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NSW Rural Allied Health Clinical Placement Grants

Requirements | Eligible area | FAQs | Further information

Placement grants of up to $750 (or $1,000 for placements at Broken Hill) are offered each semester. Grants are awarded on the basis of the duration of the placement and the cost of travel associated with accessing the placement.

Priority will be given to students who have not previously received a NSW Rural Allied Health Clinical Placement Grant, though past grant recipients may apply.

Requirements

To be eligible for a Rural Allied Health Clinical Placement Grant you must:

1. Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident and a resident of NSW.
2. Be enrolled as a full time NSW university student in a course in one of the following disciplines.
   • Aboriginal / Indigenous Health
   • Audiology
   • Diagnostic Radiography
   • Dietetics
   • Exercise Physiology
   • Genetic Counselling
   • Hospital Laboratory Science
   • Nuclear Medicine
   • Occupational Therapy
   • Optometry
   • Oral Health (excl Dentistry)
   • Orthoptics
   • Orthotics / Prosthetics
   • Physiotherapy
   • Pre Hospital Care (Ambulance/Paramedics)
   • Psychology
   • Podiatry
   • Radiation Therapy
   • Rehabilitation Counselling
   • Social Work
   • Speech Pathology
   1. Second or higher year of an undergraduate course in any of the above listed disciplines.
   2. Either year of a post-graduate (entry level course) in any of the above listed disciplines.
3. Have confirmation from your Course Coordinator of your participation in a rural or remote clinical placement in NSW.
4. Be undertaking a clinical placement outside your current residential locality. For example, if you are studying and living in Armidale you would not be eligible for financial assistance for a clinical placement in Armidale, or towns with the same postcode.
5. Complete a questionnaire. Information about the questionnaire will be provided with your letter of acceptance.
6. Be willing to participate in any longitudinal studies of the recruitment of allied health professionals to rural practice.

Eligible area

The term “rural” refers to areas covered by rural Local Health Districts:

• Far West
• Western NSW
• Northern NSW
• Mid North Coast
• Murrumbidgee
• Southern NSW
• Hunter New England (excluding: Cessnock, Maitland, Port Stephens, Newcastle, and Lake Macquarie LGA)
• Illawarra Shoalhaven (excluding: Kiama, and Shellharbour LGA)
• Nepean Blue Mountains (Lithgow LGA only)

A map is able to be found at: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/rural/alliedhealth/map.asp

FAQs

My placement is in Canberra, am I eligible?
No. Canberra is part of ACT, this grant is only for NSW rural and remote areas. "Rural" is outside the Greater Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong areas.

I am an international student, am I eligible?
No. You have to be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.

Are Pharmacy students eligible to apply?
Pharmacy students are able to claim reimbursement from the University through the Rural and Remote Placement (internship) Allowance Scheme. Therefore they are not eligible.

Do I have to come from a rural background to apply for the grant?
No. Anyone who is a resident of NSW, and studying at a NSW university can apply for the grant.

I would like to experience working in rural NSW. How do I get the clinical placement?
We don't arrange placements, check with your course coordinator.

I am planning on taking a rural placement in the next semester. Do I apply now?
No, please apply in the next semester. Please refer to the guidelines for the time frame.

I am a nursing student, can I apply for the grant?
Nursing have their own grant. You can obtain the information on their website at http://www.health.nsw.gov/nursing/scholar.html

When will I receive the money?
Payment will be made generally within three months after the closing date, however unexpected delays sometimes occur.

Some of my friends have received the money, why haven’t I received it yet?
Funds are batch-processed and due to the large number of applicants, some students may receive payment sooner than others.

It has been more than five months since the closing date, why haven’t I received the cheque?
Please note that we don’t send cheques, payment will be made by Electronic Funds Transfer into the recipient’s selected bank account. You need to check your statements to determine if the payment has been deposited.

I received the NSW Clinical Placement Grant last year, can I apply again for this year?
Yes, but priority may be given to applicants who have not previously received a grant.

My friends have received more money than me, why?
The amount of the grant will vary dependent upon the duration of the placement, and the distance you need to travel to your placement.

Can I apply for a grant for more than one placement?
Yes you may, provided it’s a placement in a different location and attached with a letter from the course coordinator. You need to submit an application form for each placement.

I applied for the NSW Rural Allied Health Scholarship, can I apply for the grant?
Yes, but your Clinical Placement Grant will be cancelled if you are successful in getting the NSW Rural Allied Health Scholarship.

What happens if my placement is cancelled or changed?
You have to inform us straight away, and if you have already received the grant, you will need to return it.

Further information