Postgraduate guidelines and conditions

​​​​​ On this page​​

1. ​ Purpose of this document
2. Background
   
3. Responsibilities of applicants
4. Eligibility criteria
5. Scholarship timeframes
6. How to apply
7. Assessment of applications
8. Notifying applicants
9. Awarding of scholarship
   
10. Withdrawing from study
11. Deferring study
12. ​Changing study program

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 Postgraduate Nursing and Midwifery Scholarships to individual registered nurses and midwives who are studying a postgraduate course. These scholarships are administered by the Health Education and Training Institute (HETI).

The scholarships aim 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.

The amount of the scholarship is based on the postgraduate qualification being undertaken:

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

The above-mentioned amounts are the maximum amount that may be awarded. 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 these guidelines i.e. proof of employment, evidence of enrolment and receipts on request
• repay the scholarship to the Health Education and Training Institute if withdrawing from study for which the scholarship was awarded
• participate in any future evaluations of the scholarship program
• the conditions of the scholarship when submitting an application.

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Eligibility criteria

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

To apply for a Postgraduate Nursing and Midwifery Scholarship, applicants must:

• be an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia
• be currently working in NSW Health, in a local health district or specialty network, as a registered nurse or midwife and employed on a full/part-time, or casual basis (average of at least 2 shifts per week). Midwifery students must be employed in a recognised postgraduate midwifery student position in a public maternity service
• 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 2025 to be considered eligible in 2025. Applicants commencing study after this date should apply in 2026
• not be in receipt of a scholarship from the Nursing and Midwifery Office in the last 5 years
• not be receiving another subsidy, grant or scholarship for the same program of study. This may include Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP).

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. For most applicants, the Nursing and Midwifery Postgraduate Scholarship will generally offer a higher level of financial support.

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Scholarship timeframes

Please check Postgraduate nursing and midwifery scholarships regularly for updates.

How to apply

Complete the online application form, accessed via Postgraduate Nursing and Midwifery Scholarships.

Applicants must provide evidence of acceptance of offer into a relevant Australian postgraduate nursing or midwifery program of study at the time of submitting their application. Generic information about course subjects will not be accepted.

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 having concurrent employment in a recognised midwifery student position in a public maternity service.

Applicants must submit their application by 9 April 2025. Late applications will not be accepted.

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

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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 on first round will be notified on 16 May 2025, via the email address/es nominated by the applicant in their application form.

These applicants will have 7 days to accept their offer and to confirm their enrolment. If applicants do not accept their offer AND confirm their enrolment by 23 May 2025, the scholarship will be re-allocated and no longer be available to that applicant.

For any remaining scholarships, second round offers will be made on 30 May 2025.

These applicants will have 7 days to accept their offer and to confirm their enrolment. If applicants do not accept their offer AND confirm their enrolment by 6 June 2025, the offer will expire and no longer be available.

Remaining applicants not awarded a scholarship will be notified of outcome on 30 May 2025. 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% of the awarded scholarship amount upfront (first payment) by 30 June 2025 upon confirming their enrolment.

The remainder of the scholarship (second payment) will be awarded upon successfully completing the requirements of their study program. To claim second payment, recipients must provide an official academic transcript that adequately reflects their successful completion of course requirements for the program for which the scholarship was awarded.

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

• Graduate Certificate level - within 2 years
• Graduate Diploma level - 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 their studies after receiving the first scholarship payment may be asked to repay the amount awarded. 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 since initially 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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