About the program
The program provides 1,850 postgraduate scholarships over 4 years from 2023–24 across Australia.
In 2024–25, the program will provide 175 graduate certificate or graduate diploma scholarships, and 175 masters’ scholarships.
Then, 250 of each scholarship type will be available each year until 2026–27.
Why it is important
Nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives are key to meeting the workforce demands in the primary care and aged care health sector.
By helping to grow the number and skills of nurses and midwives, the program will help ensure Australians have access to the health care they need, wherever they live.
Goals
The program aims to:
- improve the capacity, quality, distribution and mix of the primary care and midwifery health workforce
- significantly increase the number of qualified nurse practitioners to support nurse-led clinics
- significantly increase the number of endorsed midwives to support our strategic directions for Australian maternity services
- provide high-quality health care that meets the individual needs of Australians
- equip more nurses and midwives with the skills to work in primary care and aged care, and more midwives to work in primary maternity care.
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must meet all the following eligibility criteria. You must:
- be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- work, or intend to work, in a primary health care setting – for example in:
- general practice
- aged care facilities
- Aboriginal community-controlled health services
- Aboriginal medical services
- independent private practice, including mental health practices
- community health centres
- group practices
- birth centres with midwife-led programs
- be enrolled in a graduate certificate or graduate diploma or a master’s accredited course at an Australian university that leads to you becoming either:
- a nurse practitioner
- an endorsed midwife.
- be a registered nurse or midwife with current Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia registration.
In addition, preference will be given to applicants who:
- are First Nations people
- work in or intend to work in the Aboriginal community-controlled health sector
- live and work in regional, rural or remote Australia, especially in MM 3 to MM 7 areas.
Who we work with
The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners will run the program on our behalf.
Status
Scholarships are now open until 25 August 2024. Apply now.
Learn more
Read more about applying for the scholarships on the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners website.