Full Course Fee Postgraduate Mental Health Nurse Scholarship Program

In partnership with Victoria's Chief Mental Health Nurse, the Department of Health is providing 140 Full Course Fee Postgraduate Mental Health Nurse postgraduate scholarships to mental health nurses employed (or commencing employment) in Victorian public mental health services to obtain their postgraduate qualifications to become a mental health nurse. who are commencing an eligible course in 2025.

This round of scholarships is offered for students enrolled in eligible programs in Semester 2, 2025 and Semester 1, 2026.

Applications are open now until 4:00pm, 17 December 2025.

Purpose and scope

The department is implementing all recommendations of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, including recommendation 7 of the interim report, which required 140 postgraduate nursing scholarships to be awarded annually.

The scholarship covers the full cost of course fees of one of a:

• Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing or
• Master of Mental Health Nursing.

This initiative aims to:

• incentivise and support nurses to undertake specialist mental health qualifications
• help build Victoria's mental health nurses' skills, knowledge, and capabilities to deliver high quality, evidence-based and consumer-centred care.

Scholarships are paid directly to individual recipients, not their employers, the education provider or the Australian Taxation Office.

To promote a diverse workforce as envisioned by the Royal Commission and Victoria’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Workforce Strategy 2021-2024, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, LGBTIQA+, workers with disabilities and culturally diverse workers are strongly encouraged to apply. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants will be given additional weighting in the application process. This is to assist in promoting a diverse workforce as recommended by the Royal Commission.

Find out more about the other mental health nurse scholarships and grants included in the Mental Health and Wellbeing Workforce Scholarship Program.