Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship and Support Scheme (NAHSSS)

The Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship and Support Scheme (NAHSSS) is a 2009-10 Budget measure that consolidates a range of existing nursing and allied health scholarship programs to improve the consistency of program design and delivery.

The objectives of the consolidated NAHSSS are to:

Increase the health workforce by facilitating the entry of jobseekers and youths interested in pursuing a career in nursing or the allied health professions;
Facilitate the continued professional development of nurses and allied health professionals; and
Encourage the pursuit of a health career in both geographic areas and professions where there are shortages.

Scholarships will be available in the health professions of nursing and allied health in the following streams:

Undergraduate
Postgraduate
Continuing professional development; and
Clinical placements.

Whilst all nurses and allied health professionals are invited to apply for scholarships, there are particular streams applicable to:

Practice nurses;
Nurse practitioners;
Midwives;
Nurses working in Indigenous communities;
Clinical placements for undergraduate nursing students in Indigenous communities;
Clinical placements for undergraduate / entry level allied health students; and
Psychology graduates seeking to qualify as clinical psychologists.

The nursing element of NAHSSS is administered on behalf of the department by the Royal College of Nursing, Australia (RCNA). For more information, visit the RCNA website at http://www.rcna.org.au or free-call 1800 117 262.

The allied health element of NAHSSS is administered on behalf of the department by Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH). For more information, visit the SARRAH website at www.sarrah.org.au or free-call 1800 338 061.

The media release announcing the new administrators is available at http://www.health.gov.au/internet/ministers/publishing.nsf/Content/mr-yr10-nr-nr145.htm