Connection to culture is central to the health and well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Scholarships are available to assist your dream of giving back to and caring for your community. With financial support provided by NSW Health, you can focus on your studies and continue your journey to becoming a nurse or midwife.

About the scholarships

NSW Health Aboriginal Nursing and Midwifery Undergraduate Scholarships of up to $1000 per subject are available for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students undertaking a Bachelor of Nursing or Bachelor of Midwifery. 

NSW Health Aboriginal Enrolled Nurse to Registered Nurse Scholarships of up to $15,000 per year is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students who hold a Diploma of Nursing qualification and are undertaking a Bachelor of Nursing. 

"It is important to have Aboriginal Nurses and Midwives to deliver culturally safe and respectable care to our mob. It's about having that connection to our history and understanding that for some, being in hospital can be a traumatising experience".

Martin Roberts proud Wiradjuri man and NSW Health Registered Nurse

Eligibility

To apply, you must be:

• an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person
• known and accepted in the community that you live or have lived
• a resident of NSW
• enrolled in an Australian Bachelor of Nursing or Bachelor of Midwifery degree
• willing to participate in an evaluation or telephone survey about the Aboriginal scholarships program

You aren't eligible for this scholarship if you're currently on a NSW Health Aboriginal Nursing and Midwifery Cadetship.

Preparing your application

The application process opens each year during January. As part of the application process, applicants must complete an online application form and provide:

• confirmation of Aboriginality
  For a guide on what you need to confirm your Aboriginality visit Stepping Up-Aboriginality
• official confirmation of enrolment in an Australian undergraduate nursing or midwifery course that is accredited under the NSW Higher Education Act (2001). This document must include:
  • your name
  • the name of the course
  • the year of study
  • a list of the subjects you have enrolled in
  If your enrolment confirmation is unavailable at the time of application, please provide a brief letter indicating your intention to enrol and forward your enrolment confirmation as soon as possible so that your application can be progressed. Generic information about course subjects will not be accepted.
• resume
• an essay of no more than 500 words explaining:
• why you want to be a nurse or midwife
• why it's important to have Aboriginal people working as nurses or midwives
• how this scholarship will help you to complete your undergraduate nursing or midwifery studies

If you recieved an undergraduate scholarship in the past from the NSW Nursing and Midwifery Scholarship Fund, you also need to provide a copy of results.

More information

For more information, see the frequently asked questions, email MOH-AboriginalNursing@health.nsw.gov.au or phone 1800 155 325.