11 July 2022
By email:
[FYI request #19646 email]
Dear Whom it May Concern
We refer to your information request dated 11 June 2022 made under the Official Information Act
1982. You have requested information regarding admission into the 2022 MB ChB and BDS
programmes at the University of Otago via the Graduate category.
We set out our responses to each of your questions below.
What are the grade statistics for Graduate general entry including the mean, median,
upper quartile, lower quartile, maximum and minimum GPA?
Please see the below GPA statistics for applicants who received offers to enter the 2022 MB ChB
programme via the Graduate general category:
• Mean – 9.02
• Median – 8.98
• Lower quartile – 8.75
• Upper quartile – 9.25
• Highest weighted GPA to receive an offer – 9.70
• Minimum weighted GPA to receive an offer – 8.59
Please see the below GPA statistics for applicants who received offers to enter the 2022 BDS
programme via the Graduate general category:
• Mean – 8.67
• Median – 8.40
• Lower quartile – 8.27
• Upper quartile – 9.13
• Highest weighted GPA to receive an offer – 9.53
• Minimum weighted GPA to receive an offer – 8.13
What are the thresholds used for the UCAT test?
UCAT threshold for entry to the 2022 MB ChB programme:
The MB ChB UCAT selection criteria is set annually by the University’s Medical Admissions
Committee. For entry to the 2022 MB ChB programme, the thresholds were set as follows:
• Situational Judgement: threshold set above the bottom 10th percentile (scores in the top
89% met the threshold)
• Verbal Reasoning: threshold set at the bottom 20th percentile (scores in the top 80% met the
threshold)
• Scores for Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning and Abstract Reasoning were not
considered.
UCAT threshold for entry to the 2022 BDS programme:
The BDS UCAT criteria is set annually by the University’s Dental Admissions Committee. For entry to
the 2022 BDS programme, the thresholds were set as follows:
• Decision Making: score of 630 or above met the threshold
• Verbal Reasoning: threshold set at the bottom 22nd percentile (scores in the top 78% met the
threshold)
• Scores for Situational Judgement, Quantitative Reasoning and Abstract Reasoning were not
considered.
Has the GPA been influenced by the COVID-related grade bumps and online exams over the
2022 – 2022 period?
The University of Otago has accounted for disruptions created by COVID-19 by introducing grade
increases for papers and/or assessments completed under lockdown. These include:
• 5 mark increase to final grades for papers completed in Semester 1 2020;
• Final grades of 47, 48 or 49 bumped up to 50 (pass) for papers completed in Semester 2
2020;
• 5 mark increase to students in full year papers to each of their assessments completed in
Semester 1 2020; and
• 5 mark increase to eligible internal assessments completed or submitted between 18 August
2021 and 27 August 2021.
We note that these grade increases will have only been applied to Graduate category applicants who
studied at the University of Otago. Graduate category applicants from other Universities may or may
not have had grade increases for papers and/or assessments completed under COVID conditions.
Which universities did the Graduate entry applicants come from, and what type of degrees
were used to apply for entry over the 2020 – 2022 period?
With regards to the information you have requested – specifically which universities Graduate
category applicants came from, and the type of degrees used to apply for entry – given the resource
involved in supply of this information we have decided to refuse this part of your request as it would
require substantial staff time to research and collate. Many applicant records do not have the
information you have requested attached to them, so it would require extensive staff time to
manually search through each application to collate the information. Unfortunately, this is not
practically possible. Our decision is made pursuant to section 18(f) of the Act on the basis that the
information requested cannot be made available without substantial collation or research.
We considered whether fixing a charge would be appropriate – however, given how long it would
take our staff to collate the information, and that it is not practically possible for these staff
members to allocate their time towards such a request, we decided that fixing a charge was not an
appropriate or pragmatic solution.
However, in case it is helpful, the University accepts applications to the MB ChB and BDS
programmes via the Graduate category from those who have completed (normally in the minimum
academic time and within three years of the date of application) the requirements of a degree
awarded by a university in New Zealand. No preference is given to degree qualification or major
subject. More information on the Graduate category can be found at the respective guidelines for
admission for each programme:
• MB ChB:
https://www.otago.ac.nz/healthsciences/students/professional/medicine/#graduate • BD
S: https://www.otago.ac.nz/healthsciences/students/professional/dentistry/#graduate-category
I trust that this information will be helpful.
I note your right to seek a review of these decisions via a complaint to an Ombudsman. However, we
would welcome the opportunity to discuss any concerns with you first.
Yours sincerely
Kelsey Kennard
Official Information and Compliance Coordinator
Office of the Registrar
