GEMP at Wits: Requirements, WAPT, Dates and Your Chances (2027 Guide)
10.10.2026
Short answer
GEMP at Wits explained: 70% minimum average, science prerequisites, the WAPT with three components, the 30 June deadline and what to do if you get no place.
GEMP at Wits
In short: The Graduate Entry Medical Programme (GEMP) of the University of the Witwatersrand admits graduates into the third year of the six-year MBBCh degree. Students finish medicine in four years and then enter internship and community service. The application counts as an undergraduate application.
On the Wits application you choose the third year of study of the MBBCh. The MBBCh remains an undergraduate qualification, even though you already hold a degree.
GEMP requirements
In short: The GEMP requires a completed Bachelor's or Bachelor of Technology degree with an average of at least 70% over the final two years, first-year university Biology, Physics and Chemistry at 50% each, and Mathematics and English at 60% in matric. The National Benchmark Test is not required.
| Requirement | Minimum for the 2027 intake |
|---|---|
| First degree | Bachelor's or BTech, average of at least 70% over the final two completed years. Final-year students may apply |
| Biology | 50% in a full first-year university course. Anatomy, Physiology or Zoology are considered |
| Physics and Chemistry | 50% each in a first-year university half course |
| Mathematics | 60% in NSC Mathematics, or 50% in a full first-year university course |
| English | 60% in NSC English, or 50% in a full first-year university course |
National Diplomas and certificates do not qualify. The science, Mathematics and English prerequisites must be completed before the closing date of 30 June. Graduates who lack Biology, Physics or Chemistry can take them as occasional studies at a South African university. Those marks do not count towards the admissions score.
The WAPT
In short: The Wits Additional Placement Test (WAPT) is written once a year by invited applicants. It covers Human Anatomy, Human Physiology and Molecular Medicine, the content of the second MBBCh year. Candidates must pass each of the three components. The administrative fee is R200.
You prepare by self-study. Wits publishes the learning objectives and sample questions, and the best time to start is the day the application is submitted. For the 2026 test, every applicant who met the minimum criteria and had a 70% average was invited. The test was written on 7 September 2026, and there is no second date.
The WAPT is pass or fail. A pass does not add points and does not guarantee a place. A fail in one component ends the application for that year. Results from the two previous years remain valid if all three components were passed.
Selection and chances
After the WAPT, Wits ranks the remaining applicants by Academic Rating, the average of the final two years of the prior degree, with extra points for postgraduate studies. Final transcripts are due by 15 December. Then the faculty counts the seats.
There is no fixed number of GEMP places. The seats depend on how many students move up from MBBCh 2 and how many repeat the first GEMP year. The minimum is 70%, and the threshold for acceptance is usually between 76 and 79%.
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Request a free consultationGEMP dates
- 1 March 2026: applications for the 2027 intake open
- 30 June 2026: closing date. Late applications are not considered
- 7 September 2026: WAPT
- 15 December 2026: deadline for final academic transcripts
- January 2027: start of the academic year
Applications for the 2028 intake follow once Wits publishes the new dates. Check the Wits GEMP page in early 2027.
No GEMP place
In short: Graduates without a GEMP place can reapply the following year or study medicine in English at a university abroad. Tuition at European medical schools ranges from €3,500 to €10,000 a year in 2026. The academic year abroad starts in September or October.
A graduate with a 72% average has met the Wits minimum and will most likely not be ranked high enough. At our partner universities abroad there is no ranking list of this kind, and we place graduates there reliably. Whether a university credits parts of your BSc depends on your subjects and marks, and we check that with your transcript in the consultation.
Countries and costs are in our guide to studying medicine abroad from South Africa. The return through the board examination is in the HPCSA guide. All routes side by side are in how to become a doctor in South Africa. South African applicants reach us fastest through the South Africa page.
The author's view
I started dental medicine in Sofia at 24, in 2015, and graduated in 2021. Starting later than the school leavers cost me nothing I still notice today.
My view: a BSc is a strong starting position. Use it for the GEMP application and, in the same year, for a university that gives you a start date.
Summary
The GEMP at Wits takes graduates into the third year of the MBBCh. You need a 70% average, first-year Biology, Physics and Chemistry, a pass in all three WAPT components and a rank high enough for a variable number of seats. The usual threshold is 76 to 79%.
Conclusion
Apply for the GEMP if your average carries it, and line up a university abroad for the same year. Request your free consultation.
GEMP at Wits: 7 questions and answers
What is the GEMP at Wits?
The Graduate Entry Medical Programme admits graduates into the third year of the MBBCh at the University of the Witwatersrand. Medicine then takes four years.
What are the GEMP requirements?
A completed Bachelor's or BTech degree with an average of at least 70% over the final two years, first-year university Biology, Physics and Chemistry at 50% each, and Mathematics and English at 60% in matric or 50% at first-year university level.
What is the WAPT?
The Wits Additional Placement Test, written once a year by invited applicants. It covers Human Anatomy, Human Physiology and Molecular Medicine, and each component must be passed.
When do GEMP applications close?
On 30 June of the year before the intake. For the 2027 intake applications ran from 1 March to 30 June 2026.
How many places does the GEMP have?
There is no fixed number. The seats depend on how many students proceed from MBBCh 2 and how many repeat the first GEMP year.
What average do I need to get into the GEMP?
The minimum is 70%. The threshold for acceptance is usually between 76 and 79%.
Do I need the NBT for the GEMP?
No. Applicants to the GEMP are not required to write the National Benchmark Test.
Further reading
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About the author
Marcel Kloos
Founder and owner of Medschool Experts, federally recognised dentist
Marcel Kloos is the founder and owner of Medschool Experts, a placement agency for medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and pharmacy degrees abroad. Since 2021 the team has secured more than 500 study places at 25+ partner universities in Europe and worldwide.
Study medicine abroad: Marcel's own path
Born in Stuttgart, Marcel started his degree late: at 24 he enrolled at the Medical University of Sofia, Faculty of Dental Medicine, and graduated in 2021 from the English-language programme. He went through the same steps his clients face today — nostrification of school certificates, entrance interviews, finding a flat in Sofia and later the recognition of a foreign degree. He is a federally recognised dentist.
What Marcel does at Medschool Experts
Today Marcel lives in Bern and runs Medschool Experts full-time. He visits every partner university in person, negotiates placement agreements directly with faculties and deans, and leads the free consultations in which applicants learn at which university they can start next semester. His YouTube channel on studying medicine abroad has helped thousands of applicants compare universities, costs and recognition.
Topics Marcel writes about
- Study medicine abroad independent of your high school diploma grades: universities, costs and admission
- Study dentistry, veterinary medicine or pharmacy in Europe in English
- Tuition fees and living costs at medical schools in Europe and worldwide
- Recognition of foreign medical degrees in the EU, Switzerland, the UK and the US
- Transferring between medical schools and returning home into a higher semester
All articles by Marcel Kloos are based on first-hand visits to the universities and conversations with current students. Book a free consultation to discuss your own path.
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