Aged care scholarships for nursing students

Applications are now open for undergraduate nursing students who wish to work in aged care.

The federal government will provide 395 grants worth up to $30,000 to increase the level of training within the aged care workforce.

The total cost of the scholarship scheme is $7 million and successful applicants will receive up to $5,000 per semester.

Ageing minister, Justine Elliot said the scholarships were designed to help put the aged care industry on a sustainable footing.

“These scholarships are one way we are working hard to better equip the aged care system to meet the growing demand for services into the future,” she said.

Mrs Elliot also encouraged undergraduate students to consider working in aged care.

“If anyone is interested in a nursing career, aged care is a great part of the health system to work in and scholarships like these provide real and practical support while you study,” she said.

This year’s budget also included a range of other initiatives to boost the capacity of the aged care workforce.

They included a series of incentive payments for aged care workers who upgraded their qualifications and extra for nurses who upgraded their skills to support increasingly frail aged care residents.

The budget also included an $18 million to establish models of care to support nurse practitioners in aged care.

Applications for the undergraduate nursing scholarships close on 10 September.