For Otago University, there are about 290 medical school spots per year and 3 main pathways into medical school. They are Health Sciences First Year (HSFY), graduate and alternative:

This is the main pathway into medical school with around two thirds of medical school positions. You can only do HSFY once in your lifetime, and only if you have done less than 1 year of university study in the past, and you haven't done any papers similar to the papers in HSFY.

You do not need to be a high school leaver to enrol in HSFY. In fact, I started HSFY at the age of 23. Anyone can apply to do HSFY, as long as they haven't done university study prior as stated above, and meet University Entrance (UE) requirements, as outlined here. If you haven't got UE and aged 20 or over, then you can get Special Admission.

There are no subject requirements to do HSFY. However, the official University of Otago advice is that they strongly recommend studying NCEA Level 3 Physics, Chemistry and Calculus. If you have not studied physics or chemistry, then I would highly recommend doing some paid preparation prior to starting HSFY, whether it be through Te Kura correspondence school (what I did), Otago Uni's Jumpstart Physics or CHEM150, or my PHSI191 Online Prep Course. Otherwise you WILL struggle to keep up and get good grades.

Around 1,500 students start HSFY each year and a large proportion start with the goal of getting into medical school.

Roughly 200 HSFY students will get into medical school each year:
      - 80-90 get in through equity groups, which includes Māori, Pasifika, rural, socioeconomic and refugee
      - Those that are not eligible for any of the equity groups go under General category
      - 110-120 students get into medical school through General category

Your grade average (%) across your 7 best papers in HSFY will determine whether you get in, provided you achieve a minimum threshold in the UCAT. The grade average required to get into medical school will differ depending on what group you're in, generally speaking it is highest for General and lower for equity groups:
- For General, the minimum grade average to get in is about 90%

If you don't make it in through HSFY, then all hope is not lost. Keep reading to find out what the other options are.

Those that have completed a degree from a university in NZ within the last 3 years can apply for the graduate category for medical school. Again, you need to have achieved the minimum UCAT thresholds as determined by Otago Uni.

Your weighted Grade Point Average (GPA, on a 1-9 scale) will be used to determine entry, with grades in later years being more heavily weighted. The minimum GPA to get in through General category is about 8.5.

There are also equity groups for graduate entry with lower GPA cutoffs.

This is also very competitive, with 60-70 getting in through the graduate pathway each year. Usually these are individuals that didn't make it into medicine through HSFY, and so completed a degree and applied again through the graduate pathway.

This category is for those that have been in the allied health professions such as pharmacy, physio or nursing. An offer may be conditional upon completing relevant HSFY papers if they have not done these (or the equivalent) in the past, such as physics or chemistry, and passing with a miminum grade requirement.

There are no minimum academic scores for the Alternative category as the assessment is holistic, and considers academic preparedness, motivation and life experience, and includes an interview.

There are approximately 10-20 spots available through the alternative pathway.

There are 3 pathways into medical school - HSFY, graduate and alternative. Getting in through HSFY allows you to complete your medical degree with only 6 years of university, while the graduate pathway adds at least 2 more years at university. For those that are in the health professions and wanting a career change, the alternative pathway allows entry into medical school.

If you are considering starting HSFY next year and you are not confident with physics, then my A+ PHSI191 Online Course may be perfect for you. You can start at anytime, and access the course from anywhere you have an internet connection. This course will provide you with all the knowledge, as well as the problem-solving skills and exam technique to get a minimum of A+ (90% or higher) in PHSI191 guaranteed (terms and conditions apply).

In addition, you will have access to monthly live online group Q&A sessions where you can ask me questions personally. To find out more about my course, click HERE.


While I have made my best efforts to provide accurate information, they are rough estimates based on public information and anecdoctal evidence, and there may be significant changes to the admissions process in the future. I am not affiliated with the University of Otago in any way.

Further details on Otago Uni website can be found here