The Department of Health is implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. As part of the reform agenda and in partnership with Victoria’s Chief Mental Health Nurse, the Victorian Government is providing new scholarships for postgraduate Mental Health Nurses within Victoria. The scholarships will be administered by the Australian College of Nursing.

These scholarships are available to mental health nurses in Victoria enrolled in a semester 1, 2023 approved postgraduate course and cover course fees.

• Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident or New Zealand citizen.
• Are a Registered Nurse who holds a current Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia registration or will be registered by the end of 2022.
• Be directly employed (or commencing employment) in a Victorian Area Mental Health Service.
• Are enrolled or intending to enrol in either a Graduate Diploma for Mental Health Nursing or Masters of Mental Health Nursing in semester one 2023.

The scholarships cover the full-cost of your course fees for a Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing or a Master of Mental Health Nursing, based on the availability of funds. This includes the gap if you are enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place. Please note that only studies from semester one 2023 onwards will be funded.

Please note that the scholarship provides funding for course fees only, any additional costs such as text books will need to be funded by the student.

Scholarships will be awarded based on your answers to the selection questions and additional weighting will be given to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander applicants, and those who work in regional and rural areas.

The selection questions are below:

 

Question 1

Describe what motivates you to work in a mental health setting or with people needing mental health support.

Explain why you have chosen to pursue a career in mental health nursing.  You may draw on your personal and professional experience, what your strengths are, and what you want to achieve by working in mental health.  You may draw upon someone who has inspired you.

Was there a time where you wished you had mental health skills/knowledge to support a person?

 

Question 2

We are interested to hear about your commitment to working in the mental health sector and supporting those with mental health concerns. Please describe how you would like your career to develop.

Explain what your career goals, hopes and expectations are.  Are there specialist areas or specific interests you would like to move toward or explore within mental health.

• More mental health nurses to help Victorians in need
• Applications open for Victorian Postgraduate Mental Health Nurse Scholarships