The Going Rural Health Student Support Scheme has been developed to assist students with the associated costs of accommodation and travel when completing a clinical placement in a rural setting across Hume, Ovens, Murray, Goulburn, Ballarat and Grampians regions (see the map below for more information on the locations of these regions).

For eligible students, either a payment of up to $200* per week (capped at $2,500) OR subsidised accommodation (at selected University of Melbourne accommodation sites – subject to availability) may be offered.

*The level of funding provided will be dependent on; 

  • distance travelled from home address to placement site.
  • rurality of placement (placements in smaller rural towns will attract more funding).

Students are to apply/register no later than the 1st of December for Clinical Placements in the same calendar year.

Please note, it may take up to 6 weeks for your initial application to be reviewed. An email pertaining the outcome of your application will be sent once it has been assessed. In our experience this email often goes to junk mail so please keep an eye out for it there.

If your application has been successful, 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.

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

 

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Complete clinical placement within our footprint (refer to map below).
  • Travel a minimum of 50km one way from home address to placement site.
  • 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, 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.
  • 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 30 days of completion of your clinical placement.
  • Successfully complete clinical placement requirement and length.
  • Submit Proof of Placement form and complete the Rural Health Student Placement Survey within 30 days of completion of your placement.

 

University of Melbourne Students

All of the above eligibility criteria apply to UoM students completing placement with the exception of;

  • placement must be a minimum of 3 full-time weeks.

 

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).

Mentoring

  • An Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander health professional, where possible of the same discipline, is available to mentor ATSI students through the clinical placement process. Please contact going-ruralhealth@unimelb.edu.au for more details.

 

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 (scholarships office).
  • Students who have received financial assistance or scholarships from other organisations including RWAV to support your clinical placement costs.
  • Students who are completing a placement as a paid Intern.
  • International fee paying students (students from New Zealand or who have refugee status are eligible to apply).
  • Students who are completing placement in Melbourne metro or Geelong regions.

 

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