I have been living in a rural area for 3 years to date and intend on residing here for a total of 5 years. Am I eligible for the Rural Access Scheme?
No. To be eligible for the Rural Access Scheme, you must meet the criteria of having lived rurally for five consecutive years or ten years cumulatively at the time of applying. Future dates will not be accepted.
I am planning to move rurally at the end of the year. Can I apply for the Rural Access Scheme?
No. The rural residence claimed must be your current or previous primary residence and cannot include future places of residence. To be eligible, you must be able to provide evidence that you have lived in a rural area for five years consecutively or ten years cumulatively.
I live in Brisbane, but my family has a property in a rural area which we visit a few times a year. Can I apply for the Rural Access Scheme?
No. Holiday homes, investment properties and secondary residences do not qualify. The Rural Access Scheme is assessed based on your primary residence only.
Do I get additional consideration if I have lived in a rural area for longer compared to other applicants?
No. All applicants meeting the minimum eligibility requirements of five years consecutively or ten years cumulatively are considered equally regardless of the amount of time spent in a rural area.
I can’t find my address on the Health Workforce Locator; how can I check if I am eligible?
If you are unable to find your address, try searching more broadly for your suburb only.
I have applied to the CQUniversity Bachelor of Medical Science (Pathway to Medicine) and I live in or have previously lived in Central Queensland and Wide Bay – am I eligible for additional adjustments?
If you have lived in and can demonstrate residence of 5 years consecutively or 10 years cumulatively in Central Queensland and/or Wide Bay you may be considered for additional adjustments for CQUniversity. To apply, you must download the Rural Access Scheme Coversheet and complete all sections including the CQUniversity nomination. Failure to complete this will […]
I have applied to the UniSQ Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences (Medicine Pathway), and I live in or have previously lived in Darlin Downs, South West Queensland, and identified regions. Am I eligible for additional adjustments?
If you have lived in and can demonstrate residence of 5 years consecutively or 10 years cumulatively in the Darling Downs, South West Queensland or identified regions you may be considered for additional adjustments for UniSQ. To apply, you must download the Rural Access Scheme Coversheet and complete all sections including the UniSQ nomination. Failure […]
What does 5 years consecutively mean?
5 years consecutively means that you have lived rurally for 5 years in a row. For example, from January 2015 to January 2020 would be 5 consecutive years (5 years in a row). You must provide supporting documentation for each year that you lived rurally.
What does 10 years cumulatively mean?
10 years cumulatively means that you have lived in a rural area/s for a total of 10 years at any time across your lifetime. You may have moved back and forth between metropolitan and rural areas, but you can account for a total of 10 years where you lived rurally. You must provide supporting documentation […]
What is the Rural Access Scheme (RAS)?
The Rural Access Scheme exists to recognise the challenges that are often faced by students from Rural and Remote backgrounds.Some institutions offer courses with a number of places reserved for applicants from rural and remote backgrounds. This is part of the Rural Access Scheme, designed to support students like you.