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.

METRO: Health Placements Travelling Grant

Background

The College of Science, Health & Engineering (SHE) has allocated limited funding to support a competitive grant program designed to help you if you have undertaken a health placement in a location 150 kilometres or more from your term address.  The program is open to all undergraduate and graduate entry masters students enrolled in a Health Sciences course in the College that meet this criteria.

If you are eligible, you would be reimbursed for your travel and accommodation expenses up to a maximum amount as set by the College. You will need to complete an application upon the completion of placement and provide evidence of expenditure.

Amount available

Each grant is valued at up to $40 per day of placement (maximum of $200 per week) for eligible students attending metropolitan placements.

These amounts may be reduced proportionately should the number of eligible applicants exceed funding available.

Number of grants awarded

There are two application rounds for grants each academic year. There are no set number of grants awarded in any given round. The total number of grants provided depends on the total amount of funding available for the program for each round.

Eligibility criteria

In order to apply for the Health Placements Travelling Grant, you must meet the following criteria:

  • currently enrolled in a Health Sciences course
  • have undertaken a placement in a location 150 kilometres or more from their term address
  • have undertaken a placement of two weeks or more duration (minimum10 placement days)
  • are not currently receiving any other grant/scholarship (Employability Grant or Mobility Grant) for the purpose of supporting you whilst on placement
  • have not received a Health Placements Travelling Grant in the same year, or three such grants throughout your course
  • have provided evidence of expenses incurred in the form of receipts for accommodation and other travel expenses only. Travel expenses should be from your term address as listed on Student Online to the location of your placement provider at the beginning and end of the placement; daily travel to and from placement will not be reimbursed

Application closing dates

For placements where the completion date is between 1 January and 30 June 2022

- applications close by 8am, Monday 4 July 2022

For placements where the completion date is between 1 July and 31 December 2022

- applications close by 8am, Monday 9 January 2023

Other important information

The Senior Coordinator Placement Operations in the College of Science, Health and Engineering will be responsible for the allocation of grants.

Supporting documents

Please ensure that all the required documents to support your application are attached when you submit your application.

Documents will not be returned to you so if you would prefer not to submit the original, please provide a copy.

False or misleading information

La Trobe University reserves the right to withdraw an offer of any monies and to re-assess an application if the University believes the recipient has provided false or misleading information.

Late Applications

Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.

Acknowledgement of applications

Applicants will receive an email acknowledgement, from the Placements Administration Officer, within one week of receipt of their application.  The email will be sent only to applicants’ official La Trobe University student email account, as per University policy. Please do not supply any other email address.

(see https://www.latrobe.edu.au/policies/ for full details on the University’s student email policy).

We will endeavour to notify applicants, by email, of the outcome of their application, within four weeks of the closing date.

Please note that your application will not be accepted if:

  • you have not already completed your placement
  • you do not supply your La Trobe University student email address
  • you have not included all receipts to support your application

How to apply

You can apply for the Health Placements Travelling Grant by filling in the online Health Placement Travelling Grant application form.

At the discretion of the Senior Coordinator Placement Operations, you may also be allowed to complete the application form in hard copy.

REGIONAL: Health Placements Travelling Grant

Background

The La Trobe University Department of Rural Health (UDRH) has funding to support a grant program designed to help you if you have undertaken a regional or rural health placement** in a location 100 kilometres or more from your term address.  The program is open to all undergraduate and graduate entry masters students enrolled in a Health Sciences course in the La Trobe Rural Health School (LRHS) that meet this criteria.

If you are eligible, you would be reimbursed for your travel and accommodation expenses up to a maximum amount as set by the UDRH. You will need to complete an application upon the completion of placement and provide evidence of expenditure.

**Note – area classified by the Australian Standard Geographical Classification Remoteness Area (ASGC-RA) as RA2 to RA5

Amount available

Each grant is valued at $30 per day of placement (a maximum of $150 per week) for enrolled students attending regional or remote placements.**

These amounts may be reduced proportionately should the number of eligible applicants exceed funding available.

Number of grants awarded

There are two application rounds for grants each academic year. There is no set number of grants awarded in any given round. The total number of grants provided depends on the total amount of funding available for the program for each round. Applicants are notified once the placement is completed and evidence of expenses incurred in the form of receipts have been received. Payments will normally be made within 2-3 weeks if your application is complete.

Eligibility criteria

In order to apply for the Health Placements Travelling Grant, you must meet the following criteria:

  • be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, or holder of an Australian permanent resident visa or permanent humanitarian visa
  • currently enrolled in a Health Sciences course (ie. studying a La Trobe Rural Health School course – Nursing, Social Work, Allied Health,  Pharmacy [Bendigo] or Psychology [Bendigo & Albury Wodonga])
    • Dentistry students undertaking placement in Bendigo are not eligible, as there is an expectation that your term address will be in Bendigo (your home campus) for the duration of your studies
  • have undertaken a regional/remote placement in an area classified by the Australian Standard Geographical Classification Remoteness Area (ASGC-RA) as RA2 to RA5 in a location 100 kilometres or more from their term address
  • have undertaken a placement of two weeks or more duration (minimum 10 placement days)
  • are not currently receiving any other grant/scholarship (Employability Grant or Mobility Grant) for the purpose of supporting you whilst on placement
  • have not received a Health Placements Travelling Grant in the same year, or three such grants throughout your course
  • have provided evidence of expenses incurred in the form of receipts for accommodation and other travel expenses only. Travel expenses should be from your term address as listed on Student Online to the location of your placement provider at the beginning and end of the placement; daily travel to and from placement will not be reimbursed
  • if successful, provide consent for longitudinal tracking for up to 5 years after they complete their studies

Application closing dates

For placements where the completion date is between 1 January and 30 June 2022

- applications close by 8am, Monday 4 July 2022

For placements where the completion date is between 1 July and 31 December 2022

- applications close by 8am, Monday 9 January 2023

Other important information

The Senior Administrator of the UDRH in the College of Science, Health and Engineering will be responsible for the allocation of grants.

Supporting documents

Please ensure that all the required documents to support your application are attached when you submit your application.

Documents will not be returned to you so if you would prefer not to submit the original, please provide a copy.

False or misleading information

La Trobe University reserves the right to withdraw an offer of any monies and to re-assess an application if the University believes the recipient has provided false or misleading information.

Late Applications

Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.

Acknowledgement of applications

Applicants will receive an email acknowledgement, from the La Trobe UDRH within one week of receipt of their application. The email will be sent only to applicants’ official La Trobe University student email account, as per University policy. Please do not supply any other email address.

(see https://www.latrobe.edu.au/policies/ for full details on the University’s student email policy).

We will endeavour to notify applicants, by email, of the outcome of their application within two to three weeks after the submission of their documentation.

Please note that your application will not be accepted if:

  • you have not already completed your placement
  • you do not supply your La Trobe University student email address
  • you have not included all receipts to support your application

How to apply

You can apply for the Health Placements Travelling Grant by filling in the online Rural Health Placement Travelling Grant application form

At the discretion of the UDRH Coordinator, you may also be allowed to complete the application form in hard copy.

NAFEA Student Scholarship Program

Background

The National Association of Field Experience Administrators' Student Scholarship Program is an initiative to provide financial assistance to students undertaking placements in rural settings and nominated key priority areas. Approved applicants will be awarded scholarships up to $1500.

Funding will help to assist with the out-of-pocket costs incurred by students on placement where relocation is required for the placement duration, including:

  • travel costs
  • accommodation

Student eligibility

In order to receive a scholarship, you must meet the following preliminary criteria:

  • 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
  • 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 placement must be:

  • commencing, or have the majority of the placement taking place, between 1 July 2018 - 28 February 2019
  • full-time, 4-5 days per week of at least 6 hours per day
  • a minimum of 3 weeks in duration
  • within Australia
  • undertaken in an inner regional, outer regional , remote or very remote location which requires relocation for the duration of the placement. Regional and Remote Locations (RA2-RA5) are as noted on the Doctor Connect Map

Other important information

The NAFEA Management Committee and relevant sub-committee will be responsible for the allocation of funds and assessment of applications. You will be contacted by NAFEA directly with the outcome of your application.

Supporting documents

Please ensure that all the required documents to support your application are attached when you submit your application.

Documents may not be returned to you so if you would prefer not to submit the original, please provide a copy.

Late Applications

Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.

Disclaimer

All decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into. NAFEA does not accept appeals to decisions made on scholarships.

How to apply

Applications should be submitted using the online application form available on the NAFEA website. Application open and close dates will be posted on the NAFEA webpage for each application round, and communicated to you by your Placement Officer if you are completing an eligible course.

College of Science, Health and Engineering Employability Grant

Background

The College of Science, Health and Engineering offer Employability Grants if you are studying an undergraduate degree and undertake placement subjects, and meet the criteria for financial disadvantage. These grants are designed to assist students who may not otherwise be financially able to undertake placements, and are available to all students completing placement or Work Integrated Learning subjects.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible to apply for this scholarship, you must:

  • be enrolled as a domestic undergraduate student
  • be undertaking a placement subject as part of your course (either elective or compulsory)
  • be enrolled in an undergraduate placement subject that commences within the enrolment period for the current application round
  • meet criteria for financial disadvantage
  • be undertaking a placement of a minimum 70 hours in duration

Assessment criteria

Recipients of the scholarship will be selected by the University based on:

  • an application addressing eligibility criteria
  • supporting documentation provided
  • ranking by financial disadvantage criteria within VTAC SEAS and equity scholarships
  • other indicators such as low SES status, first in family, regional status, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and distance travelled to placement

Other important information

If you are undertaking more than one placement, you are only eligible to receive one employment grant per academic year.

You must be enrolled in an undergraduate course to be eligible for an employment grant; students completing postgraduate courses are not eligible.

Internships or placements that are not related to your course will not be covered by the employment grant.

Successful applicants will be required to complete a short survey as a condition of receiving the grant.

How to apply

Applications for employment grants can be submitted via the Scholarships webpage.