Question 1

What admission tests do Charles Darwin University and Notre Dame Sydney use?

Accepted Answer

Charles Darwin University uses no admission test. Notre Dame Sydney uses GAMSAT, CASPer and MCAT. 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.

Question 2

What GAMSAT score do I need for Charles Darwin University vs Notre Dame Sydney?

Accepted Answer

Charles Darwin University — does not publish a GAMSAT cut-off (may not use GAMSAT; check the admission-test question above). Notre Dame Sydney — Minimum total of 52 with at least 50 in each subsection; UNDA uses the unweighted average of the three GAMSAT sections, not the overall weighted score. Notre Dame publishes the average GAMSAT of applicants OFFERED AN INTERVIEW at Sydney: 67.84 (2024 entry), 68.08 (2025 entry), 68.23 (2026 entry). These are interview-shortlist averages, not the scores of applicants who received a place, and UNDA states they exclude applicants considered on additional criteria including rurality and facilitated interview pathway eligibility. No cut-off is published. 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.

Question 3

What ATAR do I need for Charles Darwin University vs Notre Dame Sydney?

Accepted Answer

Charles Darwin University — 85 or above after adjustment factors (recent school leavers). 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.

Question 4

What GPA do I need for Charles Darwin University vs Notre Dame Sydney?

Accepted Answer

Charles Darwin University — GPA not published in the structured AU requirements. Notre Dame Sydney — Minimum weighted GPA of 5.2/7.0 over three FTE years, with GPA years progressively weighted Final-minus-2 x1, Final-minus-1 x2, Final x3. Notre Dame publishes the average GPA of applicants OFFERED AN INTERVIEW at Sydney: 6.68 (2024 entry), 6.76 (2025 entry), 6.74 (2026 entry). These are shortlist averages, not thresholds, and UNDA states they exclude applicants considered on additional criteria including rurality and facilitated interview pathway eligibility. No official source supports a ~6.3 'competitive target' or any 2023 figure. 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.

Question 5

How do interviews differ between Charles Darwin University and Notre Dame Sydney?

Accepted Answer

Charles Darwin University uses: Panel interview, 30 minutes. Notre Dame Sydney uses: MMI (recorded/asynchronous online); live online panel for international applicants. Different formats reward different skill sets. Plan separate prep streams for each. Interview windows: see school page (Charles Darwin University); September-October (GEMSAS: interview offers released early September 2026) (Notre Dame Sydney).

Question 6

What place types (CSP / BMP / Full-fee) do Charles Darwin University and Notre Dame Sydney offer?

Accepted Answer

Charles Darwin University — place-type breakdown not published. Notre Dame Sydney — 2027: 40 CSP + 17 BMP + up to 57 full-fee domestic + up to 35 full-fee international (at most about 149), subject to change; international places are offered direct by UNDA, not through GEMSAS. Offers are made CSP first, BMP second, full-fee third, and once an offer is accepted the fee category is confirmed and cannot be changed for the duration of the program. 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.

Question 7

What Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander entry pathways do Charles Darwin University and Notre Dame Sydney offer?

Accepted Answer

Charles Darwin University — NT First Nations 40% and non-NT First Nations 10% of the 40 Commonwealth Supported Places. Notre Dame Sydney — Dedicated Indigenous entry pathway led by UNDA's Indigenous Health and Medicine team, applied for DIRECTLY to Notre Dame rather than through GEMSAS. With Commonwealth Supported Places uncapped for First Nations students from 1 January 2026, GEMSAS states Notre Dame will offer CSPs to all successful Indigenous applicants over and above the quoted place numbers. Entry criteria: proof of Aboriginality; a three-year FTE undergraduate degree completed within the last 10 years (later tertiary study can restore eligibility); minimum GPA 5.0, with below-5.0 considered case by case; personal statement; CV; and a successful interview. Applications open 1 May, with rounds closing 31 May, 30 June, 31 August and 31 October 2026, and interviews commencing from June. Both schools accept ATSI applicants through the standard pathway as well; the dedicated pathway typically offers adjusted academic thresholds plus wrap-around academic support.

Question 8

Does Charles Darwin University or Notre Dame Sydney offer bonded / rural-entry places?

Accepted Answer

Charles Darwin University — Quota-based: NT residency 30%, NT residency MMM 4–7 15%, rural and remote 5%. Notre Dame Sydney — 17 Bonded Medical Program places for 2027, listed by GEMSAS as a separate line from the 40 CSPs — not a percentage of them. Separately from bonding, GEMSAS states that the equivalent of at least 28.5% of the University's Commonwealth-supported medical student allocation must be of rural background as defined by the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training (RHMT) Program, and applicants of demonstrated rural background (MM2-MM7) receive bonus points, which sit in the 10% bonus component alongside Higher Degree by Research completion. The federal BMP allocates ~28.5% of CSP places nationally; individual schools sit above or below that benchmark depending on their workforce remit.

Question 9

Should I apply to both Charles Darwin University and Notre Dame Sydney?

Accepted Answer

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

Comparison field	Charles Darwin UniversityDarwin, Northern Territory	Notre Dame SydneySydney
Quick comparison
Location	Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia	Sydney, Australia
Entry pathway	Undergraduate	Graduate
Admission tests	None	GAMSAT + CASPer + MCAT
GAMSAT	-	Minimum total of 52 with at least 50 in each subsection; UNDA uses the unweighted average of the three GAMSAT sections, not the overall weighted score. Notre Dame publishes the average GAMSAT of applicants OFFERED AN INTERVIEW at Sydney: 67.84 (2024 entry), 68.08 (2025 entry), 68.23 (2026 entry). These are interview-shortlist averages, not the scores of applicants who received a place, and UNDA states they exclude applicants considered on additional criteria including rurality and facilitated interview pathway eligibility. No cut-off is published.
UCAT-ANZ	-	-
ATAR	85 or above after adjustment factors (recent school leavers).	-
Interview format	Panel interview, 30 minutes	MMI (recorded/asynchronous online); live online panel for international applicants
Post-interview chance	-	Not publicly disclosed.
Decision date	-	Late October-early November (main round); additional offers November 2026-January 2027

ATAR	85 or above after adjustment factors (recent school leavers).	-
Contextual ATAR	-	-
GAMSAT	-	Minimum total of 52 with at least 50 in each subsection; UNDA uses the unweighted average of the three GAMSAT sections, not the overall weighted score. Notre Dame publishes the average GAMSAT of applicants OFFERED AN INTERVIEW at Sydney: 67.84 (2024 entry), 68.08 (2025 entry), 68.23 (2026 entry). These are interview-shortlist averages, not the scores of applicants who received a place, and UNDA states they exclude applicants considered on additional criteria including rurality and facilitated interview pathway eligibility. No cut-off is published.
UCAT-ANZ	-	-
CASPer	-	Required from 2024 entry, weighted at 30% of the interview-shortlist composite, and mandatory — GEMSAS states applicants without a Casper score will not be considered. No quartile threshold is published for general entry. The only explicit Casper hurdle Notre Dame publishes sits in the Priority Entry Pathway, which requires a score no lower than 1 standard deviation below the mean; the facilitated interview pathways set GPA and GAMSAT hurdles but no Casper hurdle. Four 2026 sittings are accepted (12 April, 5 May, 14 May, 11 June), the 11 June 2026 test being the last accepted for domestic applicants in the 2026-27 cycle.
ISAT	-	-
GPA	-	Minimum weighted GPA of 5.2/7.0 over three FTE years, with GPA years progressively weighted Final-minus-2 x1, Final-minus-1 x2, Final x3. Notre Dame publishes the average GPA of applicants OFFERED AN INTERVIEW at Sydney: 6.68 (2024 entry), 6.76 (2025 entry), 6.74 (2026 entry). These are shortlist averages, not thresholds, and UNDA states they exclude applicants considered on additional criteria including rurality and facilitated interview pathway eligibility. No official source supports a ~6.3 'competitive target' or any 2023 figure.
Prerequisites	No Year 12 subject prerequisites are published.	-
Place types	-	2027: 40 CSP + 17 BMP + up to 57 full-fee domestic + up to 35 full-fee international (at most about 149), subject to change; international places are offered direct by UNDA, not through GEMSAS. Offers are made CSP first, BMP second, full-fee third, and once an offer is accepted the fee category is confirmed and cannot be changed for the duration of the program.
Indigenous pathway	NT First Nations 40% and non-NT First Nations 10% of the 40 Commonwealth Supported Places.	Dedicated Indigenous entry pathway led by UNDA's Indigenous Health and Medicine team, applied for DIRECTLY to Notre Dame rather than through GEMSAS. With Commonwealth Supported Places uncapped for Fir…
Bonded / rural	Quota-based: NT residency 30%, NT residency MMM 4–7 15%, rural and remote 5%.	17 Bonded Medical Program places for 2027, listed by GEMSAS as a separate line from the 40 CSPs — not a percentage of them. Separately from bonding, GEMSAS states that the equivalent of at least 28.5%…

Interview window	-	September-October (GEMSAS: interview offers released early September 2026)
Interview details	A 30-minute panel interview at CDU’s Casuarina campus, with an online Teams option. 160 candidates are interviewed for the 40 Commonwealth Supported Places. For 2027 entry interviews run 16–20 Novembe…	Interview shortlist composite (2024+ cycles): 30% GAMSAT + 30% GPA + 30% CASPer + 10% bonus points. Final offer: 50% shortlist composite + 50% MMI. Interview shortlist composite: 30% GAMSAT + 30% GPA…

Specialities	Remote and rural medicine, First Nations health, Tropical health	Medical Ethics, Indigenous Health, Rural Medicine, Palliative Care
Established	2003	2008
Course type	Undergraduate	Undergraduate
What makes it different	-	Notre Dame retired its selection Portfolio from the 2024 intake and put Casper in its place as the non-academic component; the interview format was not part of that change. Casper is 30% of the pre-in…
Official course page	https://www.cdu.edu.au/study/course/bachelor-clinical-science-medicinedoctor-medicine-smed01	https://www.notredame.edu.au/programs/school-of-medicine/postgraduate/doctor-of-medicine

Charles Darwin University vs Notre Dame Sydney

Side-by-side comparison

Charles Darwin University

Notre Dame Sydney

Charles Darwin University vs Notre Dame Sydney - in detail

Admission tests compared

ATAR and academic profile

Interview formats

Curriculum and teaching style

Which is right for you?

Common questions

Where to go next

Other medical school comparisons