Overseas Postgrad Application 2011 Entry

[DanJam89]

Hi all,

I am English and currently studying Anatomy at The University of Manchester. My application for 2010 entry has been unsuccessful but I'm not giving up just yet! After my year out doing work wherever I can I was thinking of applying "overseas" to Ireland... are there any different qualifications or criteria that I should take into account and if I do apply in Ireland (or NI), would that be by a separate application process to England/ UK?

Also are there separate application procedures for undergrad and postgrad entry? I have 5* 4A B C at GCSE and ABB at A-level, hopefully I'll get a 2:1 degree, and would there be any admissions tests to consider; UKCAT, BMAT, GAMSAT etc?

I'm really not sure where to start with this, so if anyone could give me any advice it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much in advance!

[LV1]

Hey Dude, for Irish Graduate Entry to Med, you need 2:1 in your degree and a Gamsat score meeting
the lowest target score for entry to the Irish uni's. For now 4 Irish uni's have Graduate Entry courses
UCD, UCC, UL and RCSI, if you google any of them, coupled with "Grad Med" you should get info on the
courses, With regards the undergrad med, you can use your A levels but you might need to take a test called
the H-pat, which is basically a milder version of the Gamsat. Hope this helps a little, sorry too tired to
write more stuff,but if you've anymore Q's I'll try get some info back to you!!

LV1

[DanJam89]

Hey thanks for getting back to me so quickly! I've heard that the GAMSAT is pretty similar to cat AIDS or something and I don't think I could put myself through that if it's possible to avoid it! The HPAT looks OK, seems to be just the UKCAT alternative, but would I have to fly over to sit it?

I noticed you said the GAMSAT is for postgrad entry, but how about undergrad entry? I'll have a look at some of the unis you've suggested though. And when you have a sec could you please tell me what you know about the applications process? Here we go via UCAS, but I'm not sure if that's the UK or just England. Anyway, they only allow you to apply to four med schools, but I was thinking I could put in a separate application to the Irish equivalent (would that include NI too?)

[veg]

Hiya, okay heres the craic with applying to Ireland: you apply before the 1st of feb thru the cao.ie website-pretty straight forward application but do is early as site often fails around the end of jan! -also cheaper is you get in early! so there is 5 places you can do undergrad med. here-tcd, ucd, ucc, nuig and rcsi for the 5/6 year programme am unsure of the A level requirements for these but def would have to have science subjects. all of these require you to do the HPAT which you can sit in london (i think not too sure) or dublin and other places around ireland-warning this is te HPAT-Ireland you need and there is a different version of this HPAT-ulster/NI you need for the north. You do the HPAT-ireland some date in feb(fix date and only 1 day a yr you can do it) and then its a combination of this score and you leaving points/a level points that secure you a place for the undergrad course. as you have a degree fees for the undergrad med. course are around 8grand a year (for home/EU ppl) As for northern ireland/queens for medicine you apply for this like the rest of the uk course thru ucas.

grad. medicine four year course is available in 4 places, ucc, ul, rcsi, ucd and again you apply thru the CAO. you have to have a 2:1 or 1st for this and then it is SOLELY on you GAMSAT score that you secure a place in for the grad. med coure-and its only your overall score that matters to get you in! but be warned that the fees for grad. med. here are a amazing €12,500 a year and increasing year on year so its a major financial commitment to do the grad. med. course here-also very expansive to live in dublin were ucd and rcsi are.


okay hope that answers most of you questions

one last point the CAO application you have to list you course in order of preference and therefore you only get one offer (if at all!) here unlike the ucas so be VERY carefull how you list them as this has caused many problems for ppl before!

[DanJam89]

Thank you so much, I've skim read all that and I'll have another look later. You seem like you really know your stuff, so I have to ask. I was looking at Trinity, Dublin, and saw the entry requirements were B and C in two of Biology/ Chemistry/ Physics and B at maths GCSE... Surely this can't be right? The requirements in England are typically an absolute minimum of AAB at A level. Am I completely misunderstanding something? Apologies in advance haha

Also, it asks for English, Irish (but not for overseas students) and a third language! I only took French to GCSE so what exactly do they expect with respect to this? Is it to ensure that foreign students are genuinely foreign and not doing what I'm planning on doing?

[veg]

okay with regard to grades the b/c in science subjects are the min. requirement and therefore successfull canidates usually have much higher grades and for medicine usually all A's at a levels .

yes unfortunately here, for some strange reseason, you do have english, irish (only if you are irish!) and french/other language to get into college-its a requirement for most/if not all courses-you see here we all have to do english irish and other lang. at both junior and leaving cert. level. i believe that you have to have english to at least gcse level to be accepted here. I say the only thing you can do is contact the colleges admin dep. and see if they can accept the subjects you have.

[DanJam89]

Will do, thanks very much for your advice!