers across November–January; MMIs early December to late January; final offers from late December, with rounds in January–February.
Speak with a UCAT advisorWhat Does Curtin University Require for Medicine?
The practical checklist of what you need to be competitive for Curtin's Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery.
Academic
- Minimum ATAR of ~95 (or recognised equivalent) to be eligible to apply
- StepUp to Curtin: effective minimum ~90 (adds 5 ATAR points when criteria are met)
- Curtin lateral entry: current Curtin students need a Course Weighted Average (WAM) of 80+
Admissions test (UCAT)
- UCAT ANZ required — a weighted component (30% shortlisting, 20% final offer), not a standalone cut-off
Situational-judgement test (CASPer)
- CASPer required for school-leaver and non-school-leaver applicants
- Heavily weighted at 35% of the interview-shortlisting score — one of Curtin's most influential criteria
Interview
- Multiple Mini Interview (MMI), held in person, contributing 40% of the final offer — see MMI interview preparation
Prerequisites & additional requirements
- Chemistry (ATAR Units 3/4, grade C or scaled equivalent) is the essential prerequisite; Maths Methods/Specialist, Human Biology and Biology recommended
- A TISC application (course code CUMBS)
- Pre-placement clearances: police clearance, Working with Children Check, immunisation, First Aid (CPR) and AHPRA registration
Special-entry, rural & equity
- StepUp to Curtin: +5 ATAR points for eligible Indigenous, financial-hardship or eligible-school applicants
- Rural pathway: priority for sustained rural background (Modified Monash MM2–7)
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander pathway: UCAT and CASPer not required
Entry Pathways to Curtin University Medicine
The primary route for WACE and interstate Year 12 students. Assessed on indicative ATAR ~95, UCAT ANZ, the CASPer test and the MMI. Gap-year students eligible; interstate qualifications (HSC, QCE, SACE, VCE, IB) assessed via equivalent scaling. Applied through TISC (CUMBS).
Available only to current Curtin students in their first or second year. Requires a minimum WAM of 80+; applicants still sit UCAT and CASPer. Interview ranking uses WAM, UCAT and CASPer; final offers consider WAM + UCAT + interview. The Chemistry prerequisite can be met through Curtin units.
Supports rural, Indigenous and financially disadvantaged applicants by adding 5 points to the ATAR when criteria are met (effective minimum ~90; 95 base to enter standard ranking). Applied automatically via TISC or directly to Curtin. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants have a dedicated pathway that does not require UCAT or CASPer.
What Interview Does Curtin University Use for Medicine?
Curtin uses a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format, conducted in person. It assesses:
- Communication and interpersonal skills
- Critical analysis and reasoning
- Ethical reasoning and judgement
- Motivation for medicine and awareness of professional issues
The MMI contributes 40% of the final offer ranking — equal in weight to ATAR and double the weight of UCAT at the offer stage — so interview performance is decisive for many applicants.
Interview dates (2026 entry, indicative): interview offers Round 1 — 20 November (WA predicted results), Round 2 — mid-late December (WA actual), Round 3 — mid-January (interstate). MMIs: Round 1 — 4 & 8 December; Round 2 — 7 January; Round 3 — 22 January. Final offers from 22 December, with rounds in January–February.
Prepare for your medical interviewCourse Structure: The Curtin B-MBBS
The Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery is a full-time program over 5 years, moving from on-campus pre-clinical learning into full-time clinical placements, with a strong emphasis on rural, regional and community healthcare in WA.
- Year 1: introduction to medicine, clinical communication and biomedical foundations, with interprofessional learning and an introduction to problem-based learning
- Years 2–3 (pre-clinical): intensive, problem-based study of the structure and function of the body in health and disease, plus Indigenous health, population health and professional development
- Year 4 (clinical): transition from campus into hospital and community settings, including rural and remote placements
- Year 5 (clinical): working as a member of the healthcare team across medicine and surgery rotations, preparing for internship
Learning approach: problem-based learning (PBL) from first year, integrated case-based biomedical sciences, and early clinical exposure. Credit framework: full-time annual loads (indicative ~200 credit points first year); confirm exact totals in the official handbook.
Indicative Course Units
Curtin's curriculum is integrated and themed rather than a list of standalone subjects; Curtin does not publish machine-readable unit codes, so representative themes are shown by year.
| Year | Indicative unit / theme | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | Foundations of Medicine and Clinical Communication | Pre-clinical |
| Year 1 | Human Structure and Function 1 / Biomedical Sciences | Pre-clinical |
| Year 1 | Interprofessional Practice and Health Sciences | Pre-clinical |
| Year 1 | Indigenous Cultures and Health | Pre-clinical |
| Year 2 | Human Structure and Function 2 / Disease Mechanisms | Pre-clinical |
| Year 2 | Problem-Based Learning: Body Systems | Pre-clinical |
| Year 2 | Population Health and Epidemiology | Pre-clinical |
| Year 3 | Integrated Medical Sciences and Pathology | Pre-clinical |
| Year 3 | Pharmacology and Therapeutics | Pre-clinical |
| Year 3 | Clinical Skills and Professional Development | Pre-clinical |
| Year 4 | Clinical Medicine: Hospital and Community Placement | Clinical |
| Year 4 | Rural and Remote Clinical Practice | Clinical |
| Year 4 | Women's, Children's and Mental Health | Clinical |
| Year 5 | Advanced Clinical Practice and Internship Preparation | Clinical |
| Year 5 | Medicine and Surgery Clinical Rotations | Clinical |
| Year 5 | Transition to Practice / Pre-Internship | Clinical |
Indicative only — unit codes, sequencing and credit points vary by cohort and are not published as machine-readable codes by Curtin. Confirm via the official Curtin University Handbook.
Clinical Placements and Training
Curtin medical students complete clinical placements across a broad network of metropolitan, rural and regional health services throughout WA, reflecting the school's mission to strengthen the WA healthcare workforce.
- Clinical training begins on campus with simulation and clinical-skills teaching
- From Year 4, students move into hospital and community settings, including rural and remote locations under the Modified Monash Model
- Placements give hands-on exposure to the communities where doctors are most needed
Before commencing placements, students complete mandatory clearances — criminal record clearance, Working with Children Check, immunisation and health screening, First Aid (CPR) and AHPRA registration.
Rankings and Recognition
Curtin is recognised as one of Australia's strongest younger research universities and reached its highest-ever global position in recent rankings.
- QS World University Rankings 2026: Curtin ranked #183 globally — its highest-ever result, rising 10 places
- Times Higher Education 2026: ranked in the 251 band globally
- Health-discipline strengths: Nursing top 12 nationally (QS by Subject 2026); Psychology top 10 nationally (THE by Subject 2026)
- National standing: in the top 1% of universities worldwide (ARWU 2025), recognised for research-led teaching and a strong commitment to rural and regional healthcare
University Life at Curtin University
Students studying medicine at Curtin benefit from:
- A purpose-built medical school on the Bentley campus, designed around modern, integrated clinical teaching
- Active medical and health-sciences student societies that support peer learning and wellbeing
- Interprofessional learning alongside nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy and other health students
- Strong academic, wellbeing and pastoral support, plus rural and equity student support
The Bentley campus sits within Perth's growing health and innovation precinct, with access to metropolitan hospitals and research facilities, while rural and regional placements connect students with communities across WA. On-campus accommodation and scholarships — including the Rural WA Medical School Scholarship — help widen participation in medicine.
Career and Research Pathways
Graduates of the Curtin medicine degree pursue careers across:
- Hospital medicine, including medical and surgical specialties
- General practice and community-based healthcare, with a strong rural and regional focus
- Specialist training programs following internship and residency
- Research and academic medicine, including clinician-researcher pathways
- Public health, rural health and health-policy roles
Curtin is particularly recognised for research that supports rural and regional health outcomes, giving students exposure to research-led teaching and clinician-researcher careers in WA. Compare options across pathways into Australian medical schools.
FAQs: Curtin University Medicine
Is UCAT required to study medicine at Curtin University?
What ATAR do you need for Curtin undergraduate medicine?
Does Curtin require the CASPer test for medicine?
What interview does Curtin use for medicine?
How is Curtin medicine selection weighted?
Is there a UCAT cut-off score for Curtin medicine?
What subject prerequisites does Curtin medicine require?
Can interstate and gap-year students apply for Curtin undergraduate medicine?
What is the StepUp to Curtin pathway?
How much does it cost to study medicine at Curtin University?
How do you apply for medicine at Curtin University?
Is there a lateral entry pathway into Curtin medicine?
Next Steps: Your Path to Medicine at Curtin University
Getting into medicine at Curtin requires strong academic planning, UCAT and CASPer performance, and MMI interview readiness. Because Curtin weights CASPer, ATAR, UCAT and the MMI together, the right next step depends on where your profile is strongest. Get tailored advice on UCAT targets, CASPer strategy, ATAR planning, MMI preparation and alternative pathways.
Figures (fees, ATAR, places, dates) are indicative and drawn from the MedView strategist spreadsheet plus current research. The domestic CSP student-contribution figure differs between sources — always check the official Curtin University fee schedule for your year of entry. This guide focuses on domestic UCAT pathways; international entry requirements and selection criteria differ (academic 40% : interview 60%; min ATAR 95 / A-level AAB / IB 39).