CDU’s first medical school delayed to 2026, students offered refunds
Prospective CDU students have been offered refunds after a national body forced the Territory’s first medical school to delay its first intake. Find out why.
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The Northern Territory’s first medical school has been met with delays after a national body blocked its accreditation for a further 12 months.
The Charles Darwin University medical program will take its first intake of students in 2026 – not 2025, as previously announced in August.
It pushes the program’s start date back in line with the university’s original timeline.
CDU School of Medicine Foundation Dean Professor Dianne Stephens said the CDU Menzies Medical Program had been awaiting external accreditation from the Australian Medical Council.
Dr Stephens said she was “disappointed” the students could not enrol in the program as soon as planned, but accepted the final tick of approval was withheld to make sure the program’s introduction went smoothly.
“The committee stated that while there was remarkable progress made in preparation for the medical program to begin in 2025, it decided to delay accreditation to allow more time to train the academic workforce, finalise pathways for student placements, and ensure the infrastructure is fully in place for regional and remote delivery,” Dr Stephens said.
“There were 247 applicants who listed CDU as their first or only preference and paid application fees for the 20 places offered.
“Where applicable, application fees that were paid will be refunded.”
In an email circulated to students, the university outlined the cause of the program’s delays and the options students had available, including adding a different course preference at CDU or another institution or a refund where applicable.
CDU Vice-Chancellor and President Scott Bowman, in a message to staff, said the extra planning time would ensure the course becomes “one of the most relevant and tailored medical programs in the country”.
“It also means the first cohort of the CDU Menzies Medical Program will begin in the new state-of-the-art Better Health Futures building, which is due for completion in 2025,” he said.
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