What admission tests do Curtin and UNSW use?+
Curtin uses UCAT-ANZ and CASPer. UNSW uses UCAT-ANZ. 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.
What UCAT-ANZ score do I need for Curtin vs UNSW?+
Curtin — No official Curtin-published cut-off. Curtin ranks total UCAT score, not a fixed threshold. Aggregator-derived competitive score ~2970 for local WA applicants (2024-2026 entry, old /3600 scale). Interview shortlist ratio 35 ATAR : 35 CASPer : 30 UCAT (per MedEntry / Curtin official Q&A — Fraser's 35:35:40 reporting is an error). UNSW — No official minimum; competitive 2024-cycle cut-off ~3060 total on old /3600 scale (~90th percentile) for non-rural local applicants. UCAT-ANZ feeds the pre-interview composite alongside ATAR. 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.
What ATAR do I need for Curtin vs UNSW?+
Curtin — Minimum ATAR (WA applicants) 95.00 (inclusive of bonus points); minimum ATAR (non-WA applicants) 92.00. TISC 2025 (Dec 2024 round) for CUMBS: min rank n/a, lowest n/a — selection is NOT solely on ATAR. UNSW — Minimum eligibility ATAR 96.00; competitive interview shortlist ~99.55; median offer-holder >99.60. Rural pathway minimum ~91.05. 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.
How do interviews differ between Curtin and UNSW?+
Curtin uses: Multi-Mini Interview (8 stations). UNSW uses: Multi-Mini Interview (~10 stations). Different formats reward different skill sets. Plan separate prep streams for each. Interview windows: October-November (Curtin); November-December (UNSW).
What place types (CSP / BMP / Full-fee) do Curtin and UNSW offer?+
Curtin — 2024 intake: ~110 places total (CSP + BMP). ~28% of CSPs nationally are BMP (applies as proxy). Place priorities: WA candidates rural/regional → ATSI → long-term educationally disadvantaged → remaining strategic priority. UNSW — ~189 domestic offers (mix of CSP + ~28.5% BMP) + ~40-60 international ≈ ~230-250 total annual cohort (Fraser's aggregate). 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.
What Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander entry pathways do Curtin and UNSW offer?+
Curtin — Indigenous Pre-Medicine and Health Sciences Enabling Course (EN-INPMHE) — 12-month / 200-credit pre-entry pathway via the Centre for Aboriginal Studies (the "Karda" centre). CASPer waived for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants. Yamatji-Wajarri community partnerships via Curtin's broader Indigenous engagement function. UNSW — UNSW Indigenous Pre-Programs and direct Indigenous entry pathway available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants; MD-specific quota not publicly disclosed. Both schools accept ATSI applicants through the standard pathway as well; the dedicated pathway typically offers adjusted academic thresholds plus wrap-around academic support.
Does Curtin or UNSW offer bonded / rural-entry places?+
Curtin — WA's only undergraduate medical school. Rural quota embedded in selection priorities with explicit prioritisation of rural/regional WA candidates. Numeric rural quota not publicly disclosed as a percentage. UNSW — Rural Entry Scheme drops ATAR threshold to ~91.05 and reduces UCAT requirement. BMP allocation mandated at 28.5% of CSP under the Stronger Rural Health Strategy. The federal BMP allocates ~28.5% of CSP places nationally; individual schools sit above or below that benchmark depending on their workforce remit.
When does each school release decisions?+
Curtin typically releases medicine offers December-January. UNSW releases medicine offers January. 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.
What curriculum style do Curtin and UNSW use?+
Curtin runs a Integrated curriculum. UNSW runs a Integrated curriculum. Both schools deliver teaching in the same broad style, so day-to-day study habits will feel similar. Curtin specifics: 5-year undergraduate Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). Years 1-2 foundations and clinical skills at Bentley with early community placements. Years 3-5 clinical placements across Royal UNSW specifics: 6-year integrated MD. Phase 1 (years 1-2): foundations and scientific basis. Phase 2 (years 3-4): clinical practice with rotations. Phase 3 (years 5-6): pre-internship with research and electives. Ind
Should I apply to both Curtin and UNSW?+
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; Curtin and UNSW differ in their selection mechanics, so prepping both adds genuine optionality.
