The 2009 application round for RAMUS opened on 4 November 2008. Applications close 19 January 2009. Go to the 'Applying for RAMUS' page to apply online.

Scholarships for rural students studying medicine

RAMUS assists selected students from rural and remote areas to study medicine at university. Scholarship holders receive $10,000 a year during the completion of a standard medical degree at their chosen university. The scholarships are not bonded. Instead, scholarship holders’ ties to regional and rural Australia are reinforced through a rural mentorship program, as well as through membership of their university’s student rural health club.

Each year approximately 100 new scholarships are made available, to maintain the total of 550.

Established in 2000, the Rural Australia Medical Undergraduate Scholarship (RAMUS) scheme is an Australian Government intiative aimed at increasing the number of medical practitioners in rural and remote areas of Australia. The aim of the scheme is to increase the number of students with a rural background who enter and complete their study of medicine at university.

Over 1250 scholarships have been awarded since the scheme began in 2000. In 2008, 550 current scholars are studying at 19 universities and over 460 rural doctors across the country are participating in the scheme as mentors. Since the RAMUS Scheme began, more than 700 RAMUS scholars have graduated from medicine.

The National Rural Health Alliance (NRHA) administers the RAMUS scheme on behalf of the Department of Health and Ageing.

RAMUS Brochure - Scholarships for rural students studying medicine (454 KB pdf)