Do you dream of being a dentist, dental technician, oral health therapist, medical laboratory scientist, doctor, pharmacist, physiotherapist or a radiation therapist? If so, then one of our Health Sciences professional programmes might be right for you.
The Health Sciences professional programmes are:
- Dental Technology
- Dentistry
- Medical Laboratory Science
- Medicine
- Oral Health
- Pharmacy
- Physiotherapy
- Radiation Therapy
Please consult the pages above for Guidelines for Admission and information about supporting documentation required for each professional programme, in order to ensure that you submit the correct documentation with your application.
Please contact AskOtago for further guidance on applying for admission into one of the Health Sciences professional programmes.
Changes affecting admissions to Health Sciences Professional Programmes
Admission changes
It is important to be aware of any admission changes prior to submitting an application. Highlighted below are some changes that may affect your application to the Health Sciences Professional Programmes. These changes should also be read in conjunction with the Guidelines for Admission.
Health Sciences Admissions are available to assist with any queries relating to these changes.
UCAT no longer required for Dentistry
UCAT is no longer required for Dentistry in 2024 for intake into the programme in 2025. All interviews for dentistry are expected to be held in October.
Change to prescribed courses for Dentistry
On 29 August 2023, the Dentistry guidelines were updated to reflect the current regulation that successful applicants in the Graduate or Alternative categories who have not completed the HSFY papers or equivalent will be required to complete a prescribed course of study before being admitted to second-year Dentistry.
Changes to scoring for ‘Two or More Years’ and ‘Graduate’ categories
Since 2019, there have been changes to admissions scoring for entry to some of the Health Sciences professional programmes.
Only the following categories are affected:
- Two or More Years of Study – Changes that were introduced in 2019 (for entry from 2020 onwards)
- Graduate category – Changes that were introduced in 2020 (for entry from 2021 onwards)
Changes to scoring for admission categories provides more information.
Changes to UMAT
Since 2019, UMAT is not used for admission to Medicine and Dentistry. This test was replaced by University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) for applicants applying for entry into Medicine.
ucat.edu.au provides more information.
Te Kauae Parāoa
Te Kauae Parāoa is the policy on admissions for domestic students to the health professional programmes offered by the Division of Health Sciences. This policy supersedes the former Mirror on Society Selection Policy.
Te Kauae Parāoa promotes and facilitates equity for students from underrepresented priority groups with the aim to produce a workforce that represents the communities it serves to improve health outcomes for all.
It is hoped this policy will continue to promote and facilitate equity for students from underrepresented priority groups, including: Māori, Pacific, rural, socioeconomic and refugee background.