How Does GEMSAS Work? (2027 Graduate Entry Medical School Admissions System)

What Does GEMSAS Stand For?

The Graduate Entry Medical School Admissions System or GEMSAS is a centralised online portal where students can submit their medical school applications to enter postgraduate medicine or dentistry programs within Australia.

GEMSAS Key Functions

GEMSAS is a one-stop source that organises students' applications, calculates their GPA and applies individual medical school eligibility criteria to each medical school preference listed by an applicant.

As a matter of fact, GEMSAS has a list of six available medical school preferences per student. It also applies a complex algorithm to allocate eligible students for a medical interview at their highest preferred medical school. We have explained how this merged-rank works in our GAMSAT Scores article.

Here are some of its key features:

• The GEMSAS consortium follows an impartial and transparent allocation process.
• Applicants who completed their undergraduate degree from an Australian university that is part of the ARTS receive their results electronically.
• GEMSAS uses the GPA achieved from a recent qualifying degree to invite students for a medical interview. However, UWA considers the most recent three years of full-time equivalent study to select students. Note that for the 2027 intake, UWA's interview selection is now weighted 60% GPA / 40% GAMSAT (changed from equal 50/50 weighting previously).
• GEMSAS universities follow a standardised format to score applicants' performance in the medical interview and incorporate this score into the selection procedure.
• GEMSAS assimilates the GPA, GAMSAT score and performance in the medical interview to allocate medical offers to successful applicants based on their preference of medical school.
• For students who haven't completed their key degree or achieved a good GPA, GEMSAS informs them and withdraws their conditional offer.

What are the GEMSAS Universities?

The GAMSAT Consortium works in conjunction with GEMSAS. The Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test or the GAMSAT was introduced by ACER, a medical entrance exam used to select students for graduate-entry programs in Australia. Most of the GEMSAS universities consider the GAMSAT score as one of the primary selection criteria to rank applicants for a medical offer.

Here's a list of universities that fall under the GEMSAS Consortium:

• Australian National University
• Deakin University
• Griffith University
• Macquarie University
• The University of Melbourne
• The University of Notre Dame Australia (Fremantle, Sydney)
• The University of Queensland
• The University of Western Australia
• University of Wollongong

GEMSAS Admissions Guide 2027: How Does GEMSAS Work?

The Graduate-Entry Program is offered in most Australian medical schools and provides a range of opportunities through well-constructed medical courses for graduates to commit to the medical field. All students who wish to enter via the Graduate-Entry Pathway must have completed or should be currently in their final year of a bachelor's degree to be eligible for postgraduate medicine.

Students that wish to enter one of the GEMSAS universities can apply directly via the GEMSAS online portal. Typically, applications for medicine and dentistry open in early May and close by the end of May. However, the dates are subject to change annually.

Please note that to commence medicine in 2027, applications open in early May 2026 and the closing date is 29 May 2026 at 5pm AEST.

How Does GEMSAS Calculate GPA?

One of the key functions of GEMSAS is to calculate the GPA and rank each applicant from the highest preferenced medical school to the lowest. GEMSAS uses percentage results to calculate your GPA and may use grades if percentage results are not provided on the transcripts or retrieved through ARTS.

To calculate your GPA, all you need is your recent undergraduate degree transcripts and follow the simple instructions laid out by GEMSAS. Although some medical schools use postgraduate studies in GPA calculation, the instructions are the same in both cases. Let us go step-by-step to understand how to calculate your GPA based on your recent degree qualification using the GEMSAS algorithm:

Step 1 - Determine your Degree Qualification

Kindly note that the three years of full-time equivalent study are known as 'Final-minus-2', 'Final-minus-1', and 'Final' years.

Step 2: Enter the Credit Points/Original Grades for Each Unit

Once you successfully determine your recent qualifying degree, the next step in the GPA calculation involves grouping the units in chronological order from the three full-time-equivalent study years. Remember to add all the units within the three-year FTE, which also includes repeated or failed units.

Each degree constitutes a certain number of units and credit points offered at the first, second, and final year of the study period. Enter the credit points achieved as per your transcript based on each enrolled unit.

Step 3: Entering Actual Results for Each Unit

The next step in the process is to enter your actual result received in individual units according to official transcripts. If you have both grades and percentages, use the percentage. However, if your transcripts only provide grades, use the conversion table given by GEMSAS to find the GPA per unit.

Step 4: Calculating your Weighted/Unweighted GPA

You are now in the final stage of your GPA calculation, and as of now, you must have collected the following details: subject name/code, credit points, results, and your GPA from the conversion table.

Once you have your GPA, you need to multiply your GPA with the credit points achieved.

• Add the unit values with the GPA achieved per year — Total (U1 + U2 + U3)
• Add the values of GPA × credit points within each GPA year — Total (P1 + P2 + P3)
• If you were to calculate your GPA for the first year of FTE, the formula goes: Final-minus-2 year = Divide the total number of P values by the total number of U values. (GPA = P/U)
• Follow the same procedure for Final-minus-1 year and Final year and you will have three GPAs (Final-minus-2 year, Final-minus-1 year, Final year)

Kindly note that each GEMSAS university differs in its GPA calculation. Therefore, we recommend you read your preferenced medical school's eligibility criteria.

• GEMSAS weighted GPA = (Final-minus-2 GPA × 1) + (Final-minus-1 GPA × 2) + (Final GPA × 3) / 6
• Unweighted GPA = (Final-minus-2 GPA) + (Final-minus-1 GPA) + (Final GPA)

Important note for Notre Dame applicants: For the 2027 intake, Not-for-Degree and single-unit study undertaken outside of an AQF qualification will not be included in GPA calculations at the University of Notre Dame (Fremantle and Sydney).

How GEMSAS Universities View GAMSAT Scores

Besides an applicant's academic achievement, the GEMSAS universities give significant preference to GAMSAT scores. GAMSAT, as you know, is a medical school entrance exam that tests your ability to articulate essays as in Section 2 and provide logical reasoning in science and humanities, as in Section 3 and Section 1 respectively.

Every year, the GAMSAT Consortium provides two testing windows for students to sit the exam. For 2026, the first testing window opens in early March 2026, and the September 2026 testing period registration details will be released in due course.

Kindly note that GAMSAT scores are now valid for four years, instead of the two years previously. This means:

• March 2026 GAMSAT scores are valid for applications in 2026, 2027, 2028, and 2029.
• September 2026 GAMSAT scores are valid for applications in 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030.

Please note that not all universities accept the full four-year currency of GAMSAT results. Check the GEMSAS guide accordingly to confirm which universities do and don't.

Academic Transcripts for GEMSAS Applications

If you have completed your tertiary education from a university that falls under the Automated Results Transfer System (ARTS), your results will be gathered and uploaded directly into the GEMSAS portal. This also means you are not required to send a transcript to GEMSAS to have your GPA calculated for selection into your preferenced medical school.

In contrast, if you completed your tertiary education from a university that does not belong to the ARTS domain, you need to generate original transcripts from your previous institutions and ensure that the academic transcripts are sent directly to GEMSAS.

Medical School Portfolios Phased Out from 2025 Intake Onwards

While most Australian medical schools traditionally prioritised academic transcripts and GAMSAT scores in evaluating applicants for medical interviews, both the University of Notre Dame Australia and the University of Wollongong previously required a portfolio submission alongside a CASPer test score.

However, there has been a notable and permanent shift in the admissions process. From the 2025 intake onwards, all universities have discontinued the portfolio requirement. This change signifies a significant transformation in postgraduate medical admissions across Australia, and portfolios will not form any part of the 2027 entry process.

The University of Wollongong now primarily considers GAMSAT scores and GPA as initial hurdle requirements only. Interview offers are determined by CASPer scores combined with eligible UOW MD Admissions bonuses. For 2027 entry, UOW has also introduced a new 12th admissions bonus for applicants who received eligible Centrelink income support for a minimum period within the last five years.

For more information about these changes, please read our comprehensive 2027 GEMSAS Guide.

When Are GEMSAS Interview Offers Released?

The purpose of a medical school interview is to evaluate your qualities that are associated with success during medical school and in subsequent future practice. Based on your GPA, GAMSAT score and eligibility, GEMSAS releases medical interview offers to successful applicants via email.

For the 2027 intake, interview offers are anticipated to be released in early September 2026, with interviews conducted across September and into early October 2026. The specific interview windows by university are as follows:

Place offers are then released from late October to early November 2026, with additional offers made through November, December 2026, and into January 2027. Most GEMSAS medical school courses commence in late January or February 2027.

Types Of Medical Places At GEMSAS Universities

Now that we have established how GEMSAS universities work in coalition, it is essential to understand individual universities' fee structure. The allocations for each student will be made based on the following order: CSP, BMP and FEE (where applicable).

The Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) is a scheme undertaken by the Australian Government to support all domestic students financially. The Government covers a part of the student's tuition fee as a subsidy and not a loan. So if you are a domestic student, you are not required to return the tuition fee and instead must only pay a student contribution amount to the university.

The Bonded Medical Place (BMP) is a subsection of the CSP. It is another scheme enforced by the Government to improve the workforce shortage of medical practitioners within rural regions of Australia. Only domestic applicants are eligible for a BMP, which means they must commit to medical practice within rural areas of Australia once they complete their postgraduate medical studies.

For the 2027 intake, the expected domestic place quotas across GEMSAS universities are as follows:

GEMSAS Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Application Deadlines for GEMSAS?

For those applying to Medicine via GEMSAS for 2027 entry, applications open in early May 2026 and close on 29 May 2026 at 5pm AEST.

Are Two Bachelor's Degrees Used To Calculate GEMSAS GPA?

Unfortunately not. Only your most recent qualifying bachelor's degree transcripts will be used to calculate your GPA.

Can I Apply Through GEMSAS As An International Student?

International students cannot process their applications via GEMSAS and must apply directly to their preferred university. International applicants may sit the MCAT or the GAMSAT for admission into graduate-entry programs in Australia.

What Is The Easiest Medical School To Get Into In Australia?

Getting into medicine is quite challenging, so there is no definite way to answer which university allocates medical offers to students most easily. Each GEMSAS university has specific entry requirements. While most universities give higher preference to GAMSAT scores, some universities focus more on your medical interview performance. Ultimately it boils down to which university suits your achievements and supports your interests.