Adelaide vs Wollongong

Adelaide uses UCAT-ANZ. Wollongong uses GAMSAT. The test mismatch means you may need to prep two assessments simultaneously, or you can pick the school whose admission test you're stronger in. GAMSAT is graduate-only and sat in March/September; UCAT-ANZ is undergraduate-leaning and sat in July; some schools (notably Bond and JCU) run their own selection model with no national test.

Adelaide — does not publish a GAMSAT cut-off (may not use GAMSAT; check the admission-test question above). Wollongong — Minimum 50 overall, no section below 50. From 2027 entry, GAMSAT becomes a pure qualifying hurdle — not used to rank after threshold met. GAMSAT results are valid for four years with ACER, but some graduate MD programs accept only the most recent two cycles — verify before relying on an older sitting.

Adelaide — 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. Wollongong — does not publish a UCAT-ANZ cut-off (may not use UCAT-ANZ; check the admission-test question above). UCAT-ANZ cut-offs are cohort-dependent, so the headline number from one cycle is not guaranteed for the next — use it as a planning anchor, not a guarantee.

Adelaide — 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. Wollongong — ATAR data not published in the structured AU requirements; see free-text admission requirements on the school page. Selection rank typically includes Educational Access Scheme bonuses, rural-origin uplift, and (where applicable) Indigenous-pathway adjustments — your raw ATAR is rarely the final figure used.

Adelaide — GPA not published in the structured AU requirements. Wollongong — Minimum 5.5/7.0 at time of interview selection. GPA functions as a hurdle only — not used in offer ranking. Many AU graduate MD programs treat the GPA as a hurdle (above the floor, all candidates are weighted equally on GAMSAT and interview) rather than as a sliding-scale rank — confirm each school's specific model.

Adelaide uses: Multi-Mini Interview (8 stations). Wollongong uses: Multi-Mini Interview (~8 stations). Different formats reward different skill sets. Plan separate prep streams for each. Interview windows: November-December (Adelaide); August-September (Wollongong).

Adelaide — 136 domestic places per year (CSP + BMP; specific split not publicly broken out). International fee AUD $94,300/year (2026). Wollongong — 2027 cycle: 37 Unbonded CSP + 30 CSP Rural End-to-End + 27 BMP + 15 International = ~109 total. CSP (Commonwealth Supported Place) is the lowest student contribution; BMP (Bonded Medical Program) adds a 1-year return-of-service obligation in a Modified Monash Model 2-7 area after Fellowship; Full-fee places carry no bond but the highest tuition.

Adelaide — 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. Wollongong — UOW Indigenous Health pathway via the Health Access Stream and a guaranteed-interview process for eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants. Both schools accept ATSI applicants through the standard pathway as well; the dedicated pathway typically offers adjusted academic thresholds plus wrap-around academic support.

Adelaide — BMP included in the 136 domestic intake — specific count not publicly broken out. At least 50% of interview offers to SA school leavers. Wollongong — UOW is the only NSW medical school awarded Commonwealth funding in 2024 for a rural end-to-end program. Combined Track (54 places): min. 32 Rural Entry Pathway; End-to-End Track (30 places): min. 17 Rural Entry Pathway; Health Access Stream (10 places): min. 6 Rural Entry Pathway. Eligibility: 5 consecutive or 10 cumulative years in MMM2-7 NSW location. The federal BMP allocates ~28.5% of CSP places nationally; individual schools sit above or below that benchmark depending on their workforce remit.

Adelaide typically releases medicine offers January. Wollongong releases medicine offers October. AU MD offers run through GEMSAS (graduate consortium) or direct school portals; if one is earlier than the other you may need to defer a decision while waiting for the second.

Adelaide runs a Integrated curriculum. Wollongong runs a Integrated curriculum. Both schools deliver teaching in the same broad style, so day-to-day study habits will feel similar. Adelaide specifics: 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, Wollongong specifics: 4-year graduate MD. Years 1-2 foundational and clinical skills at Wollongong campus; year 3 longitudinal integrated clerkship in a regional or rural community; year 4 specialty rotations. From 2027, G

Yes — AU medical applicants typically lodge preferences across multiple schools via GEMSAS (graduate) or direct-undergraduate portals + state TACs (UAC for NSW, VTAC for VIC, QTAC for QLD, etc.). The two schools' selection mechanics differ enough that listing both is a legitimate diversification strategy. A common mistake is over-indexing on schools with the same test-and-interview profile; Adelaide and Wollongong differ in their selection mechanics, so prepping both adds genuine optionality.