Macquarie vs UWA

Macquarie uses GAMSAT. UWA uses UCAT-ANZ and 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.

Macquarie — Minimum 50 overall, 50 in each section. Used at 50% weight (alongside 50% GPA) for interview shortlist. 2024 intake average successful GAMSAT ~66. UWA — Graduate Pathway: minimum 55 overall, 50 each section. 2027 interview shortlist: 60% GPA + 40% GAMSAT (changed from prior 50/50). 2026 successful interview cohort average GAMSAT 68.53. 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.

Macquarie — does not publish a UCAT-ANZ cut-off (may not use UCAT-ANZ; check the admission-test question above). UWA — Direct Pathway only — competitive UCAT ~3000+ with effective cut-off ~2970 for local WA applicants (old /3600 scale; aggregator-derived). UCAT cut-off year-on-year not officially published. 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.

Macquarie — ATAR data not published in the structured AU requirements; see free-text admission requirements on the school page. UWA — Direct Pathway: HAA / Broadway / Rural streams require ATAR 98 minimum; Indigenous Pathway via CAMDH ATAR 90. Underlying Bachelor of Biomedicine (Specialised) UP056 TISC ranks: 92.00 minimum / lowest selected 96.65 (2024) → 97.50 (2025) — a +0.85 year-on-year tightening. 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.

Macquarie — Minimum 5.0/7.0 (or WAM 65). 2024 intake average successful GPA ~6.7/7.0. UWA — Graduate Pathway minimum 5.5 unweighted. 2026 successful interview cohort average GPA 6.82. Direct Pathway: students enrol in Bachelor of Biomedicine (Specialised) UG056 for 2 years, then progress to MD conditional on GPA 5.5 minimum. 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.

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

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. UWA — 2027 cycle: 74 CSP + 29 BMP (28.5%) + up to 40 international ≈ 143-145 domestic (Fraser's). Indigenous allocation up to 10% of domestic places. 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.

Macquarie — Macquarie offers an Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander pathway; quota not specified. UWA — CAMDH / Boola Boola Djinda — Centre for Aboriginal Medical and Dental Health runs the dedicated Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander pathway for both UWA MD and DMD. Direct Pathway Indigenous ATAR threshold 90 (vs 98 standard). 2027 Indigenous allocation up to 10% of domestic places. Both schools accept ATSI applicants through the standard pathway as well; the dedicated pathway typically offers adjusted academic thresholds plus wrap-around academic support.

Macquarie — bonded/rural data not published in the structured AU requirements. UWA — ~30% of domestic places allocated rural. 2027 final ranking (rural): GPA 22.5% + GAMSAT 15% + Interview 27.5% + Rurality rating 25%. Standard non-rural final ranking: GPA 30% + GAMSAT 20% + Interview 50%. The federal BMP allocates ~28.5% of CSP places nationally; individual schools sit above or below that benchmark depending on their workforce remit.

Macquarie typically releases medicine offers November. UWA releases medicine offers December-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.

Macquarie runs a Integrated curriculum. UWA runs a Integrated curriculum. Both schools deliver teaching in the same broad style, so day-to-day study habits will feel similar. 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 UWA specifics: Direct Pathway: Bachelor of Biomedicine (Specialised) (UG056) 2 years with GPA 5.5 minimum to progress, then MD. Graduate Pathway: 4-year MD. Both converge into shared MD clinical years. Foundations a

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; Macquarie and UWA differ in their selection mechanics, so prepping both adds genuine optionality.