NT Health Aboriginal Scholarship Scheme

If you’re an Aboriginal student in your first year of an undergraduate health degree, you can apply for the Northern Territory (NT) Health Aboriginal Scholarship Scheme.

Five scholarships worth up to $5,000 each are available to eligible students who are studying:

• any bachelor degree within the field of health or
• a bachelor degree that has a pathway leading to a health occupation such as a registered nurse, midwife or pharmacist.

Who can apply

You can apply if you are:

• a person of Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent who identifies and is accepted as such in the community they live or have lived
• an Australian citizen or permanent resident
• enrolled to study full time and completing 4 units per semester or equivalent
• an NT resident already enrolled to study your first undergraduate degree in the NT
• an NT resident studying interstate if the course is not available in any form in the NT.

Who can't apply

You can't apply if you:

• work for an Australian, state, or territory government
• plan to defer studies
• are completing an apprenticeship or traineeship
• have enrolled interstate to study when the course is offered in the NT
• receive a scholarship, bursary or stipend, or funding from another source, excluding:
  • Australian Government Abstudy
  • one-off merit scholarships paid in one year or less
  • access and equity grants
  • subsidies and grants not paid to you directly e.g. accommodation scholarship or textbook bursary.

How to apply

Apply through GrantsNT.

Applications open at 8am on Monday 5 February 2024.

You must complete all required information and submit relevant supporting documents.

If your application meets the criteria, it will be submitted to the panel for assessment.

Supporting documents

You must include the following with your application:

• a certificate of Aboriginality (CoA) or evidence a CoA has been applied for
• a short essay as described below
• a current resume
• proof of acceptance or proof of enrolment into your course.

Short essay

You must write a short essay (no more than 700 words) on:

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

After you apply

You will get a confirmation email once your application is received.

The panel will consider:

• the health qualification you are studying and
• your short essay.

You may be contacted to provide further information.

You will receive an email notifying you of the outcome.

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 will be paid in 2 instalments of $2,500.

Payment will be made at end of each semester and is subject to successful completion of 4 units each semester.

The scholarship is available for one year.

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

Employment

If you are successful in gaining a scholarship, you will 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.

Contact

Call Aboriginal Workforce Development on 08 89227278 or email awd.doh@nt.gov.au.