Medicine Clerkship Program (elective)

Application Period

Applications for placements are CLOSED now. Applications with start dates within 1 July – 31 December 2024 will open on 15 November 2023. Each hospital site has a different start date / duration available, so you must read Clerkship areas of study page to ensure your application start date matches their availability.

We will only accept Clerkship applications with minimum 4 weeks duration and a maximum of 8 weeks duration.

For application process visit: How to apply for a Clerkship page.

We have limited placements, so acceptance of New Applications are stopped once we reach our capacity. Please always visit this web page before applying.

If you have already lodged an application for remainder of 2023 or first half of 2024, your application is considered accepted. Please proceed to attend to the emails on required documentation.

Clerkships Coordinator

Contacts for the Clerkships Coordinator.

UNSW Sydney NSW 2052 AUSTRALIA
T: +61 2 9385 8909
E: clerkships@med.unsw.edu.au

About Medicine Clerkships at UNSW

The UNSW Medicine Clerkship Program (elective) is a placement program that provides successful applicants the opportunity to develop hands-on skills and practical experience in selected disciplines at one of UNSW's clinical teaching hospitals alongside other health professionals.

During a Clerkship, you'll attend clinics, ward rounds and, with permission, record the history and perform physical examinations of patients in the wards.

If the clerkship placement is during a medicine teaching period, lectures and tutorials in the clinical school may also be available.

UNSW Clerkships are only offered to non UNSW Sydney medical students.

Areas of study

The UNSW Medicine Clerkship Program offers a comprehensive range of areas of study for which students can apply. The full list of clinical schools and the areas of interest that are offered in the UNSW Medicine Clerkship Program is available on the Clerkships areas of study page.

When are Clerkships offered?

Clerkships take place for a duration of minimum four (4) to a maximum of eight (8) weeks.

Some hospitals only offer clerkships over particular dates and time periods. Please check these dates before lodging an application, by visiting Clerkships areas of study page.

When determining a start date for your Clerkship, please keep in view (if overseas) you must arrive in Australia at least 1 week before placement start date. NSW Health advises International Travellers to refrain from visiting high risk areas, such as hospitals, during the first week of arrival.

Eligibility for Clerkships

To be eligible to apply for a Clerkship, you must:

be in your final year of a medical degree at the time of your participation in the clerkship
have at least two years of clinical experience at the time of your participation in the clerkship
be proficient in both written and spoken English (students applying from non-English speaking medical schools must provide evidence of English language proficiency)
- You can apply for an English Waiver which is a decision by UNSW to waive the English language requirements based on life experience and circumstances.
- Please refer to the Conditions for an English Waiver section to check if you meet any of the conditions.
- Clerkships apply for an English Waver by emailing the documents to clerkships@med.unsw.edu.au
- If you hold an Australian Passport, you are Eligible for an English Waiver.

If you’re an overseas applicant, you should contact your nearest Australian Diplomatic Mission to understand how to comply with visa requirements. Generally, a Visitor Visa is sufficient.

Visitor Visas – the Australian Department of Home Affairs issues two visas for this type of study:

1. 601 Subclass Visa, also called an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA). An ETA lets you:

Enter Australia for up to three months at a time as a tourist or for business visitor purposes.

You’re also permitted to study in Australia for up to 3 months in some circumstances.

2. 651 Subclass Visa, also called an eVistor. This visa lets you:

Enter Australia for up to 3 months during each visit during 12 months from the date the eVistor is granted

Have a holiday or visit family and friends in Australia

Study in Australia for up to three months in some circumstances
You're responsible for all travel and living expenses, including accommodation.

Due to high costs in Sydney, start searching early and have accommodation arranged before arrival. We don't have housing for Clerkship students.
Students are required to pay a non-refundable AUD$100 administration fee within 48 hours of lodging an application.

Students are required to pay a AUD 400 placement fee when accepting their placement offer.

If students withdraw from the program after payment of the AUD 400 Placement Fee, but before that start date of their placement, they are eligible for a refund of 50% of the Placement Fee.

If students withdraw from the program after payment of the AUD 400 Placement Fee and on or after the start date of their placement, they are not eligible for a refund of the Placement Fee.

The AUS 400 Placement Fee is fully refundable if the placement is cancelled by the hospital, due to circumstances outside of the students’ control.
In accepting a clerkship,

You must accept the offer and pay AUD 400 placement fee within two weeks of receiving the offer or your offer will be withdrawn.

Upon accepting offer and payment of fees, you will be enrolled as a Non-Award UNSW student and issued a UNSW student ID card.

You will not be paid or remunerated for a Clerkship.

You will be required to abide by the guidelines of the NSW Health, UNSW, Hospital and your supervisor.

You must comply with the NSW Health requirements and be deemed Compliant.

All International passenger arrivals cannot enter a NSW hospital for at least 7 days after arrival to Australia, as it is a high risk setting.

You must book your flight arrival date minimum 1 week before your placement start date.

It is a legal requirement that all medical students who undertake Clerkships in New South Wales are registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. Information given on the Clerkship Application Form will be forwarded to the Agency for registration. No other action is required by the student.

You are responsible for obtaining any travel and health insurance as deemed appropriate.

You will be responsible for all travel (including visa, insurance and flights) and living costs (including accommodation, food and spending money).

You are responsible for arranging an appropriate Australian visa to undertake clerkships.
Please note, clerkships courses do not have any credits or results. You can download a copy of your Academic Statement (showing enrolment in courses) by logging onto my.unsw.edu.au with your 7-digit zID and password.

In 'My Student Profile' tab, click View Results / Academic Statement. At bottom of the page, click the 'Here' button to generate your academic statement. Your academic statement will open in a new window. If your statement does not appear, make sure you have allowed pop-ups in your browser and try again.

For login issues, please contact IT Service Desk.

You can also order an official Academic Transcript for a fee. Please see details here.