The Going Rural Health Student Support Scheme has been developed to support students with the associated costs of accommodation and travel when completing a clinical placement in a rural setting Hume, Ovens, Murray, Goulburn, Ballarat and Grampians regions.

A payment of up to $200* per week for your placement may be available.

Travel and Accommodation Support Scheme (100km or more to placement location)

Where a student needs to travel 100km’s or more to the location of their clinical placement and requires assistance with travel and accommodation costs.
Eligible students can apply for $200/per week of placement, capped at $2500.

• Students have had to travel a minimum of 100 km’s to arrive at the location for clinical placement.
• Be an Australian citizen or resident, New Zealand resident or have refugee status.
• Enrolled in a nationally recognised nursing, allied health or other health science undergraduate or postgraduate degree at an Australian university.  (This includes Aboriginal Health Workers, Audiology, Dentistry, Dietetics, Exercise Physiology, Medical Radiation, Midwifery, Nursing, Nutrition, Occupational Therapy, Optometry, Oral Health, Physiotherapy, Podiatry, Public Health, Social Work, Speech Pathology etc.)
• Clinical placement is for a minimum of 4 full time weeks.  This can be a combination of 1 or more clinical placements, so long as the placements are continuous, and that combined they meet a minimum of 4 weeks in length.
• Submit Proof of Placement form at the completion of their placement.
• Adhere to our policy guidelines and the policy guidelines of the clinical placement host at all times.
• Register all details with the Going Rural Health team either prior to, during or within 60 days of completion of your clinical placement.
• Successfully complete clinical placement requirement and length.
• Complete the Rural Health Student Placement Survey within 60 days of completion of your placement.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students:

• Students who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander can apply for placement with a minimum of 2 full time weeks.  This can be a combination of 1 or more clinical placements, so long as the placements are continuous, and that combined they meet a minimum of 2 weeks in length.
• Students are required to have either their residential address or placement address within our UDRH footprint area (Hume, Ovens, Murray, Goulburn, Ballarat and Grampians regions).
• Student mentoring is also available for students.

Travel Support Scheme (50-100kms to placement location)

Where a student needs to travel between 50 to 100km’s to the location of their clinical placement and requires assistance with travel costs.
Eligible students can apply for $100/per week of placement, capped at $2500.

• Students have had to travel a minimum of 50 km’s and up to 100 km’s to arrive at the location for clinical placement.
• Be an Australian citizen or resident, New Zealand resident or have refugee status.
• Enrolled in a nationally recognised nursing, allied health or other health science undergraduate or postgraduate degree at an Australian university.  (This includes Aboriginal Health Workers, Audiology, Dentistry, Dietetics, Exercise Physiology, Medical Radiation, Midwifery, Nursing, Nutrition, Occupational Therapy, Optometry, Oral Health, Physiotherapy, Podiatry, Public Health, Social Work, Speech Pathology etc.).
• Clinical placement is for a minimum of 4 full time weeks.  This can be a combination of 1 or more clinical placements, so long as the placements are continuous, and that combined they meet a minimum of 4 weeks in length.
• Submit Proof of Placement form at the completion of their placement.
• Adhere to our policy guidelines and the policy guidelines of the clinical placement host at all times.
• Register all details with the Going Rural Health team either prior to, during or within 60 days of completion of your clinical placement.
• Successfully complete clinical placement requirement and length.
• Complete the Rural Health Student Placement Survey within 60 days of completion of your placement.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students:

• Students who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander can apply for placement with a minimum of 2 full time weeks.  This can be a combination of 1 or more clinical placements, so long as the placements are continuous, and that combined they meet a minimum of 2 weeks in length.
• Students are required to have either their residential address or placement address within our UDRH footprint area (Hume, Ovens, Murray, Goulburn, Ballarat and Grampians regions).
• Student mentoring is also available for students.

Students meeting any of the following criteria, are not eligible to apply for this support scheme:

• Federation University students are to apply for financial support via the Kickstart program.
• Have received financial assistance or scholarships from other organisations including SARRAH to support your clinical placement costs
• International fee paying students (students from New Zealand or who have refugee status are eligible to apply).
• Completing placement in Melbourne metro or Geelong regions.

Payment will be made via bank transfer and may take up to 8 weeks to be issued after receipt of all required documentation and completion of clinical placement.

Students are to register no later than the 1^st of December for Clinical Placements in the same calendar year.  Following placement completion, the Rural Health Student Placement Survey and Proof of Placement Completion are to be submitted within 60 days.

The Going Rural Health team reserves the right to not award an allowance even if a student believes they meet all the eligibility criteria.

For further information contact the Going Rural Health team via email: going-ruralhealth@unimelb.edu.au

*As of 15th February 2018, applications received must meet the minimum placement length of four weeks to be eligible.  (Aboriginal and Torre Strait Islander students applications will remain at two weeks).