Skip to main content

Registration, Fees and Leave

Registration and Employment 

Trainees selected to the Training Program will be automatically registered with the RACS. Trainees must keep the Board up to date with their contact details at all times.  Changes can be sent to [email protected].

Trainees are required to notify the Board of any illness, injury or impairment that may impact on their ability to undertake or complete the SET Program. This notification must be made in accordance with the RACS Ill, Injured and Impaired Trainees Policy.

Trainees are required to notify the Board in writing within 2 business days of any material change to their employment or medical registration status during their SET Program and provide all documentation relating to the change. For avoidance of doubt, this includes but is not limited to:

  • details of the commencement and outcome of any disciplinary action taken by the employer;
  • details of any restrictions, conditions, cautions or reprimands placed on the trainee by the employer;
  • details of the suspension or termination of employment;
  • the recording of any undertakings, conditions or cautions on a trainee’s medical registration; and
  • the expiry, suspension or cancellation of the trainee’s medical registration.

Download the Training Program Regulations here  

Training Fees


 The Training Program annual training fee has two components; one component to the RACS and the one component to the NSA.  For the 2022 training year, the fees are as follows:

  • Australian Full Training Fee - RACS Component:  $3,735 (Australian dollars)
  • Australian Full Training Fee - NSA Component:  $3,735 (Australian dollars)
  • New Zealand Full Training Fee - RACS Component: $4,595 (New Zealand dollars)
  • New Zealand Full Training Fee - NSA Component: $4,595 (New Zealand dollars)
Trainees undertaking flexible clinical training will be charged a reduced fee. Trainees who are not in clinical training (interrupted, deferred, suspended, exam pending) will not be charged a fee by the NSA, but will be charged a fee by the RACS. These fees can be found on the RACS website  (click here to view the RACS fees). All training fees above, including the NSA component, are invoiced by the RACS.

In addition to the above, fees are charged for compulsory courses and examinations which form part of the Training Program requirements. These fees are charged by the RACS and can be found on their website (click here to view the RACS fees).

Applicants to the Training Program are required to pay a registration fee to the RACS and an application fee to the NSA. These fees can be found in the selection registration and application section of this website (click here to view the selection registration and application fees).

Leave 

Trainees undertaking full-time training are entitled to a maximum of four weeks leave per three-month rotation subject to approval by the employing authority.  Trainees undertaking flexible training are entitled to the pro-rata equivalent. Periods beyond this may result in the rotation being deemed unassessed and not be counted towards the minimum training time for the trainee’s Training Program level.  The maximum leave entitlement is inclusive of, but not limited to, combined annual, personal, compassionate, parental, study, conference and carer’s leave.

Any questions or requests can be sent to [email protected].

Deferment and Interruption

New trainees wishing to defer commencement on the Training Program to complete a higher research degree relevant to neurosurgery must be undertaking the higher degree at the time of application for selection.   The maximum period of deferment that will be granted for higher degree research is 12 months.  Additional periods of interruption to continue the higher degree research will not be granted.   

Existing trainees wishing to interrupt their Training Program to undertake a higher research degree relevant to neurosurgery may apply for interruption following satisfactory completion of one year of the Training Program. The application must be submitted prior to 1 May in the year prior to the proposed commencement of the interruption.  Existing trainees wishing to interrupt their SET Program for other circumstances including ill-health and parenting can apply at any time in writing to the Board.

Full details regarding the provisions can be found in the Regulations. 

Download the Training Program Regulations here