Ahpra lets new medical graduates defer the $543 registration fee until 31 March 2027 under a pilot

The Medical Board of Australia said in a news item dated 9 September 2026 that Ahpra is running a fee deferral pilot for medical graduates applying for provisional registration for the first time. Graduates of Australian and New Zealand medical schools pay the $332 application fee upfront and can defer the $543 registration fee until 31 March 2027. The deferral option is available from 9 October 2026 to 4 January 2027. Ahpra chief executive Justin Untersteiner said upfront registration costs can be challenging for some graduates, and Board chair Dr Susan O'Dwyer said the regulator is deferring part of their costs until they are better able to afford them. The Medical Republic reported the pilot the same day.

The deferral must be requested through the Ahpra portal dashboard before the registration application is lodged, and the provisional registration application and application fee must then follow within 30 days of approval. Ahpra will send a reminder before the deferred fee falls due. The Board said in a news item dated 9 October that 2026 graduate registration is open; Ahpra aims to finalise complete applications within two weeks of receiving graduate results, and registration must be in place before an internship starts. The notices describe eligibility only in terms of Australian and New Zealand medical school graduates.

See the Medical Board graduate registration page for the steps.