The Health Workforce Scholarship Program provides scholarships and bursaries to help health professionals in rural and remote Australia retain and enhance their skills, capacity and scope of practice.

The Program is an initiative of the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, administered in New South Wales by Rural Doctors Network (RDN).

The HWSP is available to medical, nursing, midwifery, allied health, dental and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals providing primary health care in the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) sector, non-government organisations and private practice.

The HWSP offers two types of funding:

• Scholarships: A payment up to $10,000 per financial year, for up to two years, toward the cost of completing a postgraduate course leading to a postgraduate qualification
• Bursaries: A payment up to $10,000 (maximum of $10,000 in total per financial year) for professional development and upskilling course fees and associated accommodation and travel-related expenses.

RDN opens several application rounds in a financial year.

• Round 1 2025/2026 applications are open between 01/07/2025 - 12/08/2025 - For courses that commence on or after 01/07/2025
• Round 2 2025/2026 applications are open between 01/10/2025 - 12/11/2025 - For courses that commence on or after 01/10/2025
• Round 3 2025/2026 applications are open between 05/01/2026 - 16/02/2026 - For courses that commence on or after 05/01/2025
• Round 4 2025/2026 applications are open between 01/04/2026 - 13/05/2026 - For courses that commence on or after 01/04/2025

Eligibility:

Health professional who has obtained their primary professional qualification (minimum of a Bachelor's degree unless otherwise noted below), holds professional registration (AHPRA or other relevant peak body) and is working in one of the following roles:

• Medical Practitioner
• Nurse or Midwife (qualification minimum Diploma level)
• Dentist
• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Worker/Practitioner (minimum Certificate 4 in Primary Health Care)
• Allied Health Professions providing services in priority study areas:
  • Audiologist
  • Chiropractor
  • Counsellor/ Psychotherapist
  • Dietitian
  • Exercise physiologist
  • Occupational therapist
  • Optometrist
  • Osteopath
  • Physiotherapist
  • Pharmacist
  • Podiatrist
  • Psychologist
  • Social worker
  • Speech pathologist

Please guidelines for additional eligibility requirements. 

• Phone: 02 4924 8000
• Email: hwsp@nswrdn.com.au