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Bush Bursaries and Country Women's Association Scholarships

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What is a Bush Bursary?

The Rural Doctors Network (RDN) Bush Bursary program provides selected medical, midwifery, and nursing students in NSW/ACT an opportunity to experience the life of a rural clinician across a 4–5 period. The program, kindly funded by participating councils and the generous support of the Country Women’s Association (CWA), allows students to visit rural communities in pairs to:

  • tour healthcare facilities;
  • connect with council and community members;
  • engage with local clinicians and observe clinical practice; and
  • explore the unique lifestyle opportunities each region has to offer.

These experiences are at no cost to successful applicants, with accommodation, a daily subsistence payment for meals, and reimbursement for fuel all included!*

Placements are administered by RDN, and typically take place between November and February each year. Available positions and locations vary depending on council availability.

Please see below for further details regarding eligibility and how to apply for one of these potentially life-changing experiences!


* Please see our 2026 Program Guidelines for further details.

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Who is eligible?

To be eligible to apply for the program, students must meet the following requirements: 

  • Australian or New Zealand citizen or permanent resident of Australia 
  • Enrolled in a NSW or ACT university in 
    • First or second year medical degree 
    • Any year nursing degree 
    • Any year midwifery degree 
  • Completed all university study requirements at the time of application 
  • Read and understood the information set out in the 2024 Program Guidelines.

Both rural and urban based students are eligible to apply for the program.

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How to Apply

Applications for the 2025-26 Bush Bursary Program are now closed. 

Subscribe below to receive updates on this program or follow us on Instagram, Facebook or X.  

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Bush Bursary Spotlight: Temora and Lockhart

In June 2026, nursing student Anne Plevey and medical student Lucy Alkemade swapped the coast for the country, spending a week immersed in the health services and communities of Temora and Lockhart under Rural Doctors Network's Bush Bursary program. 

Their days were packed with hands-on exposure across the rural health system, riding along with paramedics, sitting in on antenatal clinics, observing wound care and vaccinations, touring hospitals mid-rebuild, and spending time in aged care. But it was the people, as much as the placements, that left the deepest impression. 

At Temora Ambulance Station, paramedic Taz reminded them that “none of it really matters if you don’t have the heart”, a line that stuck with both students. At Lockhart, council member Fran Day became “the town’s biggest cheerleader,” taking them on an impromptu farm-and-district tour complete with homemade Anzac biscuits and a sunset over Urana Creek. At Woodhaven Aged Care, the students were inspired to hear from Lisa (The General Manager) and her take on her role within the centre- “Lisa mentioned, she is not the boss, as herself and her team are centred on working for the residents as it is their home".

For Anne, the week reinforced a career direction: 

“This experience has only deepened my intention and interest in nursing in rural and more remote communities.” 

For Lucy, a self-described coastal NSW local, it was a genuine eye-opener: 

“This experience has been inspiring and motivating, and has strengthened my intention to pursue a career in rural health.” 

Both students left with more than clinical exposure, they left with a firsthand understanding of what makes rural healthcare distinctive: tight-knit multidisciplinary teams, deep community trust, and clinicians who know their patients across every stage of life. 

The Bush Bursary program connects health students with rural communities and health services, offering a rare window into what it means to live, work, and belong in rural Australia. 

 

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Find out more

For more information about Bush Bursaries and CWA Scholarships, please see our 2026 Program Guidelines.

For more help exploring the exciting opportunities of a rural health career, email students@rdnhealth.org.

To receive information about events, programs, and scholarships for students, subscribe to Rural Doctors Network's mailing list and select "Student Opportunities" as an interest:

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