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What
is the UMAT?
Do
I need to sit the UMAT?
Do
I need to train for the UMAT?
Can
I sit the UMAT more than once?
How
do I register for the UMAT?
What
is ACER?
How
much does it cost to sit the UMAT?
When
do I need to register for the UMAT?
I
have missed the UMAT registration closing date. Can I still sit
the UMAT?
I hear that the UMAT is hard, so why shouldn't I pursue the graduate medical entry route?
Where
can I get more information about the UMAT?
The UMAT is the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test. For more information about the UMAT, you can download our information sheet from the free downloads page.
You will need to sit the UMAT if you are interested in any of the following university courses:
• University of Adelaide (Medicine, Dental Surgery) • University of Newcastle (Medicine) • University of New South Wales (Medicine, Optometry) • University of Western Sydney (Medicine) • Bond University (Medicine) • Griffith University (Dental Science, Dental Technology, Oral Health in Dental and Oral therapy, Medical Science) • University of Queensland (Medicine - conditional entry, Dental Science) • University of Melbourne (Medicine - conditional entry, Dental Science, Physiotherapy, Oral Health Therapy or Hygiene, Optometry)
• Monash University (Medicine, Pharmacy, Pharmacy/Commerce, Physiotherapy) • University of Tasmania (Medicine) • University of Western Australia (Medicine, Dental Science) • University of Auckland (Medicine) • University of Otago (Medicine, Medical Laboratory Science, Dental Surgery, Physiotherapy)
Do I need to train for the UMAT?
Yes! Even high achieving students stumble in the UMAT. Some students with perfect year 12 scores (99.95 / OP 1) have missed out on a place in medicine and related courses due to their low UMAT scores. In some cases, your UMAT score is more important than your year 12 score in securing a place in the health sciences.
Research shows training can significantly improve UMAT score by familiarizing you with the types of questions that will be asked and developing strategies to tackle them. Even ACER now admits that training for UMAT helps.
An all-too-common fallacy about preparing for UMAT is that all you need to do is 'familiarise' yourself with the test by doing some practice questions. That's like saying the way to become a great basketball player is to familiarise yourself with a basketball court and practice taking a few shots.
Once upon a time, people were wrong. They thought that the automobile was an electric death-trap that would never replace the horse and carriage, computers were only for academic nerds, and people who used tuition were simply cheaters. Then, cars stopped exploding every time you started the engine, people realised that you could use computers for more than just calculating the digits of pi, and the 'cheaters' with the tuition... well, they started getting it. They got better grades, got into better universities and just plain old got better. Times change, rules change.
"Kids take prep courses to ace tests that are supposed to measure inborn aptitude," (page 100, Time Magazine, December 20, 2004).
Start preparing now!
Can I sit the UMAT more than once?
If you have not been successful the first time you sit the UMAT, you can re-sit it without being penalised. However, universities will use your most recent results when considering your application. UMAT scores are valid for two years.
How do I register for the UMAT?
You can register for the UMAT online at http://umatweb.acer.edu.au. Registrations for UMAT open in early April each year.
ACER is the Australian Council for Educational Research; an organization that administers the UMAT. You will need to contact ACER to register for the UMAT. Please visit http://umatweb.acer.edu.au for more information.
How much does it cost to sit the UMAT?
The registration fee is $160. If you are eligible for a concession, the registration fee is $70.
When do I need to register for the UMAT?
The deadline for registration is in early June each year. This year, registration closes on Friday 6 June.
I have missed the UMAT registration closing date. Can I still sit the UMAT?
You can still sit the UMAT as long as you register before Friday 20 June. However, you will need to pay an additional late fee of $55.
I hear that the UMAT is hard, so why shouldn't I pursue the graduate medical entry route?
The graduate medicine entry route requires that you complete a degree first before applying for Medicine. This means studying hard for an additional 3 or 4 years (and paying the fees), with no guarantee of getting into Medicine. You also need to sit a test called the GAMSAT, which is a six hour test (compare this with UMAT which is a two and half hour test) as well as doing well in the interview. The GAMSAT has been described by most people as "the most horrible thing I've ever had to do in my life". Do not make the mistake of thinking that if you do a Biomedicine or Biosciences degree, you will automatically be offered a place in Medicine. If you miss out on a place in Medicine, you may end up with a degree that is not useful for your future, and a waste of several years.
Where can I get more information about the UMAT?
For more information on the UMAT, you can visit the ACER website at http://umatweb.acer.edu.au