University of Otago — Medicine (MBChB) Medical School - 2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format
The University of Otago MBChB is a 6-year degree based at the Otago Medical School in Dunedin. Year 1 is completed through Health Sciences First Year (HSFY); clinical years 4–6 are split across the Dunedin, Christchurch, and Wellington campuses. Selection for HSFY and Graduate applicants is academic ranking only — no interview. The programme is the largest medical school in New Zealand by total domestic intake.
Entry Requirements
What you need to apply to University of Otago — Medicine (MBChB).
Admission overview
HSFY pathway (primary): enrol full-time at Otago in HSFY; pass all 7 prescribed papers with average ≥65% (no paper below 60%, first attempt); UCAT ANZ threshold gate (Verbal Reasoning ≥20th percentile AND SJT >10th percentile for 2026 entry); no interview; offers by academic rank. 2026 HSFY General score range for offers: approximately 93–99 (scale 0–100). Graduate pathway: first degree at a NZ university within 3 years prior; UCAT ANZ threshold; academic weighted score determines selection; no interview. Alternative Category: degree completed >3 years ago or overseas degree; health-related professional experience (≥5 years recommended); no UCAT required; Zoom interview (40 min). No specific Year 13 subject prerequisites, but Biology, Chemistry, Physics at NCEA Level 3 strongly recommended.
UCAT-ANZ
Threshold (pass/fail) for HSFY and Graduate applicants. 2026 entry: Verbal Reasoning ≥20th percentile AND SJT >10th percentile. Not weighted in ranking once threshold is met. Not required for Alternative Category or international applicants.
Prerequisites
No specific Year 13 subject prerequisites mandated for HSFY admission. Biology, Chemistry, and Physics at NCEA Level 3 (or equivalent IB/Cambridge) strongly recommended. Standard University of Otago undergraduate entry requirements apply.
Place types
317 domestic (including Rural, Maori, Pacific, Socioeconomic sub-allocations, sizes not published) + up to 30 international = up to ~347 total.
Indigenous pathway
Maori and Pacific applicants supported under Te Kauae Paraoa policy — ranked within separate Maori/Pacific sub-pool under each admission category. Rural Origins equity group (separate rural ranking sub-pool): eligibility requires ≥4 years pre-tertiary education at a rural school or ≥4 consecutive years rural residence post-secondary (GCH Rural 1/2/3 classification). Government-funded rural places allocated annually; quota not publicly disclosed.
Specialities offered
Rural Medicine, Public Health, Maori Health, Pacific Health, General Practice
Interview Format
How University of Otago — Medicine (MBChB) interviews applicants.
Format
No interview for HSFY or Graduate pathways; 40-minute Zoom structured interview for Alternative Category only
Interview window
Alternative Category only: approximately September–October each year
Decision date
December (outcomes advised by 18 December)
Post-interview chances
HSFY and Graduate pathways: no interview — academic ranking determines offers. Alternative Category: interview required; holistic ranking; chance not published.
What to expect at a University of Otago — Medicine (MBChB) interview
The vast majority of Otago MBChB places are filled through the HSFY and Graduate categories, both of which have NO interview — selection is purely by academic ranking (average of best 7 HSFY paper scores, 0–100 scale). The Alternative Category (applicants with a degree completed more than 3 years ago, or an overseas equivalent) is the only pathway requiring an interview: a 40-minute structured interview conducted via Zoom videoconference. The specific station count and domains are not published. UCAT ANZ acts as a pass/fail gate (threshold only) for HSFY and Graduate pathways; it is not required for the Alternative Category.
What makes University of Otago — Medicine (MBChB) different
Otago MBChB is the most academically competitive medical selection process in New Zealand — HSFY and Graduate pathways have no interview; offers are determined solely by academic rank score. Branch campus split for clinical years 4–6: students are assigned (not self-selected) to Dunedin, Christchurch, or Wellington campuses. UCAT ANZ is a threshold gate only (Verbal Reasoning ≥20th percentile AND SJT >10th percentile); once met, UCAT plays no further role in ranking. Alternative Category has a different application window (1 April – 1 May) and does involve an interview.
Tutor insight
Otago MBChB is one of the few medical schools in the world where the main pathway is entirely non-interview — academic performance in HSFY papers is essentially everything. Focus on achieving consistently high marks across all 7 papers; the competitive range for General pathway offers in 2026 was approximately 93–99 (0–100 scale). UCAT ANZ is a threshold gate — aim to clear the Verbal Reasoning ≥20th percentile and SJT >10th percentile thresholds comfortably, but remember it does not boost your ranking once met. Rural sub-pathway offers typically accepted from 89–98. The branch campus split (Dunedin / Christchurch / Wellington) for Years 4–6 is determined by the university, not by preference — consider all three locations as viable when applying.
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University of Otago — Medicine (MBChB) - Frequently asked questions
HSFY pathway (primary): enrol full-time at Otago in HSFY; pass all 7 prescribed papers with average ≥65% (no paper below 60%, first attempt); UCAT ANZ threshold gate (Verbal Reasoning ≥20th percentile AND SJT >10th percentile for 2026 entry); no interview; offers by academic rank. 2026 HSFY General score range for offers: approximately 93–99 (scale 0–100). Graduate pathway: first degree at a NZ university within 3 years prior; UCAT ANZ threshold; academic weighted score determines selection; no interview. Alternative Category: degree completed >3 years ago or overseas degree; health-related professional experience (≥5 years recommended); no UCAT required; Zoom interview (40 min). No specific Year 13 subject prerequisites, but Biology, Chemistry, Physics at NCEA Level 3 strongly recommended.
No interview for HSFY or Graduate pathways; 40-minute Zoom structured interview for Alternative Category only. The vast majority of Otago MBChB places are filled through the HSFY and Graduate categories, both of which have NO interview — selection is purely by academic ranking (average of best 7 HSFY paper scores, 0–100 scale). The Alternative Category (applicants with a degree completed more than 3 years ago, or an overseas equivalent) is the only pathway requiring an interview: a 40-minute structured interview conducted via Zoom videoconference. The specific station count and domains are not published. UCAT ANZ acts as a pass/fail gate (threshold only) for HSFY and Graduate pathways; it is not required for the Alternative Category.
University of Otago — Medicine (MBChB) typically interviews in Alternative Category only: approximately September–October each year.
Decisions are released December (outcomes advised by 18 December).
Otago MBChB is the most academically competitive medical selection process in New Zealand — HSFY and Graduate pathways have no interview; offers are determined solely by academic rank score. Branch campus split for clinical years 4–6: students are assigned (not self-selected) to Dunedin, Christchurch, or Wellington campuses. UCAT ANZ is a threshold gate only (Verbal Reasoning ≥20th percentile AND SJT >10th percentile); once met, UCAT plays no further role in ranking. Alternative Category has a different application window (1 April – 1 May) and does involve an interview.
