How Will Medical Schools Use UCAT? Here's a Summary
3 months ago by Robert
A common question asked by medicine hopefuls is how UCAT will be used to select applicants into medical school.
Most universities use a combination of three factors when selecting students into medicine or dentistry. These include:
- UCAT ANZ scores (either cognitive subtests* only, or all UCAT subtests)
- Medical interview performance
- Academic performance (ATAR / IB or GPA)
*UCAT cognitive subtests include UCAT Verbal Reasoning, UCAT Decision Making and UCAT Quantitative Reasoning
Each university is different, and some universities change their medical entry requirements at short notice. Further, they are often not transparent about the weightings of various subtests of UCAT, UCAT/ATAR weighting for interview selection, and UCAT/ATAR/Interview score weighting for final offers.
Please note that cut-off ATAR/UCAT scores are substantially lower for rural students. Some Universities also have lower thresholds for other categories such as those from low socio-economic status schools, those from under-represented schools, etc. What is given below is a general guideline and you should check with each university regarding your specific circumstances.
Here’s a summary of how universities select students for entry into medicine:
|
Course |
How is UCAT used? |
How is UCAT weighted? |
How are students selected for interview? |
How are students selected for a place? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All subtests combined |
15% UCAT |
Based on GPA |
15% UCAT 25% Interview 60% GPA |
|
|
Minimum score in each |
Mininmum threshold requirement only |
No Interview |
GPA |
|
|
All subtests combined |
10% UCAT |
No Interview |
10% UCAT 90% ATAR |
|
|
All subtests combined Approx 90+ percentile required for standard applicants |
30% UCAT 35% ATAR 35% Casper (to be selected for interview) |
Based on UCAT + ATAR + Casper (1st round interviews requires predicted ATAR) |
20% UCAT |
|
| All subtests combined |
10% UCAT |
No Interview |
10% UCAT 90% ATAR |
|
|
Total UCAT score used as a tie-breaker within an ATAR band (Applicants without a UCAT ANZ result will be ranked at the bottom of their ATAR band) |
Not applicable | No Interview | ATAR plus UCAT as tie-breaker | |
|
All subtests combined Approx 90+ percentile required for standard applicants |
20% UCAT | Based on UCAT |
20% UCAT |
|
|
All subtests combined Approx 90+ percentile required for standard applicants |
33% UCAT |
December round: Based on UCAT only (approx 90+ percentile required) |
33% UCAT 33% Interview 33% ATAR |
|
|
Cognitive subtests only |
20% UCAT |
Based on UCAT |
20% UCAT 40% Interview 40% ATAR |
|
|
Cognitive subtests only |
20% UCAT |
Based on UCAT |
20% UCAT 40% Interview 40% ATAR |
|
|
*University of Newcastle / University of New England Bachelor of Medical Science and Doctor of Medicine (Joint Medical Program) |
Cognitive subtests only |
100% UCAT (to be selected for Joint Medical Program (JMP) assessment) |
100% UCAT |
JMP which consists of Psychometric Test (Personal Qualities Assessment (PQA)) +
|
|
Overall cognitive subtest score; |
100% UCAT (to be selected for interview) |
Based on UCAT + ATAR |
33% UCAT 33% Interview 33% ATAR |
|
|
All subtests combined; |
100% UCAT (To be selected for interview) |
UCAT (approx. 3000+ is seen as comptitive for an interview, less for Rural) |
25% ATAR 25% UCAT 50% Interview |
|
|
Cognitive subtests only |
Minimum threshold requirement only |
No Interview |
ATAR |
|
|
Cognitive subtests Approx 80+ percentile required for standard applicants |
100% UCAT (to be selected for interview) |
UCAT |
20% UCAT 30% ATAR 50% Interview; (Rural: 15% UCAT 22.5% ATAR 37.5% Interview 25% Rurality Rating) |
|
|
*Western Sydney University / Bachelor of Clinical Science / Doctor of Medicine (Joint Medical Program) |
Approx 90+ percentile required Interview selection not determined by overall UCAT score, individual subtests may be subject to weighting |
100% UCAT (to be selected for interview) |
100% UCAT (once minimum academic threshold requirement is met) |
75% Interview 25% UCAT |
*Course requirements has not yet been released for 2026 entry (for those sitting UCAT ANZ 2025). Be sure to check official university websites for the latest details. You can read about changes to UCAT 2025 here.
Note: Please ensure you check the relevant university website for the latest information, as changes can occur frequently and without notice.
Comprehensive admissions information relating to all courses (including dentistry and postgraduate medicine) can be found at https://www.medentry.co.nz/universities/university-admissions-guide
The Medical Entry Handbook has additional information.
