Grants and scholarships
You may be required to undertake a significant number of placement hours throughout your course, and may be required to travel in order to complete these placements. A number of grants and scholarships are available to you to assist with the costs associated with attending your placements.
La Trobe University students enrolled in entry-to-practice health courses undertake practical education in the form of health placements, fieldwork, professional practice experiences and other clinical and practical experience. These placements are the main avenues by which students integrate theory with practice, further develop skills through supportive, professional environments, and gain essential working knowledge of the stages of human development and behaviour norms and the health, social and cultural factors which influence these.
In some cases, you may be required to travel long distances from your home in order to attend placements. We recognise that students may face financial difficulties as a result of finding suitable accommodation, travelling long distances, and having to reduce work hours whilst on placement. Depending on your placement and personal circumstances, you may be eligible for one of the grants or scholarships listed below.
Click on the links to find out more about each grant or scholarship and eligibility criteria.
Industry Placement Bursary
Background
La Trobe University is supporting students who have COMMENCED an internship/work placement during Semester 2 2023 by offering the opportunity to apply for an Industry Placement Bursary. Work-based learning (WBL) is a great opportunity to explore areas of interest in a professional setting and gain industry experience. Plus, if you’re successful in securing a bursary, you’ll receive a one-off payment of $1000.
See details of the Industry Placement Bursary.
Application closing date
Applications close 10 September 2023
Placement Travel Bursary
Background
The Office of the Provost offers support to help students undertaking placement with the costs involved in travelling long distances, finding suitable accommodation and reduced work hours.
You are eligible for this grant if you are undertaking a university-sourced placement in a location 120 kms or more (one way) from your semester/term address and for the duration of 10 days or more.
The program is open to all currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate masters students and who meet the eligibility criteria.
See details of the Placement Travel Bursary.
Application closing date
Applications close 10 September 2023
NAFEA Rural Placement Scholarship Program
Background
Equity Rural Placement Scholarship. APPLICATIONS CLOSE 31 JULY 2023
The Equity Rural Placement Scholarship Program is an initiative of the National Association of Field Experience Administrators to provide financial assistance to students who have been assessed as experiencing financial hardship to undertake placements/work integrated learning activities in rural and remote settings.
Approved applications will be awarded scholarships up to $1500.
Students need to provide evidence of being assessed as experiencing financial hardship. If students are not able to provide this as part of the application process, they need to outline their financial situation, and if they are successful, they will be required to provide supporting evidence. Students who are in receipt of Centrelink are strongly encouraged to apply. (Note: this is not an exhaustive list).
Funding is provided to assist students with the out-of-pocket costs incurred as a direct result of the placement. These are costs which are additional to everyday living expenses and are incurred as a direct result of a placement requiring relocation, including:
- Travel costs
- Accommodation.
Further information about the program and the application form is available at https://nafea.org.au/scholarships/
Program guidelines
- Round 1: 1 January - 30 June
- Round 2: 1 July - 31 December.
Please note that, depending on the timing of the program and the approval round, students may need to book and pay for travel, accommodation, etc. prior to receiving funding. Preference will be given to students who do not have access to other forms of funding.
Student eligibility
In order to receive a scholarship, applicants must meet the following preliminary eligibility criteria:
- Experiencing financial hardship. You are in financial hardship if you have difficulties meeting your everyday living expenses with the income that you receive. If you are successful, you will be required to provide supporting evidence of your financial situation.
- From institutions that are unlimited institutional members of NAFEA (see https://nafea.org.au/membership/unlimited-institution-members/for a list of current unlimited institutional members. The institution must have an active membership for the relevant scholarship year).
- Currently enrolled as a full-time or part-time student.
- If enrolled in an undergraduate degree, be in at least the second year of the undergraduate course to apply.
- Agree to provide a report on the experience which is suitable for publication on the NAFEA website and in the newsletter within one month of the placement ending.
- Be willing to participate in evaluation studies or surveys.
- Not be a previous recipient of a NAFEA scholarship
Placement eligibility
The WIL placement must be:
- Either commencing, or having the majority of the placement taking place, between:
- Round 1: 1 January – 30 June
- Round 2: 1 July – 31 December
- Fulltime (4-5 days per week of at least six hours per day)
- A minimum of three weeks/12 days duration. If undertaking multiple shorter placements, all placements must be a cumulative of 12 days and relocation required for all placements.
- Within Australia
- Undertaken in an outer regional, remote or very remote location which requires relocation and is at least 100 km from your usual place of residence. Regional and Remote Locations are defined as RA2-RA5 using Australia Bureau of Statistics remoteness classifications- ASGS Remoteness Areas (2016). You should check if your placement meets this requirement by searching the locator. See this guide on how to use the locator.
Application process
Step 1:
Students must complete an online application form. Application forms can be completed and submitted via www.nafea.org.au once the scholarship round has opened.
Applications must include:
- The placement details (including dates and agency). This can be a confirmed placement or a proposed placement.
- University placement administrator details.
- Referee contact details for a personal reference.
- An estimate of the student’s weekly expenses and income.
- An estimate of the student’s out-of-pocket costs for the placement (these are costs that will be incurred as a direct result of the rural placement and are additional to your everyday living expenses).
- Declaration of other sources of funding or grants that have been awarded in support of the proposed rural placement.
- Declaration of access to savings and your ability to meet your everyday living expenses.
- Brief statement of up to 1500 characters (300-400 words) on how this scholarship will positively impact your participation in your regional/rural/remote placement and your longer-term career aspirations. In your response, you should include the financial impact as well as the skills and experiences that you anticipate you will gain from the placement.
Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants will be sent an automated acknowledgement receipt when applications are received. Applications must be submitted to, and received by NAFEA, by Midnight (AEST) on the advertised closing date.
Preference will be given to applications from students:
- who do not have access to other forms of funding or assistance (e.g. supplied accommodation).
- with significant out-of-pocket costs
- undertaking placements in more remote areas.
NAFEA scholarships are only awarded to individual students once. Candidates who have been successful previously are not-eligible to re-apply. Any unsuccessful applicant for the scholarship is entitled to reapply Inc for the scholarship in the following round and will be assessed against the program guidelines and criteria that are in effect on the date the re-application is received by NAFEA. Candidates cannot reapply for the same placement in a future round.
The NAFEA Scholarship Committee will assess and rank all applications, liaise with applicant's institutional WIL areas and provide a recommended shortlist to the NAFEA Management Committee. The NAFEA Management Committee will have final approval of the shortlisted applications.
Step 2:
All shortlisted applicants will be required to provide:
- Evidence of financial hardship includes (but not limited to):
- proof of income, such as:
- Centrelink statement
- payslips covering the past 2 months
- most recent financial year Australian Taxation Notice of Assessment
- income deposits for the past 2 months on your bank statement. Note: If you are partnered or dependent on and/or living with parents/caregivers, you will also need to provide evidence of partner or parental (or family) income
- your current bank balances.
- Evidence of additinal expenses, such as quotes or bills demonstating additional placement costs, particularly transport and accommodation costs.
- Confirmation in writing from their institution’s WIL/Field Experience Officer of the placement details (incl. dates and allocated agency)
- Confirmation of travel budget and supporting documents for their out-of-pocket costs (if applicable).
The NAFEA Scholarship Committee will seek confirmation from your referee (as per the details on your application) that they support your scholarship application. NAFEA may use its discretion to decline a scholarship if a referee does not support the awarding of the scholarship.
Successful applicants will be given a conditional offer. Students who do not receive a conditional offer may receive an offer at a later date if funding becomes available from a student declining, withdrawing or not meeting the eligibility criteria of their conditional offer, this will be at the discretion of the NAFEA Scholarship Committee.
Step 3:
A conditional offer is provisionally awarded to an applicant based on the information provided in the application form. Students will need to complete the scholarship acceptance form and meet the requirements of the scholarship prior to receiving funds.
Disclaimer: All decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into. NAFEA does not accept appeals to its decisions.
Application closing date
Applications close 31 July 2023.
