I Didn't Get a Good Enough UCAT Score: What Should I Do?
2 weeks ago by Chris
Application and acceptance into medical school is no small task, it is a journey that may not always go the way you want it to. Part of the difficulty is that the application to medical school has many components, and if even one goes wrong it can interfere with your chances of acceptance. You may find yourself in the very common position of looking at your UCAT score and wondering if your chance to enter medical school is gone. Or perhaps you are trying to learn about the different pathways into medical school to pick the right one. If so, this is the blog for you.
Getting into medicine from first year University is not the ONLY way to get into medical school. The beauty of medicine is that there are many pathways that you can take to follow your dreams. This blog will outline the pathways open to students looking for a future in medicine, and what might influence which pathway is best for you.
What if my UCAT score is low?
The UCAT can be a wild card in your application to medicine. It is a single exam that could go better or worse than you expect it to. If your score is lower than expected it can be a challenge to recover, but there are a number of pathways still open to you.
What is a good score?
This will vary annually and is based on which university you are applying to.
At the University of Otago (UoO), you only need to reach a threshold score in the UCAT, it does not matter how high you get beyond that. The specific thresholds vary by subtest and are updated each year. For 2027 entry, you must achieve a UCAT score above the bottom 10th percentile in Situational Judgement and above the 20th percentile in Verbal reasoning. Falling below the threshold at Otago will mean a graduate application with another attempt at the UCAT will likely be your best course of option.
At the University of Auckland, your UCAT score is one component of a weighted admissions process alongside GPA and interview performance. For 2027 entry, UCAT ANZ is weighted at 15%, GPA at 60%, and the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) at 25% for the final selection process. A low UCAT score may mean you will need to perform particularly well in other areas, and could increase the likelihood that you need to apply as a graduate. It is worth noting that from 2028 entry, there will be changes to University of Auckland medical entry — UCAT will no longer be required, and will be replaced by a situational judgement test called Casper.
Auckland University invites top candidates to an MMI interview, about half of which are accepted into medical school. It is a good idea to start preparing for your interview after you are invited, as there is usually a grace period between the invite and the interview itself. An excellent interview can more than make up for an average UCAT score.
As a general guide, a total UCAT percentile of 90 and above is considered strong and competitive for both New Zealand and Australian medical applications. However, lower scores can still give you a realistic chance, particularly if you perform well in other areas like GPA and interview.
If your score in the UCAT is low, you can consider the graduate entry pathway. This gives you at least another two years to improve your score, and other potential benefits.
The pathways for entry are explained below:
Pathways for entrance
- First year entry
- First year entry with entrance scheme
- Graduate entry
- Graduate entry with entrance scheme
- Other options
First year entry
The ideal for most students is entry into medical school as soon as possible – after first year Uni. This means excellent grades in the first year of study at Auckland or Otago University as well as a strong UCAT. You will also need a good interview if applying at Auckland. Your first year of study will be in a health science or biomedical science degree.
For students applying for first year entry, the process is extremely competitive. While achieving entrance should always be the goal, it might be useful to keep in mind that a very narrow group of people are selected to enter medical school after first year study. This number is also shrinking with time as the Universities shift towards a graduate focus. Realistically, applicants should expect to need a top GPA, especially at Otago where GPA contributes 100% to entrance ranking. This being said, first year entry is very possible, with about 100 students selected every year at each of the two medical schools. It is still very good to know about other options just in case.
If you are a student trying for first year entry, your priority should be to aim for as close to a 9.0 GPA as possible. GPA is 60% of your application to Auckland med school, and 100% at Otago. A high GPA can be maintained with good study habits, hard work, and planning. You should use some of this planning for your UCAT as well, ensuring you get as high as possible (especially at Auckland) with some early preparation. A poor UCAT at Auckland can mean you are unlikely to gain entrance from first year, and graduate application may be a better option. You may also benefit from finding a mentor who has recently been admitted to medical school to direct questions at. You are unlikely to benefit from interview practice until your exams are finished, but some volunteer experience and self-reflection throughout the year may be helpful for this.
First year entry with entrance scheme
Auckland and Otago University are highly committed to improving representation in the future health workforce, in particular for Rural, Māori, and Pacific populations — communities that remain significantly underrepresented in medicine despite making up a substantial portion of New Zealand's population. As part of this commitment, both universities offer dedicated entrance schemes with set-aside placements within the medical degree for eligible students. If you qualify for these schemes (MAPAS / RRAS at Auckland, or sub-categories at Otago), they are likely the single most effective way to improve your chances of entering the medical programme. Approximately 60–80 places are set aside specifically for MAPAS students at Auckland University each year — a reflection of how seriously the universities take this commitment, and an excellent reason to pursue this pathway if you are eligible.
Graduate Entry
The graduate entry pathway is open to students who have recently graduated from a New Zealand or overseas university, alongside a UCAT score and interview. Students completing a degree outside New Zealand may not need to sit the UCAT. Graduate entry is a pathway that produces some of the best doctors, those who bring prior life experience, perspective, and purpose to the profession.
Many students apply through this pathway after an unsuccessful first-year entry attempt, while others arrive here out of a newfound interest in medicine. Students in this position are faced with a choice. Some apply simultaneously to other clinical programmes such as optometry or pharmacy, and are accepted into one of these degrees. Applications for these should be made at the same time as your medical school application. Others continue with health science or biomedical science degrees, and some switch entirely to something they are more passionate about. Regardless of the path taken, graduates with a GPA over 6 and a recent UCAT score can apply to medicine upon completing their degree. If a low UCAT score contributed to an unsuccessful first-year application, you have upwards of two years to prepare for a re-sit, which is a meaningful opportunity to turn things around.
Facing further years of study can feel daunting, but there are real benefits worth keeping in mind. Graduates often have the ability to work in their graduating field during the early stages of their medical degree, in fields such as nursing, pharmacy, and optometry, bringing both an income and directly relevant clinical knowledge. They also tend to bring a depth of life experience that helps them connect more meaningfully with patients. It is also worth noting that entry schemes such as MAPAS and RRAS are equally available to graduate applicants, and are well worth considering if you are eligible.
Other pathways
Another pathway to medical school for New Zealand students is applying to Australian universities. For students who want to apply at the end of Year 13 for direct entry, sitting the UCAT in Year 13 is advantageous compared to waiting until first year university. That said, Australian universities can also be applied to during or after first year university, giving students flexibility in when they sit the UCAT. The appeal of direct entry to medical school is a significant draw for some students, alongside the wider range of universities available across Australia.
Australian universities generally have higher UCAT requirements than their New Zealand counterparts. Some weigh UCAT scores at upwards of 50% of the final criteria required for securing a place, and up to 100% of your UCAT may be considered when being selected for medical interviews. This makes performing well in the UCAT vital for students who want to apply for medicine in Australia.
A Final Word
There are advantages and disadvantages to each pathway into Medicine. At the end of the day, if your UCAT and GPA doesn’t get you an interview offer, there are other opportunities available to follow your dreams but you must be willing to work hard and work smart.
Note that the most common pathways into medicine require you to sit UCAT. Therefore, you should consider commencing quality UCAT preparation. Preparing for UCAT over a period of time is the best way to succeed. For more information on pathways to Medicine, and specific entry requirements for each university, please read our free MedEntry UCAT Handbook.
Remember, it is not our successes that define us, it is how we respond to failure.
Last updated: June 2026
