Domestic applicants

Admission to the UOW MD degree for Domestic applicants is based on:

• A weighted Grade Point Average (GPA) from a valid Bachelor’s degree *
• A valid GAMSAT score *
• A valid Altus Suite test score (Casper + Snapshot) *
• A completed UOW MD Admissions Portfolio *
• A structured UOW MD Admissions Interview *

* see specific sections on eligibility to determine required standards for each measure 

A weighted Grade Point Average (GPA) from a valid Bachelor’s degree

Applicants must be in their final year or have a completed Bachelor’s degree from either:

• An Australian University listed in the National Register of higher education providers at the TEQSA National Register
  OR
• An equivalent overseas Bachelor qualification from an institution that is recognised under the framework and guidelines set by the Australian Department of Education and Training Qualifications Recognition Policy Unit (previously AEI-NOOSR).

All qualifying degrees need to be completed by 31st December 2022.

Medical school places are limited and competitive. Applicants who have completed medical studies in another country should seek advice from the Australian Medical Council about pathways to recognition of their qualifications in Australia. Qualified physicians are not considered eligible for entry to the UOW MD program. Applicants who have failed to complete medical studies previously (including in Australia) would also not normally be considered eligible for entry. Applicants who have studied medicine previously should contact GSM prior to close of applications if they wish to confirm their eligibility. 

UOW does not normally recognise 2 year Bachelor degrees or 1-year conversion degrees for the purpose of admission to a medical course. Accelerated Bachelor degrees are accepted by UOW; that is, a degree consisting of three full time trimesters per year for two years from a recognised institution. To be accepted, applicants would normally have spent at least 2 years in the institution conferring the degree.

Please contact GSM for more information if your degree is less than three years FTE in duration.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

All applicants must have a weighted GPA of 5.5 on a 7-point scale at the time of application, to be eligible to apply.

The GPA score required to receive an offer for an interview may fluctuate annually. This GPA will be calculated based on the most recently completed Bachelor's degree (including an Honours year if applicable). Postgraduate qualifications are not included in GPA calculations.  

For 2023 entry, GPA scores will be used as a qualifying hurdle for interview offers. Applicants must achieve a weighted GPA of 5.5 out of 7.0 to meet the hurdle requirement. It will not be used in ranking for interview or places offers once the hurdle has been met.

The GPA is calculated using all subjects taken within the last three full-time equivalent years of the most recent undergraduate degree. GEMSAS will calculate the GPA of applicants for all Australian graduate medical school applicants. A GPA calculator is available on the GEMSAS website. This will provide an estimated GPA for your use and information only. Note also that your manual calculations may use GPA grades, but GEMSAS will use percentage results to calculate your GPA (where they are available). If you calculate your GPA it will be an approximation for your information only.

Applicants completing combined/double degrees will have their GPA calculated using the final three years of their combined degree. If an applicant exits their combined degree to graduate with a single degree (and the single degree must be a valid three year FTE Bachelor degree), the GPA will be calculated to include only units from the single degree if identifiable; otherwise UOW will revert back to using all units in the final three years. If an applicant is made an offer and subsequently exits their combined degree to graduate with a single degree (and the single degree must be a valid three year FTE Bachelor degree), then their offer is conditional to their maintenance of the minimum required GPA.

UOW reserves the right to recalculate GPAs at any time before the close of the admissions cycle if required.

The GPA is calculated for each of the last 3 calendar years by GEMSAS.

The scores are expressed as:

• GPA1 for the first year of study
• GPA2 for the second year of study
• GPA3 for the third (most recent) year of study.

The scores are weighted by GSM as follows:

GPA1 + (2 × GPA2) + (3 × GPA3) = weighted GPA ÷ 6

This weighting is based on calendar year of study, not academic level of each subject. Refer to the GEMSAS GPA guideline documents for more information.

For domestic applications to be considered at UOW GSM, applicants need to have gained a minimum score of 50 overall, with no individual section score below 50 in the Graduate Australian Medical Schools Admission Test (GAMSAT). The GAMSAT score required to receive an offer for an interview may fluctuate annually.  As per the GAMSAT website, GAMSAT results obtained from different sittings can be used for up to two consecutive years

No other entrance examination will be accepted for domestic applicants.

More information can be gained from the ACER website: http://gamsat.acer.edu.au

Altus Suite is a standardised, two -part online assessment of non-cognitive skills, interpersonal characteristics, and personal values and priorities that we believe are important for successful students and graduates of our program.

Altus Suite consists of:

• Casper: 100-120 minute online, open-response situational judgment test
• Snapshot: 15-minute one-way video interview with standardized questions 

Casper is an online video based scenario, situational judgement test and is designed to measure the personal and professional traits, such as ethics, empathy and communication and how these traits will be best suited towards a career in medicine. For domestic applications to be considered at UOW GSM, applicants need to have completed the Casper test during the testing periods identified for UOW MD applicants. Applicants who do not have a valid Casper score will not be considered eligible for entry, regardless of their competitiveness against other entry criteria. For 2023 entry, Casper scores will be used as a primary hurdle requirement for interview ranking and will be included along with interview score and portfolio score for final offers.

Snapshot is a short, one-way video interview. It is made up of three interview-style questions, with two minutes to respond to each. Snapshot is an extra opportunity for you to demonstrate your personal attributes, especially during this time where face to face communication is difficult. This will help give UOW additional information to make more informed decisions on your application and who you are as an individual. All candidates to UOW MD are required to sit Snapshot in addition to the standard Casper test.

For domestic applications to be considered at UOW GSM, applicants are required to complete Altus Suite (Casper + Snapshot) during the testing periods identified for UOW MD applicants. Applicants who do not have a valid Casper score or Snapshot video will not be considered eligible for entry.

For 2023 entry, Casper scores will be used as a primary hurdle requirement for interview ranking and will also be included along with interview and portfolio score for final offers. Snapshot will be used in the case of borderline applicants or tie-breakers to provide additional information for place offers.

Casper testing dates for UOW MD domestic applicants for the 2022-2023 admissions cycle are:

• Sun May 22, 2022 at 11:00 am AEST
• Thurs June 2, 2022 at 8:00 pm AEST

It is recommended that applicants try and register to take the test on the first available date. If you have not yet registered for Altus Suite by the time of GEMSAS applications closing, you must register IMMEDIATELY to ensure you are included in the final test dates in time for consideration this year. Applicants without Altus Suite scores/videos will not be considered for entry. 

More information about the Altus suite tests can be found on our FAQ's.

The UOW MD Admissions Portfolio is a written description of the applicant’s experiences and achievements. Applicants have the opportunity to highlight areas of achievement, leadership, teamwork, service ethic and commitment as well as ties to regional, rural and remote communities.

The portfolio, application and rural residency forms should be submitted electronically directly to GEMSAS and will be used as one of the criteria to rank your eligibility for interview and for an offer of a place. This information must be submitted by all applicants, regardless of UOW ranking on your preference form. Applicants who fail to submit a portfolio will not be considered.

In submitting an admissions portfolio, applicants will need to consider the following:

• Leadership
• Capacity to work with others
• Service ethic - outside your employment environment
• High level of performance in an area of human endeavour
• Admissions Rural Residency and Schooling

The portfolio is de-identified and then scored with a standardised process by trained staff. The process will provide a score based on the activities described and rurality. After candidates are selected for an interview, the GSM will verify the content of the activities described in the portfolio by phone/email. Those applicants who are passed to UOW after the interview will have their portfolio verified prior to their offer being sent. Failure to confirm the accuracy of information provided in the portfolio may preclude selection or offer.

The UOW MD  Admissions Portfolio may take time to complete and it is recommended that applicants commence preparation early. Please note that all activities demonstrated in the portfolio require a current email contact for verification. The application form and portfolio must be completed electronically via GEMSAS by the advertised closing date.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to review their application before submission. Strictly no changes can be made once submitted, with the exception of updating verification contact information. Verification contact detail changes should only be requested if the verifier has updated contact details or is no longer able to verify experience due to unforeseen circumstances outside of the applicant’s control. All verification contact details should be finalised before the submission of your portfolio.

UOW GSM uses the rural residency/schooling part of the application to assess your background as far as living and studying in rural and regional areas. The information on your application form is assessed and scored using the Modified Monash Model (MMM) . Please note that this has changed from the ASGC-RA model used in previous years’ applications. The MMM classifies metropolitan, regional, rural and remote areas according to geographical remoteness, as defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), and town size.  The most recent classification (Modified Monash Model 2019), based on 2016 census data, is the one by which we will assess your rurality. The Modified Monash Model (MM 2019) is made up of 7 categories:

• MM 1 Metropolitan areas
• MM 2 Regional centres
• MM 3 Large rural towns
• MM 4 Medium rural towns
• MM 5 Small rural towns
• MM 6 Remote communities
• MM 7 Very remote communities

The Australian Government currently defines ‘Rural origin’ as residency for at least 10 years cumulatively or any 5 years consecutively in a MM2-7 area.

Rurality supporting documentation must be submitted directly to GEMSAS. Please visit http://www.gemsas.edu.au for more information. GSM reserves the right to check your details with any school or institution listed.

To assist in your preparation, a draft portfolio template is available to download for your consideration.  This is a template only to be used as a guide - only portfolios submitted in the approved format via GEMSAS will be accepted. It is essential to download the portfolio guide to assist in the completion of your application.  Please note that all activities demonstrated in the portfolio require a current email contact for verification.

• Download Admissions Portfolio Template [PDF 878KB]
• Download Admissions Portfolio Guidelines [PDF 396KB]

UOW MD Admissions gives preference to students who come from a rural background and can demonstrate ties to regional, rural, and remote communities. Approximately 65% of students in the UOW Doctor of Medicine program come from rural or regional communities.

UOW GSM uses the rural residency/schooling part of the application to assess your background regarding living and studying in rural and regional areas. The information on your application form is assessed and scored using the Modified Monash Model (MMM) . Please note that this has changed from the ASGC-RA model used in previous years’ applications. The MMM classifies metropolitan, regional, rural and remote areas according to geographical remoteness, as defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), and town size.  The most recent classification (Modified Monash Model 2019), based on 2016 census data, is the one by which we will assess your rurality. The Modified Monash Model (MM 2019) is made up of 7 categories:

• MM 1 Metropolitan areas
• MM 2 Regional centres
• MM 3 Large rural towns
• MM 4 Medium rural towns
• MM 5 Small rural towns
• MM 6 Remote communities
• MM 7 Very remote communities

The Australian Government currently defines ‘Rural origin’ as residency for at least 10 years cumulatively or any 5 years consecutively in a MM2-7 area.

Please refer to the GEMSAS website for more information.

Applicants for the UOW MD who meet the qualifying hurdles of GPA and Casper performance are ranked for interview using 50 % GAMSAT and 50% portfolio scores (including rurality). Approximately 160 applicants will be invited to interview.

Domestic interviews for 2023 entry will be conducted by formally trained interviewers in an online format in the week commencing 26 September 2022. Interviewees are rated on personal qualities including their communication skills, empathetic and ethical approach, reflective manner, teamwork and decision-making skills.

Applicants unsuccessful in receiving an interview at any of the medical schools they applied to will be notified by GEMSAS.

Applicants are required to have graduated from their undergraduate degree within 10 years of the closing date of applications. This is designed to ensure the currency of a student’s academic and research skills which are required in the rigorous academic environment of the MD program. Applicants whose undergraduate degree was completed outside the 10 year period may still be considered for admission if they have completed the equivalent of one year’s full-time tertiary studies at Graduate Diploma level or higher at a recognised university within the last 10 years; or if they can demonstrate through other activities that they hold current high-level academic skills. GSM reserves the right to also waive the 10-year policy if a student demonstrates academic currency and skills by experiences other than the qualifications stipulated above. All evidence must be produced in writing prior to application to md-enquiries@uow.edu.au. In cases where the degree is greater than 10 years old, and the candidate is considered eligible to apply, the GPA will still be calculated on the most recent completed Bachelor degree.

On the completion of the interview process, candidates’ standardised interview/Casper scores and portfolio scores are used to rank for offer, with equal weighting. Snapshot may be used for tie-breaker and borderline candidates. GPA and GAMSAT results are not included in the formula after interview. 

Offers are made in November with a small number of subsequent offers in December and January (if required). Offers are made for a specific status, campus and year only. 

Candidates who do not respond to their official Letter of Offer by the required due date as specified by University will have it rescinded, and the offer may be allocated to the next eligible applicant in a subsequent offer round at the discretion of the University.

Offers to successful candidates completing their degree in 2022 will be conditional to their maintenance of the minimum required GPA. Evidence of completion must be produced for the offer to be ratified. Qualifying degrees must be completed by 31st December 2022, unless otherwise approved by the Admissions Executive. Applicants must also indicate their place type preferences at time of application, in the order they would most like to be offered. UOW currently offers CSP and BMP places. UOW is currently seeking approval to also offer a small number of full fee-paying domestic places for the 2023 intake. Further details regarding these places will be available on the UOW website once approved. If an applicant preferences an FFP place but there are none available for 2023, they will automatically revert to their next place type preference. Campus and place type preferences have no influence on the decision for offer.

The Bonded Medical Program provides students with a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) in a medical course at an Australian university in return for a commitment to work in eligible regional, rural and remote areas for a specified period after completion of their medical course. This commitment is referred to as a Return of Service Obligation (RoSO).

Participants of the Bonded Medical Program are subject to Part VD of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (Act) and must abide by the Health Insurance (Bonded Medical Program) Rule 2020 (Rule).

You should obtain independent legal advice before agreeing to opt in to the Program.

Further information is available at www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/reformed-bonded-programs 

The  BMP scheme is only available to Australian citizens/permanent residents.

Offers of a place are made for a specified year only and course commencement can only occur in January/February (Semester 1) of each calendar year. Deferral of a place is not normally granted. Applicants who do not, or are unable to accept an offer, must re-apply if they wish to undertake the course in a subsequent year.

GSM at the University of Wollongong is delivered at two main campuses - Wollongong and Shoalhaven. At the time of application, candidates will need to indicate their preferred campus (Wollongong or Shoalhaven) which will apply for the first 18 months of the program (Phase 1). After that time students will be rotated through both campuses and other regional, rural and remote areas in NSW. The campus preference will be considered but not guaranteed. Extenuating circumstances for campus preference may be considered.

Campus and place type preferences have no influence on the decision for offer. While every attempt will be made to meet applicant’s allocation preferences, a final decision regarding campus allocation will be made by the Academic Leader, Admissions & Selection taking into account all information available.

Acceptance of a UOW MD place indicates acceptance of the campus allocation. Transfer between campuses will not be considered except in exceptional circumstances. If an applicant refuses an offer at a particular campus, then that offer (at that campus) will be made to the next applicant on the list until that place is filled.

GSM understands the important role of Indigenous medical practitioners in addressing the disparity of health outcomes for Indigenous people.  This is demonstrated through a commitment to training Indigenous doctors by providing a range of support mechanisms for applicants who are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent.

Indigenous applicants are given priority access to MD places via a dedicated Indigenous student selection pathway.  Applicants can apply wither via GEMSAS or direct to UOW.

To be considered for these places when applying via GEMSAS, applicants must indicate their Indigenous status at the time of application by the standard GEMSAS application deadlines. 

Alternatively, Indigenous applicants may apply direct to UOW for the Indigenous selection pathway with applications closing by late August 2022. For further information on this, please contact the GSM on md-enquiries@uow.edu.au

Applicants in this category are required to reach acceptable levels of performance in selection criteria as determined by the school. Applicants who can demonstrate academic proficiency in cognate disciplines such as health professions and biomedical science may be exempt from sitting GAMSAT – please contact the GSM to see if GAMSAT is required for your application.  Indigenous applicants are not required to sit Altus suite (Casper / Snapshot).

Selected applicants will undertake online MD Admissions interview and a community panel interview with Indigenous MD graduates/students and members of the local Community.

Financial scholarships such as the The Dr Krish & S. Reddy Indigenous Medical Scholarship (Doctor of Medicine) are available, with the aim of encouraging more Indigenous Doctors in our country, and the ultimate goal of improving Aboriginal health outcomes in the longer term.

Please refer to this section of the website for further UOW MD admission information relevant to Indigenous applicants.

Please refer to this section of the website for UOW MD admission information relevant to Indigenous applicants.

Please refer to this section of the website for UOW MD admission information relevant to international applicants.

First Aid Certificate

Successful applicants must have completed and hold a current approved First Aid Certificate (including a CPR module) prior to commencement of study. Evidence of this certificate must be provided to the GSM Curriculum Team prior to the scheduled Orientation Day in late January. More information for commencing students will be provided once offers are released.

No exceptions will be made to this requirement for entry regardless of previous work experience or qualifications.

The cost of a First Aid course is the student's responsibility.

NSW Health Verification

Prior to the commencement of any clinical placement, all students are expected to complete the verification process with NSW Health. Students may be excluded from clinical placement if this process is incomplete.

International students are required to bring with them a certified criminal record check clearance letter, in English, from their country of origin. At the time of enrolment, applicants must show this letter plus provide a copy for certification by a Justice of the Peace. The copy is then attached to the criminal record check application form.

Students will be excluded from clinical placement if this process is incomplete.

Information on scholarships may be found at:

• Bonded Medical Places Scheme
• The John Flynn Placement Program
• Puggy Hunter Memorial Scholarship Scheme
• RAMUS Scholarship
• Scholarships at UOW

The NSW Rural Doctors Network keeps track of Scholarship opportunities:

• Rural Doctors' Network website