How to apply General information Rural Access Scheme

Rural Access Scheme

Aerial outback photo

JCU is Australia’s most successful university (PDF, 1592 KB) in producing medical and health professionals who go on to provide health care for regional and remote communities.*

We understand students living in rural and remote areas can face many barriers when it comes to accessing tertiary education, and recognise the important role these students play in returning to serve within their communities upon graduation.

The Rural Access Scheme (RAS) seeks to address this issue by offering a select number of students who live, or have previously lived, in a rural or remote area of Australia, with the opportunity to receive a rural place on select medical and health related courses.

If you are applying to study a Bachelor of Dental Surgery, a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, or a Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours) commencing study in 2024, and live (or previously lived) in an area of Australia deemed rural or remote, you may be eligible to apply for the Rural Access Scheme.

Frequently asked questions

The Rural Access Scheme is open to students applying to study a Bachelor of Dental Surgery, a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, or a Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours) at JCU commencing study in 2024.

To be eligible for the Rural Access Scheme you must have lived in a designated rural or remote area of Queensland for at least five consecutive years (60 months) or ten years cumulatively (120 months). You do not have to be residing at this address at the time of application.

To check if your primary place of residence qualifies for regional or remote status please visit the Health Workforce Locator website, choose the 'Modified Monash Model', select '2019' as the year, and type in your full address. If the search results indicate that your address falls in zone two to seven (MM 2 - 7), you qualify to apply for the Scheme.

Modified Monash Model zones

  • MM 2 - Regional centres
  • MM 3 - Large rural towns
  • MM 4 - Medium rural towns
  • MM 5 - Small rural towns
  • MM 6 - Remote communities
  • MM 7 - Very remote communities

If you are currently boarding at a school outside of an area designated as remote or rural but the location of your primary residence (family home) does meet the criteria, you are eligible to apply.

Please note that addresses of holiday homes which fall within the designated areas do not qualify.

JCU has a two-step application process for the Bachelor of Dental Surgery, the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, and the Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours):

  1. Apply online via the QTAC website, and
  2. Submit an online application directly to JCU by 30 September.

Once QTAC have received and processed your application you will then automatically receive an invitation (from QTAC) to apply for the Rural Access Scheme.

Visit the QTAC website to download the RAS coversheet and required documentation guide.

QTAC and JCU applications open on 1 August 2023.

The deadline date for applying for the Rural Access Scheme is 30 September 2023.

For more information on the Rural Access Scheme please visit the QTAC website.

Not applying to study Medicine, Dentistry, or Veterinary Science?

If you are currently in Year 12, reside in a regional or remote area of Queensland, and are not applying for entry into the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, Bachelor of Dental Surgery, or Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours), you may be eligible to apply for the Regional Preference Scheme.

*2016-2020 Graduate Outcomes Survey. Raw dataset supplied to JCU by Universities Australia, accessed 27 April 2021.