About this scholarship
Each year the ANU School of Medicine and Psychology may offer two awards known as the Bill Nicholes "Willigobung" Scholarship for Medicine.
The objective of the Award is to provide financial assistance to students to undertake the four-year graduate entry Doctor of Medicine and Surgery (8950XMCHD) program at the Australian National University (ANU).
Funding for this award has been provided by the late Bill Nicholes, who bequeathed more than $4.2 million to support students studying graduate medicine at ANU. Bill was a retired farmer who lived and worked on his family's farm near Tumbarumba, NSW, for most of his life. The estate was called "Willigobung" and was acquired by his father as a Solider's Settlement block in 1951. There the family established an apple orchard and eventually became one of the most successful apple growers in the region. In later years, when his mother and father's health deteriorated, Bill cared for them at "Willigobung". Bill also suffered from a number of medical conditions and it is thought that these experiences may have contributed to his decision to support scholarships in medicine. To honour Bill's regional background one of the scholarships available each year will be for a student who has been identified as someone from a rural background.
Field of study
Medicine
Duration
Payments made for a fixed number of years
Payment made for 4 years
Eligibility
Scholarship type | Access |
Student type | Domestic |
Study level | Postgraduate/Masters, and Graduate certificate |
Selection bases | Personal illness/Disability, Financial hardship, Regional, rural or remote, Low SES |
The Award is available each year to a commencing ANU student who:
- is an Australian citizen, holder of an Australian Permanent Resident visa or a permanent humanitarian visa; and
- receives an offer of admission to the Medicinae ac Chirurgiae Doctoranda (8950XMCHD) program at the School of Medicine and Psychology, College of Health and Medicine; and
- is able to demonstrate disadvantage on the grounds of educational, financial, physical or emotional hardship; and
- is able to attend the Bill Nicholes “Willigobung” Scholarship for Medicine interview; and
- for the scholarship reserved for student from a rural background, has resided for at least 5 consecutive years or 10 cumulative years in a Modified Monash Model (MMM) 2019 category MM 2 to MM 7 area. This aligns with the rural background criteria as defined by the Department of Health for admission to the Medicinae ac Chirurgiae Doctoranda (8950XMCHD) program.
Selection
Only applicants who meet all the eligibility criteria will be considered. Selection is made on the basis of applicants meeting the eligibility criteria and:
- Academic achievement;
- Personal achievements beyond academic performance;
- Suitability based on the information provided in their application;
- Ability to demonstrate personal qualities, abilities and talents desirable in a clinician; and
- Performance at the Bill Nicholes “Willigobung” Scholarship for Medicine interview.
Ongoing eligibility
Continuation based on full-time study load
How to apply
The application form is available from the "Apply Now" link at the top of this page. Applications must be submitted by the closing date i.e., 5:00pm AEDT Friday 8 January 2027.
Key scholarship details
Application period
Open for applications30-Nov-2026 to 08-Jan-2027
Value
$20,000 per annum.
Number of scholarships awarded
2 on offer
Payments made per semester
Additional information
The scholarship is valued at $20,000 per annum for four years. The scholarship is paid in equal instalments after census date each semester unless otherwise stated in the letter of offer.
The application form is available from the "Apply Now" link at the top of this page. Applications must be submitted by the closing date i.e., 5:00pm AEDT Friday 8 January 2027.
Use contact details to request an alternative file format.
- Conditions of Award (51/2022) (PDF, 477.43 KB)
- Conditions of Award (34/2020) (PDF, 591.42 KB)
- Conditions of Award (89/2026) (PDF, 224.77 KB)
- Conditions of Award (32/2024) (PDF, 204.27 KB)
Use contact details to request an alternative file format.
Contact us
School of Medicine and Psychology
If you have any questions about this scholarship, reach out to our team.
+61 2 6125 1304