The Rural Pharmacy Forum 2026 Bursary offers a unique opportunity for a rural or remote pharmacist to enhance their professional development and strengthen their impact on local communities. 

Valued at $5,000, this bursary is designed to support an eligible pharmacist in attending the APP2026 Conference, held on the Gold Coast from 12–14 March 2026.

The bursary provides support for essential expenses such as full conference registration, travel, accommodation, and locum support, ensuring that the recipient can fully participate without financial barriers.

This initiative recognises the vital role rural pharmacists play in delivering healthcare and aims to provide access to world-class learning and networking opportunities. If you are a first-time APP attendee, a single-pharmacist pharmacy owner, and work and reside in a rural or remote area (MMM 3–7), this bursary could help you bring valuable insights back to your pharmacy and community. 

CLICK BELOW to find out more and submit your application today! Applications close 5:00pm (AEDT) on 9 February 2026. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

The bursary is proudly sponsored by Pharmaceutical Defence Limited (PDL).

This bursary provides financial support valued at $5,000 to assist an eligible rural or remote pharmacist in attending the APP2026 Conference on the Gold Coast from 12-14 March 2026.

The bursary is intended to support expenses including:

• Full conference registration
• Travel expenses (flights, transfers)
• Accommodation
• Locum support or backfill costs

2. Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for the bursary, applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

• First-time attendee: You must not have attended this conference previously.
• Single-pharmacist pharmacy owner: You must be the sole pharmacist working in your pharmacy and you must be the pharmacy owner.
• Rural or remote location: You must reside and work in a rural or remote area of Australia, as defined by the Modified Monash Model (MMM 3–7).

3. Operating Conditions

By accepting the bursary, recipients agree to the following:

• Full attendance: You must attend all three days of the APP2026 conference, including the Rural Pharmacy Forum on Thursday, 12 March 2026 from 2:00pm – 4:45pm.
• Reporting: You may be required to provide a short post-conference report or testimonial outlining the benefits of attending.
• Non-transferable: The bursary is awarded to the named recipient only and cannot be transferred or exchanged for cash.
• Withdrawal: If you are unable to accept the offer of the bursary, you must notify the organisers as soon as possible so the bursary can be reallocated.
• Repayment: Failure to attend the full conference may require repayment of the bursary.

By applying for and accepting this bursary, you agree to the following terms and conditions:

• Eligibility

• You must be a registered pharmacist currently practicing in Australia.

• You must be the sole pharmacist working in your pharmacy.

• You must reside and work in a rural or remote area, defined as Modified Monash Model (MMM) 3–7.

• You must not have previously attended any APP Conference

• You must be available to attend all three days of the conference, including the Rural Pharmacy Forum on Thursday, 12 March 2026 from 2:00pm – 4:30pm.

• Selection of Bursary Recipient

• Bursary Inclusions

The bursary is valued at up to $5,000 (including GST) and may be used to cover:

• Full conference registration

• Return travel (economy class flights or equivalent)

• Accommodation for the duration of the conference

• Locum or backfill support to cover your absence from the pharmacy

• Attendance Requirements

• You must attend the entire conference, including all scheduled sessions and the Rural Pharmacy Forum.

• Failure to attend the full conference may result in repayment of the bursary.

• Reimbursement and Payment

• The bursary may be paid directly to service providers or reimbursed to you upon submission of valid receipt for eligible expenses.

• All claims must be submitted within 30 days of the conference ending.

• Any unspent funds must be returned.

• Decisions regarding applicability or availability of the bursary are at the discretion of the Guild, and the Guild reserves the right to deny a request for payment or reimbursement.

• Reporting Obligations

• You agree to submit a short post-conference report (approx. 300–500 words) within 4 weeks of the event, outlining:

• Key learnings

• How the experience will benefit your practice

• Any suggestions for future bursary programs

• Withdrawal or Cancellation

• If you are unable to attend the conference after accepting the bursary, you must notify the organisers immediately.

• The bursary may be reallocated to another eligible applicant.

• Cancellations made without reasonable notice may affect your eligibility for future support.

• Privacy and Use of Information

• Your personal information will be used solely for the purpose of administering the bursary.

• With your consent, your name, photo, and testimonial may be used in promotional materials.

• Privacy Collection Notice

By submitting this form, you consent to and acknowledge that the Pharmacy Guild of Australia (ABN 84 519 669 143) (the Guild) will collect your name, pharmacy name, mobile phone number, email address, Modified Monash Model (MMM) number and AHPRA registration number (Personal Information) as part of the Rural Pharmacy Forum 2026 Bursary (the service).

The Personal Information you provide will be used solely for purposes directly related to the Rural Pharmacy Forum 2026 Bursary. This may include deciding on the successful applicant, publicly identifying you as the successful recipient, contacting you if we need to clarify or discuss your application, and notifying and announcing you if you are selected as the successful recipient. Without this information, we would be unable to provide you with the Service. We will not otherwise use your Personal Information for any other purpose unrelated to the Rural Pharmacy Forum 2026 Bursary without contacting you.

We collect this information directly from you via an online application form. Your Personal Information may be disclosed to the judging panel members, event organisers, and service providers engaged to administer or deliver the bursary. We do not currently anticipate disclosing your information overseas; if this changes, we will only do so in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

For more information about how the Guild handles your Personal Information, how to access and/or correct your Personal Information, or to make a privacy related enquiry or complaint, please see our Privacy Policy. You can withdraw your consent at any time or seek further information about how the Guild deals with personal information by contacting us at the guild.nat@guild.org.au email address or using the contact details in our Privacy Policy.