The Western Sydney University medical school is relatively new (10 years old) and Charles Sturt even newer with the rural medicine program commencing in 2021. Western Sydney and Charles Sturt have combined to offer undergraduate medicine degree places to Year 12 students, students who have previously commenced an undergraduate degree but not completed it and graduates. The 2 paths to medicine comprise:

• Direct Entry for Year 12 students

• Entry for all others - graduates and students with partially completed degrees, with these degrees from any university in any discipline.

The Western Sydney medicine program is moderate in size, having a total of 120 places. The Charles Sturt program is specifically aimed to provide doctors who will practice in rural locations and accordingly has a strong emphasis on enrolling students from rural and regional backgrounds. The majority of places (approximately 30) are allocated to students from a rural/regional background.

Entry Requirements - The full details regarding the entry requirements for medicine at Western Sydney/Charles Sturt are given in the table below.

This table shows, not only the requirements to obtain a place in the undergraduate medicine degree, but also details how the 2 paths flow into the medicine degree.

How Western Sydney/Charles Sturt compare with Other Universities - Scroll further down, below the table  and you'll also see the Western Sydney/Charles Sturt Comparitor. This tool enables you to compare the 2 paths to medicine at Western Sydney/Charles Sturt with other university paths (offered by 19 Australian universities). 

Western Sydney/charles sturt detailed entry Requirements

There are a number of notable aspects in how Western Sydney/Charles Sturt structure their undergraduate medicine degrees.

Western Sydney by name, Western Sydney by nature

Western Sydney University is clear that a proportion of places in its medicine program are given to students with a strong affiliation with the Greater Western Sydney region.

Preferences are given to Greater Western Sydney applicants by way of a lower ATAR entry requirement (by 2 points) for the degree. This same approach is used for graduates, with minimum grade point average levels being lower for local students. Western Sydney affiliation is identified through your postcode. International students have to meet the same ATAR requirements as Greater Western Sydney students. Rural student ATAR requirements are even lower.

UCAT not GAMSAT 

Even if you are a graduate, or a student with a partially completed degree, all applicants to the Western Sydney/Charles Sturt medicine program are required to sit the UCAT (or in the case of international students through Western Sydney University - the ISAT) rather than the GAMSAT.

New Joint Medical Program with Charles Sturt University

The introduction of a new Joint Medical Program with Charles Sturt University will specifically increase the number of rural medical students being trained in a regional location. The Charles Sturt program commenced in 2021 and is being taught in Orange, New South Wales. Charles Sturt medicine places will specifically go to Australian citizens and permanent residents.

Like Western Sydney, Charles Sturt are accepting direct entry as well as applicants who have complete or partially completed degrees. There are advantages if you are a Charles Sturt pathway applicant - meaning if you are studying a Charles Sturt pathway degree, with 6 rural applicants offered an interview.

Rural Entry Admission Scheme

Western Sydney have the Rural Entry Admission Scheme that enables up to 15 rural students (Australian domestic students or permanent residents) to study medicine. Charles Sturt’s medicine program is specifically designed to bolster medical training and practice in rural and regional locations. As a result, most places (of the approximate 30) are allocated to rural/regional applicants with 80% allocated to NSW applicants and 20% to interstate applicants.