Postgraduate scholarships guidelines and conditions

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Purpose of this document

The purpose of this document is to provide guidelines for applicants and set down the conditions associated with applying to and receiving a Postgraduate nursing and midwifery scholarship. Applicants should read this document carefully prior to applying for a scholarship.

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Background

The Nursing and Midwifery Office (NaMO) offer a Postgraduate nursing and midwifery scholarship (the Scholarship) to individual registered nurses and midwives who are studying a postgraduate course. The scholarship is administered by the Health Education and Training Institute (HETI).

The scholarship aims to support the retention and skill development of registered nurses and midwives working in NSW Health and to help with course costs associated with postgraduate study. They are open to those working in full or part-time positions in NSW Health. Casual employees may also be eligible. See Eligibility Criteria for further information.

The amount of the scholarship is based on the postgraduate qualification that you're studying. Applicants enrolled in full fee-paying programs of study can be awarded:

  • Graduate Certificate: up to $6,000
  • Graduate Diploma: up to $8,000
  • Masters Program: up to $10,000

Applicants with a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) can be awarded:

  • Graduate Certificate: up to $3,000
  • Graduate Diploma: up to $4,000
  • Masters Program: up to $5,000

The above-mentioned amounts are the maximum amount that may be awarded and is dependent on any other scholarships or subsidies awarded for the same program of study.

The actual value of the scholarship awarded is calculated according to the cost of the study program only. Any other associated costs are not included.

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Responsibilities for applicants

Applicants agree to:

  • Provide all documentation as requested in the application form and outlined in the Quick guide for applicants.
  • Respond to any requests for more information within the timeframe required.
  • Repay the scholarship to HETI if withdrawing from study for which the scholarship was awarded.
  • Participate in any future evaluations of the scholarship program.
  • The conditions of the scholarship as outlined in this document.

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Eligibility criteria

Applicants should review the following criteria carefully to check their eligibility prior to applying.

To apply for the scholarship applicants must:
 
  • Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia.
  • Be employed as a registered nurse or midwife in a NSW Health organisation and working in a nursing or midwifery role on a full-time, part-time, or casual basis (provided the applicant works an average of at least 2 shifts per week). Registered nurses training to become midwives must be concurrently employed in a recognised postgraduate midwifery student position in a public maternity service (before 1 June 2026). NSW Health organisations include:
  • Have evidence of enrolment with an Australian higher education provider in a relevant postgraduate program of study, leading to a qualification at Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma or Masters level. Applicants must commence study by 1 June 2026 to be considered eligible in 2026. Applicants commencing study after this date should apply in 2027.
  • Not be in receipt of a scholarship from the Nursing and Midwifery Office in the last 3 years.

Note: Applicants undertaking postgraduate study to gain registration as a midwife may also wish to review their suitability against the criteria for the Tertiary Health Study Subsidy Program (THSSP). Postgraduate midwifery students should apply for one or the other.

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Scholarship timeframes

Please check Postgraduate nursing and midwifery scholarships regularly for updates.

Event Date
Applications open16 February 2026
Applications close 31 March 2026
Applications reviewed April 2026
Successful applicants notified24 April 2026

Applicants accept*/decline offer

* Includes providing evidence of finalised enrolment (post university census date)

By 1 May 2026
Unsuccessful applicants notified 1 May 2026
Scholarship recipients’ first payment made **by 30 June 2026 

** Final payment made to recipients on providing evidence of successfully completing requirements of the study program.

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How to apply

Complete the online application form, accessed via Postgraduate nursing and midwifery scholarships.

Applicants will be prompted to provide initial and valid evidence of enrolment into a relevant Australian postgraduate nursing or midwifery program of study at the time of submitting their application. Note: successful applicants must confirm finalised enrolment after the university census date to receive a scholarship.

Applicants will be prompted to download a Proof of employment form to be completed by their employer and submitted with their application.

If undertaking postgraduate study leading to initial registration as a midwife, applicants must show proof of employment into a recognised midwifery student position before 1 June 2026 in a public maternity service.

Applicants must submit their application by 31 March 2026. Late applications will not be accepted.

Applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be considered. 

Refer to Quick guide for applicants for details on how to apply and the eligibility evidence required.

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Assessment of applications

Scholarships are competitive and the number of applications received may exceed scholarships available. Not all applicants who apply will be successful for a scholarship.

Applications are prioritised according to workforce need and length of employment in NSW Health and aligned with NSW Health workforce strategies. Applications are also allocated to ensure fair distribution across districts and specialty networks.

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Notifying applicants

Applicants successful for an offer will be notified on 24 April 2026, via the email address/es nominated by the applicant in their application form.

Successful applicants must accept their offer and confirm finalised enrolment (past the university census date) by 1 May 2026.

If successful applicants do not accept their offer AND provide their evidence of finalised enrolment by 1 May 2026, the offer will expire and no longer be available.

Applicants who are not successful for a scholarship will be notified of outcome on 1 May 2026. Applicants may be eligible to apply again the following year.

Decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into. 

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Awarding of scholarship

Scholarship recipients will receive 50 percent of the awarded scholarship amount upfront (first payment) by 30 June 2026 upon confirming finalised enrolment. 

The remainder of the scholarship (second payment) will be awarded to recipients upon successfully completing the requirements of their study program. To claim the second payment, recipients must provide documented evidence that adequately reflects their successful completion of course requirements for the program for which the scholarship was awarded. Refer to Quick guide for applicants for more information.

From the date recipients are awarded the first payment, recipients will have the following timeframes to successfully complete studies and lodge a claim for the second payment:

  • Graduate Certificate - within 2 years
  • Graduate Diploma - within 3 years
  • Masters program - within 4 years

 Beyond these timeframes, the scholarship will lapse, and the recipient will no longer be eligible to claim the second payment.

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Withdrawing from study

If scholarship recipients withdraw from studies at any stage in their study program, they will no longer be eligible for the second payment and will forfeit the scholarship.

Recipients who withdraw from studies after receiving the  first payment may be required to repay the scholarship. For further advice, please contact  MOH-Nscholar@health.nsw.gov.au 

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Deferring study

​Recipients may choose to postpone or defer study at any time during their studies and according to the relevant education provider’s conditions. To receive the scholarship’s second and final payment, applicants must successfully complete their study program within the stated timeframes.

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Changing study program

Scholarship recipients who choose to exit a study program early will receive the value of the scholarship for the qualification obtained. For example, if a recipient is awarded a scholarship to complete a Master in Child and Family Health up to the value of $10,000 but exits study upon meeting the requirements for a Graduate Certificate, the scholarship amount will be adjusted accordingly to the level of the qualification obtained, up to the value of $6,000.

Recipients who choose to extend their study program beyond the level of study the scholarship was initially awarded, will receive the agreed upon scholarship amount as initially assessed.

Recipients who wish to change their program of study after being awarded a scholarship, for example, change from a Master in Nursing to a Master in Public Health, may no longer be eligible to receive the second payment. For further advice, please contact  MOH-Nscholar@health.nsw.gov.au.

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Current as at: Thursday 7 May 2026
Contact page owner: Nursing and Midwifery