HELP Debt Reduction for medical and nurse practitioners in rural, remote and very remote areas

Have you ever considered working in rural and remote Australia?

Each year, doctors and nurse practitioners choose to take their skills beyond the city, discovering not only unique career opportunities but also deeply rewarding life experiences. In these communities, your work can truly matter - providing essential care to underserved populations while building strong, meaningful connections with patients and residents. The lifestyle can be equally appealing, offering a slower pace, close-knit communities, and a chance to reconnect with nature in ways that are often difficult in urban environments.

Working in these settings also brings diverse professional challenges and growth opportunities, helping you expand your skills and independence. Seeing the direct impact of your care and being part of a committed team can make the experience incredibly fulfilling.

Support you can receive

100% HELP debt reduction
If you complete the full service period in an eligible location.
50% HELP debt reduction
If you complete a shorter eligible service period in an eligible location.
Indexation waiver
Removes indexation applied to your outstanding HELP debt during your eligible service period.

Note: If you are eligible for a HELP debt reduction, an indexation waiver is calculated and applied automatically.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for an indexation waiver, applicants must meet all the following criteria:

have completed an eligible medical or nurse practitioner qualification
have a HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP debt for that qualification
be registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) in that profession (medical practitioners only)
be endorsed by Ahpra (nurse practitioners only)
work at least 24 hours per week delivering general practice services
work in an eligible location (MM 3-7)
reside in an eligible location (MM 3-7) during your service.

Medical practitioners must also have:

completed at least 36 months of practice after first Ahpra registration.

To be eligible for a HELP debt reduction, applicants must meet all indexation waiver criteria above and have completed the required service period in an eligible location.

Note: Services provided before 1 January 2022 are not eligible for consideration under this program.

Eligible locations

The program uses the Modified Monash Model (MMM), which classifies locations from MM 1 (major cities) to MM 7 (very remote).

You must both work and reside in an eligible MM 3 to MM 7 location during your service period.

The following MM categories are eligible locations under the program:

MM 3 – large rural towns
MM 4 – medium rural towns
MM 5 – small rural towns and other small regional communities
MM 6 – remote communities
MM 7 – very remote communities.

Check your MM category:

Go to the Health Workforce Locator.
Enter your workplace address in the search bar.
In the results, look under Summary and Modified Monash Model to view your MM category.

The service period for a HELP debt reduction is based on your work location. You must also reside in an MM 3 to MM 7 area during your service period, but it does not have to be the same MM category as your work location.

Required service period

Eligibility for a HELP debt reduction depends on:

where you work (MM category)
length of your degree (the full time equivalent)
length of service in an eligible location.

MM 6-7 (Remote / Very Remote) required minimum service period

Degree length	Years required for 50% reduction	Years required for 100% reduction
Medical practitioner – 6 years	1.5 years	3 years
Medical practitioner – 4 years	1 year	2 years
Nurse practitioner – 2 years	6 months	1 year

MM3-5 (Rural) required minimum service period

Degree length	Years required for 50% reduction	Years required for 100% reduction
Medical practitioner – 6 years	3 years	6 years
Medical practitioner – 4 years	2 years	4 years
Nurse practitioner – 2 years	1 year	2 years

Note:

Work undertaken prior to 1 January 2022 is not eligible under the program.
For medical practitioners, work undertaken before your 36-month service date is not eligible.
If the 36-month service date is before 1 January 2022, only work from 1 January 2022 can be assessed under the program.
For nurse practitioners, work undertaken as a transitional nurse practitioner while you study is not eligible.
Periods of unpaid leave greater than 10 business days do not count as service.

How your assistance is calculated

There are two types of assistance available:

Reduction of accumulated HELP debt
Waiver of indexation on outstanding HELP debt.

Reduction of accumulated HELP debt

Eligible medical and nurse practitioners may receive a full (100%) or partial (50%) reduction of their eligible HELP debt.

The reduction is calculated using the lower of the following:

the total HELP debt incurred for the eligible qualification
the HELP debt outstanding at the time eligible work commenced.

The percentage of reduction depends on your work location, degree length and completed service.

EXAMPLE: Dr A – 50% HELP Debt Reduction

Dr A completed a 6-year medical degree, where Dr A used HELP loans of $95,000 to pay for tuition fees. They graduated with a HELP debt of $100,000. Dr A finished their internship and hospital rotations, and became a fully registered doctor in March 2020.

Dr A moved to Mudgee, NSW—a MM 4 rural location—to work in a general practice.

Although Dr A had been working in a rural location since 2020, they were not yet eligible for the HELP debt reduction initiative because:

the program only applies to eligible work completed on or after 1 January 2022, and
medical practitioners must have completed at least 36 months of postgraduate clinical experience.

Dr A made annual HELP debt compulsory repayments.

Dr A met the 36 month postgraduate requirement in March 2023. At that time, their outstanding HELP debt was $80,000. From this point forward, their work in Mudgee began counting towards the HELP debt reduction initiative.

In March 2026, after three (3) more years of work in Mudgee, Dr A qualified for a 50% HELP debt reduction.

Dr A was eligible for a 50% HELP debt reduction as they had worked for half of their 6-year degree period in a MM 4 location.

The reduction was calculated as 50% of the lesser of:

their HELP debt at the time they became eligible ($80,000)
the HELP debt they originally incurred for their degree ($95,000).

Dr A was eligible for a $40,000 reduction (50% of lesser amount of $80,000) plus indexation waiver for the eligible period.

EXAMPLE: Dr B – 100% HELP Debt Reduction

Dr B commenced a law degree but changed their study path and completed a 4-year medical degree. Their course fees for medicine were deferred to HELP loans were $120,000. Including their previous law study, they graduated with a total HELP debt of $148,000.

After becoming a registered doctor and gaining three years of clinical experience, Dr B started at the Wadeye Health Clinic in NT which is a MM 7 area. At the time they commenced at Wadeye, Dr B had an outstanding HELP debt of $135,000.

Dr B worked continuously in Wadeye for 2 years, meeting the required service period for a 100% HELP debt reduction based on their 4-year degree and very remote location.

Their reduction was calculated as 100% of the lesser of:

their HELP debt at the time they became eligible ($135,000)
their HELP debt incurred for their medical degree ($120,000).

Dr B was eligible for a $120,000 HELP debt reduction plus indexation waiver for the eligible period.

At the time of applying in 2025, Dr B’s remaining debt was $125,000. The $120,000 reduction was applied, leaving them with a new HELP debt balance of $5,000.

Note: The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is responsible for the management of HELP debts. Once your application is approved, your HELP debt account at the ATO will be amended. Read more in our FAQs regarding reductions, repayments and credits.

Waiver of indexation on outstanding HELP debt

Indexation is applied to outstanding HELP debts by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) on 1 June each year.

Eligible medical and nurse practitioners may have indexation waived on their HELP debt for the period they have worked and resided in a rural, remote or very remote location of Australia.

As indexation is applied annually, a waiver removes indexation applied during eligible periods of service.

EXAMPLE

Dr C began residing and working in an MM 4 location on 1 August 2023 and was confirmed as eligible under the program.

On 1 June 2024, $222.89 in indexation was applied to their HELP debt.

After completing their eligible service, Dr C applied for the indexation waiver. The waiver for the 2023–24 indexation year was calculated based on the number of days Dr C worked in an eligible location during that indexation year (1 August 2023 – 30 May 2024).

Dr C’s eligible service started on 1 August 2023 when they began residing and working in the MM 4 location.

From 1 August 2023 to 30 May 2024, they worked 304 eligible days.

The waiver for this indexation year is calculated as:

(304 ÷ 365) × $222.89 = $185.64 waived.