Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants
The Joint Medical Program welcomes applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants, and offers students a culturally supportive educational environment.
Each year, a certain number of places are set aside for admission into the Joint Medical Program for applicants of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent. Currently there are 60 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students enrolled in our degree. To date over 145 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors have graduated from our medicine program.
Applicants are required to apply through the University Admissions Centre (UAC), applications close on 30 September 2025. Applicants must establish their Indigenous status with the University of Newcastle and submit the completed Miroma Bunbilla Program application form on the University of Newcastle’s website. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants are not required to sit the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT).
Miroma Bunbilla applications open on 1 August and close on 31 October 2025. For further information please refer to the Applying as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander student page.
For further information regarding the Joint Medical Program:
Thurru Indigenous Health Unit
School of Medicine and Public Health
E: deadlydocs@newcastle.edu.au
Preparing for your university studies
The University of Newcastle and the University of New England offer tertiary preparation programs (Yapug at UON and TRACKS at UNE) to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants to develop the academic skills required for undergraduate study.
These programs are for school leavers and mature age students who want to build on their current knowledge base and prepare themselves for further studies at university. On completion of the Yapug or TRACKS program, students will be eligible to participate in the Miroma Bunbilla program.
For further support and information regarding the tertiary preparation programs:
| Thurru Indigenous Health Unit | Oorala Aboriginal Centre |
|---|---|
| The University of Newcastle 02 4921 8916 Darren.Nolan@newcastle.edu.au | University of New England Oorala Aboriginal Centre 02 6773 3034 ooralasupport@une.edu.au |
The JMP is delivered through a partnership between the University of Newcastle and the University of New England, and each year allocates 17 places for admission to applicants of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent.
Director of the Thurru Indigenous Health Unit, Professor Peter O’Mara, notes the importance of creating pathways to medicine for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
“We offer a range of support to our Indigenous students, such as through the Miroma Bunbilla Program, a specialised pre-entry pathway to our Joint Medical Program. We provide a culturally supportive environment where students can grow academically and personally.
“Our students come from across Australia to study this program and on completion of their study, they graduate ready to become part of an empowered and capable Indigenous health workforce,” Professor O’Mara said.
Miroma Bunbilla Program
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.