To apply for the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Program, you’ll need to meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Medical registration: You have current Australian or New Zealand medical registration and hold (or expect to hold) general registration by the commencement of training.
• Residency status: Residency status: You’re an Australian or New Zealand citizen or Australian permanent resident or hold a 309, 482, 485, 491, 494 or 820 visa.
• Exam candidacy: You have at least two exam semesters remaining if you have already sat RACGP Fellowship exams (since January 2019).

If any of the below apply, your eligibility may be affected: 

• Medical registration conditions or undertakings: If you have medical registration conditions or undertakings on your Ahpra medical registration, these will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
• Enrolment on other training programs: If you’re currently enrolled on another training program, you may need to be prepared to resign from that program.
• Withdrawal from specialist training: If you have previously withdrawn or been withdrawn from any specialist medical colleges, your application will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Contact us if you have any questions about your eligibility.

If you’re applying to the AGPT Program and you’re on visa, there’s some important information for you to know.

Maintaining valid visa status
You’re responsible for maintaining a valid visa status for the entire duration of your training and for meeting all visa and training requirements. If you’re unable to meet your training requirements at any point due to visa restrictions or issues, you may be withdrawn from the training program in accordance with the Withdrawal Policy.

Sponsorship
If your visa requires employer sponsorship, you’re responsible for securing this sponsorship at an approved training site and meeting the training location commitments for your assigned training region and pathway. Neither the RACGP or the Department of Health and Aged Care can sponsor doctors, and we do not facilitate sponsorship with training sites.

It's also important to note that due to visa employer sponsorship requirements, depending on your timing of entry into the AGPT Program, you may experience delays in commencement of a community-based general practice training term as training sites that offer sponsorship are limited and when available take a longer timeframe to arrange employment due to the sponsorship process.

Permanent residency requirement for completion of training
If you’re successful in obtaining a training place on the AGPT Program, you must obtain Australian permanent residency by the completion of your training. If permanent residency is not obtained, you won’t be eligible to be awarded Fellowship and you may be withdrawn from the program. If you have any concerns about your residency status, we encourage you to seek advice early to avoid any disruption to your training or progression to Fellowship.

For more information on visa conditions and restrictions, refer to the Department of Home Affairs website.

The 10-year moratorium applies if you:

• completed your primary medical qualification overseas, or
• were not a permanent resident when you began medical school in Australia.

This doesn’t affect your eligibility to apply for the AGPT Program. It does however mean you can only apply to train in the rural pathway and cannot apply for the general pathway unless you have a rural pathway exemption.

Find out more about the 10-year moratorium and exemptions.