Frequently asked questions

Our scholarships and grants are offered in two rounds:

Research scholarships in March

Learning and Development grants in August.

The opportunities on offer during each round may vary year-to-year depending on funding, purpose and whether they are multi-year opportunities.

The website is updated prior to the opening of each round with the opportunities that will be open for application.

Applications to the program are available annually in two rounds - Research scholarships in March and Learning and Development grants in August. 

All applications are now made by registering and following the prompts at RACS Unlock - our online hub.

This is accessed via links on each scholarship and grant webpage during the round opening period at www.surgeons.org/scholarships.

Read more about RACS Unlock.

As applications prior to August 2021 were emailed-based, you may wish to first check your sent emails folder – addressed to scholarships@surgeons.org.

If you can’t find your application, you can request a copy by emailing scholarships@surgeons.org – please advise the year and which scholarships/grants you applied for.

From August 2021, all applications to the Scholarships and Grants program are made through our online hub RACS Unlock. You can access online applications by logging-in to your RACS Unlock account.

You may reapply to the Scholarships and Grants Program as a past recipient but not necessarily for the scholarship or grant for which you have previously been awarded. The 'Who Can Apply?' section of the scholarship or grant webpage will state whether past recipients may reapply.

No. You may apply for multiple scholarships/grants in the one application – providing the proposed activity is suited to each opportunity. When you first apply on our online hub, RACS Unlock, you are required to enter information into demographic, career and employment, and activity proposal forms and then complete a few questions for each scholarship or grant. 

Should you wish to submit a new activity proposal that is suitable for other scholarships or grants (for example your first application was for the purpose of training and your second is to attend a conference), you will need to start a new application – you will however be given the option to retain and edit the demographic and career and employment information supplied in your first application.

Your demographic and career and employment information will also pre-populate in future application rounds.  

Your nominated recommenders will be sent an invitation to complete a recommendation form on RACS Unlock. They can view your career and employment information, grant activity proposal and the grant/s for which you are applying before they complete the form. Please note, you will not be able to view their response.

The recommender will be asked to indicate the following:

- their relationship to you

- their opinion on the relevancy to your professional development of your proposed activity

- their opinion on whether the expertise or knowledge gained from the activity will be of benefit to the wider community

- their level of support for your application

- any further information they would like to provide as part of their recommendation

Recommenders who do not respond will be sent reminder emails and have up to seven days past the program closing date to respond. 

You will receive an email notification when your recommender responds to your invitation. We advise you to follow up with your recommender if, towards the application closing date, you have not received a notification regarding their response. Recommenders who have not received an email invitation should check their spam and promotions inboxes. If the email is still missing please email scholarships@surgeons.org 

No. Where evidence or a document upload is required with your application, it is a mandatory upload task on our online hub, RACS Unlock, and you will be unable to submit your application without it.

Not all scholarship and grant applications require evidence. To prepare ahead, check whether evidence or a document upload is required by reading the ‘Applications’ section on individual scholarship and grant webpages at surgeons.org/scholarships

You are unable to make changes yourself to your application once it has been submitted. Depending on timing and the circumstances (for example if the conference you detailed in your activity grant proposal has just been cancelled), the Scholarships and Grants team will consider your request and may make a change on your behalf.

To request a change, email scholarships@surgeons.org

Overseas surgeons can apply to the Global Health program - please note this program is not open for application in 2021. 

All other scholarships and grants are open only to citizens or permanent residents of Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, unless otherwise stated under the 'Who can apply?' heading on a scholarship or grant webpage.

Please read the Activities subheading on each scholarship and grant webpage to understand which opportunities may support overseas-based research.

Generally Research scholarships fund Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand-based research.

Learning and Development grants may allow for overseas travel - predominantly for professional development and training activities. However there are a few that offer the possibility to undertake research.

Interviews may be held for Research scholarships (and less commonly for Learning and Development grants) for shortlisted applicants.

An interview will only apply if it is stated in the Selection section on a scholarship or grant webpage.

You will receive an email invitation if you have been shortlisted to interview.

Please email scholarships@surgeons.org with your request to withdraw.

Learning and Development grants are paid directly to the recipient in February of the grant activity year (unless otherwise specified), following a request to the recipient for a tax invoice.

Research scholarships are usually paid via the administering institution from March of the research activity year. Read more

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) website has tools that may assist you to determine if your scholarship or grant is taxable.

In Aotearoa New Zealand please visit the Internal Revenue website.

We recommend that you also seek tax-related advice from your accountant or financial advisor.

Requests may be submitted to amend or defer approved activity for reasons including COVID-19, parental and family reasons or when the proposed activity is no longer feasible,

Scholarships and grants awarded from November 2021:
Please log in to RACS Unlock from 1 January 2022 complete an activity amendment request form.

Scholarships and grants awarded before November 2021:
Please email scholarships@surgeons.org to request an activity amendment request form.
Recipients for 2022 Research scholarships will be invited to register on RACS Unlock in 2022 and may then access the activity amendment request form on RACS Unlock.

Please note: all requests are subject to RACS approval.