Applications for the third round of the nurse and midwife undergraduate (entry to practice) scholarship program are now open.
Delivering free education for new domestic students enrolling in a professional-entry level nursing or midwifery course in 2023 and 2024.
The scholarship is a part of the $270 million ‘Making It Free to Study Nursing and Midwifery’ initiative, which is boosting the state’s healthcare workforce by providing scholarships worth up to $16,500 to more than 10,000 nursing and midwifery students.
More than $20 million will go towards providing support to the growing numbers of graduates and postgraduates as they transition to working in hospitals.
Scholarships for postgraduate nurses to complete studies in specialty areas such as intensive care, emergency, paediatrics and cancer care will be worth an average of $10,000
A sign-on bonus of $5,000 is also available to nursing and midwifery graduates who graduate in 2022, 2023 or 2024 and start their career in a Victorian public health service.
So far, more than 5600 graduate nurses and midwives have received the first half of their bonus, and more than 3600 new graduate nurses and midwives have chosen to start their careers this year in our public health system.
There has also been a 28 per cent pay increase for nurses and midwives.
Health minister Mary-Anne Thomas said the state is investing in future nurses and midwives because they know how important it is that Victorians get the best care.
“These scholarships are providing financial support to our aspiring nurses and midwives so they can jump straight into the important work they do and not worry about the cost of a degree,” she said.
