Bond vs Notre Dame Sydney

Bond uses Bond-Test. Notre Dame Sydney uses GAMSAT and CASPer. 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.

Bond — does not publish a GAMSAT cut-off (may not use GAMSAT; check the admission-test question above). Notre Dame Sydney — Minimum 52 overall, 50 in each subsection. UNDA averages the three sections rather than using the overall weighted GAMSAT. 2023 intake average successful GAMSAT ~66. 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.

Bond — Undergraduate (Year 12): ATAR 96+ / IB 38+ / OP 1-3. Graduate: cumulative GPA ≥ 6.0/7.0 from recognised tertiary program. Notre Dame Sydney — 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.

Bond — GPA not published in the structured AU requirements. Notre Dame Sydney — Minimum 5.2/7.0 weighted from 3 years FTE. 2023 intake average successful GPA 6.70; competitive target ≥6.3. 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.

Bond uses: Bond psychometric assessment + Multiple Mini Interview (in person at Gold Coast). Notre Dame Sydney uses: MMI (asynchronous online via Modern Hire). Different formats reward different skill sets. Plan separate prep streams for each. Interview windows: Early March (MMI; 2026 cycle); psychometric testing 7-12 Feb 2026; MMI invitations 21 Feb 2026 (Bond); September-November (Notre Dame Sydney).

Bond — Up to ~180 places/year across May + September intakes (80% undergraduate / 20% graduate). Full-fee only; Bond does NOT participate in the BMP scheme. Notre Dame Sydney — 2027: 40 CSP + 17 BMP + up to 57 Full-fee domestic + up to 35 international = ~149 total (147 in 2026 intake). 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.

Bond — pathway details not published in the structured AU requirements; see the school admissions page. Notre Dame Sydney — UNDA Indigenous entry pathway available; quota not publicly specified. Both schools accept ATSI applicants through the standard pathway as well; the dedicated pathway typically offers adjusted academic thresholds plus wrap-around academic support.

Bond — bonded/rural data not published in the structured AU requirements. Notre Dame Sydney — 17 BMP places (~30% of CSP equivalents) per 2027 cycle. The federal BMP allocates ~28.5% of CSP places nationally; individual schools sit above or below that benchmark depending on their workforce remit.

Bond typically releases medicine offers 24-26 March 2026 (Round 1 offers); rolling intakes May + September (no February intake). Notre Dame Sydney releases medicine offers November-December. 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.

Bond runs a Integrated curriculum. Notre Dame Sydney runs a Integrated curriculum. Both schools deliver teaching in the same broad style, so day-to-day study habits will feel similar. Bond specifics: ~4.5-year accelerated Bachelor of Medical Studies (BMedSt) + Doctor of Medicine (MD) on a three-semester (Jan/May/Sep teaching) calendar — though intake is only May and September. 14 semesters total. Notre Dame Sydney specifics: 4-year graduate MD. Years 1-2 foundations with clinical immersion; years 3-4 hospital and rural placements. Mandatory medical ethics thread runs across all four years.

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; Bond and Notre Dame Sydney differ in their selection mechanics, so prepping both adds genuine optionality.