Which Australian Medical Schools Require CASPer?
If you're applying to medical school in Australia, chances are you've come across the CASPer test at some point in your research. But with so many moving parts in the admissions process — GAMSAT, UCAT, ATAR, interviews — it can be hard to know exactly where CASPer fits in, and whether it even applies to you.
The short answer is: it depends on where you're applying. Not every Australian medical school requires it, but for those that do, it plays a meaningful role in determining whether you even get an interview offer. Getting across the details early can save you a lot of stress down the track.
This article covers what CASPer is, which Australian medical schools require it for 2026/27 entry, how it fits into your overall application strategy, and how to prepare for it properly.
What is the CASPer Test?
CASPer (Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics) is an online situational judgement test completed at home, in a single session of around 100 to 120 minutes. It presents you with a series of scenarios — delivered as short video clips or written prompts — and asks open-ended questions about each. Some responses are typed, others are recorded on video.
The timing is strict. Each question has a set window, and when it closes, it closes — there's no going back.
CASPer is designed to assess qualities that don't show up on a transcript: ethical reasoning, empathy, communication, professionalism, and how you think through competing priorities under pressure. There are no right or wrong answers — assessors are looking at how you reason, not just where you land.
Why Do Medical Schools Use CASPer?
Medical school admissions have traditionally leaned heavily on academic performance — ATAR, GAMSAT, UCAT. But grades alone don't tell you much about whether someone will be a good doctor. CASPer gives admissions teams a structured way to assess the soft skills that matter just as much in a clinical setting: how someone communicates under pressure, how they handle ethical complexity, and whether they can consider situations from multiple perspectives.
As medical school applications have become increasingly competitive, the field of applicants is academically strong across the board. CASPer helps differentiate candidates who are not only academically capable but genuinely suited to a people-centred profession. It's not a replacement for GAMSAT or UCAT — it sits alongside them as part of a more holistic picture of who you are as an applicant.
Australian Medical Schools That Require CASPer (2026/27 Entry)
Not all Australian medical schools use CASPer, and the landscape does shift between admissions cycles. Here's where things stand for 2026/27 entry — but always confirm directly with your target universities before you start prepping.
University of Notre Dame Australia (Sydney and Fremantle)
Notre Dame requires CASPer as part of its graduate-entry MD admissions process at both campuses. It's used alongside GPA and GAMSAT scores to rank applicants for interview — so your CASPer result directly affects whether you receive an MMI invitation. Notre Dame uses an online MMI format for interviews, meaning CASPer functions as the first filter in a two-stage non-academic assessment process. There's no minimum CASPer score required, but it contributes meaningfully to your overall ranking.
University of Wollongong
UOW requires CASPer for its graduate-entry MD program. For 2025/26 entry, applicants who meet the qualifying thresholds for GAMSAT and GPA are ranked for interview using a combination of CASPer scores (50%) and UOW MD admissions bonuses (50%). Final offers are then based on interview score (70%) and admissions bonuses (30%). CASPer is not just a hurdle here — it carries real weight in getting you to the interview stage.
Curtin University
Curtin requires CASPer for its undergraduate MBBS program. Alongside academic results and UCAT ANZ scores, CASPer contributes to the ranking process for MMI invitations — weighted at 35% alongside academic results (35%) and UCAT (30%). It's one of the few undergraduate programs in Australia to include CASPer as a mandatory component, making it a distinctive feature of Curtin's admissions process.
Medical schools that do not require CASPer
The majority of Australian medical schools do not use CASPer at all. Most rely on a combination of GAMSAT or UCAT scores, GPA, and interview performance to select candidates. A few notable examples:
- University of Melbourne — selection for interview is based on GPA and GAMSAT only, with the MMI used as the final assessment stage. No CASPer required.
- Monash University — uses a combination of academic results and UCAT ANZ for interview selection, followed by an MMI. CASPer is not part of the process.
- University of Sydney — has historically used GAMSAT scores as the primary ranking tool, with interviews used selectively. No CASPer requirement.
Other schools including Deakin, ANU, UQ, Griffith, UNSW, UWA, and Western Sydney University all use MMI-based interview formats without requiring CASPer as part of their admissions process.
How CASPer fits into your application strategy
If any of your target schools require CASPer, timing is everything. CASPer scores are only valid for the current admissions cycle — you can't carry them over to the following year, which means if you're reapplying, you'll need to resit.
Testing windows for Australian applicants typically run between May and July, ahead of interview offers in September. This means CASPer prep should sit alongside — not after — your GAMSAT preparation. Don't leave it as an afterthought once GAMSAT is done.
It's also worth thinking about CASPer in the context of your overall application. At schools like UOW where it carries 50% of the weight in ranking for interview, a strong CASPer result can offset a borderline GAMSAT score. At Notre Dame, it's one of several factors in a competitive pool. Understanding exactly how much it counts at each school helps you prioritise your preparation time realistically.
Tips for preparing for CASPer
CASPer prep is mostly a solo exercise — it's just you, a timer, and a keyboard. Here's what to focus on:
- Build a response framework. Get into the habit of structuring every answer the same way: acknowledge the situation, consider who's affected and how, weigh up the competing values, propose a course of action, and reflect on why. Having a reliable structure stops you from blanking under pressure.
- Work on your typing speed. If you're a slow typist, even great ideas might not make it onto the screen in time. Practise typing longer responses fluently before test day.
- Get familiar with ethical frameworks. Autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice — you don't need to quote these by name, but understanding the underlying principles gives you a solid scaffold for complex scenarios.
- Practise with a timer. Set five minutes per response and don't give yourself extensions. The time pressure is part of the test — you need to be comfortable with it before the real thing.
- Don't forget the video sections. Record yourself responding to prompts and watch them back. You'll notice habits you didn't know you had.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating CASPer like a knowledge test. There's nothing to memorise. Assessors aren't looking for the "correct" answer — they're looking at how you think. Preparing by reading medical facts or ethical theories alone won't help.
- Ignoring the time pressure until it's too late. Both the written and video sections are strictly timed. If you haven't practised under real time conditions, the clock will catch you off guard.
- Arguing one side without nuance. Scenario questions are designed to have competing interests. Picking a side and running with it — without acknowledging the complexity — is one of the most common weaknesses assessors flag.
- Forgetting about the other people in the scenario. Failing to consider how a situation affects different stakeholders is an easy mistake to make under pressure, and an easy one to fix with practice.
- Sounding detached or clinical. CASPer is specifically designed to assess empathy and people-centredness. Responses that are logically structured but emotionally flat tend to score lower than those that balance both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where To Next?
If you found this article helpful, don’t stop here! Fraser’s Medical has more resources to help students navigate medical school. Explore our other in-depth articles and tools to deepen your understanding, strengthen your preparation, and stay ahead in your medical journey:
.png)
.png)
