How medical school interviews work in Australia and New Zealand
Checked 19 October 2026 by XScrubs
In short
Formats differ by university, and most use a multiple mini-interview (MMI), a circuit of short stations. UNSW uses a structured interview with two interviewers, Sydney uses an assessment day, and Newcastle with New England calls its circuit a Multiple Skills Assessment. Read each university's own page and practise reasoning aloud.
Checked 19 October 2026 against the sources listed at the end.
Interviews come after the application closes, and for 2027 entry most school-leaver interviews are scheduled between late November and January. The nine university guides in this group summarise what each university publishes, with the sources linked and the date we checked them, 19 October 2026. Where a page did not say something clearly, we left it out.
The nine at a glance
| University | Format | Where | What the published page says about time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide | MMI, one interviewer per station | Online (Zoom) | At least six stations of ten minutes |
| Auckland | Recorded MMI | Online (Kira Talent) | Eight stations of three and a half minutes, seven assessed |
| Curtin | MMI | Mostly in person | Station length not published |
| Newcastle and New England | Multiple Skills Assessment | Not stated | Station numbers not published |
| Queensland | MMI | Online (Zoom) | Eight stations: two minutes reading, seven to respond |
| Sydney | Assessment Day: group interview and written task | Online per the university | Format not published |
| UNSW | Structured interview, two interviewers | In person at Kensington | Timing not published |
| UWA | MMI | Not stated for the domestic MMI | Seven minutes a station, 70 to 75 minutes in all |
| Western Sydney | MMI | Online (Zoom) | About eight minutes a question |
The stations are the part families ask about most, and the honest answer is that universities do not publish their questions. What they do publish is how long you get, who is in the room, what you may bring and what is being scored.
What most of them have in common
- UCAT first, interview second. Seven of the nine use UCAT ANZ results to help decide who is invited, as UAC's medicine dates page (external link) shows. Sydney's double degree pathway does not require it. Auckland invites on grades, uses the UCAT ANZ in its 2027 offer ranking, and moves to Casper from 2028 entry.
- The interview often counts for a lot. Western Sydney says final offers rest three quarters on the interview (external link), and UWA gives it half the weight for school leavers (external link). Curtin and Adelaide weigh it at 40 per cent.
- Dates are fixed. Western Sydney, Curtin, UNSW, UWA and Adelaide each say they will not offer an unpublished date, or cannot promise another one, so keep the whole window free.
- Conditions are strict. Adelaide, UQ and Auckland all require a private room, and Adelaide and UQ do not allow notes. UQ checks your ID and your room by camera (external link).
- Dates labelled "2027 entry" are in late 2026. Auckland's cycle runs earlier still, so its page describes a 2026 session.
What they are scoring
The criteria lists overlap a lot: communication, ethical judgement, teamwork, empathy, resilience, self-awareness and motivation. Adelaide's published list (external link) is a good example, and UWA adds accountability, management skills and handling conflict. Auckland adds commitment to equitable health care for communities in Aotearoa New Zealand. None of these is a test of medical knowledge.
Preparing honestly
:::tip Say your reasoning out loud. Name the people affected, the options, the trade-offs and what you would do first. :::
- Read your university's page and any sample it publishes. UQ shows an example virtual MMI (external link) and a briefing pack, and UWA lists its attributes and tips (external link).
- Practise with scenarios you have never seen. Our six MMI practice sets are our own work, and none of them comes from a real interview.
- Treat model answers as one way to organise your thinking, not as a script.
- Do not trade in recalled questions. They undermine a process designed to be fair.
- Remember that Adelaide and UWA each say they do not endorse commercial preparation courses. We sell practice, so weigh our advice accordingly.
Try a scenario set in our free sample, or see pricing.
Not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the UCAT ANZ Consortium. Not affiliated with any university either. Always check the university's own page first.
Common questions
- What is a multiple mini-interview?
- A circuit of short stations, each with its own scenario or question, usually with a different assessor at each. Length, station count and whether it is online vary by university.
- Does every medical school interview?
- Not every pathway. Sydney's double degree pathway does not require the UCAT ANZ but does use an assessment day with an interview and a written task. Check the specific course.
- Can I find out the real questions?
- No. Universities do not publish their stations. Some publish samples or guidance, so start with those, and treat any practice scenario, ours included, as thinking practice only.
- Should I rehearse answers?
- Adelaide discourages reciting rehearsed responses and UWA says interviewers want your own thinking. Practise explaining your reasoning out loud instead.
- Which universities interview online?
- Adelaide, Queensland, Western Sydney and Auckland publish online formats. UNSW says general-entry interviews are face to face, and Curtin's are mainly in person.
Keep reading
- UNSW medicine interview: format and dates for 2027 entryUNSW uses a structured face-to-face interview with two interviewers on the Kensington campus. How you are chosen, the form, dates and rules.
- Western Sydney University medicine MMI: format and datesWestern Sydney's online multi-mini interview gives about eight minutes per question. Four steps, dates, the academic threshold and how offers are weighted.
- MMI practice set: communicationSix original MMI-style communication scenarios with one strong approach to each: listening, plain language, difficult news and feedback.
Sources, checked 19 October 2026
- UAC: medicine key dates and pathways (external link) Universities Admissions Centre (UAC). Checked 19 October 2026.
- Adelaide University: Bachelor of Medical Studies (external link) Adelaide University. Checked 19 October 2026.
- University of Auckland: Multiple Mini Interviews (external link) University of Auckland. Checked 19 October 2026.
- Western Sydney University: general applicants (external link) Western Sydney University. Checked 19 October 2026.
- UWA: Doctor of Medicine (external link) University of Western Australia. Checked 19 October 2026.
- UQ: Doctor of Medicine entry interviews (external link) University of Queensland. Checked 19 October 2026.
Not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the UCAT ANZ Consortium.