What admission tests do Griffith and Macquarie use?+
Griffith uses GAMSAT. Macquarie uses GAMSAT. Both schools share the same test stack — your single sitting can support both applications. 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 GAMSAT score do I need for Griffith vs Macquarie?+
Griffith — Minimum 50 in each section AND 50 overall. Interview shortlist rank: 50:50 unweighted GPA (as %) + overall GAMSAT (out of 100). Final offer rank: 50% interview-selection rank + 50% GUMSAA interview score. 2025 intake average GAMSAT 66.39. Macquarie — Minimum 50 overall, 50 in each section. Used at 50% weight (alongside 50% GPA) for interview shortlist. 2024 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.
What GPA do I need for Griffith vs Macquarie?+
Griffith — Minimum 5.0/7.0. Griffith explicitly states "a GPA required for interview selection is likely to be significantly higher than 5.0". 2025 intake average GPA 6.68. Macquarie — Minimum 5.0/7.0 (or WAM 65). 2024 intake average successful GPA ~6.7/7.0. 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.
How do interviews differ between Griffith and Macquarie?+
Griffith uses: Multi-Mini Interview (typically 8-10 stations; exact count varies cycle to cycle per GUMSAA framework). Macquarie uses: Multi-Mini Interview (~8 stations). Different formats reward different skill sets. Plan separate prep streams for each. Interview windows: September-October (Griffith); September-October (Macquarie).
What place types (CSP / BMP / Full-fee) do Griffith and Macquarie offer?+
Griffith — 2027 cycle: 148 CSP + 60 BMP + 80 BMedSci pathway (incl. 28.5% BMP) + up to 35 international. Macquarie — Full-fee only — no Commonwealth Supported Places. 2027: 60 full-fee domestic + ~20 international. Up to 30 interview places reserved for Macquarie Bachelor of Clinical Science graduates. 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 Griffith and Macquarie offer?+
Griffith — Bespoke Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander entry pathway via GEMSAS. Macquarie — Macquarie offers an Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander pathway; quota not 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.
Does Griffith or Macquarie offer bonded / rural-entry places?+
Griffith — BMP places carry rural-bonded service obligations. Rural priority: ≥5 consecutive or ≥10 cumulative years in MM2-MM7 area (2019 MMM). BMedSci provisional UG pathway has 28.5% BMP-reserved places. ATAR for BMedSci pathway: 99.85 for school-leaver entry. Macquarie — bonded/rural data not published in the structured AU requirements. 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?+
Griffith typically releases medicine offers November. Macquarie releases medicine offers November. 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 Griffith and Macquarie use?+
Griffith runs a Integrated curriculum. Macquarie runs a Integrated curriculum. Both schools deliver teaching in the same broad style, so day-to-day study habits will feel similar. Griffith specifics: 4-year graduate MD. Years 1-2 hospital-integrated foundations at the Gold Coast (Southport) campus and Gold Coast University Hospital. Years 3-4 clinical placements across Gold Coast Health, Logan, To Macquarie specifics: 4-year MD with hospital-integrated placements from year 1 at Macquarie University Hospital. Years 3-4 expand to broader Sydney clinical school network. Strong emphasis on digital health, simulation, a
Should I apply to both Griffith and Macquarie?+
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; Griffith and Macquarie differ in their selection mechanics, so prepping both adds genuine optionality.
