>> Also see Frequently Asked Questions 

The Australian Psychological Society (APS) is administering scholarships funded by the Department of Health and Ageing for part-time and full-time students applying to commence or part-way through an APAC-accredited Masters or Professional Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2010. Scholarships are valued at $15,000 per annum for full-time students and $7,500 per annum for part-time students. To be eligible, applicants must be Australian citizens or permanent residents and meet one of the following:

  • be from rural, regional or remote localities, 
  • be an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, 
  • have a culturally and linguistically diverse background, 
  • have a demonstrated commitment to working in these locations or with one or more of these populations.

Only applicants that meet one of these criteria will be considered. Scholarships will be awarded based on academic performance, referee reports, relevant professional experience, and degree of strength of evidence for the relevant criteria. The MHPSS will make a significant impact on the number of Clinical Psychologists working in these areas of need. 

Scholarship applications for study in 2010 have now closed.

For further inquiries, please contact the APS Scholarship Team:

Frequently Asked Questions

Which postgraduate degree must I be studying to be eligible for the scholarship?

You must be undertaking an APAC-accredited Masters or APAC-accredited professional Doctorate in Psychology (i.e. MPsych, DPsych or PsychD). Students enrolling in a PhD will be eligible if their studies include the equivalent of a professional masters in Psychology component. Masters level scholarships will be awarded for those students enrolled in a PhD (with a Psychology Masters component). Please refer to the APAC website for a list of currently accredited courses: www.apac.psychology.org.au

Applicants completing an undergraduate course (including 4th year, postgraduate diploma, or graduate diploma) are not eligible to apply.

Will I be eligible for the scholarship if I am studying a Masters or Doctorate of Clinical Psychology, Clinical Neuropsychology, Health Psychology, Counseling, Forensic or Development/Educational Psychology?

The Scholarship initiative aims to increase the number of Psychologists with clinical training in rural areas; or with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people, or Culturally and Linguistically Diverse populations.  While courses in the specialty areas mentioned above are highly regarded and valuable, the Department of Health and Ageing have specified the Mental Health Postgraduate Scholarship Scheme (MHPSS) be available only to students undertaking a Clinical Psychology course.  This eligibility requirement is not negotiable.

Can I apply for the scholarship even though I am part way through my degree?

Applicants part way through their degree (i.e. who commenced prior to 2010) may apply for the scholarship. However, applicants undertaking a Masters combined with a PhD will only be paid for their Psychology coursework subjects and placements. Please note that any coursework or placements completed prior to receiving the scholarship offer will not be funded. You will be required to indicate the date of commencement and proposed completion on the application form and attach a certified or original copy of your current academic transcript showing the subjects and placements completed to date in your postgraduate course.

How do I know if I am eligible?

Eligible applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • You must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
  • You must be currently undertaking or applying to undertake an APAC accredited professional Masters or Doctorate in Psychology on a full-time or part-time basis in 2010
  • You must meet one of the following eligibility requirements:
    • be from rural, regional or remote localities, 
    • be an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, 
    • have a culturally and linguistically diverse background, 
    • have a demonstrated commitment to working in these locations or with one or more of these populations.  

Am I eligible to apply under the Rural, Regional or Remote Residency category?

You are eligible to apply under the rural, regional or remote category if:

  • You have an Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA) score greater than 0.20 (to determine your ARIA score, please visit http://www9.health.gov.au/aria/ariainpt.cfm)
  • You are able to demonstrate, by way of official documentation  (e.g., bank statements, utility bills), proof of rural, regional, or remote residency for either:
    • the past 5 consecutive years, or
    • 8 cumulative years over your lifetime

Am I eligible to apply under the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander category?

An Australian and/or Torres Strait Islander person, for the purposes of the Mental Health Postgraduate Scholarship Scheme: Clinical Psychology (MHPSS: CP), is one who:

  • Is of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent; and
  • Identifies as an Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person; and
  • Is accepted as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent in the community in which s/he lives or has lived.

You must be able to provide a Certified Copy of your “Proof of Aboriginality” which has been confirmed in writing from the Chairperson of an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander incorporated organisation. This document must have the Common Seal from the organisation from which it was obtained. This document can be obtained from Local Land Councils and Aboriginal Medical Services.

Am I eligible to apply under the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) category?

You are eligible to apply under the culturally and Linguistically Diverse category if:

  • your first language is one other than English; or
  • your family background involves migration from a non-English speaking country; or
  • you  moved to Australia as an immigrant or refugee from a non-English speaking country; or
  • you are a child of migrant parents from a non-English speaking country

You must be able to provide a Certified Copy of documentation (e.g., international passport, refugee visa) in support of your Culturally and Linguistically Diverse background.

Am I eligible to apply under one of the demonstrated commitment categories?

In order to apply under the demonstrated commitment category, applicants must show demonstrated commitment to working in rural, regional or remote localities and/or with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders or Culturally or Linguistically Diverse populations. Demonstrated commitment can be evidenced by relevant:

  • Previous employment
  • Work experience,
  • Volunteer work,
  • Research and/or publications

A CV must be supplied clearly identifying how your work experience applies to one of the aforementioned populations.

Can I apply under more than one category?

Applicants applying under the categories rural, regional and remote residency or demonstrated commitment to working with a rural, regional or remote community are also able to apply under ONE of the following CaLD or ATSI categories, provided they satisfy the eligibility criteria:

  • Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background
  • Demonstrated commitment to working with people from an ATSI background
  • Culturally and Linguistically Diverse background
  • Demonstrated commitment to working with people from a CaLD background

Applicants can not apply under both the ATSI and CaLD eligibility categories.

If applying under more than one category, you must provide the required supporting documentation for each category you apply for.

Which supporting documents need to be certified?

All certificates, transcripts and proof of eligibility documents (e.g. bills showing a rural residential address) must be certified.

What is a certified copy?

A certified copy is a photocopy of the original document with the signature and official stamp of an appropriate authority indicating that they have sighted the original. An appropriate authority includes:

  • An accountant (Chartered or Certified)
  • A bank manager
  • A barrister or solicitor
  • A Justice of the Peace
  • A medical practitioner (doctor)
  • A pharmacist
  • A police officer
  • A post office manager
  • A principle of an Australian secondary college, high school or primary school

A photocopy or fax of a certified copy is not acceptable.

How many referees are required in the application process?

The Scholarship Advisory Committee requires three referees to assist with their assessment of each applicant; at least one of which must be a professional referee and at least one other an academic referee. It is preferred that you try to find the correct number of academic and professional referees; if this requirement is not met, you risk making your application less competitive.

Can I fax or email my application form?

No, application forms will only be accepted by mail.

Will late applications be accepted?

Applications must arrive by mail at the APS no later than the closing date. Applications received after this date will not be accepted. Applicants are advised to send their applications via registered or express post to avoid missing this deadline.

How will scholarship applications be assessed?

Applications will be independently reviewed by two assessors, using scoring criteria developed by the Selection Advisory Committee, which have been approved by the Government. Applications will be scored in two areas: performance (referee reports, university marks etc) and demonstration of eligibility under one of the categories (rural, ATSI, or CaLD), i.e. strength of evidence and personal statement. Applicants will be ranked by performance and eligibility scores and the highest ranked applicants will be awarded scholarships until the available quota is met.

How will applicants be notified of the outcome of their application?

Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their scholarship application by mail. Each applicant will receive a letter regardless of a successful or unsuccessful outcome.

What is the scholarship money to be used for?

The Mental Health Postgraduate Scholarship funding is provided to students to support them whilst they are studying. This means that the scholarship may cover living expenses (e.g. travel costs), text books, daily living (i.e. food and rent) etc. You do not need to keep receipts as proof of spending.

Is the scholarship taxable?

For information on the taxation implications of the MHPSS, please refer to the Australian Tax Office website: http://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/content.asp?doc=/content/34815.htm  Please note that it is the responsibility of the recipient to enquire about the tax status of monies received by way of the scholarship.

How does the scholarship impact on my Centrelink benefits?

For information on how the scholarship may affect Centrelink benefits, please refer to the following website: http://www.facsia.gov.au/guides_acts/ssg/ssguide-4/ssguide-4.3/ssguide-4.3.9/ssguide-4.3.9.40.html

Please note that it is the responsibility of the recipient to enquire about the effect of the Scholarship money on any government benefits received. The APS Scholarship team is happy to prepare a letter for the recipient which can be forwarded to Centrelink explaining the nature of the scholarship.

When and how much do scholarship recipients get paid?

The Scholarship is paid as an Electronic Funds Transfer on a monthly basis and will be available in the recipients’ account by the 15th of each month, or the nearest business day. Students confirming enrolment for full time study will receive payments of $1,250 per month and students confirming enrolment for part time study will receive payments of $625 per month. Please note that payments will be suspended at the beginning of each semester until the required documentation confirming enrolment has been received.

Who should I contact if I have any further questions?

Please direct further questions to the APS scholarship team:
Phone: 1800 703 883
Email: MHPSS@psychology.org.au

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