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.

CQUniversity (CQU), Griffith University (GU), James Cook University (JCU), The University of Queensland (UQ), University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC), and University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) offer a number of places in their highly competitive courses allocated to applicants who are from Rural and Remote backgrounds to study as part of the Rural Access Scheme. This means medicine, dentistry and veterinary science courses are eligible under this scheme.

Visit the institutions below to learn more about the university’s scheme:

• CQUniversity
• Griffith University
• Queensland University of Technology
• University of Queensland
• University of the Sunshine Coast
• University of Southern Queensland
• James Cook University

You will need to download and complete the cover sheet and upload it to your QTAC application with supporting documentation by the due date outlined on the form.

You will also need to provide evidence of rurality. We accept:

• Supporting letters
• Utility bills
• Bank statements
• Pay G payment summaries
• Notice of Assessment (NOA)
• Centrelink statements
• Rental agreements and ledgers

Please see the Rural Access Scheme Supporting Documentation Guide for detailed information about accepted documentation.

You are eligible for the RAS if you have lived in Rural and Remote areas of Australia for five years consecutively (60 full months) or ten years cumulatively (120 full months).

Rural and remoteness are determined if you have lived in an Australian Statistical Geographic Remoteness Area category 2 to 7.

You can check your Remoteness Area category by visiting the Health Workforce Locator website. Choose the “Modified Monash model” section and select “2019” as the year when searching for your current or previous permanent home address.

We do not accept the following as evidence:

• Statutory declarations
• Letters on plain paper
• Letters from friends or neighbours
• Rates notices on their own
• Documents the list only a PO Box
• Income Tax Returns

Please see the Rural Access Scheme Supporting Documentation Guide for detailed information about accepted documentation.

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.

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 for each period that you lived rurally.

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.

No. Holiday homes, investment properties and secondary residences do not qualify. The Rural Access Scheme is assessed based on your primary residence only.

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.