National Access Scholarships

Commonwealth Scholarship changes in 2010

In 2010, Commonwealth Scholarships will be replaced by two new scholarships administered through Centrelink:

• Student Start-Up Scholarships ($2254 per annum, in 2010)
• Relocation Scholarships ($4000 in first year, $1000 per year thereafter)

For more information on these new Student Start-Up Scholarships and Relocation Scholarships, see the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) website.

UWA SWANS Scholarships will continue to be awarded by UWA, but it is likely that the eligibility criteria for these scholarships will change, pending details of the new Student Start-Up and Relocation Scholarships.

Commonwealth Scholarships for Indigenous Students will continue to be awarded through UWA.

More information will be posted here when the outcome of legislation has been resolved.

Basic information

National Accommodation Scholarships (NAS) are designed to assist students who have to relocate to undertake a specialist course not available near their home.

National Accommdation Scholarships are valued at $4,415 in 2009 and are paid for up to four years.

The scholarship will not be regarded as income by Centrelink in means-tested benefits.

Eligibility

To be eligible for a National Accommodation Scholarship you must, by the first census date of the scholarship period:

• be an Australian citizen or the holder of a permanent humanitarian visa; and
• be enrolled as an internal student in a specialist course and undertaking such a course with an eligible scholarship provider as a Commonwealth supported student in:
  (i) an undergraduate course of study; or 
  (ii) a post-graduate course of study required for initial registration for the purposes of practicing in the relevant profession (see below)
• be in receipt of a means tested Commonwealth income support payment (such as Youth Allowance, AUSTUDY or ABSTUDY), or provide a statement demonstrating financial hardship; and
• be enrolled as a full-time student (defined as undertaking as least 75% of an equivalent full time student load in a scholarship period) unless there are exceptional circumstances which prevent you from studying full-time; and
• relocate a distance greater than 100kms from your home to take up the study in the specialist course and incur additional accommodation costs.

A provider may offer a National Accommodation Scholarship when a student has been unsuccessful in attending an institution of first choice and receives another offer and the alternative offer will result in the student meeting all other eligibility criteria for a National Accommodation Scholarship.

Eligible Masters by coursework degrees

If you are completing one of the following Masters degrees, and fulfill the other relevant criteria, you will be eligible to apply for a National Accommodation Scholarship and a UWA SWANS Scholarship:

• Master of Architecture 25520
• Master of Clinical Audiology - 90540
• Master of Dental Science - 80510
• Master of Manual Therapy - 91560
• Master of Nursing Science - 91510
• Master of Pharmacy - 51500
• Master of Professional Accounting - 40610
• Master of Psychology - 52560/50560
• Master of Psychology and Graduate Diploma in Education – 51540
• Master of Public Health (Nursing) - 91530
• Master of Social Work (by coursework) - 11550
• Master of Teaching (Primary) - 31540

Some students studying masters courses may also be eligible for a National Priority Scholarship (NPS).