Inbound Medical Elective Program

Please view the Available Locations, Disciplines, and Dates tab (above) for application due dates. Following the closing date of each block, applications will be processed and students notified by the latest outcome release date.

Required Application Documentation and Eligibility

To complete your application, please submit the following documentation:

Application Form

Applications for Blocks 5 & 6 2025, are now open:

APPLY HERE

NOTE: Any 2026 applications will be rejected and you will be asked to reapply during the 2026 timeframes when they are available.

If you are successful in securing an elective, you will receive a formal Letter of Offer. You must confirm acceptance of this offer no later than seven (7) calendar days and pay the elective fee of AU$1,000.00. 

You are then required to provide the Post Acceptance Documentation listed below to med.placements@uq.edu.au no later than 4 weeks prior to commencement. 
 

Post Acceptance Documentation

Important: Prior to your placement

Please contact the Clinical Unit (contact details will be provided in the Letter of Offer) as soon as possible, and no later than four weeks before your elective start date. The Clinical Unit will send you a site-specific welcome pack to help you prepare for your elective and provide instructions for your first day.

What is a Blue Card?

Blue Card Services administers the blue card system – Queensland’s Working With Children Check.  Working with children checks provide a check of a person’s criminal history and is also an ongoing assessment of your eligibility to work with children while you are on placement. This is a mandatory requirement for all students completing an elective in Queensland.

If you don’t already have a Blue Card you will need to apply for one as long as you are not a disqualified person.  If you are a disqualified person, it is an offence to apply for a Blue Card and penalties may apply.  If you have an existing valid Blue Card, please contact the Faculty's Work Integrated Learning (WIL) team for more information.   If your card is due to expire, you will need to renew it before it expires.

• Application time: Blue Cards processing time takes a minimum of 28 days plus internal processing time at UQ. 
  Can take longer if further investigation is needed.
• Cost: $0 (students are classed as volunteers)

• Student residing in Queensland
• Student residing interstate or internationally

How to Apply - Students residing in Queensland

Step 1:

You will need a Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) customer reference number (CRN) in order to prove your identity to Blue Card Services.

You can find your customer reference number in the top right area on the front of a range of TMR products including a Queensland driver’s license or proof of age card. 

If you don’t already have a Queensland TMR customer reference number, you will need to obtain one before you can progress your Blue Card application. To obtain a TMR customer reference number, check which identity and Queensland residential address documents you will need, then take these documents to a TMR centre in person and request a customer reference number.

Step 2:

Register for an online account and receive your Blue Card account number. Please visit the Queensland Government application portal and have your CRN ready. If asked, ensure you enter The University of Queensland as your institution.

Step 3:

Once you have received your Blue Card account number please email it to the Faculty's Work Integrated Learning team who will link you to UQ. 

Step 4:

Once you have been notified by Blue Card Services that you have been linked to UQ, you need to log in to the Blue Card applicant portal and apply for a Blue Card.

Step 5:

Once Blue Card Services have approved your application, you should receive a ‘Blue Card Application Approved’ via email and your new Blue Card will be mailed to your nominated address. UQ will also be notified that your card has been approved so there is nothing further for you to do.

How to Apply - Interstate and International students

If you are unable to attend a Queensland TMR in person, it is possible to apply for a CRN using a Remote Pack, however this is a lengthy process.  Please allow sufficient time if applying via a Remote Pack.

We strongly recommend that you closely follow the instructions provided in the ‘Getting a Customer Reference Number’ resource to complete your application.

Step 1: Prepare your application

To obtain your CRN offshore you will need to complete the following documentation:

• New Customer/Photo and Signature Remote Application (Form F5342)
• Evidence of Identity (EOI): Photocopy 3 x Evidence of Identity (EOI) documents (For example, your EOI documents might comprise of a foreign passport + temporary visa + student identity document (Australian Universities only) OR bank card. Must be signed in the presence of an approved witness.
• 2 x identical colour 35mm (W) x 45mm (L) photographs must be provided. Both photographs must be signed on the back of an approved witness. One photograph must be signed on the reverse side by an approved witness with the words: "I certify this is a true photograph of (the applicant) in my presence."

Step 2: Document witnessing

Many of your documents will need to be signed in the presence of an approved witness. An approved witness is a:

• police officer
• medical practitioner
• consular or ambassadorial officer
• solicitor, barrister or judge
• Justice of the Peace or a Commissioner for Declarations
• Notary Public or a person authorised by law to witness and sign declarations.

It is important that you take note of the approved witness requirements outlined above.

Step 3: Send application to QLD Department of Transport and Main Roads

The Manager

Department of Transport and Main Roads

Dalby Customer Service Centre

PO Box 767

Dalby QLD 4405

Step 4: Receive Customer Reference Number (CRN)

TMR will process your application and send your CRN to the address you supplied on the New Customer Application form.

Once you have received your CRN, you can then apply for a blue card as per the steps below.

Step 5: Register for a Blue Card Account

Once you have your CRN, you will need it to register for a Blue Card Services online account before you can apply for your Blue Card. You only need to register once. You can register here for a Blue Card Services online account. Take note of your Blue Card account number when you register for your account. If asked, ensure you enter The University of Queensland as your institution.

Offshore International Students can use the Faculty of Medicine address as below, to register for a Blue Card Services online account:

Level 5 Student Hub, Oral Health Centre

The University of Queensland

288 Herston Road,

Herston QLD, 4006

Australia

Step 6: Link Your Account

Once you have received your Blue Card account number, please email it to the Work Integrated Learning team - med.placements@uq.edu.au

Step 7: Complete Blue Card Application

Once you have been notified by Blue Card Services that you have been linked to UQ, you need to log in to the Blue Card applicant portal and complete your application to apply for a Blue Card.

Step 8: Application Approved

Once Blue Card Services have approved your application, you should receive a ‘Blue Card Application Approved’ notification via email and your new Blue Card will be mailed to your nominated address. UQ will also be notified that your card has been approved so there is nothing further for you to do

Students are required to be P2/N95 mask fit tested prior to commencing placement. Acceptable fit tests must include:

• Brand and Model of Respirator – 3M 1870+; Trident RTCFFP2; Halyard. These mask types are generally available at all clinical sites. If the mask you are fit tested for is not available at your clinical site, you may be required to be retested for available mask types.
• Testing Protocol – ANSI Z.88.10, ISO 16975-3, OSHA 1910.134 (US), ANSI Z.88.10 (US), INDG-479 (UK), HSE 282/28 (UK)
• Date of Test – as per Australian Standards, all fit test certifications will expire 12 months after the certification date. Students are required to hold a valid fit test certificate for the duration of their placement.

a) Have you been P2/N95 mask fit tested? If so, please provide evidence of the P2/N95 mask for which you have been approved (including testing methodology/standard and test date) along with the completed form.

b) If you have not been fit tested, please contact Keys Human Resources via the details below to arrange a respirator fit test to be conducted prior to the commencement of your clinical placement:

Keys Human Resources
Ph: 1300 096 617
E: fittesting@keyshr.com
W: https://www.fittestingservices.com.au

Book Your Fit Test Here

Fit test fees are the responsibility of the student.  Once you have successfully completed the fit test you will be issued with a cert. card – please send a copy to the Faculty's Work Integrated Learning (WIL) team at med.placements@uq.edu.au.

Students are required to pay an application and placements fees. Students attending Queensland Universities, or covered under a Partnership agreement, are exempt from any fees.

Application and Placement fees for all other students are payable through UQ Payments via Visa or Mastercard.  Please note we will not process your application or confirm your clinical placement until all the required payment receipts are received.

Application Fee: AUD $100.00
Placement Fee: AUD $1000.00

Pay fees here

Refunds

The AUD $100.00 application fee is non-refundable regardless of if you are successful in being matched to a placement or if the placement is cancelled by the student.

After accepting an offered placement, the AUD$1000.00 placement fee is due and is non-refundable.

Students from Queensland Universities (Bond, Griffith, and James Cook University) wishing to undertake an elective from South East Queensland north to Rockhampton must formally apply via the UQ Medical School.  Any medical electives north of Rockhampton are administered by James Cook University.​

Queensland medical students (Bond, Griffith, and James Cook University) will not be required to pay the application or placement fees. 

Important Visa Information for International Students:

The University of Queensland cannot provide advice on visa types or conditions. For guidance on your visa requirements, please contact the Department of Home Affairs.

Please Note: The University of Queensland does not sponsor visas for students planning to undertake electives in Queensland.

Student Responsibility: You are responsible for obtaining the correct visa for your placement.

Prior to Application / General Information

December Applications

• Can I apply for a placement from mid-November - mid January?
  No. This period is when many hospital and administrative staff are on leave, which limits the availability of appropriate supervision and administrative support. There are no exceptions to this.

Group Placements

• If I am traveling with someone else, will we be placed at the same hospital?
  We will try to accommodate group placements for students travelling together. However, due to high demand, group placements are unlikely. Please indicate who you are travelling with in the final section of the online application form.

UQ Student Card

• Will I get a UQ student card?
  Elective students do not pay UQ tuition fees and are therefore not eligible for a UQ student card or student number. You will receive a hospital card, which cannot be used as a student card.

Accommodation

• Is there accommodation supplied?
  Students need to arrange their own accommodation. Suggestions for accommodation can be provided upon request.

Application Process

• What happens once I submit my application?
  Once we receive your application, you will receive an acknowledgment email. While outcomes typically take up to 6 weeks from the closing date, they will be communicated no later than the outcome date specified in the Available Locations, Disciplines, and Dates section above.

Offer Acceptance

• If I get an offer but it’s not what I really want, can I be made a different offer?
  No, only one offer will be made to each applicant. If you decline this offer, no further offers will be made, and the application will be deemed withdrawn. Your application fee will not be refunded.

Student Concession on Public Transport

• Am I eligible for a student concession on public transport?
  According to TransLink policy, only students enrolled full-time in a Queensland University are eligible for a concession on public transport. Students from interstate or international universities are not eligible for student concessions on public transport. Your student ID card from your home country will not be accepted.

Sick Leave

• What if I am sick and require time off?
  If you are sick for 2 or more days, you must provide a doctor’s certificate. You should also inform your Hospital Coordinator if you are unable to attend your elective.

Insurance

• Do I need to obtain insurance cover?
  Students are covered under UQ insurance policies while on approved placement, which includes public liability. We recommend you obtain personal travel and health insurance cover for the duration of your stay.

Documentation

• Agreements/Learning Contracts
  The Medical School does not enter into any Agreements or Learning Contracts for Inbound Medical Electives, either with the student or their home institution.

Grading System

• My University does not grade on a 7-point scale. Can I still apply with my transcript?
  We understand that not all Medical Schools use a 7-point scale. However, we require applicants to have average to above-average results in their university studies to date.

Confirmation of Attendance

• Can the school complete a form required by my University once I do my elective?
  Yes, this form can be completed to confirm your attendance and indicate that you have the same rights and responsibilities as a local student. We cannot provide a graded assessment.

For further inquiries, please contact: med.placements@uq.edu.au