The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Aphra) is piloting a fee deferral option for Australian and New Zealand medical graduates applying for provisional registration for the first time. If successful, the option may be offered to other professions in the future.
Under the pilot, the deferral option will be available from 9 October 2026 to 4 January 2027. Graduates who request fee deferral before applying for provisional registration will pay the application fee upfront but have until 31 March 2027 to pay the registration fee.
The deferral option is in addition to existing support that Aphra and National Boards offers to graduates and practitioners when they register and renew their registration. This includes a 30% rebate on annual renewal fees for practitioners who take parental leave and other forms of protected leave, which was introduced last year.
This pilot is an opportunity to test a more flexible approach and understand how we might expand payment options to other professions in the future
Ahpra said the fee deferral option has been introduced in response to member feedback and the pilot will provide insights into demand, implementation requirements, and system impacts, helping inform future consideration of flexible payment options across other professions.
“We’ve heard clearly that upfront registration costs can be challenging for some graduates at a time when they’re transitioning from study into the workforce,” said Ahpra CEO Justin Untersteiner.
“This pilot is an opportunity to test a more flexible approach and understand how we might expand payment options to other professions in the future.”
Medical Board of Australia Chair Dr Susan O’Dwyer said many students graduated after a period of limited income while studying and completing their clinical placements.
“Many medical students will soon be taking a well-deserved break after years of study and clinical placements, before they start their internship,” said Dr O’Dwyer.
“This trial recognises that graduating students won’t start earning a full-time wage until they start their first job as a doctor. We’re deferring part of their regulatory costs until they’re better able to afford them.”
Registration fees fund the work of Ahpra and the National Boards and vary by profession. In 2026–27, Australian and New Zealand medical school graduates are required to pay a AU$332 application fee and a $543 registration fee.
