NT Health Aboriginal Scholarship Scheme - 1st Year Health Undergraduate Students 2024

⁠⁠⁠Overview

The Department of Health is offering the NT Health Aboriginal Scholarship Scheme for 1st Year Undergraduate Students.

There are five scholarships available, worth up to $5000 each to assist eligible Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students undertaking their first year of an undergraduate health degree.

Approved Program

An approved program means any bachelor degree within the field of health or a bachelor degree that has a pathway leading to one of the below health occupations.

• Health Occupations
• The NT Department of Health encourages Aboriginal students aspiring to work in the following occupations to apply:
• Registered Nurse
• Registered Midwife
• Pharmacist
• Speech Pathologist
• Occupational Therapist
• Audiologist
• Public Health Nutritionist / Dietitian
• Psychologist
• Social Worker
• Environmental Health Officer
• Physiotherapist
• Prosthetist / Orthotist
• Medical Laboratory Scientist
• Podiatrist
• Medical Radiation Practitioner
• Sonographer
• Radiographer
• Dental Therapist
• Dentist

The Department also welcomes applications from students with career aspirations to work in the field of mental health as a health professional.

Who can apply

Funding is available to individuals only.

To be eligible for funding an individual must

• have completed all required information in the application form and submitted required documentation in support of your application
• be an Australian citizen or Permanent Resident

Types of individuals that are eligible to apply for funding include:

• a person of Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent who identifies and is accepted as an Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander in the community in which they live, or has lived
• an Australian citizen and NT resident enrolled to study their first undergraduate degree in the NT (or interstate if the course is not available in any form in the NT)
• enrolled to study full-time of four units per semester or equivalent
• not working for an Australian, state or territory government
• not completing an apprenticeship or traineeship
• not planning to defer studies
• not enrolled interstate to study when the course is offered in the NT
• not receiving a scholarship, bursary or stipend or funding from a source other than the following:

a) Australian Government Abstudy

b) one-off merit scholarships paid in one year or less

c) access and equity grants

d) subsidies and grants not paid to you directly e.g. accommodation scholarship or textbook bursary

How to apply

Applications for the Scholarship are completed online through the GrantsNT system.

To apply for a grant on GrantsNT, you will first need to register an account and create a personal profile.

For more information, go to the help section of the GrantsNT website

Documents to have ready:

When you apply, the GrantsNT online application will require you to upload the following documents:

• either a Certificate of Aboriginality (CoA) or evidence a CoA has been applied for.
• a short essay* as described below.
• a current Curriculum Vitae/Resume
• either Proof of Acceptance or Proof of Enrolment into your course

How your application is assessed

You must meet the eligibility criteria prior to being assessed by a selection panel.

The panel will consider the health qualification being studied and the submitted short essay.

*You will be requested to write a short essay (max 700 words) on:

• why you have chosen your particular degree.
• the career path you wish to take.
• the impact you hope to make in your community.

You will be sent a confirmation email on receipt of your application. If your application meets the eligibility criteria, it will be submitted to the panel for assessment.

You will be contacted if further documentation is required to progress your application to the assessment stage.

You will be notified by email about the outcome of your application.

After you apply

If your application is successful

If your application is successful, you will need to sign a deed of agreement confirming you will continue to meet the scholarship criteria and terms. This is a legally binding agreement.

How your scholarship is paid

The Scholarship is valued at $5000 which will be paid in two instalments of $2,500.

Payment will be made at end of each semester and is subject to successful completion of four units each semester.

The scholarship is available for a maximum period of one year.

Payments will be made by electronic transfer to your nominated bank account.

Employment

If you are successful in gaining a scholarship, you may be offered vacation employment within NT Health during the end of year major academic break.

Employment will be at the Administrative Officer 2 (AO2) level.