If you have any questions about this scholarship, please email our team or call +61 3 9244 6333.
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Ernie Williams Indigenous Nursing Scholarship
Applications open 14 September 2026 and close 5pm Wednesday 16 December 2026.
The Ernie Williams Indigenous Nursing Scholarships support Indigenous students enrolled in nursing at Deakin who are experiencing financial hardship.
Value
- Cash payments of up to $6500 per year. Total scholarship value up to $19,500 depending on remaining full-time duration of course.
Duration
- This scholarship is awarded for the remaining full-time duration of the course up to a maximum of three years.
Am I eligible?
Ensure you meet all criteria before submitting an application. If you've already submitted an equity schemes and scholarships application through VTAC, you'll automatically be considered for this scholarship – there's no need to reapply for this scholarship direct to Deakin.
To be eligible for this scholarship, you must be:
- an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person
- enrolled in Trimester 1, 2027 in one of the following degrees:
- Bachelor of Nursing (H326)
- Bachelor of Nursing (Clinical Leadership) (H329)
- Bachelor of Nursing (Honours) (H421)
- Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Midwifery (D355)
- Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Psychological Science (D387)
- Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion (D381)
- be able to demonstrate financial hardship through the receipt of a Centrelink benefit or have a personal or family taxable income below the threshold determined by the University.
Maintaining this scholarship
To retain this scholarship, you'll need to:
- provide an introductory statement about your goals for study and what it means to receive the scholarship
- be open to participating in a reasonable level of engagement with the donor
- maintain a minimum Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of 60 for the duration of the scholarship
- provide a yearly impact statement
- submit a completion statement at the conclusion of your study.
Offer rounds
The scholarships will be offered progressively from 23 December 2026 until all scholarships have been awarded and taken up. If you're successful, you'll be notified via email.
To give yourself the best chance possible of being considered in all offer rounds, submit your application and supporting documentation by 5pm on Wednesday 16 December 2026.
Round one
To be considered for a round one scholarship offer, you must submit your scholarship application and all supporting documents by 5pm on Wednesday 16 December 2026. You must also already have a course offer for a nursing bachelor degree at Deakin in 2027, or receive an offer in the December course offer round (23 December 2026).
We will be aiming for full allocation of available scholarships in this round.
Re-offer round
To be considered for any remaining scholarships, you must submit your scholarship application and all supporting documents by 5pm on Wednesday 20 January 2027, and have received an offer to study a nursing bachelor degree at Deakin in 2027.
Why this scholarship was established
The Norman Beischer Medical Research Foundation wishes to encourage participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in the study of Nursing and Midwifery at Deakin University. This scholarship program looks to honour the intentions of Ernest Daniel (Ernie) Williams. Ernie had a strong sense of care and support for family and the wider community and enormous empathy for those disadvantaged beyond their control, particularly children. He also appreciated the impact education had on creating opportunities for individuals. The scholarship program has been developed with the purpose of supporting the education of Aboriginal students in Nursing and Midwifery to benefit the long-term health and well-being of the Aboriginal Community.
Ready to apply?
If you've already submitted an equity schemes and scholarships application through VTAC, you'll automatically be considered for this scholarship – there's no need to reapply direct to Deakin.
Alternatively, once applications open, register and log in to Deakin's Scholarship Application Portal, then select 'Undergraduate Scholarship Application Tri/Sem 1 2027'. If eligible, your application will be considered for this scholarship and any others you may be eligible for.
Numbers of this scholarship are limited; not all eligible applicants will receive one. If you're successful, you'll be notified via email; usually within six weeks of the application closing date. Unsuccessful applicants will not be contacted.
Supporting documents
As part of the application process you're required to upload supporting documentation by the specified closing date. These should be current, relevant and concise.
Evidence of your financial hardship is required for this scholarship.
Make sure you choose the correct document type when you upload your documents – it will make a difference. If your documents are uploaded into the incorrect type they will not be considered when assessing your application. Remember, it's quality, not quantity, you need to provide.
If your application is successful, you will also be asked to provide documentation confirming you are of Aboriginal descent from Australia or a descendant of an Indigenous inhabitant of the Torres Strait Islands. You will be required to provide one of the following documents:
- Confirmation of Aboriginality
- Local Aboriginal Land Council letter
- Parents' Certificate of Aboriginality (COA) with birth certificate
- Letter from a local Indigenous cooperative
How to write a successful application
Applying for a scholarship isn't just about meeting the eligibility criteria. It’s your opportunity to stand out and be recognised for where you’ve come from and where you want to go.
Missed the application deadline?
This scholarship is yet to be confirmed for any future offerings. Please check back for updates.
