Australians living in regional, rural and remote areas face challenges accessing healthcare.
This lack of access often results in poorer health outcomes compared to people living in metropolitan areas and is partly attributed to health professionals choosing to relocate to metropolitan regions in the early stages of their career.
A key strategic priority for the School of Health at the University of the Sunshine Coast is to offer pathways to nationally recognised professional health programs for students from our region to build our capacity to deliver healthcare for our regional communities.
A pathway for aspiring health professionals in our region
We know that students who come from regional areas to undertake their health studies are more likely to stay on and work in regional areas after they graduate.
It is with this in mind that UniSC has introduced a new admission pathway to ensure suitably qualified and talented local applicants have a pathway to study the Bachelor of Medical Science or the Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) at UniSC by setting aside priority places.
The Regional Health Workforce Scheme complements existing sub-quota-based schemes including the Rural Access Scheme (for the Bachelor of Medical Science) and the Indigenous Health Admissions Pathway (IHAP) which target priority cohorts for admission to the Bachelor of Medical Science.
Am I eligible?
The Regional Health Workforce Scheme addresses the under-representation of local students in some of the University’s professional health programs through a sub-quota for domestic students who satisfy the following criteria:
- Applied as a domestic applicant through the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC); and
- Satisfied the subject prerequisite and other program specific requirements for the respective program; and
- Obtained a minimum ATAR/selection rank as specified *; and
- Resided in one of the following approved Local Government Areas for at least five consecutive years or ten cumulative years:
- Sunshine Coast Regional Council
- Noosa Council
- Gympie Regional Council
*The minimum score and number of places set aside will be determined annually by the Dean of the School of Health. This will be based on the competitiveness of the entire applicant pool. Eligible applicants will be ranked in merit order using the ATAR/Rank. For the Bachelor of Medical Science, the Overall Score from the University Clinical Aptitude Test for Australia and New Zealand (UCAT ANZ), if available, will be used for second order ranking within an ATAR band. Applicants without a UCAT ANZ result will still be considered for selection but will be ranked at the bottom of their ATAR band.
How do I apply?
Applications for the Bachelor of Medical Science and Bachelor of Physiotherapy programs are made through QTAC, and this includes any current students seeking to change programs.
You will be sent an invitation to apply for the Regional Health Workforce Scheme after you submit your application. You will need to download and complete the QTAC coversheet and upload it to your QTAC application with supporting documentation by the due date outlined on the form.
You are encouraged to apply for the Regional Health Workforce Scheme as soon as practicable. Application deadline will be consistent with the QTAC document due date for the January major round. Refer to the QTAC website for more information.
Documentation requirements
Applicants to the Regional Health Workforce Scheme must provide documentary evidence supporting that they have lived an accepted LGA for either 5 years consecutively (60 full months in a row) OR 10 years cumulatively (120 full months anytime across your lifetime).
Accepted supporting documentation
Any combination of these documents may be provided, so long as they cover 5 years consecutively (60 full months in a row) OR 10 years cumulatively (120 full months anytime across your lifetime).
Supporting documents can be in your parents’/carer’s names if you resided with them. If your last name is different to theirs, you will also need to provide proof of your relationship.
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Supporting letters |
A letter from your school, university, workplace, health care professional (e.g. doctor, dentist, psychologist etc.), pharmacist, bank or government agency (e.g. Centrelink or the Department of Transport and Main Roads) which details the following: · your name · your residential address during the period of enrolment, employment or engagement in that service · dates confirming five years consecutively (60 full months) or ten years cumulatively (120 full months) of residency in the accepted LGAs. · you may provide several letters from different organisations to verify your claim if required (e.g. If you lived in different towns or suburbs, or changed providers) · the letter must be dated, signed and on the letterhead of the organisation providing the letter |
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Utility bills |
Electricity, gas, water, phone and internet bills. Must show: · your name or your parents’/ carers’ name(s) · the residential address to which the service is connected · the date that the notice was issued or the billing period *Please note that rates notices are not accepted on their own – you must also provide other supporting documentation. |
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Bank statements |
If you are not comfortable providing your full bank statement showing all transactions and account details, then you may provide the top section only covering up/ blacking out any transaction or account information. We must be able to see the following information: · your name or your parents’/ carers’ name(s) · the address – must be a residential address. PO Box addresses are not accepted. · the date that the statement was issued |
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PAY G payment summaries |
If you are not comfortable providing this document showing all income and tax details, you may black out/ cover up this information. We only need to see the top section including: · your name or your parents’/ carers’ name(s) · the address – must be a residential address. PO Box addresses are not accepted. · the issuance period of the statement |
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Notice of assessment |
If you are uncomfortable providing this document showing all income and tax details, you may black out/ cover up this information. We only need to see the top section including: · your name or your parents’/ carers’ name (s) · the address – must be a residential address. PO Box addresses are not accepted. · the date of issue |
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Income tax return |
We do not require the full document showing your income and tax information. Sensitive information such as income, tax file number and account numbers may also be blacked out if you wish. We need to see the following details: · your name or your parents’/ carers’ name(s) and home address - usually found on page 1 of the document · Date of lodgement – usually found on the final page of the document |
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Centrelink letters and statements |
If you are uncomfortable providing your full letter or statement showing dollar balances or details of your personal circumstances, then you may provide the top section only which must show: · your name or your parents’/ carers’ name(s) · your address – must be a residential address. PO Box addresses are not accepted · Date of issue of the letter or statement |
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Tenancy/ rental agreements |
We do not need every page of the document. We require the page/ pages showing the following information: · Tenant name(s) – may be your name or your parents’/ carers’ name(s) · Address of the property · The date that the agreement was made |
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Tenant/ rental ledger |
This document is a complete statement (or record) of every rent payment you have made for a lease and the dates that the rent covered. This can usually be obtained from your property manager or landlord. If you are not comfortable providing the document showing all payment values, you may black out this information. The document must show: · Tenant name(s) – may be your name or your parents’/ carers’ name(s) · the rental property address · dates of payment |
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Other letters or statements · Other bills or subscriptions |
QTAC will accept any other documentation which includes the following information: · Company/ organisation name and letterhead – it must be an official letter/ statement/ bill · your name or your parents’/ carers’ name(s) · your address – must be a residential address. PO Box addresses are not accepted · Date of issue of the letter, statement or bill. |
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Proof of relationship documents |
If you are providing documents in your parents/ carers name(s) because you reside(d) with them and your last name is different to theirs, you will also need to provide proof of your relationship. These documents may include: · Birth certificates · Change of name certificates · Marriage certificates · Proof of guardianship documents |
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Statutory declarations |
Statutory declarations are strictly not accepted as supporting evidence for the Regional Health Workforce Scheme. |
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Letters on plain paper |
Supporting letters must be official and include the letterhead and all details of the organisation providing the letter. |
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Letters from family friends or neighbours, etc. |
Personal references are not accepted. Supporting letters can only be accepted from an authorised representative of a school, university, workplace, health care organisation, bank or government agency where you have engaged in employment or a service. |
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Rates notices on their own |
If you must provide a Rates notice as supporting documentation, this must be in combination with other documents from the “Accepted supporting documents’ list above. |
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Birth Certificates on their own |
Birth Certificates can confirm your residence for your year of birth only. You must provide additional supporting documents to cover each year for the entire period claimed. |
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Documents that list only a PO Box address |
PO Box addresses tell us where your mail is sent but does not verify you place of residence. Proof of residential address is required. |
PDF is the preferred document format. Word, JPEG, PNG and JPG are also accepted.
Please note: only one file at a time can be uploaded to your UniSC Regional Health Workforce Scheme Application. Please ensure that all required evidence is combined into one document for upload and that all copies are clear and readable.
Do not upload documents that are password protected.
Documentation does not need to be JP certified.
Frequently asked questions
No, a holiday home is not your primary residence and you would not be eligible to apply.
No, you cannot claim time in the future as part of the five or 10 years.
What if I’m currently a secondary school student boarding in the city/other region but my permanent home address (family home) is in an approved Local Government Area? Can I apply?
Yes, students from an approved Local Government Area who are boarding at a secondary school located in a city (or area outside an approved LGA), you can apply to be considered.
No, you don’t need to have lived at the same address for the entire time, however any addresses you use to apply for the scheme must have been your primary home at the time. If you attended boarding school, you can use your family’s primary home. You can’t use holiday homes, secondary residences or investment properties.
Yes, you can apply for both the Rural Access scheme and the Regional Health Workforce scheme as part of your QTAC application. UniSC will apply a tiered approach for the selection of applicants.