The Department of Health is offering scholarships to nurses and midwives in public health services undertaking eligible postgraduate studies.
This initiative aims to build workforce capability through upskilling and developing the next generation of nurses and midwives.
Overview
Nursing and midwifery postgraduate scholarships are provided to public health services to support registered nurses and midwives undertaking postgraduate study. This includes in areas of clinical practice where there is an identified workforce need.
This funding will increase the number and value of scholarships for nurses and midwives commencing postgraduate studies.
The value of the scholarship provided to each eligible nurse and midwife will be allocated by the employing health services.
Scholarship recipients must commence their postgraduate course in the 2024-25 financial year. This initiative will not provide funding for postgraduate activities undertaken before 2023-24.
Eligibility criteria
Health service
Health services will need to provide information about the course and out-of-pocket course fees for their eligible scholarship candidates to the department to receive their funding allocation.
Health services are accountable for determining the areas of practice in which they wish to provide scholarships.
Health services should use their scholarships to address local workforce shortages, projected demand in target areas of clinical practice, or align with workforce requirements for service expansion currently occurring or planned.
Priority clinical areas for 2024-25 identified by the department include:
- midwifery
- aged Care
- intensive care
- emergency care
- Nurse Practitioner
- oncology
- perioperative
- paediatrics
Other relevant clinical specialities will also be considered.
Scholarships for studies in mental health are offered separately and are not included in this initiative.
Candidates
To be eligible for a scholarship you must:
- be a currently registered nurse or midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia
- be an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen (or dual citizenship holders of either Australia or New Zealand), an Australian permanent resident or an Australian permanent humanitarian visa holder
- be employed in an eligible Victorian public health service
- be enrolled in an eligible postgraduate program in the 2024-25 financial year that leads to a tertiary qualification in one of the priority clinical practice areas identified by the health service or department
- not already hold an award qualification in the practice area for which the scholarship is sought
- have not previously received a department scholarship to study in the practice area for which the scholarship is sought.
In addition, you must:
- agree to complete the course and work in the target area of practice (for which the scholarship was awarded). This must be in a Victorian public health service for a period of at least 1 year in accordance with your organisations minimum requirement following completion of the postgraduate course
- only use the scholarship funds for the purpose of nursing or midwifery postgraduate study, deemed relevant to address an area of identified workforce need, as determined by the health service.
Courses
Eligible postgraduate courses must:
- be delivered by a university or an accredited higher education provider
- lead to an award qualification at postgraduate level, including Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma or Master(s)
- have a structured clinical component within the speciality area and as evidenced through the course curriculum of at least an average of 24 hours a week
Variations of the eligibility criteria exist for scholarship applicants' rural health services. Further information can be found in the Training and Development Funding Program Guidelines 2024-25.
The following course types are ineligible:
- Online only courses in any nursing specialty that do not have a mandatory clinical training requirement that is completed in a public health service.
- Courses that lead to a specialty that is not clinical in nature (e.g. Leadership, eHealth).
- Courses for clinical streams where funding is already provided in another program (e.g. mental health nursing).
How to apply
Applications for this funding will be co-ordinated by public health services.
Health services are responsible for the:
- information regarding scholarships
- application process
- selection of scholarship recipients in accordance with eligibility criteria and any additional requirements determined by the health service
- disbursement of funds which may include direct payment of course fees to education providers
- monitoring outcomes of the scholarship program
- reporting relevant program data to the department.
To find out more, contact the Nursing and Midwifery Education Team at your organisation.
More information for applicants
You are responsible for enrolling in and completing the qualification by the due date and for any study costs beyond the value of the scholarship.
If you need to defer or withdraw from your studies, you must notify your employer within 1 week of the change in study arrangements.
If you plan to recommence study in the same year, you do not need to return the funds.
If you do not return to study in the same year, the scholarship funds will be recalled.
The department is not required to withhold tax (PAYG) from grants paid. You should be aware:
- you may be liable to pay tax on your scholarship. For more information, see the calculator on the Australian Taxation Office
- you may be entitled to claim a tax deduction for self-education expenses. For more information, see the Australian Taxation Office .
- it is strongly recommended that you obtain relevant professional advice on any impact the payment of a scholarship has on benefits paid under an Australian Government scheme, for example, Austudy, Abstudy, aged or disability carer allowances, and pensions.
The department strongly recommends that recipients seek independent tax advice for their scholarship payment.
Reviewed 06 February 2025