>Scholarships and Programs > Scholarships > Allied Health Clinical Placement Scholarship Scheme

CHANGES TO SCHOLARSHIPS

In the 2009-10 Budget, the Australian Government announced that a number of nursing and allied health scholarship schemes would be consolidated into a single scheme to allow greater flexibility and better targeting of scholarships to areas of need.

During 2009-10 the following allied health scholarship schemes will be consolidated into the Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship and Support Scheme:

• The Rural Allied Health Undergraduate Scholarship Scheme, or RAHUS Scheme
• The Australian Rural and Remote Health Professional Scholarship Scheme, or ARRHPS Scheme
• The Allied Health Clinical Placement Scholarship Scheme, or AHCPSS

Scholarships will continue to be awarded for eligible undergraduate and graduate entry studies leading to clinical practice; professional development activities including conferences, short courses and formal postgraduate study; and clinical placements.

SARRAH currently administers the scholarships that provide support to allied health students and professionals only.

Nursing students and professionals need to contact the Royal College of Nursing, Australia (RCNA) for information about scholarships and support available for the nursing profession.

SARRAH will keep scholarship recipients up to date with any further changes via our website.

For further information please contact the SARRAH National Office on 02 6285 4960.

The Allied Health Clinical Placement Scholarship Scheme (AHCPSS) is an Australian Government initiative to support allied health and oral health students to undertake a clinical placement in a rural or remote Australian community during their degree. Applications are open to eligible students from across Australia – from metropolitan, regional, rural and remote areas.

The AHCPS Scheme is open to individuals studying an allied health or oral health degree in:

Allied Health

• Aboriginal Health Work (undergraduate Bachelor degree only)
• Audiology
• Chiropractic
• Dietetics and Nutrition
• Exercise Physiology
• Medical Radiation Science
  • Medical Imaging
  • Nuclear Medicine Technology
  • Radiation Therapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Optometry
• Orthoptics
• Osteopathy
• Physiotherapy
• Podiatry
• Psychology *
• Social Work (AASW approved courses only) 
• Speech Pathology.

Oral Health

• Dentistry
• Oral Health

* Psychology students must be enrolled in Honours or Postgraduate study level to be eligible.

Scholarship funding will be for a maximum of six weeks whilst the scholar is on their clinical placement.

Successful students will receive financial assistance for travel, accommodation and living expenses, but the scholarship will not necessarily cover all costs incurred. The aim is to provide scholars with:

• an overall view of working and living in a rural or remote community;
• a positive clinical placement experience; and
• a rural health community experience with support from a community contact that facilitates social activities.

Eligible scholars will be enrolled in an eligible allied health or oral health discipline as described above and be an Australian citizen or hold Australian Permanent Residency status.

Emphasis will be placed on students in their final year/s of study.

Applications for Round 2 have closed.

All applicants will be advised in writing of the outcome of the assessment by no later than 30 June 2009.

Applications for Round 3 will open in March 2010.

The AHCPS Scheme is managed by Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH) and funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.