29 March 2023
Emma McKay
By email:
[FYI request #21948 email]
Kia ora Emma
I refer to your information request dated 1 March 2023 made under the Official Information Act
1982 (the Act). You have requested:
“admission statistics for applicants to the 2023 MB ChB intake at the University of Otago.
•
The minimum academic score for all offers, for each of the six categories, split by the
entry pathways (HSFY, graduate and alternate),
•
The number of offers made for each of the six categories, for each entry pathway,
•
The median academic score for all offers, for each of the six categories for each entry
pathway and,
•
The number of students admitted through each category for each entry pathway.”
Subject to the following comment, please see below the information you have requested.
• For privacy and well-being reasons, it is the University’s standard practice to not report on
numbers where those numbers are below 5. Where the numbers are very low, there is a risk
that the identity of those individuals can be determined/inferred, and that their personal
information could be revealed. We therefore withhold this information pursuant to section
9(2)(a) of the Act. Accordingly, numbers with fewer than 5 individuals are reported as “<5”
(fewer than 5).
1.
The minimum academic score for all offers, for each of the six categories, split by the entry
pathways (HSFY, graduate and alternate)
2.
The number of offers made for each of the six categories, for each entry pathway
3.
The median academic score for all offers, for each of the six categories for each entry
pathway and
Please see table below which answers questions 1, 2, and 3.
Please note that:
• the references to “minimum” in the table relate to the lowest grades obtained by
the students offered a place;
• applicants can be eligible for multiple equity sub-categories, and some applicants
are therefore represented by multiple cells. This also means that the numbers
reported may not be representative of the lowest grade obtained by students
offered a place for an application assessed on one equity sub-category exclusively
;
• there are no minimum or median academic scores for the Alternative category as
the assessment is holistic, and considers academic preparedness, motivation and
life experience, and includes an interview;
• The table does not include any data relating to international students.
Sub-category
HSFY
Graduate
Alternative
General
123 offers, 89.43
25 offers, 8.43 minimum,
7 offers
minimum, 94.14 median
9.08 median
Pacific
18 offers, 70.29
15 offers, 4.6 minimum,
<5 offers
minimum, 75.71 median
5.75 median
Māori
36 offers, 70.29
12 offers, 4.73 minimum,
<5 offers
minimum, 81.14 median
5.71 median
Refugee
8 offers, 73.86 minimum,
6 offers, 4.95 minimum,
<5 offers
82.15 median
5.48 median
Rural
26 offers, 71.57
12 offers, 4.84 minimum,
<5 offers
minimum, 91.00 median
7.25 median
Socioeconomic 12 offers, 70.29
9 offers, 4.43 minimum,
0 offers
minimum, 79 median
5.48 median
4.
The number of students admitted through each category for each entry pathway
Please see tables below which provide the number of students admitted to the Bachelor of
Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MB ChB) programme for the 2023 intake by category and
sub-category. The data is accurate as of 22 February 2023 and may not reflect admission
changes made after that date.
Admission Category
Admission Sub-category
Number of Students
HSFY
General
108
Indigenous Pacific
11
Māori
32
Refugee
7
Rural
23
Socio-economic Equity
9
HSFY Total
195
Admission Category
Admission Sub-category
Number of Students
Graduate
General
20
Indigenous Pacific
5
Māori
12
Refugee
6
Rural
12
Socio-economic Equity
5
Graduate Total
61
2
Admission Category
Admission Sub-category
Number of Students
Alternative
General
12
Indigenous Pacific
<5
Māori
<5
Refugee
<5
Rural
<5
Alternative Total
20
I trust that this information will be helpful.
In the above case, we consider that good reasons exist for withholding information, and this is not
outweighed by other considerations which would make it desirable, in the public interest, to make
the information available.
If you are not satisfied with our response to your information request, section 28(3) of the Act
provides you with the right to ask an Ombudsman to investigate and review this response. However,
we would welcome the opportunity to discuss any concerns with you first.
Ngā mihi
Jenny Shaw
Official Information and Compliance Coordinator
Office of the Registrar
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