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NZ vs Australia medicine — pathways, tests, fees and equity schemes compared

2027 Entry · Dual Application Strategy · UCAT-ANZ Shared

Many students applying to NZ medical schools also consider applying to Australian programmes — and vice versa. UCAT-ANZ is shared across both countries, making a combined NZ + AU application significantly more efficient than it might appear. But the pathways, selection systems, tests, fees and equity schemes differ materially between the two countries. This guide gives you a head-to-head comparison across the factors that matter most for a school-leaver or graduate applicant weighing up a dual or focused strategy.

Head-to-head comparison

FactorNew ZealandAustralia
Number of medical schools2 (Auckland, Otago)21 programmes across 19 universities
Total domestic intake (approx.)~634 per year (317 per school)~3,800 per year (combined undergraduate + graduate)
Undergraduate pathwayHSFY (Otago) or BHSc/BSc Biomed (Auckland) — no direct Year 12 entry to MBChB. Must complete a gateway first year.Direct from Year 12 to 5–6 year MD using ATAR + UCAT-ANZ (+ CASPer/Snapshot at some schools).
Admissions tests — school-leaverUCAT-ANZ (required for Auckland and Otago MBChB). No GAMSAT in NZ.UCAT-ANZ (all undergraduate schools) + CASPer or Snapshot (some schools). No GAMSAT for undergraduate.
UCAT-ANZ shared?Yes — same test, same July sittingYes — same test, same July sitting
Graduate-entry pathwayAvailable at both Auckland and Otago (Graduate Category). UCAT-ANZ required (weighted at Auckland; threshold gate at Otago). Limited scale — not the dominant entry route.Major pathway — 13+ graduate-entry programmes (Sydney MD, Melbourne MD, ANU MChD, Deakin, Wollongong, Notre Dame, etc.) using GPA + GAMSAT. Most use GEMSAS.
Academic entry metricNCEA rank score (school-leaver); GPA from gateway year (selection). No ATAR equivalent.ATAR (school-leaver, undergraduate); GPA (graduate-entry). ATAR thresholds typically 95+ for competitive schools.
Interview formatAuckland: asynchronous online MMI via Kira Talent (8 stations). Otago MBChB (HSFY/Graduate): no interview. Otago BDS: Zoom interview.In-person or live-video MMI (most schools). Panel interview at some graduate-entry schools. Some schools use Kira Talent for initial rounds.
Indigenous equity schemesMAPAS (Auckland) for Māori and Pacific. Otago Māori and Pacific equity group under Te Kauae Paraoa policy. Grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi.ATSI pathways at most AU medical schools (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dedicated places/streams). Uluru Statement from the Heart context. Structurally school-specific.
Rural equity schemesAuckland RRAS (Regional Rural Admission Scheme) — separate ranking pool, no bonded obligation. Otago Rural Origins equity group with lower competitive range.Multiple: Bonded Medical Places (BMP) at JCU, Curtin, Charles Sturt, Wollongong — CSP tuition in exchange for rural service commitment. Rural Stream programmes at several schools. ATAR adjustment factors at rural-focused schools.
Domestic tuition (approx.)NZD ~18,430–19,531 per year. Funded via StudyLink student loans. No HECS-HELP equivalent — repaid on income via IR.CSP: ~AUD 11,800/year (HECS-HELP). BMP: same as CSP with rural bonding. Full-fee domestic: AUD 50,000–72,000/year.
International student pathwaysAuckland: graduate-entry international places only (~30/year), NZD 86,561/year. Otago: international places (~30/year, fees ~NZD 95,000/year unverified). No international undergraduate pathway.Most AU schools offer international undergraduate and/or graduate places. Full-fee international AUD 65,000–95,000/year. Some schools (Sydney, Monash, UQ) have substantial international cohorts.
Programme length6 years (MBChB: Year 1 gateway + 5 years clinical)Undergraduate: 5–6 years. Graduate-entry: 4 years.
2028 AU entry changes (Auckland)Auckland replacing UCAT-ANZ with CASPer for 2028 entry. Otago not currently announced.Some AU schools already using CASPer/Snapshot alongside UCAT-ANZ. No system-wide change announced.

Admissions tests: UCAT-ANZ (shared), GAMSAT (AU only)

UCAT-ANZ — used in both NZ and Australia

UCAT ANZ is administered by the UCAT ANZ Consortium and is accepted by all NZ and Australian undergraduate medical schools. The same July test sitting covers both countries. Four subtests: Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning and Situational Judgement. Sitting UCAT-ANZ once gives you results you can use for NZ applications (Auckland MBChB, Otago MBChB) and all Australian undergraduate medical applications simultaneously.

How each country and school uses UCAT-ANZ differs:

  • Auckland MBChB (2027 entry): Weighted 15% of final ranking alongside GPA (60%) and MMI (25%)
  • Otago MBChB: Threshold gate only (VR ≥20th percentile AND SJT >10th percentile); score does not affect rank
  • Australian undergraduate schools: Each school uses its own weighting formula — typically 1/3 weighted ranking, scaled threshold, or interview-invitation filter

GAMSAT — Australia graduate entry only

GAMSAT (the Graduate Medical School Admissions Test) is used exclusively by Australian graduate-entry medical programmes. It is not used by any NZ medical school. GAMSAT tests humanities and social sciences (Section 1), written communication (Section 2) and biological and physical sciences (Section 3), across a five-and-a-half-hour sitting. Two sittings per year: March and September.

If you are applying to both NZ graduate-entry programmes (Auckland or Otago Graduate Category) and Australian graduate-entry programmes (GEMSAS-member schools, Sydney MD, Melbourne MD), you would need to sit both UCAT-ANZ (for NZ) and GAMSAT (for AU graduate entry). These are very different tests requiring distinct preparation strategies.

See the GAMSAT vs UCAT-ANZ decision guide for a full breakdown.

Pathways: gateway first year (NZ) vs direct school-leaver (AU)

The most fundamental structural difference between NZ and Australian undergraduate medicine is the entry point.

In NZ: There is no direct entry from Year 12 into MBChB. Every school-leaver must enrol in a full-time gateway first year — HSFY at Otago (Dunedin) or BHSc/BSc Biomed at Auckland — and then compete for MBChB based on their first-year academic performance, UCAT-ANZ results, and (at Auckland) MMI performance.

In Australia: Most undergraduate medical schools offer direct entry from Year 12 into a 5–6 year programme, using ATAR + UCAT-ANZ (and sometimes CASPer/Snapshot) as the selection criteria. There is no mandatory gateway year — you sit the ATAR exams in October/November and apply through your state admissions centre in September. Offers come in January.

Practical implications:

  • A NZ school-leaver applying to AU undergraduate medicine through an Australian state admissions centre in September does not need ATAR — ATAR is an Australian qualification. They would apply through the state TAC using their NCEA rank score equivalency or with direct-entry qualifications. Confirm with each AU school how they assess NCEA/IB/Cambridge for direct entry.
  • A NZ school-leaver who wants to apply to both NZ gateway programmes (HSFY or BHSc/BSc Biomed) and AU undergraduate medicine in the same year faces a timing challenge — AU offers come in January, NCEA results come in December, NZ first-year programmes start in February. Managing this overlap requires planning.
  • Sitting UCAT-ANZ in July covers both NZ and AU undergraduate applications for the same entry year.

Equity schemes and rural pathways

Indigenous equity: MAPAS (NZ) and ATSI pathways (AU)

Both countries provide dedicated admission pathways for indigenous populations:

  • NZ — MAPAS: The Māori and Pacific Admission Scheme at Auckland FMHS covers both Māori and Pacific applicants in a single scheme. Anchored in Te Tiriti o Waitangi and hauora Māori frameworks. Separate ranking pool + MAPAS Specialty Interview. Otago has a separate Māori and Pacific equity group under Te Kauae Paraoa policy (academic ranking, no separate interview for HSFY category).
  • AU — ATSI pathways: Most Australian medical schools have designated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) places within their cohort, ATSI-specific application streams, or adjusted academic requirements for ATSI applicants. The Uluru Statement from the Heart (Voice, Treaty, Truth) provides the broader political and cultural context in Australia. Structurally, AU ATSI schemes are school-specific and vary more widely than MAPAS. See each Australian school's individual admissions pages.

Rural schemes: RRAS (NZ) and BMP (AU)

Rural equity in medicine differs significantly between the two countries:

  • NZ — Auckland RRAS: Separate ranking pool for rural-background applicants (5+ years primary or 3+ years secondary at a rural school per Statistics NZ 2020 Urban Accessibility classification). No bonded service obligation. Separate from the general pool.
  • NZ — Otago Rural Origins: Rural applicants ranked separately within HSFY and Graduate categories using the Geographic Classification for Health (GCH). Lower competitive range (89–98 vs 93–99 in 2026). No bonded obligation.
  • AU — Bonded Medical Places (BMP): At JCU, Curtin, Charles Sturt, Wollongong and others, BMP provides Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) tuition (~AUD 11,800/year) in exchange for a post-graduation commitment to work in a rural, remote or workforce-shortage area — typically 3 years. The bonding is a workforce policy, not a penalty contract, but it is a real commitment. NZ RRAS has no equivalent obligation.

If you are a rural-background applicant weighing NZ vs AU options: NZ (RRAS/Otago Rural Origins) provides a separate ranking pool without any post-graduation commitment; Australian BMP provides a lower-cost education in exchange for a defined rural service commitment. Both are legitimate options depending on your circumstances.

Strategic recommendations: when to apply to both, when to focus

Apply to both NZ and AU if:

  • You are a NZ school-leaver sitting UCAT-ANZ who also wants to be considered for Australian undergraduate programmes — since UCAT-ANZ is shared, the additional application cost is relatively low.
  • You have a strong UCAT-ANZ score, a competitive ATAR or NCEA rank score equivalent, and want to maximise the number of offers you are eligible for.
  • You are Māori or Pacific and eligible for MAPAS — applying to both NZ and Australian ATSI pathways diversifies your options.
  • You are a rural background applicant — both RRAS/Otago Rural Origins (NZ) and AU rural pathways may give you access to separate, less competitive selection pools.

Focus on NZ only if:

  • You have strong personal or family reasons to remain in Aotearoa New Zealand (clinical years, family support, career plans).
  • You are applying through MAPAS at Auckland or the Māori/Pacific equity group at Otago and feel strongly connected to te ao Māori or Pacific community healthcare in NZ specifically.
  • The Auckland Kira Talent online MMI format aligns well with your strengths (communicator + academic) and you prefer the Auckland curriculum and city.

Focus on Australia only if:

  • You are a graduate applying to AU graduate-entry programmes using GAMSAT — NZ graduate entry is limited in scale and less commonly the target for GAMSAT-focused applicants.
  • You have a strong ATAR but your NCEA equivalent rank score may not meet the Auckland BHSc threshold of 250, and you prefer direct Year 12 entry to a 5-year Australian programme over the NZ gateway model.
  • You have personal, career or financial reasons to base yourself in Australia for six-plus years.
Treaty and indigenous rights context

Aotearoa New Zealand: Te Tiriti o Waitangi (1840) is the founding document of the relationship between Māori and the Crown. The University of Auckland and University of Otago both operate under Te Tiriti principles — partnership, protection and participation in health — and embed these in curriculum, admissions (MAPAS, Te Kauae Paraoa), and institutional strategy. Medical school interview preparation in NZ should include familiarity with Te Tiriti and hauora Māori frameworks.

Australia: The Uluru Statement from the Heart (2017) called for a Voice, Treaty and Truth process. Australian medical school interview preparation should include awareness of the Australian historical and political context around indigenous rights and health — including Close the Gap targets, ATSI health disparities, and the role of community-controlled Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services.

Common mistakes in dual NZ + AU applications

  • Assuming NZ and AU UCAT preparation is the same. UCAT-ANZ is the same test, but how it's used differs. For Otago, you just need to clear the 20th-percentile VR and 10th-percentile SJT thresholds. For Auckland, higher is better (15% weighting). For AU, each school weights UCAT differently. Calibrate your target score to your specific applications.
  • Missing AU application deadlines while completing NZ HSFY. If you are enrolled in Otago HSFY and also applying to Australian undergraduate programmes, you need to manage both application cycles simultaneously. AU state admissions centre preferences typically close in September — during HSFY. Plan your AU applications before HSFY term gets demanding.
  • Not checking ATAR/NCEA equivalency for AU applications. Australian medical schools use ATAR as their primary academic entry metric. NZ school-leavers with NCEA qualifications need to confirm how each AU school assesses NCEA — some use NZQA rank score equivalency; others require you to establish ATAR equivalency separately. Do not assume your NCEA results automatically translate to an equivalent ATAR.
  • Underestimating the GAMSAT if pursuing AU graduate entry. GAMSAT is a fundamentally different test from UCAT-ANZ — longer, deeper, science-focused. If you are targeting NZ Graduate Category (UCAT-ANZ required) and Australian graduate-entry programmes (GAMSAT required) simultaneously, you are preparing for two very different tests. Do not treat this as a simple extension of UCAT-ANZ preparation.

Plan your NZ and/or Australian medical application

Our tutors have experience preparing candidates for both NZ (Auckland Kira Talent MMI, UCAT-ANZ, MAPAS) and Australian (in-person MMI, UCAT-ANZ, GAMSAT) medical school applications.

NZ medical school guide Book a strategy session

Frequently asked questions

Yes, and many students do. UCAT-ANZ is shared between NZ and Australian universities — the same test and the same July sitting is accepted by Auckland, Otago, and all Australian undergraduate medical schools. This means sitting UCAT-ANZ once gives you eligibility for both NZ first-year gateway programmes and Australian undergraduate medical school applications simultaneously. GAMSAT is relevant only for Australian graduate-entry programmes and is not required at NZ schools.

Yes. UCAT ANZ is administered by the UCAT ANZ Consortium and is a single test accepted by both NZ universities (Auckland MBChB, Otago MBChB) and all Australian undergraduate medical schools. The same test sitting in July, the same test format (four subtests: Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning, Situational Judgement), and the same score are used for applications in both countries. How the score is used differs: Auckland weights it at 15% of the final ranking; Otago uses it as a pass/fail gate; Australian schools each use it differently (weighted percentage or threshold).

Australia does not have a direct equivalent to Otago's HSFY. Australian undergraduate medical schools admit students directly from Year 12 using ATAR + UCAT-ANZ (and sometimes CASPer/Snapshot), without a mandatory gateway first year at a separate programme. Some Australian universities (such as ANU College of Health and Medicine) do have a bridging programme, but it is not the standard model. The closest Australian structural parallel to HSFY is the Queensland "health science" first year that feeds some Queensland undergraduate medical programmes — but these are structurally different from HSFY.

Both countries have dedicated equity admission pathways for their respective indigenous populations. In NZ, MAPAS at Auckland FMHS provides a separate selection pool and Specialty Interview for Māori and Pacific applicants. In Australia, ATSI (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) pathways exist at most Australian medical schools — typically through designated ATSI places within the cohort, ATSI-specific application streams, or adjusted entry criteria. The structural frameworks differ: MAPAS also covers Pacific peoples (not just Māori), while ATSI pathways are specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Both schemes recognise that culturally matched healthcare increases equity outcomes.

Yes. NZ MBChB degrees from Auckland and Otago are recognised by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) for medical registration in Australia under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement. NZ medical graduates can apply for Australian registration without needing to sit additional examinations. The pathway from NZ medical graduation to Australian internship and specialty training is well-established — many NZ graduates complete training in both countries.

For NZ domestic students at NZ medical schools: tuition is approximately NZD 19,531 per year (Auckland) or approximately NZD 18,430 per year (Otago, Years 2–6). StudyLink provides student loans for domestic NZ students. For NZ citizens studying in Australia as domestic students (if eligible under the Trans-Tasman agreement): Australian CSP fees are approximately AUD 11,800 per year — approximately NZD 13,000–14,000 per year at current exchange rates (lower than NZ domestic fees). However, eligibility for CSP is restricted to Australian citizens and some permanent residents; most NZ citizens do not qualify for Australian domestic CSP places and would pay international fees.

Directly comparable difficulty is difficult to establish because the selection systems are structurally different. NZ has two medical schools, each admitting ~317 domestic students; Australia has 21 medical programmes with combined domestic intake of ~3,800 per year. The much larger Australian intake provides more overall places, but competition within each AU school is intense. For a school-leaver taking UCAT-ANZ, applying to both NZ and several Australian undergraduate programmes is the standard strategy for maximising options.

No. Australian graduate-entry medical programmes use GAMSAT (Graduate Medical School Admissions Test), not UCAT-ANZ. GAMSAT is a five-and-a-half-hour test covering humanities and social sciences, written communication, and biological and physical sciences — a very different test from UCAT-ANZ. NZ has no equivalent of GAMSAT — NZ graduate entry uses GPA plus the standard UCAT-ANZ threshold (at Otago) or GPA plus UCAT-ANZ weighted (at Auckland). If you are considering both NZ and Australian graduate-entry programmes, you would need to sit both UCAT-ANZ and GAMSAT.

Related guides

Reviewed by Isaac Butler-King, medical student at the University of Glasgow. Last reviewed: 6 June 2026
NZ vs Australia Medicine — Pathways, Tests, Fees & Equity Schemes Compared | NGMP