Postgraduate
Nursing Scholarship
Maternal and Child Health
Applicant Guidelines for 2016
The Department of Education and Training (DET) administers a Postgraduate Scholarship program under the
Maternal and Child Health Service. The scholarships on offer are each valued at $5,000* and are intended for
nurses registered as both a Division 1 nurse and a midwife, currently working in the public health sector and
seeking to undertake postgraduate study in maternal and child health nursing. The aim of the Scholarship
program is to assist eligible nursing professionals to complete further education in their chosen field of maternal
and child health and subsequently increase the quality and capacity of Victoria’s maternal and child health
nursing workforce.
Postgraduate courses
Applicants for the Maternal and Child Health Nursing Postgraduate Scholarship program must be planning to or
currently undertaking either a:

Master of Nursing in Child, Family and Community

Postgraduate Diploma of Nursing Science in Child, Family and Community

Graduate Diploma in Child and Family Health Nursing
and is delivered by an Australian University.
Entry requirements for courses include current registration as both a Division 1 nurse and a midwife with the
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
Eligibility
Eligible applicants must fulfil all of the following requirements.
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Hold Australian citizenship/permanent residency or New Zealand citizenship.
Hold a current Division 1 Registered Nurse registration (without restrictions) with AHPRA.
Hold a current Midwifery registration (without restrictions) with AHPRA.
Are able to provide evidence of 2016 enrolment in one of the above postgraduate courses delivered by an
Australian University and be able to provide proof of payment or deferment of university fees.
Intend to seek employment (or are already employed) within a Victorian Municipal Maternal and Child
Health service following completion of study.
Please note:

Those who have already received a Maternal and Child Health Nursing Postgraduate Scholarship in
previous years are not eligible to receive the scholarship again in 2016 and in any forthcoming years

Direct entry midwives are not eligible to apply for this scholarship

It is important to apply by the deadline even if you have not yet secured a place in the course. Late
applications (even after successful enrolment) will not be accepted.
* Scholarship funds may be considered to be taxable income.
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Selection Process
Where the numbers of eligible applications received are greater than the available funding, scholarships will be
awarded based on:

industry need and government workforce priorities. For example:
o nurses from and/or living and practicing in regional, rural and remote communities in Victoria
and other geographic areas with known workforce needs (for example, local government areas
with high growth and demand)
o nurses from and/ or living and practicing in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
around Victoria
o nurses from and/ or living and practicing in culturally and linguistically diverse communities
around Victoria.
The Victorian Government is committed to ensuring that applicants for the Maternal and Child Health Nursing
Postgraduate Scholarship program accurately reflect the composition of the Victorian community. This includes
representation from men, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Victorians, Victorians of all ages, Victoria’s
culturally diverse community and Victorians with a disability.
Applicants will be requested to provide contact details of a current employer who can provide a verbal reference.
Scholarships will be granted at the discretion of the DET and the decision is final.
Incomplete and incorrect applications may not be considered. It is important to apply by the deadline even if you
have not yet secured a place in the course. Late applications (even after successful enrolment) will not be
accepted.
Successful applicants will be notified by mail or email and may be required to submit the following additional
documentation to DET upon request:
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a signed ‘Letter of Offer’ accepting the scholarship and all scholarship conditions
evidence of Australian citizenship, permanent residency or New Zealand citizenship
a copy of current AHPRA registration showing name, registration number, and any associated conditions or
restrictions on registration
confirmation of enrolment in the accredited course in 2016
evidence of payment or deferment of fees (full fee paying students only). This may be in the form of:
a. an official university letter confirming payment
b. an official Student Tax Invoice or Statement of Account for 2016
information provided must include:
a. course – enrolled units, subjects or courses for 2016
b. enrolment status – part-time/full-time course load
c. type of place – e.g. Commonwealth Supported Place or full-fee paying
Australian bank account details for direct deposit of funds
a completed Tax File Number Declaration form.
Please note: these documents are not required to be submitted with the initial scholarship application.
Successful applicants are responsible for enrolling and paying course fees or HECS-HELP by the due date, and
are responsible for debts incurred in the course of study including FEE-HELP and HECS-HELP loans.
Commonwealth Supported Place students may be eligible for a discount if the student’s HECS-HELP
contribution is paid ahead of the census date for each semester.
For more information about FEE-HELP and HECS-HELP please visit http://studyassist.gov.au
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Scholarship conditions
By accepting a scholarship offer, the recipient is accepting the following scholarship conditions:
Taxable income
The Department is not required to withhold tax (PAYG) from scholarships paid.
You may be liable to pay tax on your scholarship. For more information refer to the
calculator
on
the
Australian
Taxation
Office
(ATO)
website:
https://www.ato.gov.au/calculators-and-tools/is-your-scholarship-taxable/
Please note that you may be entitled to claim a tax deduction for self-education expenses
– for more information please refer to the ATO site at the following link:
https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/income-and-deductions/deductions-you-can-claim/selfeducation-expenses
The Department strongly recommends that you seek independent tax advice in respect of
your scholarship payments.
Consent to share
student
information
Students will be required to sign a consent form, giving the University permission to share
student enrolment information with DET for the purposes of administering scholarships.
Deferment
course
from
If a student is required to defer their studies for any reason they must notify DET within
one week of the change in study arrangements. All or part of the scholarship money will
be required to be returned to DET. Students may then re-apply at the time of
recommencement of the course.
Withdrawal from
course
Students withdrawing from the course are required to notify DET within one week of
withdrawal. All or part of scholarship money will be required to be returned to the
Department.
Disbursement of scholarship funds
Scholarship funding for successful applicants will be paid directly to the recipient. It is expected that
scholarship recipients will utilise scholarship funds for the purpose outlined in these guidelines. Payments will
not be made to universities nor directly to the Australian Taxation Office on the student’s behalf.
Scholarship funds are unable to be released until DET receives all required documentation. Scholarships will be
reallocated to other students if the required documentation is not received by the due date.
To apply
Applications for 2016 scholarships can be submitted online at
https://mchscholarship.awardsplatform.com/
1. Register an account
2. Start your application (save it in-progress)
3. Submit your application.
Closing date for applications: Wednesday 28 October 2015
Contact
mch@edumail.vic.gov.auNursing Services
Department of Education and Training
GPO Box 4367
MELBOURNE VIC 3001
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