Domestic Applications for Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science

Interview process

Selected applicants will be invited to participate in an interview using an online system managed by Kira Talent.  Any applicant who is invited to interview will be provided full details for attending the interview using the Kira Talent system with their offer of interview.  Interviews will be live, with three panel members.  Please note that applicants who are selected for interview will be responsible for paying Kira Talent a fee for the use of the Kira Talent interview platform.

Kira cost: USD $18.12 plus tax*

* (current as at 15 May 2025)

• Face-to-face teaching starts in Townsville on 27 January 2026.
• Students must be vaccinated against Q Fever by Week 4 for practical studies involving animals.

Additional application requirements

As part of the selection process, all applicants are required to complete an application which includes responses to questions and provision of references (Letters of Support).

All applicants are also required to complete a Casper test (an online, open-response situation judgement test) and participate in an interview using an online system managed by Kira Talent.  Both tests will require candidate responding in the platforms with both typed and video responses.

Please note that applicants will be responsible for paying Casper and Kira Talent respectively the fees associated with completing the Casper requirements, and the use of the Kira Talent interview platform.

Casper Test

All applicants are required to complete Casper as part of their application for the 2025/26 admission cycle.  Casper is an online, open-response situational judgement test that takes 65-85 minutes to complete.

Casper measures different personal and professional skills that we believe are important for successful students and graduates of our program. It will complement the other tools we use for applicant review and evaluation, and we require Casper as part of our efforts to enhance fairness in our selection process.  If you have already completed Casper for an application to another veterinary institution in 2025 you do not have to repeat the Casper requirement.  If you previously completed it prior to 2025 you will need to take the test again.

Visit takecasper.com to create an account, register to complete Casper, and learn more about this assessment, including important dates and technical requirements.

You will register for the assessment code and type: CSP-10411  

Casper test dates:

• 19 June 2025, 7pm AEST
• 5 August 2025, 7pm AEST
• 11 September 2025, 7pm AEST
• 5 October 2025, 9am AEST

*It is recommended that applicants do not leave sitting the Casper test until the last testing date in case of illness or misadventure.  Additional dates beyond the last date listed above cannot be provided.

Please note, if you have sat a previous Casper test this cycle (either on 20 March or 22 May 2025) and would like to apply your score towards your application for the Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours) at JCU, you will need to contact the Acuity Insights Applicant Support Team to make arrangements for the additional distribution at support@acuityinsights.com

Casper cost: AUD $59 base fee plus $30 distribution fee*
*(current as at 20 May 2025)

Kira Interview

Your Kira assessment gives you the flexibility to show us who you are, when and where it’s convenient for you. By removing the travel and time costs associated with face-to-face interviews, we aim to make it easier for us to get to know each other better.

During the test you will submit timed video and/or written responses to questions that have been pre-recorded by James Cook University. Each question will have a designated amount of prep and response time, and you can track your remaining time for each component on the screen. You'll be able to record your responses from the comfort of your home, and you can do so in your own time. This is a one-way interview.

It should only take 30-60 minutes to complete and can be done on your own time.

You will require a desktop or laptop computer with a functioning webcam, microphone, and internet connection. The Kira Talent system allows for unlimited practice sessions, but once you start the formal assessment questions - you only get one chance. This allows us to capture your candid responses.

You can register from August 1st, 2025 but must complete your assessment before October 5th, 2025 at 24:00 AEST.

For more detailed information on the assessment process and to register for the interview, please check back here closer to applications opening in August for the link to Kira.

Kira cost: USD $38.84 plus tax*
* (current as at 20 May 2025)

IB results

• JCU expects to receive IB results during December 2025.
• This is in time for consideration in JCU’s 2026 intake for Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science and the second round of interviews for Medicine.

• JCU expects to receive New Zealand’s NCEA results during January 2026.
• This is too late for consideration in JCU’s 2026 intake for Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Science and applicants are encouraged to apply for the following year.

Prerequisite subjects

To be eligible to receive an offer, you must have completed:

• English (Units 3/4, C)
• Mathematical Methods (Units 3/4, C)
• Chemistry (Units 3/4, C).

For Dentistry and Veterinary Science, JCU recommends but does not require:

• Biology (Units 3/4, C).

Students in Year 12 who are not currently taking these prerequisite subjects have options to complete them through other educational providers during the year.

Student who have successfully completed higher level mathematics subjects such as Specialist Mathematics will meet the Mathematical Methods subject prerequisite requirements.

Students who successfully complete any Queensland year 12 English subject (English, English as an Additional Language, English and Literature Extension, Essential English or Literature) will meet the English subject prerequisite requirements.

Students who did not complete their secondary studies in Queensland may still meet the prerequisite requirements. Please contact JCU to determine your eligibility.

Applicants who have already completed Year 12 can access the JCU Prep pathway program to help fulfil subject prerequisites. It cannot be used to meet ATAR requirements and is not available to students in Year 12. Bridging subjects previously offered under the JCU Certificate of Higher Education are no longer available.

If you’re not able to meet these subject prerequisites, we recommend you apply for a degree in Allied Health and Pharmacy, Biomedical Sciences, Occupational Therapy or Nursing. Tertiary studies in these areas could help you transition into your preferred degree, depending on your academic results and future availability of places.

ATAR – Australian Tertiary Admission Rank

Calculated by QTAC, your ATAR is the standard measure of your overall academic achievement in relation to other students. JCU does not have set ATAR thresholds for entry to Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Science courses as selections are based on a combination of academic results and a written application (Dentistry and Veterinary Science only) or interview. Check the QTAC website for more information on ATARs.

ATAR or selection rank adjustment programs including the Regional Preference Scheme, Educational Access Scheme and Subject Adjustment Scheme are not available for Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Science applicants.

GPA – Grade Point Average

The minimum unweighted GPA score required for tertiary results to be assessed is 5.75 on a 7-point scale, however this is not a threshold or benchmark. Selection decisions are based on a combination of all academic results and a written application or interview.

Placements

Placements are an integral part of the programs to support students learning and development.  All placements are required components of the course.

Dentistry: Students complete over 2000 hours of supervised clinical placements in a variety of settings, including private practices as well as rural and remote community health facilities across northern Queensland.

Medicine: Placements occur in every year of the program.  Students are allocated to particular locations for all rural placements, and allocated across Townsville, Cairns and Mackay for the Clinical Years (4, 5 and 6) of the program.

Veterinary Science: Students begin hands-on training and animal handling in their first year of study. As well as regular practical work and field trips, you will complete a series of clinical placements in your final two years of study, in rural or urban settings in Queensland, around Australia, or even overseas.

Disease prevention

While not required for your application, accepted students must be immune to or vaccinated against particular diseases. This is essential for professional placements, where students may be engaged in situations that would allow transmission of disease. Some health facilities may have additional vaccination requirements for students to complete their placements.

For Dentistry and Medicine:

• Hepatitis B
• Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)
• Chickenpox (varicella)
• Whooping cough (pertussis).

For Veterinary Science:

• Q Fever

If you do not complete these requirements, you will be unable to attend placements which are a requirement of completing your degree. Please be aware that these requirements can vary.

Working with children

While not required for your application, accepted students must hold a Blue Card to work with children and young people, issued under the Queensland Government’s Working with Children Check.

Blue Cards are essential for professional placements, where students will be required to provide health and support services for children and young people. If you’re unable to comply with this requirement, you may not be able to complete your degree.

Work experience

While not required for your application, experience in your chosen field gained through paid employment or volunteering can give you real-world knowledge and help you pick up valuable time management skills. Talk with working professionals about what their jobs involve. Do a short placement at a local clinic for insights into the type of work you may do in that field and decide whether it’s for you.

Inherent requirements are the fundamental abilities, attributes, skills and behaviours needed to successfully complete the course.

We recommend that all applicants understand the inherent requirements for Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science, which can include certain physical and cognitive abilities, sustainable performance and communication skills. Students must demonstrate these during the learning experience to successfully complete their degree.

Applicants from rural and remote backgrounds may be considered for one of the places reserved for Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science in the QTAC Rural Access Scheme.

To be eligible, you must have lived in a designated rural or remote area of Australia for at least five consecutive years (60 months) or ten years cumulatively (120 months).

All applicants for Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science at JCU will be automatically invited to apply for a place under the scheme. We strongly encourage eligible students to respond to this invitation and maximise your opportunity to receive an offer.

Steps to apply

• Download and complete a cover sheet from the QTAC website
• Gather your supporting documents
• Upload your cover sheet and documents to your QTAC application.

Your supporting documents are evidence that you lived in rural and remote Australia for the period required. These could include utility bills, bank statements, notices of assessment, tax returns, Centrelink correspondence or rental agreements.

Applications for Rural Access Scheme places in the 2026 intake at JCU will open on 5 August 2025.

Check the Rural Access Scheme webpage for full details.

Begin to get organised early

JCU has a limited number of places available in Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science.

It helps to be organised with your application, as some things take time to prepare and confirm or may require assistance from others.

Use a personal email address and phone number

We recommend using a personal email address and phone number for your applications, rather than anything specific to your school or work. Please take the time to set up a suitable email and/or phone account if you don’t already have them.

Applications to JCU need to be submitted to two locations

Apply for related degrees

As a backup, we strongly recommend you apply for degrees in Allied Health and Pharmacy, Biomedical Sciences or Nursing. Tertiary studies in these areas could help support your application for Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Science in the future, depending on your academic results and the availability of places.

JCU will consider your entire academic history within your application, with the highest weighting given to your most recent studies. You’ll submit some of this information through QTAC, and some to JCU.

Primary and secondary education

For each year and grade of your primary and secondary education, please have details ready about the:

• Year in which you completed each school grade
• Name, state and country of the school/s you attended during the year.

If you attended more than one school in a single year, you’ll need to include details of each school. Please also have details ready about any periods of home schooling or any grades you skipped.

Year 12 studies

Please have details ready about the:

• Year you completed or expect to complete Year 12
• Name, state and country of the school you graduated or expect to graduate from.

Bridging subjects

If you take prerequisite subjects with a different education provider during or after your Year 12 studies, please have details ready about the:

• Year you completed or expect to complete your bridging subject/s
• Name of your bridging subject/s or qualification/s
• Name and country of your education provider.

If QTAC is unable to access results from your education provider, QTAC will ask you to supply this information directly.

Tertiary studies commenced or completed after Year 12

If you are a non-school leaver, Tertiary study is required. Eligible studies must be at Bachelor level or higher and result in a grade point average (GPA) score. Study of 0.5 full time equivalent (FTE) is required for tertiary study to be considered. 0.5 FTE is generally for subjects.

For each degree you commenced or completed, please have details ready about:

• Your dates of study
• Name of the degree
• Name and country of your university.

You’ll need QTAC codes to search for your preferred courses during the application process. These are the same codes provided on JCU’s individual course pages.

QTAC codes are unique reference numbers assigned to degrees based at available campuses.

Login to your QTAC account or create a new account if you don’t have one.

You can apply for up to six courses through the QTAC portal, including all JCU courses in Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science. Use your QTAC codes or course names to search for your preferred degrees and arrange your choices from 1 to 6 in order of preference. If you're applying for Medicine in Cairns and Townsville, please also make sure you apply for both and arrange them in order. Please ensure you preference where you would most like to go as your first preference.

After you submit your QTAC application, you can change your preferences up to three times free of charge. QTAC will charge a fee for each additional change.

When you’ve finished, make a note of your QTAC application number as you’ll need it for the next step. Look for it on the ‘application’ screen in the QTAC portal. It typically starts with the letter ‘A’ followed by nine digits.

Information you’ll be asked to provide includes:

Year 12 studies

• Year you completed or expect to complete Year 12
• Name, state and country of the school you graduated or expect to graduate from.

Bridging subjects

• Year you completed or expect to complete your bridging subject/s
• Name of your bridging subject/s or qualification/s
• Name and country of your education provider.

Tertiary studies commenced or completed after Year 12

• Your dates of study
• Name of the degree you commenced or completed
• Name and country of your university.

Please include any tertiary studies commenced and not completed.

Login to the JCU Application Portal or create a new account if you don’t have one.  The link to the JCU Application Portal will be available here closer to the applications opening date.

Information you’ll be asked to provide includes:

Personal and contact details

• Include your name and date of birth, address details, phone numbers, QTAC application number and citizenship status.

Course selection

• Select the same courses you nominated in your QTAC application.

Primary and secondary education

• List all of the schools you attended in each year from Grade 1 to 12.
• Include full years, part years, skipped grades and home or alternative schooling.

Please note if you have difficulty locating your school, please contact us.

Tertiary education

• List any tertiary studies you commenced or completed after Year 12.

Kira cost: USD $18.12 plus tax*
* (current as at 15 May 2025)

Make sure you respond to your offer in both the QTAC portal and the JCU App.  If you do not accept/defer your offer in the JCU App, your place will be offered to another applicant.

You’ll need to download and create an account in the JCU App, using the JCU Student ID provided with your offer, your date of birth and your family name.

Requests to transfer Medicine offers between campuses can be considered but not guaranteed. Dentistry and Veterinary Science offers cannot be transferred.

Accept or decline

If the offer you receive is for your first preference, you can accept or decline your offer outright. You cannot conditionally accept or decline your offer.

Through QTAC:

• Check your offer in the QTAC portal
• Select ‘accept’ or ‘decline’ and review your response
• Select ‘accept the offer’ or ‘decline the offer’ and confirm.

Through JCU:

• Follow the prompts within the JCU App.

Conditionally accept or decline

If you’d like to reserve your offer and wait for another offer on a degree you prefer more, you can accept or decline this offer conditionally. You still need to respond before your offer lapses to secure your place while waiting.

Through QTAC:

• Check your offer in the QTAC portal
• Select ‘accept’ or ‘decline’ and review your response
• Select ‘reserve the offer’ and confirm.

Through JCU:

• Follow the prompts within the JCU App.

Defer

Deferring your studies means to delay starting your degree. The option to defer is not available on all courses and you need to accept an offer first, before you can request a deferral.

Medicine and Dentistry students can request to defer for one year.  Veterinary Science students will only be considered for a deferral where there is evidence of unexpected medical, compassionate, or compelling circumstances that were unforeseeable before or during the application process preventing the student from starting the course.

Through QTAC:

• Check your offer in the QTAC portal
• Select ‘defer’ and review your response
• Select ‘defer the offer’ and confirm.

Through JCU:

• Follow the prompts within the JCU App.