Home
Nursing and Midwifery
New South Wales Ministry of Health Nursing and Midwifery Office

New South Wales Ministry of Health Nursing and Midwifery Office

Aboriginal Scholarships Guidelines

Overview

The NSW Nursing and Midwifery Office offer scholarships to support the education and career pathways of Aboriginal nurses and midwives within NSW.

The following scholarships are available:

Post Enrolment Scholarships are open all year. Aboriginal Enrolled Nurses who undertake post enrolment studies relating to their nursing role can apply for the Post Enrolment scholarship. Successful applicants can receive up to $1,000 per subject.

Post Graduate Scholarships open December and close March each year. Scholarships of up to $15,000 are available for Aboriginal Nurses or Midwives to assist with educational expenses directly associated with postgraduate study.

Undergraduate Scholarships open September and close November each year. Scholarships of up to $1,000 per subject are available for Aboriginal students undertaking a Bachelor of Nursing or Bachelor of Midwifery.

Applications must be completed online and received in the Nursing and Midwifery Office by the closing date

Late applications will not be considered.

Aboriginal Scholarships Eligibility Criteria:

Must be of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent
Identify as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person
Must be known and accepted in the community in which they live or have lived
Resident of NSW
Applicants must provide official confirmation of enrolment. This document must be on letterhead and include the applicants name, the name of the course, the year of study and a list of subjects the applicant is enrolled in. Generic information about course subjects or print outs from student accounts will not be accepted
For Post Enrolment applicants, confirmation of employment as an Enrolled Nurse working full time or part time in NSW. This is a recent letter (within the last three months) from your employer stating your name, position, role in the workplace.
You will be required to participate in an evaluation or telephone survey about the Aboriginal Scholarships Program

[back to top]

APPLICATION

After you have read the entire terms and conditions and the frequently asked questions which is provided below:

Click here for the online application which opens 3rd September 2012 and closes on 26th November 2012.

[back to top]

When Will I Know If My Application Is Successful?

Evidence of Aboriginality must be supplied when applying for a Scholarship with the NSW Ministry of Health.

In accordance to the Aboriginal Lands Rights Act 1983, an ‘Aboriginal person’ means a person who:

(a) Is a member of the Aboriginal race of Australia, and

(b) Identifies as an Aboriginal person and

In order to provide evidence of Aboriginality, applicants must provide a completed ‘Confirmation of Aboriginality’ form from one of the following:

An organisation incorporated under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006; or
An incorporated Aboriginal community organisation where all the members of the organisation are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander; or
A Local Aboriginal Lands Council

[back to top]

Awarding Scholarships

Scholarships are awarded at the discretion of a selection panel. Successful and unsuccessful applicants will be advised of the selection panel's decision. No further correspondence will be entered into.

[back to top]

Allocation of funds for successful applicants

If awarded this scholarship you will not be eligible to receive any other scholarships or a cadetship from the Nursing and Midwifery Office
Applicants are only eligible to apply for only one scholarship each year
The scholarship is not transferable either in whole or part to any other person or for any other purpose
No additional funds will be allocated over and above the awarded scholarship amount

[back to top]

Successful applicants will be required to submit the following documents:

A completed NSW Ministry of Health Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) Form (attach link for EFT Form). Please note that payments cannot be made into credit card accounts
A copy of your official course results (ONLY if you have previously received a scholarship from the NSW Nursing and Midwifery Scholarship Fund)
A signed copy of the Australian Taxation Office 'Statement by a Supplier' form which can be found at http://www.ato.gov.au/content/downloads/nat3346.pdf

This is an Australian Taxation Office form. By completing this form the NSW Ministry of Health is not obliged to deduct a nominal amount of tax from any scholarship funding provided, for not reporting an Australian Business Number.

When completing the Statement by a Supplier form the top section that says 'Name of supplier' and 'Address of supplier' refers to your name and address. Tick the most appropriate box (one only) and sign where it says 'Signature of supplier or authorised person'.

Note: The Nursing and Midwifery Office is unable to advise which box to tick, as it relates to your own personal circumstances, in respect of you undertaking your course and potential scholarship funding you may receive from our fund.

Once all requested documentation has been received in the Nursing and Midwifery Office, you will receive a letter confirming your scholarship amount. You will also be provided with a NSW Ministry of Health Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) form. This form must be completed and either sent or faxed to the Nursing and Midwifery Office so that your scholarship payment can be processed.

Nursing and Midwifery Office
Locked Mail Bag 961
North Sydney NSW 2059
Fax +61 2 9391 9468

[back to top]

Income Tax Advice

Full time students - scholarships are considered to be tax-exempt income for students who are studying full time at university.

Part time students - generally, scholarship funding provided to part time students, regardless of their employment status is not considered to be tax exempt income. However, as long as the scholarship funding is used for non-tax deductible expenses, it may be classified as exempt income.

Please seek independent taxation advice regarding your personal circumstances where required.

[back to top]

Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) Advice

An FBT issue arises with employees in the public health system who receives funding from the NSW Ministry of Health.
Please note the following:

If the course being studied directly relates to current employment duties the taxable value of the benefit will be reduced to nil. If there is a nil taxable value there is a nil FBT liability.
If the course being studied does not directly relate to current employment duties the full scholarship payment will attract FBT

Please seek independent taxation advice regarding your personal circumstances where required.

[back to top]

Contact

Aboriginal Project Officer
aboriginalnursing@doh.health.nsw.gov.au
Telephone: (02) 9391 9367 or
Freecall: 1800 155 325
Monday to Friday from 9.00-10.00am and 3.00-4.00pm

[back to top]