Questions most frequently asked by prospective international students

Before you apply

• Who is considered to be an international student?
• I have dual Australian citizenship – do I apply as a local or an international?
• Is there a quota on international students?
• Is the Medical Program an undergraduate program or a postgraduate program?
• I am currently completing the final year of high school. Can I apply for admission into the Medical Program after that?
• Do I need to have a science degree to apply? Are there preferred Bachelor degrees?
• I am already studying medicine overseas, can I transfer to the Medical Program?

The admission test

• I have a Bachelor degree and want to apply for entry as an international student to the Medical Program. What do I need to do?
• When and where are the admissions tests held?
• I have registered to sit MCAT in June. Is it okay for me to apply and then send in my MCAT results when they’re available?

Making your application

• I've sat the MCAT or GAMSAT, what next?
• I have filled out the online application. Do I still need to send in a hard copy application?
• Can I apply for both Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Sydney?
• My school doesn’t use the Australian 7.0 point GPA scale. How can I convert my GPA?
• If I send you my transcript, can you tell me if my GPA is high enough?

The admission process – from interview to offer

• When will I hear whether I am going to be invited to attend an interview?
• Is it important for me to check my email?
• How do I find out the time and location of my interview?
• What are Clinical Schools?
• How much time is spent at the Clinical School?
• Do I get to choose which Clinical School I go to?
• Am I guaranteed to get my first preference Clinical School?

The admission process – if you receive an offer

• When will I know whether I have been offered a place in the Medical Program?
• Is it possible for me to defer my place?
• I received a vaccination card in the mail. What do I do with it?
• How much will it cost to study medicine at the University of Sydney?
• How do international students pay for school?
• Can I have some information about the Scholarships for international students?
• Can I work while studying?
• Can you give me some information about accommodation?
• The University of Sydney seems to have lots of campuses. Where will most of my classes be?

During the course and what comes next

• I want to practise medicine in my home country. Will a MBBS from the University of Sydney enable me to do this?
• To help me get a residency placement, can I do some of my study in my home country?
• Do you have many students from my home country?
• Are there any student organisations for international students?

Finding out more

• How can I find out more about the Medical Program?
• Can you send me application forms and test information?

Before you apply

Q. Who is considered to be an international student?
A. Anybody who is not a citizen or permanent resident of Australia or not citizens of New Zealand is categorised as an international student for entry into Australian universities.

Q. I have dual Australian citizenship – do I apply as a local or an international?
A. If you have Australian citizenship then you must apply as a local student.

Q. Is there a quota on international students?
A. In 2010, up to 60 international students will be admitted to the Medical Program.

Q. Is the Medical Program an undergraduate program or a postgraduate program?
A. The Medical Program is a four-year, graduate-entry program leading to the award of the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) and may be awarded with Honours.

Q. I am currently completing the final year of high school. Can I apply for admission into the Medical Program after that?
A. The Medical Program is a graduate entry program, that is, you will need to have a Bachelor degree to gain entry.
School leavers may be interested in the Combined Medicine programs. Students will be able to combine an approved undergraduate degree with the University's four-year graduate-entry Medical Program. This entry route is highly competitive.

Q. Do I need to have a science degree to apply? Are there preferred Bachelor degrees?
A. No. We do not have preferred Bachelor degrees. Applicants who have backgrounds in the science, arts, humanities, social sciences, engineering, commerce, etc will be considered equally.

No specific courses or subjects are prescribed as prerequisites. There is no preference or advanced standing offered to applicants with particular first degrees and no exemptions are offered.

Q. I am already studying medicine overseas, can I transfer to the Medical Program?
A. Transfer of enrolment between medical schools is not possible except in very exceptional circumstances and only with the approval of the deans/heads of the two schools involved. For more information see our information on deferrals and transfers.

The admission test

Q. I have a Bachelor degree and want to apply for entry as an international student to the Medical Program. What do I need to do?
A. The very first thing all applicants need to do is sit an admissions test. As an international student you can sit either the the Graduate Australian Medical Schools Admissions Test (GAMSAT) or the North American Medical Colleges Admissions Test (MCAT). For information, GAMSAT registration and to request an Admissions Guide, contact ACER. All applications are also made through ACER. For information and to request a registration package for the MCAT, visit the AAMC website.

Q. When and where are the admissions tests held?
A. The Graduate Australian Medical Schools Admissions Test (GAMSAT) takes place only once each year and is held in a testing centre in each of the Australian capital cities, and also in Townsville (Queensland) and Wellington (New Zealand). International test centres are located in London, Singapore and Washington D.C. Information about registration closing dates and test dates is available from ACER.

The North American Medical Colleges Admissions Test (MCAT) is held several times a year in a wide range of locations. Information about registration closing dates and test dates is available from the MCAT Program Office (visit the MCAT section of the AAMC website).

Q. I have registered to sit MCAT in June. Is it okay for me to apply and then send in my MCAT results when they’re available?
A. No. MCAT results are valid for 2 years. For 2010 entry, international applicants must have taken MCAT in January 2007 at the earliest and May 2009 at the latest. For further information, refer to the Admission timeline.

Making your application

Q. I've sat the MCAT or GAMSAT, what next?
A. All applications are made through ACER’s online application system. You need to read the online Admissions Guide, fill out the online application form AND submit your academic transcripts, any other required documents and a printout of the confirmation email to the Graduate Admissions Centre at ACER. ACER will then forward your application to the medical school of your choice. MCAT results must be forwarded to ACER directly via the ThX system.

Q. I have filled out the online application. Do I still need to send in a hard copy application?
A. Yes! You must also submit a hard copy application to ACER, including all items detailed in the Admission Guide.

Q. Can I apply for both Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Sydney?
A. Yes. You MUST complete two separate online application forms should you wish to apply for both Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Sydney. You MUST also submit two sets of transcripts and two copies of the confirmation email to ACER. Please send each application in a separate envelope.

Your applications will be considered independently by both Faculties. In 2009 applicants who have applied to both Medicine and Dentistry will be required to attend one interview only. It is possible that you may eventually be offered a place in both the Medical Program and Bachelor of Dentistry Program (BDent).

Q. My school doesn’t use the Australian 7.0 point GPA scale. How can I convert my GPA?
A. Applicants with overseas qualifications are required to achieve an equivalent level (e.g. a GPA of 2.7 out of 4 for USA/Canada universities, a GPA of 3.3 out of 5 for Singapore universities, bachelor degree at a Lower II class for UK universities).

Applicants with Bachelor degrees from institutions outside Australia/NZ are advised not to attempt to calculate their GPA using the online GPA calculator. Their GPAs will be calculated on a case-by-case basis once they have applied.

Q. If I send you my transcript, can you tell me if my GPA is high enough?
A. No. It is the Medical School’s policy that we will not assess GPAs for potential applicants until a formal application is received.

The admission process - from interview to offer

Q. When will I hear whether I am going to be invited to attend an interview?
A. Invitations to attend an interview are usually sent out from mid July.

Q. Is it important for me to check my email?
Yes! All correspondence with the University will be by email. Please ensure that you include an email address in your application which you can use to receive mail.

Some email messages/attachments may not be accepted or may be flagged as spam by some email providers (e.g. Hotmail or Yahoo). Applicants are advised not to provide a Hotmail or Yahoo or similar address for the purposes of admission and are responsible for any delays caused by the above problem.

Q. How do I find out the time and location of my interview?
A. In 2009 interviews will be held in Sydney in the week of 28 September – 2 October. Interviews will also be conducted in Vancouver 19 - 21 August (dates yet to be confirmed) and Singapore 4 September (date yet to be confirmed). If you are offered an interview you will be invited to book online for your interview time. When you make a booking, you are required to select your clinical preferences.

Q. What are Clinical Schools?
A. From the very first week of the Medical Program, students have patient contact in the various Clinical Schools: Westmead, Nepean, Central, Concord and Northern Clinical Schools provide students with invaluable clinical experience in a variety of settings. All students are allocated to a Clinical School and attend there for all clinical teaching.

Q. How much time is spent at the Clinical School?
A. In Stage 1 (Year 1) and Stage 2 (Year 2) you will be at your Clinical School one day per week. The other days will be spent at the Camperdown campus for Problem-based learning (PBL) and lectures etc.

In Stage 3 (Years 3 & 4) the focus of teaching becomes strongly clinical and you will be at your Clinical School full time.

Q. Do I get to choose which Clinical School I go to?
A. You will be asked to select your preferences for your Clinical School when you make your interview booking. We strongly recommend that you research the various Clinical Schools well in advance so that you can make an informed choice. See our information on Clinical Schools and map for more details.

Please make this decision carefully, as you cannot change your preferences after the interview bookings system has closed.

Q. Am I guaranteed to get my first preference Clinical School?
A. No. Some schools will be first preference for more applicants than they can accommodate, so some students will be allocated to Schools further down their preference list. When you accept your offer you must agree to accept the Clinical School allocation you are given.

The admission process - if you receive an offer

Q. When will I know whether I have been offered a place in the Medical Program?
A. Offers are made in late October or early November for enrolment in February next year.

Q. Is it possible for me to defer my place?
A. You may request deferral and all requests will be considered on a case by case basis. See our the information on our website about deferral for the grounds for deferral that will be considered.

Q. I received a vaccination card in the mail. What do I do with it?
A. This card should be completed by your medical practitioner. More information can be found in the documentation which was enclosed with the card. It is advisable to consult with your GP as soon as you receive the vaccination card, as the requirements may take some time. Don’t leave it to the last minute!

Q. How much will it cost to study medicine at the University of Sydney?
A. Visit our Fees page and our Scholarships page.

Q. How do international students pay for school?
A. Students arrange their own financial aid. There are often government funded scholarships and bank loans geared to support international study, for example a number of our students who come from the United States have obtained financial support through the Federal Stafford Loans Scheme.

The International Office has additional information on international loan schemes.

Q. Can I have some information about the Scholarships for international students?
A. See our Scholarships page.

Q. Can I work while studying?
A. International students on a student visa are only allowed to work for 20 hours per week during semester and can work full-time during the holidays. There is more information on the International Student Support Unit website.

Q. Can you give me some information about accommodation?
A. There is introductory information about accommodation on our website.

You can also check the Accommodation Service website - their downloadable Accommodation Info Booklet is a useful starting point.

Q. The University of Sydney seems to have lots of campuses. Where will most of my classes be?
A. In Stages 1 & 2 you will mostly be at the Camperdown/Darlington campus, attending lectures and PBLs etc. One day per week you will be at your Clinical School. In Stage 3 (Years 3 & 4) you will be based at your Clinical School full-time.

Our Clinical Schools are located all over Sydney – see map for details.

During the course and what comes next

Q. I want to practise medicine in my home country. Will a MBBS from the University of Sydney enable me to do this?
A. Graduates of the Medical Program are eligible to take the USMLE to be granted a license to practise medicine in the USA, and are eligible to take the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Exam (MCCEE) for International Medical Graduates (IMG). The Medical Program is recognized by the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) and graduates are eligible for conditional registration in the first instance.
For other countries, and for more information, check our information on Internships.

Q. To help me get a residency placement, can I do some of my study in my home country?
A. The Medical Program offers flexible study arrangements which allow international students to undertake placements during the latter part of the course in their home country. See our information on flexible study for details.

Q. Do you have many students from my home country?
A. The majority of our international students are from North America (Canada and USA), but we also have students from Singapore, the UK, and several other countries. You can see the distribution for the 2009 cohort on our website.

We welcome students from all countries, and we award merit scholarships to promote diversity in our international student cohort.

Q. Are there any student organisations for international students?
A. See the list of student societies. You may be interested in NAMSA (North American Medical Student Association) or the Australia-Singapore Medical Students' Society (ASMS).

Finding out more

Q. How can I find out more about the Medical Program?
A. Browse this site, or for any further information, please contact:

Admissions Officer
Email:
Tel: +61 2 9351 3132
Fax: +61 2 9351 3196