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Scholarships
Various RANZCO Branches and affiliate organisations provide scholarships for those currently in or looking toward a career in eye health/ophthalmology.
2026 Travelling Scholarships
The Alan James bequest and the Trevelyan-Smith bequest are once again providing funds for the RANZCO 2026 Travelling Scholarships.
Open to final (fifth) year trainees and Fellows in their first five years, the scholarships can be used to fund overseas and local Fellowships.
- The Alan James Travelling Scholarship is AUD $10,000 to subsidise overseas study for Fellows. Three scholarships will be available.
- The Trevelyan-Smith Travelling Scholarship is AUD $10,000 to subsidise overseas or local study for final year trainees or Fellows. Four scholarships will be available.
Note: the NZ Branch will also award two scholarships of NZD $5,000 for the runner up in each category from their Branch.
In general, your Fellowship should have commenced within the past 6 months or be scheduled to commence within the next 12 months, with a minimum Fellowship duration of 12 months, although consideration of timings outside these windows will also be considered on a case by case basis.
All submissions must be received (completed) by 9AM (AEST) Monday 17 August 2026.
Closing date: 9AM (AEST) Monday 17 August 2026
2026 Heather G Mack Scholarship for Women
Applications are open for the Heather G Mack Scholarship for Women, a scholarship of AUD $4,000 for female doctors in their final year of training, or who have graduated from the RANZCO vocational training program or equivalent, who are interested in board governance.
The Scholarship is intended to cover the costs of undertaking approved governance courses that will result in the acquisition of new knowledge and techniques to strengthen or enrich the successful recipient’s existing governance skills.
To be eligible, you must:
- identify as female;
- be a permanent resident of Australia or New Zealand;
- be a RANZCO trainee undertaking a Fellowship as part of your fifth year, or a graduate of the RANZCO vocational training program or equivalent;
- have a demonstrated interest in governance (for example, membership of a RANZCO committee);
- be interested in further developing your board governance skills;
- complete all sections of this online submission form including all requested documentation; and
- not have previously received a Heather G Mack Scholarship for Women.
Closing date: Midnight Thursday 3 September 2026
Apply now
2026 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Māori and Pacific Peoples Scholarships
- TWO scholarships of AUD $2,000 each for medical students (graduate/undergraduate) or junior doctors (PGY 1,2,3) who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, and
- TWO scholarships of AUD $2,000 each for medical students (graduate/undergraduate) or junior doctors (PGY 1,2,3) who identify as Māori or Pacific. Please note: Māori and Pacific applicants intending to use this scholarship to attend RANZCO Congress may be eligible for top-up funds from the Australian and New Zealand Eye Foundation (ANZEF). Please contact anzef@ranzcodev.dev.nucleoserver.com once you submit your application, for more details.
Applicants should have an interest in pursuing a career in ophthalmology.
The Scholarships are intended to cover the costs of undertaking ophthalmology surgical or clinical related education, professional development, training and/or research in Australia or New Zealand that will result in the acquisition of new knowledge or skills which will strengthen or enrich their career portfolios.
Closing date: 9AM (AEST) Wednesday 23 September 2026.
ANZEF Scholarships
The Australian and New Zealand Eye Foundation (ANZEF), RANZCO’s philanthropic arm, has a number of scholarships on offer throughout the year for:
- First Nations medical students and junior doctors in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand with an interest in eye health
- Eye health professionals from low-resource settings in the Asia-Pacific region
- RANZCO VTP trainees with an interest in First Nations eye health
To find out more and to keep up to date of the scholarships on offer, please visit anzef.org/scholarships and follow ANZEF on Instagram.
If there is a scholarship you would like to share with RANZCO members or those in the eye health/ophthalmic sector, reach out to us at ranzco@ranzcodev.dev.nucleoserver.com.