FAQs
General
A: For our competitive courses at JCU we divide our applicants into school leaver and non-school leavers.
- A school leaver is an applicant who finished their secondary schooling in the two years before the start of the course (for 2026 this means 2024 or 2025) AND has not undertaken 0.5 fulltime equivalent (FTE) or more of tertiary study – bachelor level or higher.
- A non-school leaver is an applicant who finished their secondary schooling more than two years ago AND/OR has 0.5 FTE or more of tertiary study – bachelor level or higher. Note 0.5 FTE is generally four subjects. Non-school leaver applicants MUST have tertiary study to be considered. Studies in health is preferred.
Bridging study is below bachelor level and does not affect an applicant’s status as a school leaver or non-school leaver. Bridging study can only be used to meet subject prerequisite requirements.
A: In 2025, JCU had approximately 170 places available for Medicine (across both Townsville and Cairns), 90 places for Dentistry and 80 places for Veterinary Science. Most of these offers were offered to school leavers and a small number to non-school leavers.
A: The scheme is open to applicants from all designated rural or remote areas of Australia.
A: ATAR or selection rank adjustment programs including Educational Access Scheme are not available for Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Science applicants.
A: ATAR or selection rank adjustment programs are not available for Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Science applicants.
A: Yes, if you’re able to meet the inherent requirements for your course, which could include physical or cognitive abilities, sustainable performance, and communication skills. Students must demonstrate these consistently during the learning experience to successfully complete their degree.
You can review the inherent requirements for Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science at the following links:
A: Not necessarily. Some places may open up after the first-round response deadline due to students deferring or declining offers.
A: No. Privacy laws prevent us from sharing applicant information with anyone but the applicant, unless a third-party release of information form has been provided.
A: Once you have accepted your offer in the QTAC and JCU Portals, Medicine and Dentistry applicants can request to defer for one year. Veterinary Science applicants will only be considered 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.
Portals, apps and other systems
A: 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 preferred degrees.
In the JCU portal you can apply for Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science in the one application. Please note that JCU does not accept late applications to Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science.
A: Please arrange your choices in order of preference in your QTAC application, from 1 as your most preferred option to 6 as your least preferred option. If you’re applying for Medicine in Cairns and Townsville, please make sure you apply for both and arrange them in order.
A: Yes, if you complete both your QTAC and JCU applications correctly before the closing date. QTAC will issue one offer in each round, for your highest preference if you are selected. As Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science are all highly competitive courses, we encourage you to put your desired course as your first preference.
A: Look for it on the ‘application’ screen in the QTAC Portal. It typically starts with the letter ‘A’ followed by nine digits.
A: JCU’s systems regularly check applicant details against the QTAC database to identify any missing or mismatched information including QTAC application numbers. We will contact you if needed.
A: List all of the schools you attended in each year from Grade 1 to 12, including the years and grades, school names and countries in which you studied. Use ‘homeschool’ and skipped for your school’s name in any years of home schooling or grades skipped.
You’ll need at least 12 rows, one for each year. If you attended more than one school in a single year, please list details of each school on separate lines.
A: High volumes of traffic on the website to schedule interviews can significantly slow the system’s processing performance. Please wait and try again later.
A: Once you have submitted your application, it is unable to be reopened if you need to make a change. We encourage applicants to thoroughly check their application before they submit it.
QTAC Portal
- Call 1300 467 822
- QTAC contact webform qtac.edu.au/contact/
JCU Application Portal
- Call 1800246446
- Email JCU Future Students study@jcu.edu.au
Entry requirements
A: Prior to receiving 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 (3/4, C)
Students 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.
A: JCU does not extend conditional offers for Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Science. You must have completed English, Mathematical Methods, and Chemistry prior to receiving an offer for any of these courses.
A: 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. JCU Prep is not available to students in Year 12. When choosing the subject offering, please note that all results are required to be available before receiving an offer.
A: In your QTAC application, please enter details of the subject/s you expect to complete. If they are unable to access your results from your education provided, QTAC will ask you to supply this information directly.
A: JCU does not use the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) or Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) as part of the selection process.
A: Unfortunately, no. Meeting the entry requirements doesn’t guarantee a Medicine interview, as these are competitive courses with a high volume of applications.
Specific information for Dentistry and/or Veterinary Science applicants
Additional application requirements for Veterinary Science
- All Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours) applicants are 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 the candidate responding in the platforms with both typed and video responses.
- 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 cost: AUD $59 base fee plus $30 distribution fee*
Kira cost: USD $38.84 plus tax*
*(current as at 20 May 2025) - Further information on the Casper and Kira requirements and to register for these tests can be found here.
A: Please tell us about your career motivations, work experience in health industries, your interest in regional and rural health and anything else you think we should know. We encourage all applicants to read and consider the questions carefully and respond honestly and in their own words.
A: Letters of support for Dentistry and Veterinary Science applicants is essential.
Specific information for Medicine applicants
Update regarding interview process for the JCU Medicine intake in 2026:
- 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.
- 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)
Information and documents — MEDICINE ONLY
A: No, written statements or letters of support are not part of the Medicine application process. Applicants for Medicine may have the opportunity to meet and share information with a selection panel if invited to attend an interview.
A: Medicine applicants completing Year 12 can request their school to submit a PAA on their behalf. This must be submitted by a school official through JCU’s online form.
A: PAAs are used to help schedule first round Medicine interview offers for applicants currently in Year 12. JCU does not extend any offers into the MBBS program based on predicted results. We strongly encourage all Year 12 applicants to request for their school official to submit a PAA to JCU on their behalf. Where the PAA is inaccurate, or has not been provided by a school, applicants will be considered for a small number of interviews on the first two working days of January.
A: JCU does not give information provided through PAAs to applicants or any external parties. You may like to request this from your school official.
A: Applicants are separated and considered in different pools. Within these pools, applicants are selected for interview based on their academic achievements.
School leaver applicants are considered using their PAA or actual ATAR score.
Non-school leaver applicants need a minimum GPA of 5.75 to be considered competitive, however this does not guarantee that an applicant would receive an interview. While an applicant's most recent GPA is given the most weight, their entire academic profile, as supplied by QTAC, will be considered.
A: The PAA is used to determine first round interviews. The second round of interviews are conducted to offer an opportunity where a school has not provided a PAA, or where the PAA is lower than what was attained. It is based on actual results of applicants not previously interviewed. Both of these interview rounds occur before any determination of offers are made. We actively encourage schools to provide the PAA as the bulk of interviews are conducted before ATAR results are released.
Interviews — MEDICINE ONLY
Bonded medical program for Medicine
A: The Australian Government’s Bonded Medical Program provides Commonwealth Supported Places to study Medicine in exchange for participants working in regional, rural or remote areas of Australia after they graduate.
A: No, these places and their associated commitments are only relevant to Medicine applicants.
A: Applicants cannot request the type of place they may be offered. If you receive an offer for a bonded or standard place, you will have the choice to accept, defer or decline your offer but not to change it.
A: The Bonded Medical Program is now the only active scheme. It replaced two legacy schemes which are now closed to new participants. These were the Medical Rural Bonded Scholarship (MRBS) Scheme and the Bonded Medical Places (BMP) Scheme.
A: No, declining the bonded offer means also declining JCU’s Medical program offer.
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