Notre Dame Sydney vs UNSW

Notre Dame Sydney uses GAMSAT 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.

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. UNSW — does not publish a GAMSAT cut-off (may not use GAMSAT; check the admission-test question above). 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.

Notre Dame Sydney — does not publish a UCAT-ANZ cut-off (may not use UCAT-ANZ; check the admission-test question above). 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.

Notre Dame Sydney — ATAR data not published in the structured AU requirements; see free-text admission requirements on the school page. 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.

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

Notre Dame Sydney uses: MMI (asynchronous online via Modern Hire). UNSW uses: Multi-Mini Interview (~10 stations). Different formats reward different skill sets. Plan separate prep streams for each. Interview windows: September-November (Notre Dame Sydney); November-December (UNSW).

Notre Dame Sydney — 2027: 40 CSP + 17 BMP + up to 57 Full-fee domestic + up to 35 international = ~149 total (147 in 2026 intake). 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.

Notre Dame Sydney — UNDA Indigenous entry pathway available; quota not publicly specified. 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.

Notre Dame Sydney — 17 BMP places (~30% of CSP equivalents) per 2027 cycle. 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.

Notre Dame Sydney typically releases medicine offers November-December. 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.

Notre Dame Sydney 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. 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. 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

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