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Australian Medicine · 2027 Entry

Adelaide Medical School2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format

Location Adelaide, AustraliaEstablished 1885Interviews November-DecemberDecisions January
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Overview

About Adelaide

Adelaide delivers South Australia's flagship 6-year undergraduate Bachelor of Medical Studies + Doctor of Medicine (BMS/MD), anchored at the North Terrace campus and Royal Adelaide Hospital with rural placements across Whyalla, Port Lincoln, and Mount Gambier. From January 2026, Adelaide merges with UniSA to form "Adelaide University".

What makes it different

Adelaide runs South Australia's oldest medical school (est. 1885) as a 6-year undergraduate BMS+MD (3+3). Admission offer weighting: Academic 40% + UCAT cognitive 20% + Interview 40%. Strong rural pipeline via the Rural Clinical School (Whyalla, Port Lincoln, Mount Gambier). Indigenous entry via Wirltu Yarlu Aboriginal Education Access Pathway. From January 2026, the University of Adelaide and University of South Australia merge to form "Adelaide University"; both schools stopped accepting applications on 4 August 2025.

Course & teaching

Integrated curriculum. 6-year undergraduate Bachelor of Medical Studies + Doctor of Medicine (BMS/MD; 3 + 3). Years 1-3 foundations and clinical skills at North Terrace. Years 4-6 clinical placements across Royal Adelaide, Queen Elizabeth, Lyell McEwin, and Rural Clinical School sites (Whyalla, Port Lincoln, Mount Gambier). From January 2026, the University of Adelaide and University of South Australia merge to form "Adelaide University"; both schools stopped accepting applications on 4 August 2025. Future cycles will operate under the merged entity.

Research strengths

Adelaide has notable research strength in Reproductive medicine, Cancer biology, Indigenous health, Rural workforce.

Interview

Adelaide interviews via Multi-Mini Interview (8 stations). Adelaide MMI uses 8 stations of 8 minutes each (with a 2-minute reading window). Stations span ethical reasoning, communication and role-play, motivation, teamwork, and reflective insight. Interviews are typically held at the North Terrace campus or virtually depending on cycle. Examiners are clinicians and academics from the Central Adelaide LHN; the rubric weights reasoning depth and personal qualities alongside structured response.

Intake

136 domestic places per year (Adelaide degree finder); ~600 applicants invited to interview annually. Admission offer weighting: Academic 40% + UCAT cognitive 20% + Interview 40%.

At a glance

Founded in 1885, based in Adelaide. Programmes offered: Rural Medicine, Clinical Research, Reproductive Medicine, Indigenous Health, General Practice.

Entry requirements

What you need to apply to Adelaide

Admission overview
Minimum entry ATAR 90.00 (adjusted) + UCAT-ANZ cognitive + MMI. English and Chemistry prerequisites; Wirltu Yarlu Aboriginal Education Access Pathway for ATSI applicants.
ATAR
Minimum entry ATAR 90.00 (adjusted selection rank). Successful applicants typically ~99.75 (commonly cited; not officially published). Adelaide explicitly does not publish ATAR cut-offs.
Contextual ATAR
Wirltu Yarlu Aboriginal Education Access Pathway and at least 50% being school leavers from South Australia (Fraser's).
UCAT-ANZ
Strong bonus-region effect: ~2730 SA applicants vs ~3140 interstate (2024-2026 entry on old /3600 scale; MedView aggregator consensus). ~410-point gap (~10th percentile) is the most material datapoint for SA applicants. Adelaide does not officially publish cut-offs. UCAT cognitive subtests drive interview shortlist; Situational Judgement used only as tiebreaker at the lowest rank.
Place types
136 domestic places per year (CSP + BMP; specific split not publicly broken out). International fee AUD $94,300/year (2026).
Indigenous pathway
Wirltu Yarlu Aboriginal Education Access Pathway — alternative entry to medicine, dentistry and oral health degrees, administered with the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences (links to Yaitya Purruna Indigenous Health Unit). Quota qualitative, not numeric.
Bonded / rural
BMP included in the 136 domestic intake — specific count not publicly broken out. At least 50% of interview offers to SA school leavers.
Specialities offered
Rural Medicine, Clinical Research, Reproductive Medicine, Indigenous Health, General Practice
Interview

How Adelaide interviews applicants

Format
Multi-Mini Interview (8 stations)
Interview window
November-December
Decision date
January
Post-interview chances
~35% interview-to-offer.
Tutor insight
Adelaide examiners reward structured reasoning over polished answers — show your working in ethics stations and name the principles you're weighing. The school's long history and basic-science depth mean candidates who can articulate why they want a 6-year undergraduate grounding (rather than a 4-year graduate path) play well. Be ready to discuss the Rural Clinical School footprint specifically; vague rural enthusiasm scores poorly.
Practice

Practise for your Adelaide interview

PrometheusQuestion Bank621 medicine questions inside

Interview questions matched to Adelaide

Two questions our tutors flagged as a strong fit for Adelaide’s interview style. Try answering them out loud, then open Prometheus for the model answers and follow-up tips.

MediumMMI · PanelQ1

Explain Medicare to an International Friend

A friend from overseas is moving to Australia and asks you to explain how Medicare works in five minutes. Walk us through what you would say.

Likely follow-up · What is the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and how does the rebate work?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
MediumMMI · PanelQ2

The Indigenous Life Expectancy Gap

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians have a life expectancy approximately 8 years shorter than non-Indigenous Australians. What is driving the gap, and is it closing?

Likely follow-up · What proportion of the gap is explained by chronic disease?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
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FAQ

Adelaide — frequently asked questions

Apply to Adelaide with confidence

We've helped students turn their UCAT, personal statement and interview prep into offers from Adelaide and other Australian medicine schools.