Medical Rural Bonded (MRB) Scholarship Scheme

One hundred Scholarships, worth more than $23,000 a year (tax free and indexed annually), are on offer annually to first year medical students. If you are considering applying for a Scholarship, you must be prepared to commit to six continuous years of rural practice once you complete your basic medical and post graduate training as a specialist, including General Practice. Acceptance of a Scholarship is for students who are committed to making a difference to the people they will eventually serve in rural communities.

The Australian Government provides assistance to MRBS Scheme participants through the MRB Support Program, which is managed by the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM). This support includes assistance to attend Australian health related conferences, networking and mentorship. For further information go to: www.mrbsupport.com.au.

The Scholarships are allocated and linked to the medical school making the Scholarship offer. Therefore, transferring between universities with the Scholarship is not an option. Further, as the Scholarship is linked to an additional MRBS Scheme place at medical school a student withdrawing from the MRBS Scheme will also lose that medical school place.

Candidates will be able to lodge an MRBSS Expression of Interest when they lodge their direct online University application to the Joint Medical program. Only candidates who are eligible for final selection and who have lodge the Expression of Interest by the designated closing date will be considered. Candidates are advised that this expression of interest will provide the only opportunity to apply for the Medical Rural Bonded Scholarship (MRBS) Scheme. Only citizens and permanent residents of Australia are eligible to apply. If you are a New Zealand citizen, to be eligible you will require an Australian Permanent Resident Visa.

Further details concerning the MRBSS may be obtained from:

Commonwealth Department of Health & Ageing
Freecall: 1800 248 720
Email: MRBscholarships@health.gov.au
Web: http://www.health.gov.au/scholarships

The website includes a sample MRBS Scheme Contract, an information booklet with background to the MRBS Scheme including frequently asked questions and answers. If you do not have access to the web, a hard copy of the current information can be requested by contacting Commonwealth Department of Health & Ageing.