Special Entry Schemes

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Section 10: Special Entry Schemes

Australian medical schools are keen to recruit a diverse cohort of students and to address inequalities in access to medical education. To this end, many have special entry schemes or sub-quotas for certain groups of applicants. The major ones include pathways for Rural and Regional students, Indigenous Australian students, as well as various equity or alternative access schemes. There are also sometimes options for transfer or non-standard entry after the first year of university. Understanding these schemes is important – if you are eligible, they can improve your chances of admission (often by setting slightly lower academic cutoffs or reserving spots). Below we discuss the main special schemes and how to apply for them.

Rural Entry Pathways

Australia has a strong policy focus on training doctors who will work in rural and remote areas. As a result, most medical schools have a Rural Entry Scheme (RES) or rural sub-quota. Typically, if you have a rural background (defined usually as having lived a certain number of years in an area classified as MMM 2-7 – basically towns and areas outside major metropolitan centres¹), you may be eligible. Some key points:

• Reserved Seats: Schools may reserve a percentage of their seats for rural applicants. For example, a university might allocate 25% of CSP places to rural students. This means you’re only competing against other rural applicants for those spots, rather than the entire pool, which can be an advantage if fewer rural students apply.
• ATAR/GPA Adjustments: Some undergrad programs offer ATAR adjustments for rural applicants. UTAS, for instance, allows rural school leavers up to 5 bonus ATAR points (on a 100-point scale) towards meeting the cutoff². So a rural student with an ATAR of 90 could be considered as 95 in that context (exact schemes vary by uni). Similarly, some grad programs might slightly relax GPA or GAMSAT cutoffs for rural applicants.
• Proof of Rural Background: To apply via a rural pathway, you’ll need to provide evidence. This often involves filling out a Rurality form or section in your application (like in GEMSAS you indicate rural status and provide postcodes). Many require a statutory declaration and supporting documents (school records, letters) to prove you lived X years in a designated area². Ensure you follow those instructions carefully and meet submission deadlines.
• How to Apply: Each uni has its mechanism: some automatically consider you for rural sub-quota if you tick the box and provide evidence; others (like UNSW, which has a Rural Student Entry Scheme) might have an additional interview or slightly different process for rural candidates. Check each target school’s website – e.g., UNSW’s Rural Entry requires you to apply through UAC and submit a form to their rural health school. In general, though, marking yourself as rural in the main application (TAC or GEMSAS) is the key first step.
• Rural Bonded (MRBS/BMP): Separately, note that bonded places themselves are not a rural entry scheme, but there was also the old Medical Rural Bonded Scholarship scheme which has now merged into the Bonded Medical Program¹. That legacy aside, current bonded places don’t require you to be rural originally – anyone can opt for them. So don’t confuse being a rural applicant (background) with the bonded obligation (future service).

If you have a rural background, absolutely utilise these schemes. The entry requirements are often slightly lower for rural applicants³ – for instance, a slightly lower UCAT threshold or interview ranking needed – because universities recognise the need to promote diversity and address rural doctor shortages. This is a well-trodden path; many successful med students come through rural schemes. Additionally, some schools like JCU heavily favour rural/remote experience in their written application scoring, so highlight that if applicable.

Indigenous Pathways

All Australian medical schools are committed to increasing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors. Therefore, if you are an Indigenous Australian, there are dedicated pathways to help you gain entry and support you through the course:

• Separate Entry Stream: Many universities have a specific number of spots each year for Indigenous students, often managed through the university’s Indigenous support unit or a specialised admission program. For example, University of Melbourne MD has the “MD Indigenous Entry Pathway” which has slightly modified entry criteria (looking at the whole applicant more holistically, and often with support of the Melbourne Poche Centre). UNSW has a Gateway scheme for Indigenous students. Most often, the academic/test requirements might be adjusted – e.g., a university may accept a lower UCAT or ATAR, or even waive UCAT, for Indigenous applicants³. For instance, some schools do not require Indigenous applicants to sit UCAT or GAMSAT; instead, selection might be via interview and consideration of life experience³.
• Application Process: Typically, you will need to identify as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicant in your application (often via a tick-box) and provide proof of heritage (like a confirmation of Aboriginality letter from a community organisation). Then the university’s Indigenous centre will likely reach out to guide you. Often, Indigenous applicants will have an additional interview or meeting with an Indigenous panel. The process is meant to be supportive, not adversarial – the panel wants to understand your motivations and how they can assist you if admitted.
• Support Programs: Many med schools offer preparatory or bridging programs for Indigenous students, such as the University of Newcastle’s Yapug program or UNSW’s Pre-Medicine Program for Indigenous students. These can provide foundational knowledge and ease the transition into medicine. Some schemes allow you to do a year of foundational coursework before officially starting the med degree.
• During Med School: Once in, universities usually have indigenous student support units, mentors, and sometimes additional tutoring to help Indigenous med students navigate the course. There's often financial support (scholarships, Abstudy, etc.) as well.

If you are an Indigenous applicant, make early contact with the medical faculty’s Indigenous support office (usually called something like “Aboriginal Health Unit” or an Indigenous student recruitment officer). They will guide you through the specific steps and ensure you access any special consideration. The goal is to eliminate barriers – the selection criteria are applied more flexibly because improving Indigenous representation in medicine is a priority. Be prepared to articulate your commitment and any work you've done with Indigenous communities (if applicable) in interviews, but know that the program is there to facilitate your entry and success.

Equity and Special Consideration (SEAS)

Apart from rural and Indigenous schemes, there are other equity-based adjustments for students who have faced disadvantage. These often fall under categories like Special Entry Access Schemes (SEAS) or specific university equity scholarships.

• Low Socio-Economic Status (SES): Many undergrad admissions (via TACs) allow you to declare if you come from a low SES background or have experienced financial hardship. Some medical programs (e.g., UNSW’s Gateway) are targeted at students from disadvantaged schools or low-SES areas. They might give an ATAR boost or a separate sub-quota for these applicants.
• Disability or Medical Conditions: If you have a significant disability or chronic medical condition that affected your schooling, you may apply for special consideration in admissions. This usually won’t waive requirements but might allow slightly lower cutoffs or ensure interview consideration if you just miss the mark. The TAC SEAS application is usually how to apply (with medical documentation).
• Refugee or Humanitarian Entrant: Some universities have reserved places or lower requirements for students from refugee backgrounds. Check if any of your preferences have a Humanitarian entry pathway.
• School-specific schemes: Certain universities have their own unique schemes. For instance, Monash has the Dean’s Rural List (for rural) and a Dean’s Indigenous List, and also a scheme for students from under-represented schools in Melbourne. UNSW’s Gateway program identifies selected NSW schools and offers an adjusted entry pathway (with lower UCAT threshold, etc.) for students from those schools⁴. University of Adelaide had a pathway for SA residents from certain areas or lower SES schools with slightly reduced requirements.

How to access these: Typically, through your TAC application, you fill out a SEAS or equity form. For example, VTAC SEAS Section 1 covers things like being from a rural area (which overlaps with rural entry), Section 2 covers financial disadvantage (you might need Centrelink statements or statements of hardship), etc. Provide any required evidence by deadlines. The TAC will then inform the universities of your eligibility for adjustments.

Keep in mind: Equity adjustments might not guarantee entry, but they give you a boost. For instance, med schools might have an “equity bonus point” system where up to e.g. 5 points are added to your selection rank³. Or they might put you into a special pool that is considered separately. Always check the specific med school pages for “Access and equity” policies.

Transfer and Non-Standard Entry

Many ask: Can I transfer into medicine from another degree? The answer: Direct transfers into Years 2 or 3 of medicine are extremely rare (almost nonexistent in Australia, unlike some other countries). Medicine programs are highly structured and spaces that open due to dropouts are few. Most med schools do not accept transfers; they require you to apply from scratch via the normal admissions process (using your university results and possibly UCAT if you haven't completed a whole degree yet).

• Some exceptions/notes:
  • Monash University allows a small number of Monash Biomedicine or Health Science students to be selected for their graduate entry route into Year 3 of the Monash MD. But that's not a “transfer” per se; it's an intended pathway built into those courses for top students via GAMSAT.
  • UNSW Lateral Entry: UNSW has had a lateral entry scheme for its own Bachelor of Medical Science students after second year to enter the MD program (replacing those who might drop out of the main cohort). This is limited and only for UNSW students who meet certain criteria (WAM and UCAT from high school if I recall correctly). It's not open to external students.
  • If you are already in another medical program overseas or in a different uni and want to transfer to, say, Year 2 in Australia, most schools do not allow that. You’d have to apply as a new applicant (and sometimes they even disallow someone who started med elsewhere from applying without good reason).
  • Graduate to Undergraduate? If you already have a degree but want to enter an undergrad med program, some schools will let you apply, but you’ll usually need to sit UCAT and be considered with school leavers (and sometimes they impose an age limit or time-out-of-school limit). For example, JCU and UNSW consider non-school leaver applicants (people who finished school more than 2 years ago) slightly differently – they may look at your uni GPA as well as ATAR or have a cap on how many non-school leavers they take. Check each undergrad program’s rules on “non-recent school leavers.”
  • Internal Program Transfer: Flinders has the Clinical Sciences to MD double degree which you get into from the start; UWA’s assured pathway is kind of like an internal progression after completing undergrad, not open to others. So these are not mid-course transfers but planned articulations.

So, as a general rule, plan to complete whatever stage you're in and apply anew rather than hoping to switch into med mid-stream.

One legitimate route if you missed out as a school leaver is:

• Do 1 year of a biomedical or science degree and reapply to undergraduate medicine as a non-school leaver. Some universities will consider your ATAR (or equivalent) and maybe your uni results for a first-year applicant. E.g., UNSW allows applicants who have done ≤1 year of tertiary study to apply with a combined consideration of ATAR and uni WAM. You will still need UCAT and to interview. If successful, you'd start med from Year 1 (you don't skip years; you start fresh). This isn't a transfer but a reapplication with augmented credentials.
• If not successful, continue into Year 2 and try graduate entry later.

Summary of Special Schemes:

• Rural: If eligible, tick the box, submit proof. Likely lower thresholds and reserved spots³.
• Indigenous: Identify and reach out to programs; process is separate and supportive³.
• Low SES/Equity: Apply through SEAS on TAC; you may get bonus points or special consideration in rankings.
• Disability: Use SEAS, and also engage with uni disability services early to discuss accommodations for the course itself.
• Transfers: Don’t count on transferring; plan via standard routes (undergrad or postgrad entry) instead.

Remember that being eligible for a special scheme doesn’t guarantee entry, but it can significantly improve your chances. And if you use a special entry, you will still need to meet the inherent requirements of the course (with reasonable adjustments if you have a disability) and pass the same exams once in med school. Many who come through these pathways go on to thrive and become excellent doctors – the schemes exist to provide opportunity and promote diversity in the medical workforce, reflecting the communities doctors serve.

If you think you qualify for any of these schemes, make sure to indicate it on every relevant application and provide all supporting documents. It can make the difference in borderline cases.

Finally, the best strategy is honesty and authenticity: only apply through schemes you genuinely qualify for. Admissions offices may verify claims (for example, instances of people falsely claiming rural background have faced consequences). Use the system ethically – it’s there to help if you truly fit the criteria.