The Graduate Entry Medical Programme (GEMP) is a Wits route that lets suitably qualified graduates enter the third year of the MBBCh and finish undergraduate medicine in four years. It is for people who already hold a degree, not for school leavers. You need a completed Bachelor’s or BTech degree with an average of at least 70% over your final two completed years, plus specific first-year science passes. See the Wits GEMP page for the current rules.
Everything below applies to the 2027 intake at Wits. Applications for that intake closed on 30 June 2026, so the next chance to apply will be the following cycle, whose dates Wits has not yet published on the page.
Entry Requirements at a Glance
- A completed Bachelor’s or BTech degree with an average of at least 70% over your final two completed years. Diplomas and certificates are not considered, but final-year students may apply.
- 50% in first-year university Biology (full course), Physics (half course) and Chemistry (half course), completed before 30 June.
- Mathematics: 60% in matric Mathematics (NSC), or 50% in first-year university Mathematics.
- English: 60% in matric English Home Language or First Additional Language, or 50% in first-year university English.
- No National Benchmark Tests (NBT) are required for GEMP applicants.
Academic and Minimum Admission Requirements
Not every degree route has the science content in it. A Bachelor’s or BTech in any field can qualify, but only if you have also passed first-year university Biology, Physics and Chemistry at 50% or more. Check your transcript against that list before you apply.
The 70% average is a minimum, not a target. Applicants are ranked on an Academic Rating, which is the average of your final two completed years, and Wits states that acceptance is usually between 76% and 79%.
Subjects, APS and Qualification Requirements
GEMP does not use an Admission Point Score (APS). Your degree is assessed, and your matric matters only through the Mathematics and English requirements above (you can meet either with a first-year university pass instead). The prerequisite sciences are the first-year Biology, Physics and Chemistry courses described earlier.
GEMP is also not the only graduate route. The University of the Free State does not use the name GEMP, but its 2027 MBChB selection rules include a category for applicants who already hold a qualification: an NQF level 7 or higher qualification with a minimum average of 70%, completed within the minimum period plus one year. UFS enters you at the start of the MBChB, not in third year, and caps the intake at 180 students. Read the UFS 2027 MBChB selection rules if you are comparing the two.
Documents and Application Requirements
Apply online to Wits for the third year of the MBBCh (degree code MFA00, year of study 3). Wits lists these documents:
- The completed application
- A certified copy of your degree certificate, if you have completed the degree
- A certified academic transcript
- A certified matric or final school certificate
- Proof that you paid the application fee (the page does not state the amount, so check the amount when you apply)
International applicants who studied in a language other than English need an IELTS result, and the Wits page gives both 7 and 8 for the language requirement in different places, so confirm the required score with Wits. You must also meet immigration requirements before registration.
Selection, Intake and Eligibility Considerations
Applications for the 2027 intake opened on 1 March 2026 and closed on 30 June 2026, with no late applications. The Wits page does not yet list 2028 dates, so check it before you plan your next application.
Selection happens in two steps. Wits ranks applicants on the Academic Rating and invites a group to write the Wits Additional Placement Test (WAPT). The WAPT is pass or fail and covers Human Anatomy, Human Physiology and Molecular Medicine. You must pass each component separately, and Wits charges an administration fee of R200. The 2026 test was set for 7 September 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is GEMP?
GEMP is the Graduate Entry Medical Programme at Wits. It admits suitably qualified graduates into the third year of the MBBCh so they complete undergraduate medicine in four years.
Does any degree qualify me?
Any Bachelor’s or BTech degree can qualify if your average over the final two completed years is at least 70% and you have passed first-year Biology, Physics and Chemistry at 50% each. Diplomas and certificates are not considered.
Does my matric result matter?
Only for Mathematics and English. You need 60% in matric Mathematics (or 50% in first-year university Mathematics) and 60% in matric English (or 50% in first-year university English).
Do I need to write the NBT for GEMP?
No. GEMP applicants are not required to write the NBT. Invited applicants write the WAPT instead.
Is there a GEMP at UFS?
The UFS pages do not use the name GEMP. UFS has an applicant category for graduates in its 2027 MBChB selection rules, with a 70% minimum average for an NQF level 7 or higher qualification, and a closing date at the end of May. It is an entry to the MBChB, not a third-year entry. Confirm the details with UFS.
Can I still apply for 2027?
No. Wits closed GEMP applications for the 2027 intake on 30 June 2026. Watch the Wits page for the next cycle.
Confirm current rules, dates and fees with the Wits undergraduate admissions office. See admission requirements and browse all education requirements.