16 February 2024
By email
: [FYI request #25162 email]
Tēnā koe E.C
I refer to your information request dated 13 December 2023 made under the Official Information Act
1982 (the Act). You have requested:
“a distribution of the HSFY individual averages across the best 7 papers (accounting for the 8th
papers) for the top 200 domestic students only, with specified percentages. Please also exclude
those with a HSFY core paper less than 70%, and if possible, those that did not meet the UCAT
MB ChB thresholds set in 2023 for 2024 admission…
…the number of applicants for the MB ChB 2024 admission, and how many of those have
passed the UCAT thresholds set.”
By emailed dated 13 December 2023, you clarified the second part of the request to be for applicants
who applied via the Health Sciences First Year (HSFY) category, broken down by Equity Group.
Please see below our response to your request.
1. HSFY individual averages across the best 7 papers (accounting for the 8th papers) for the top
200 domestic students only, with specified percentages. Please exclude those with a HSFY
core paper less than 70%, and if possible, those that did not meet the UCAT MB ChB
thresholds set in 2023 for 2024 admission.
Subject to the following comments, please see below the information you have requested:
• The University does not hold the information to the level of detail you have requested,
specifically in relation to excluding domestic HSFY students who did not meet the MB ChB
UCAT thresholds set in 2023 for 2024 admission to the programme. Therefore, we decline this
part of your request pursuant to section 18(g) of the Act, on the basis that the information
requested is not held by the University.
• The information we have provided is the top 207 domestic student averages of students
enrolled in HSFY in 2023, with any student with a HSFY core paper mark less than 70.00
excluded. The student averages are calculated across the best 7 papers, including the HSFY
compulsory papers (CELS191, CHEM191, HUBS191, PHSI191, BIOC192, HUBS192, POPH192)
and the optional 8th papers.
o the data is limited to students specifically enrolled in the HSFY programme only.
Students enrolled in the papers under another programme (e.g., a Bachelor of
Science) are excluded from the data.
• The data is correct as at 15 February 2024.
2023 HSFY Individual Averages (top 207 domestic students,
across best seven papers including the option 8th papers,
students with a HSFY core paper mark less than 70.00 excluded)
Average Mark
Number of Students
99
1
98
14
97
19
96
24
95
22
94
26
93
20
92
25
91
31
90
25
Total
207
2. The number of applicants to the 2024 MB ChB programme via the HSFY category, broken
down by Equity Group; and the number of applicants who met the UCAT thresholds.
Subject to the following comment, please see the below table which shows the number of applicants
to the 2024 MB ChB programme via the HSFY category, broken down by Equity Group, and the
number of applicants who failed to meet the UCAT thresholds and HSFY paper requirements:
• Similar to the above, the University does not hold the information to the level of detail you
have requested, specifically in relation to the number of applicants who met the UCAT
thresholds for entry to the 2024 MB ChB programme. Therefore, we decline this part of your
request pursuant to section 18(g) of the Act on the basis that the information requested is not
held by the University. However, as an alternative, we are able to provide below the number
of applicants who failed to meet one or both of the following: UCAT thresholds or HSFY paper
requirements, broken down by Equity Group.
• It is the University’s standard practice to not report on information where it relates to fewer
than five individuals and we consider that such disclosure could affect an individual’s privacy
and wellbeing. Where the numbers are very low, there is a risk that the identity of these
individuals could be determined or inferred, and that their personal information could be
revealed. Accordingly, where there are fewer than five individuals in a particular dataset, we
have indicated using “<5” (“fewer than five”) – this is pursuant to section 9(2)(a) of the Act, in
order to protect the privacy of natural persons.
2024 MB ChB programme,
Number of applicants who failed to meet UCAT
Number of applicants
HSFY category
thresholds and/or HSFY paper requirements
General
307
72
Māori and Indigenous Pacific
<5
<5
Māori only
58
<5
Indigenous Pacific only
26
6
Socioeconomic Equity
13
<5
Refugee
39
<5
Rural
11
<5
I trust that this information will be helpful.
In the above cases, 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
Kelsey Kennard
Official Information and Compliance Coordinator
Office of the Registrar
