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Scholarship overview
Background
Aunty Ida was a very generous contributor to the Department of Health and was widely recognised for the significant contribution she made to social justice and reconciliation both in Tasmania and nationally.
Aunty Ida spent many years negotiating at all levels of government and was a tireless worker within the Aboriginal community. As well as the many other awards she received for her work, Aunty Ida was named NAIDOC National Female Elder of the Year in 2002 and was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia. At the 2003, NAIDOC National Awards Ceremony in Hobart Aunty Ida was also recognised with a Special Achievement Award.
To pay tribute to the life and work of Aunty Ida, the Department of Health established an annual Scholarship in her name. The Ida West Aboriginal Health Scholarship provides financial assistance to Aboriginal students completing a formal qualification at university or vocational education in a health and or human services related field.
The family of Aunty Ida were consulted on the development of the scholarship and consented to its naming in recognition of Aunty Ida’s significant achievements and contribution. The scholarship was established in 2004.
The scholarship is only open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
Scholarships will be awarded up to a maximum of $5,000 each year, to a maximum value of $15,000 for each scholarship.
Aim and purpose
The scholarship aims to address the lack of Aboriginal health professionals.
There are significant barriers to Aboriginal people entering formal studies, these include:
- the older age profile of Aboriginal students and the need to provide financial support for children and families
- travel and relocation costs associated with study, particularly in Tasmania where some students need to study in other states due to the lack of courses in Tasmania
- problems with being able to access courses.
How to apply
- Applicants must complete the Scholarship Application Form.
- The application must be received by the advertised closing date.
- Applicants who have not previously been assessed to determine eligibility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs and services by the Tasmanian Government are also required to submit an Eligibility Form.
Go to the scholarship application form
Eligibility
How do I know if I’m eligible?
The Ida West Aboriginal Health Scholarship is open to people eligible for Tasmanian Government Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs and services.
The Tasmanian Government uses a three-part test to determine Eligibility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs and services. This requires a person to:
- have Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander ancestry, and
- self-identify as an Aboriginal person and/or Torres Strait Islander, and
- be recognised as an Aboriginal person and/or Torres Strait Islander by the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community in which they live or have lived.
Applicants who have not previously been assessed are required to submit an Eligibility Form. Further assistance is available from the Office of Aboriginal Affairs (03) 6232 7569 or [email protected]
If I have been assessed as eligible in the past, do I have to apply again?
No, if you have been found eligible under the previous Tasmanian Government Policy on Eligibility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander specific programs and services you don't need to complete the eligibility form again.
Residency
Scholarship applicants must be:
- current residents of Tasmania, or
- intending to move to Tasmania to study.
Place of study
Priority will be given to applicants:
- intending to study in Tasmania, or
- interstate if the qualification is not available in Tasmania.
Tasmanian residents enrolling in qualifications interstate which are available in Tasmania will be eligible, but not given priority.
Working while studying
- Applicants cannot work 34 hours or more per week while studying (including casual employment).
- Students who are being supported under the Australian Apprenticeship scheme are not eligible.
- Students whose study is being fully financially supported by an employer are not eligible.
Eligible courses
The scholarship is available to Tasmanian Aboriginal students enrolled or intending to enrol in a full-time health or human services related entry level or graduate entry level course.
- courses must be provided by an Australian registered training organisation or university
- funding is not available for postgraduate study (including honours), except for graduate entry level master’s degrees. See the Frequently Asked Questions for more information.
What is a full-time course?
- a higher education course classified as full-time by the education provider, or
- provided as the maximum study load available for a specific Vocational Educational Training (VET) course.
What if my course is part-time?
Part-time courses may also be considered if:
- the qualification is not available on a full-time basis and the applicant is enrolled in the maximum possible number of units
- the applicant provides a statement outlining their reasons for enrolling in the qualification part-time. The assessment panel will review these on an individual basis.
Exclusions
Scholarships are not provided for:
- post-graduate award courses (including Honours degrees), except for graduate entry level master’s degrees
- pre-tertiary preparation courses
- courses delivered online (unless the qualification, or similar qualification, is not available in any other format).
Courses at the same qualification level are not eligible for additional scholarships. For example, a student who has received a scholarship for a Certificate III in Individual Support is not eligible if they then enrol in a Certificate III in Community Services.
Assessment of applications
Each application will be assessed against the scholarship eligibility criteria.
If the number of eligible applicants meets the scholarships available, no further selection processes will be required. If the number of eligible applicants exceeds the number of scholarships available, the Department of Health will prepare a shortlist to be referred to an assessment panel.
The assessment panel will consist of:
- a person nominated by the West family
- an Aboriginal Department of Health employee.
The Secretary Department of Health may nominate an additional person.
The panel will assess:
- eligibility against the scholarship criteria
- likelihood that an applicant will complete their studies
- contribution the qualification will make to the Aboriginal community.
Applicants may be asked for additional information and invited to attend an interview. Recommendations from the panel will be provided to the Secretary Department of Health.
Requirements
Agreement
If successful, recipients agree to:
- Advise the Department of Health of changes to their enrolment.
- Significant course changes or a change of institution may require further assessment by the panel. Failure to advise of course changes may result in forfeiture of the scholarship.
- Advise the Department of Health if they have applied or are awarded another scholarship.
- Submit an expression of interest and official academic transcript at the end of each academic year to receive ongoing scholarship funding. Scholarship instalments will not be paid until academic results are provided.
Payment
- Payment each year is subject to:
- evidence of enrolment (after HECS census date for tertiary courses)
- ongoing satisfactory academic performance (for students receiving a scholarship in the second or third year).
- For courses not subject to a HECS fee, the Department of Health will determine an appropriate date when proof of enrolment must be provided.
- Students who are completing a course which is not full time will receive a pro-rata amount. These students will be eligible for a maximum of three years payment, regardless of the pro-rata amount received.
- Payment will not be retrospective and will align with course enrolment.
- Students commencing a midyear graduate entry Masters of Physiotherapy/Occupational Therapy/Speech Therapy at the University of Tasmania will be eligible to receive a full year of scholarship funding in their final semester of study.
- This provision accommodates students of these graduate entry courses who are unable to receive a scholarship for the first six months of study as this falls outside the annual funding cycle.
Deferment
Students who defer studies will automatically forfeit their scholarship.
Students returning to the same qualification from deferment may be eligible to reapply if they:
- completed all years for which payment has already been received
- informed the Department of Health they had deferred their studies within one month of their deferment.
Termination of a scholarship
- failure to provide academic results
- failure to advise of changes to course details
- withdrawal from the course
- enrolment cancelled by the institution
- incorrect enrolment or personal details provided
- unsatisfactory academic progress: this to be assessed by an internal Department of Health panel.
Work placements
The Ida West Aboriginal Health Scholarship does not provide for work placements.
Students who have been successful in obtaining a cadetship through the Australian Government’s Indigenous Cadetship Support program are welcome to apply for the Ida West Aboriginal Health Scholarship.
Taxation
Withholding tax with not be deducted.
Scholarship recipients are recommended to seek independent taxation and personal financial advice from their tax accountant or the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) before accepting a scholarship.
All tax implications associated with the scholarship is the responsibility of the recipient.
Centrelink
Ida West Aboriginal Health Scholarship will be treated as income for the purposes of Centrelink income testing.
Students should make their own enquiries with the Centrelink Indigenous Call Centre on 1800 136 380 for further information.
A statement outlining scholarship income can be provided to recipients on request.
Contact us
For further information please email [email protected] or call 6166 1570.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for the scholarship?
- Applicants need to complete the online Application Form, an Eligibility Form, and provide course enrolment details.
- Email the Eligibility Form and Course Enrolment Details to [email protected]
- If proof of enrolment is not available at the time of applying, a date when this information will be available must be stated on the online Application Form.
Who is eligible for the Ida West Aboriginal Health Scholarship?
- The Ida West Aboriginal Health Scholarship is open to persons eligible for Tasmanian Government Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs and services.
- Applicants must be residents of Tasmania or intending to reside in Tasmania.
How do I know if I am eligible?
- The Tasmanian Government uses a three part test to determine Eligibility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs and services. The three part test requires a person to:
- have Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander ancestry, and
- self-identify as an Aboriginal person and/or Torres Strait Islander, and
- be recognised as an Aboriginal person and/or Torres Strait Islander by the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community in which they live or have lived.
- Please submit an Eligibility Form to [email protected] if you have not previously been assessed for Tasmanian Government Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander programs and services.
What courses are eligible for scholarship support?
- You need to be enrolled in or intending to enrol in a health or human services related entry level or graduate entry level course.
- Courses must be provided by an Australian registered training organisation or university.
- Eligible courses include, but are not limited to, a Diploma of Nursing, a Certificate III in Individual Support, or a Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery.
Can I receive a scholarship for postgraduate study?
- Postgraduate courses are not eligible for scholarship funding, except for an accredited graduate entry to practice postgraduate course.
- Graduate entry postgraduate courses are Master’s Degrees that upon completion allow you to register with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency as a health practitioner or meet the membership requirements for self-regulated allied health professional associations, such as the Australian Association of Social Workers.
- For example, if you have previously completed a Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science and have decided to study physiotherapy, the University of Tasmania offers a Master’s of Physiotherapy that provides you with the skills and qualifications to register with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency as a physiotherapist. You would be eligible to apply.
- Master’s degrees that provide specialised study in a specific field and other postgraduate courses (such as Honours) are not eligible for scholarship support. For example, if you are a physiotherapist who is registered with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, who has enrolled in a Master of Physiotherapy, you are not eligible to apply.
How do I submit my Eligibility Form and other required information (such as my enrolment details)?
- Email any information to [email protected]. Please contact the Office of the Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer at this email if you have any concerns.
When will I know the outcome of my application?
- All applicants will be notified by email in early 2024.
If successful how much money with I receive?
- The amount depends on your study load. A full scholarship is $5 000 per year up to a maximum of $15 000 for each scholarship. Further information is available in the scholarship guidelines.
What if I am receiving another scholarship?
- Please provide information in your application about any other scholarships or funding that you are receiving.
When will I receive my scholarship payment?
- Payment each year will be made once proof of enrolment beyond the HECS census date has been provided. In courses not subject to a HECS fee, the Department of Health will determine an appropriate date when proof of enrolment must be provided.
- You will be contacted by email to provide this information.
What can I use my scholarship funding for?
- Scholarship funding can be used for any expense that supports your study.
What if I defer, withdraw, or change my course?
- You must notify the Office of the Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer of any changes to your course enrolment.
- Students who defer studies will automatically forfeit their scholarship but may be eligible to reapply in the future.
Income tax advice
- Withholding tax will not be deducted.
- Scholarship recipients are recommended to seek independent taxation and personal financial advice from their tax accountant or the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) before accepting a scholarship.
- All tax implications associated with the scholarship is the responsibility of the recipient.
I am studying on a Career Pathway, am I eligible to apply?
- Applicants who have previously received a scholarship of less than the maximum three years may be eligible for additional scholarship support if the course is part of a career pathway which includes the original qualification.
