How to get into medical school in Australia

You might be wondering why so many Canadians consider applying to medical schools in Australia. What kind of medical education will you receive? Is it worth it? And what about coming back to practice in Canada?

Yes, Australian medical schools offer high-quality education and clinical training in an amazing setting, but did you know that Australia and Canada share a similar medical system, a similar medical education, and similar medical issues? It’s one of the reasons Australia is such a popular choice for Canadians. Studying medicine in Australia is a great experience and helps students appreciate the worldwide aspect of health, since many clinical placements are offered around the globe.

From High School or from University
Depending on your educational background, you may be eligible to apply to graduate-entry MD programs (require a degree and the MCAT in most cases) or undergraduate-entry programs (for students directly from high school or in some cases, with a partially or fully completed degree).

Incredible Clinical Placements
Urban, rural, and international clinical placements allow students to achieve multidisciplinary clinical competence and prepare graduates for success as healthcare professionals. Canadians have enjoyed clinical placements in Canada, USA, India, Papua New Guinea, and nearly everywhere in between!

Residency Matching
We know that an international medical education means you have questions about what happens after you graduate. Australian medical graduates successfully match into postgraduate training programs in Canada, Australia, and the US.

To help you understand the process, we host several medical licensing webinars for those who have submitted their medical school application via our office. These sessions provide the latest information regarding the accreditation and medical licensing processes in Canada and the United States, as well as outline options for internships in Australia—an option that a growing number of students choose.

World Rankings
Australia is actually a very popular destination for anyone considering a career in medicine and have excellent international reputations for the quality of their training and research.

AUSTRALIA	CANADA
#18 University of Melbourne	#14 University of Toronto
#26 University of Sydney	#18 McGill University
#40 Monash University	#27 University of British Columbia
#66 University of Queensland	#43 McMaster University

QS World Rankings by Subject – Medicine 2024 (only OzTREKK-represented Australian universities shown)

Where Can I Study Medicine in Australia?

 

Now that we’ve shown you why so many Canadians choose to study medicine in Australia, let’s talk about what it takes to secure a coveted spot! Here, we list the medical programs we represent and their minimum admissions requirements. If you’d like to learn more about applying to medical school or about what makes an application competitive, please let us know! Email the OzTREKK Medicine Admissions Team at medicine@oztrekk.com.

Deakin University

Graduate-entry Degree: Doctor of Medicine
Intake: January
Duration: 4 years
Intake: January
Location: Geelong (suburb of Melbourne, Victoria)
Application Deadline: Applications are assessed in rounds, and interviews are rolling. You are encouraged to apply a minimum of 1 month before interview dates to be considered for that round.

Admissions Requirements

• Completed bachelor’s degree with minimum final weighted GPA of 2.7/4.0
• MCAT score of 125 or greater in each section
• Interview

Based in Geelong, Deakin University combines the best of city living with a more relaxed atmosphere. As a Deakin medical student, you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of the practice of medicine, with an emphasis on the early development of clinical, communication and procedural skills; diagnosis and management of chronic diseases; professionalism and work readiness; and multidisciplinary teamwork. You’ll start your journey at Deakin’s Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus, home to Deakin’s $53-million purpose-built facilities. Your fourth and final year includes an elective unit that you can study overseas, as well as a pre-internship hospital rotation that offers a firsthand taste of the day-to-day life of an intern.

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Flinders University

Graduate-entry Degree: Doctor of Medicine
Intake: February
Duration: 4 years
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions. Applications are assessed as received—the earlier you apply the better.

Admissions Requirements

• Completed bachelor’s degree with minimum final weighted GPA of 2.7/4.0
• MCAT score of 123 or greater in each section
• Interview

Undergraduate-entry Degree: Bachelor of Clinical Sciences / Doctor of Medicine*
Intake: February
Duration: 2+4 years
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions. Applications are assessed as received—the earlier you apply the better.

Admissions Requirements

• A minimum of 90%+ overall average in all Grade 12 subjects (averages and calculations depend upon province): AB – approx. 96%, BC – approx. 95%, ON – approx. 90%
• Interview

The medical programs at Flinders deliver outstanding clinical and academic training that integrates clinical medicine with the relevant biomedical sciences, while also providing you with a broader understanding of health in a range of social contexts. You’ll be introduced to clinical practice and performance and undertake practicals and clinical placements throughout, and in your final year, there is an option to do two 6-week clinical placements overseas.

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Griffith University

Graduate-entry Degree: Doctor of Medicine
Intake: January
Duration: 4 years
Location: Gold Coast, Queensland
Application Deadline: Generally the end of July; however, you are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Admissions Requirements

• Completed bachelor’s degree with minimum overall GPA of 2.7/4.0
• MCAT score of 123 or greater in each section
• Interview

Undergraduate-entry Degree: Bachelor of Medical Science / Doctor of Medicine*
Intake: February
Duration: 2+4 years
Location: Gold Coast or Brisbane, Queensland
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions. Applications are assessed as received—the earlier you apply the better.

Admissions Requirements

• High school diploma with minimum of 88% (English. Assumed knowledge: Maths B plus one of biology, chemistry, or physics)

Griffith University is located just minutes from the pristine beaches of the famous Gold Coast. Widely acknowledged for its strengths in health studies, Griffith boasts state-of-the-art facilities, including the $136-million Griffith Health Centre, co-located with the Gold Coast University Hospital. As a Griffith Medicine graduate, you’ll be prepared for multiple careers, including in specialist clinical practice, primary care medicine, rural medical practice, medical administration, medical research, and medical education.

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James Cook University

Undergraduate-entry Degree: Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)
Intake: February
Duration: 6 years
Location: Townsville or Cairns, Queensland
Application Deadline: Generally the end of August; however, you are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Admissions Requirements

• From high school – minimum 86% GPA from top 6 Grade 12 courses (English, chemistry, math)
• From university (either partially or fully completed) – minimum 3.3/4.0
• Interview
• Supplemental application featuring your reasons for wanting to study medicine, your work and volunteer history, and other supportive information

The JCU Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree produces graduates who will be uniquely qualified in the fields of rural, remote and Indigenous health, and tropical medicine. Graduates of JCU’s MBBS are well-respected professionals, highly regarded for their knowledge to meet the medical needs of rural and tropical populations. As a medical university, JCU aspires to what the World Health Organization calls a “socially accountable medical education—a medical school accepting its obligation to direct education, research and service to priority health concerns of communities it has a mandate to serve.”

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Macquarie University

Graduate-entry Degree: Doctor of Medicine
Intake: February
Duration: 4 years
Location: North Ryde, New South Wales (Suburb of Sydney)
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions. Applications are assessed as received—the earlier you apply the better. Final deadline is generally the end of September.

Admissions Requirements

• Completed bachelor’s degree with minimum weighted GPA of 3.0/4.0
• MCAT minimum 500
• Interview

Undergraduate-entry Degree: Bachelor of Clinical Science / Doctor of Medicine
Intake: February
Duration: 2+4 years
Location: North Ryde, New South Wales (Suburb of Sydney)
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions. Applications are assessed as received—the earlier you apply the better.

Admissions Requirements

• High school diploma with minimum 85%+. Grade 12 English; recommended studies include Grade 12 or uni-level chemistry, mathematics or equivalent covering any of calculus, statistics, algebra, trigonometry, vectors, or geometry.
• From university partially completed university studies, you will need the following average to be eligible:
  • Attempted 3 years or more of the bachelor course: 80%+
  • Attempted 2 years or more of the bachelor course: 84%+
  • Attempted 1 year or more of the bachelor course: 86%+
• Interview
• Recommended studies: Grade 12 or university-level English, chemistry, and math (BC Calculus 12, ON Calculus & Vectors, AB Math 30-1 & 30-2). Ontario Advanced Functions not accepted.

As a Macquarie medical student, you’ll study at MQ Health—Australia’s first university-led integrated health campus—where learning is fully integrated with outstanding patient-centred clinical care, and high-quality health and medical research. The Macquarie MD incorporates extended international clinical experiences, including all-expenses-paid clinical rotations in Hyderabad, India. Macquarie University recognizes the need for future doctors to be globally engaged clinicians and believes in the significant benefits of these experiences: for the student, for health systems and for the health outcomes of local and global communities.

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Monash University

Graduate-entry Degree: Bachelor of Medical Science / Doctor of Medicine
Intake: February
Duration: 4 years
Location: Churchill, Victoria (approximately 160 km southeast of Melbourne) & Melbourne City
Application Deadline: Generally the end of June; however, you are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Admissions Requirements

• Completed bachelor’s degree with minimum cGPA of 3.3/4.0 and must consist of significant and broad biomedical science content (pharmacology, physiology, immunology, biochemistry, microbiology or genetics)
• Interview

Undergraduate-entry Degree: Bachelor of Medical Science / Doctor of Medicine*
Intake: February
Duration: 5 years
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Application Deadline: Generally the end of June; however, you are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Admissions Requirements

• High school diploma with Grade 12 English and chemistry (minimum of 80% in each) with a minimum of 89% – 90% overall average in all Grade 12 subjects.
  • Ontario = 92.5% in the best six academic Grade 12 subjects.
  • BC = 90% overall average of Grade 12 subjects indicated in the Final % column.
  • All Other provinces = 89+% overall average of Grade 12 subjects indicated in the Final % column.
• ISAT (Individual sections of CR and QR no lower than 165 and overall no lower than 170)
• Interview

The Bachelor of Medical Science / Doctor of Medicine at Monash University develops through theme studies in personal and professional development; population, society, health and illness; scientific basis of clinical practice; and clinical skills, all of which come together in professional practice demonstrated in the clinical placement units. In your final year, you’ll have several clinical placements which take place in both community and hospital settings. One of the rotations is an elective placement, where you’ll complete your degree by gaining wider experience in chosen disciplines and specific areas of interest.

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University of Melbourne

Graduate-entry Degree: Doctor of Medicine
Intake: January
Duration: 4 years
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Application Deadline: Generally mid-June; however, you are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Admissions Requirements

• Completed bachelor’s degree with minimum weighted GPA of 2.7/4.0
• MCAT minimum 492; however, based on previous intakes, students who didn’t achieve a minimum MCAT score of 505 were not eligible for an interview.
• Interview

The University of Melbourne is home to the oldest medical school in Australia and is internationally renowned for global leadership in teaching and training, health research, policy, and practice. The new core curriculum is designed to train quality evidence-based doctors. It will have a modular design for progress at each student’s optimal pace, with online platforms for consistent delivery across all sites and continual assessment to reinforce knowledge.

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University of Notre Dame Australia

Graduate-entry Degree: Doctor of Medicine
Intake: January / February
Duration: 4 years
Location: Sydney, New South Wales; Fremantle, Western Australia
Application Deadline: Applications are assessed in rounds. You are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Admissions Requirements

• Completed bachelor’s degree with minimum weighted GPA of 2.9/4.0
• MCAT minimum 500
• MMI
• Panel interview

As the only medical degree offered by a Catholic university in Australia, this program gives you the opportunity to complement your technical skills and medical knowledge with a thorough grounding in ethics. This program also examines the special health needs of Indigenous people and rural communities in Western Australia. The first 2 years of your degree are underpinned by problem-based learning (PBL) and include the study of basic clinical sciences, population and preventive health, bioethics, therapeutics, and more. Your third and fourth years are clinically based and present the opportunity to explore the different disciplines of medicine such as pediatrics and surgery.

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University of Queensland

Graduate-entry Degree: Doctor of Medicine
Intake: January
Duration: 4 years
Location: Brisbane, Queensland
Application Deadline: Applications are assessed in rounds. You are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Admissions Requirements

• Completed bachelor’s degree with minimum cGPA of 2.7/4.0; prerequisites include integrative cell and tissue biology, and system physiology; recommended subjects include anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry
• MCAT minimum 504
• Interview

The Doctor of Medicine (MD) program is structured in two phases: Clinical Preparation and Clinical Practice. Across the program, you’ll transition from studying specific cases in classes with a tutor to undertaking clinical placements in hospitals. You will undertake 10 core clinical placements in varied disciplines while also learning to work in and collaborate with clinical teams. Opportunities are embedded in the program for you to undertake international placements or elsewhere in Australia.

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University of Sydney

Graduate-entry Degree: Doctor of Medicine
Intake: January
Duration: 4 years
Location: Sydney, New South Wales
Application Deadline: Generally mid-June; however, you are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Admissions Requirements

• Completed bachelor’s degree with minimum cGPA of 2.7/4.0. No prerequisite undergraduate subjects are required.*
• MCAT minimum 500; however, based on previous intakes, students who didn’t achieve a minimum MCAT score of 507 were not eligible for an interview.
• Interview

Online Learning Module
*Sydney Medicine offers a free, interactive online foundational knowledge course designed to support their diverse student cohort. Available prior to the commencement of the academic year and throughout the first year, this course will prepare students with the required biomedical knowledge.

The Sydney MD curriculum and course structure was launched in 2020 to enhance learning opportunities through earlier clinical exposure, added personalization options, new research opportunities, and immersive clinical placements in the last year of the program, preparing you for practice as a doctor. The Sydney MD offers elective extension activities in a range of different disciplines, including anatomy, pathology, radiology, and pediatrics. These placements are offered throughout the program and will help you gain a competitive edge as you position yourself for a specialist role.

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University of Western Australia

Graduate-entry Degree: Doctor of Medicine
Intake: January
Duration: 4 years
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Application Deadline: Applications are assessed in rounds. You are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Admissions Requirements

• Completed bachelor’s degree with minimum overall GPA of 3.1/4.0; recommended undergrad subjects include physics (or Grade 12 physics), chemistry (including completion of Grade 12 chemistry), and biology or human biology at first-year university level
• MCAT minimum 500 (124 in each section)
• Interview

Undergraduate-entry Degree: Bachelor of Biomedical Science / Doctor of Medicine*
Intake: February
Duration: 3+3 years
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Application Deadline: Generally end of June; however, you are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Admissions Requirements

• High school diploma with minimum of 94% in 5 – 6 Grade 12 subjects (math and chemistry)
• ISAT (25+ percentile)
• Interview

The UWA Medical School aims to produce graduates who are responsible, accountable, scholarly, capable, and caring doctors. You’ll be taught by world-class researchers in cutting-edge laboratories and tutorial rooms at UWA’s main campus and at the Queen Elizabeth II hospital campus. After graduating, you could pursue a career or further study in areas as diverse as clinical practice, medical technology, medical research, or public health.

*Only open to applicants who have completed Grade 12 (or equivalent) within the last 2 years and have not since undertaken any post-secondary studies. This pathway is designed for high-achieving high school students.

Practicing Medicine

We know that an international medical education means you have questions about what happens after you graduate. Each year, OzTREKK hosts several medical licensing seminars for students who have submitted their med school application via OzTREKK. These sessions provide the latest information regarding the accreditation and medical licensing processes in Canada and the United States, as well as outline options for internships in Australia—an option that a growing number of students choose.

Our Medical Licensing webpage is a great place to start your research!

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Would you like to study medicine in Australia but not sure where to start? We can help! Email us at medicine@oztrekk.com or call toll free in Canada at 1-866-698-7355.