Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) Scholarship
Background
VACCHO and the Balit Durn Durn Centre of Excellence for Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing is partnering with the Department of Health and La Trobe University to implement the SEWB Scholarship Program.
The SEWB Scholarship Program is a key initiative from the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System and is creating opportunities for more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to obtain recognised qualifications in mental health from approved public tertiary providers.
Scholarships will help grow the workforce needed to respond to the specific social and emotional wellbeing needs of local Aboriginal communities now and into the future.
The program is designed to be flexible for scholarship recipients. Recipients can study full time, part time, on campus and/or online (subject to course requirements) and is designed to help support students with work commitments.
Are you eligible to apply?
To be eligible to apply for this scholarship, applicants must:
- identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- be a domestic student
- be currently employed by an Aboriginal community controlled organisation (ACCO) or a mainstream health organisation in a Victorian Aboriginal SEWB (social and emotional well-being) team or role OR
- if not currently employed, intend to work in a Victorian Aboriginal SEWB team or role in the future
- have applied for admission or be continuing study in Semester 2 2026 in one of the following programs:
- Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Health Sciences (Psychological Science)*
- Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Psychological Science*
- Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Health Sciences*
- Bachelor of Cybersecurity/Bachelor of Psychological Science*
- Bachelor of Health Sciences
- Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Psychological Science
- Bachelor of Psychological Science
- Bachelor of Psychological Science with Honours
- Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)
- Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
- Diploma of Rural Health
- Graduate Certificate in Mental Health
- Master of Clinical Family Therapy
- Master of Clinical Psychology
- Master of Mental Health
- Master of Mental Health Nursing
- Master of Professional Psychology
- Master of Social Work
- Graduate Certificate in Family Therapy
- Graduate Diploma in Rehabilitation Counselling
- Master of Art Therapy
- Master of Rehabilitation Counselling and Mental Health
*To be eligible for the SEWB Scholarship program, students undertaking double degrees must have minimum of 50% of course fees for Social and Emotional Wellbeing related subjects (Department of Health will not provide scholarship funding for double degrees with less than 50% Social Emotional Wellbeing course fees).
This scholarship is paid on a pro rata, per credit point basis, determined by the recipient’s anticipated study load.
Students enrolled in 60 credit points in a semester will receive a scholarship payment of $2,500 for that semester. Where a student is enrolled in a reduced credit point load, the scholarship amount will be calculated proportionally based on a fixed value per credit point.
For example, enrolment in 180 credit points over the duration of a course would result in a total scholarship value of $7,500.
Recipients of the scholarship shall be selected by the University based on their:
- intention and commitment to work in a Victorian Aboriginal SEWB team or role in the future, or current employment in an Aboriginal SEWB role, employed in ACCO or mainstream health or mental health service;
- enrolment in a SEWB relevant course
- not receiving other funding support (for example, scholarships, grants or financial support from an external organisation or institution). Current students receiving a La Trobe-funded scholarship will be given the opportunity to accept this scholarship in lieu.
Consideration will also be given to location of students including rural/regional/remote applicants.
Once applications close, all will be reviewed based on eligibility and merit criteria (described above) by Aboriginal representatives from The Balit Durn Durn Centre, La Trobe University and the Department of Health.
To ensure that applicants strengths are recognised, it is important that the selection process is not only based on an applicant’s written responses. Short-listed applicants will be invited to have a yarn in a culturally safe and comfortable environment. This is an opportunity for the applicant to discuss their passion for Aboriginal SEWB and their future career aspirations will inform the final decision to award a scholarship.
Recipient obligations
- Repeated core or elective subjects will not be funded
- Your academic progress and wellbeing are important to us. As part of the SEWB scholarship conditions, you are required to meet with an Indigenous Student Advisor before each semester census date. Plan to meet in March and July each year. This meeting is a supportive check in to discuss how your studies are progressing and to identify any assistance that may help you succeed. It is your responsibility to arrange your check in by emailing Indigenous_studentservices@latrobe.edu.au. Please note that ongoing SEWB scholarship payments depend on completing this meeting each semester. Missing a check in before census may result in your payment being paused or stopped.
How to apply
Complete the online application form.
Who to contact for further information
Scholarships Office, scholarships@latrobe.edu.au