Inclusive Education Scholarships now available in NSW – up to $20,000 on offer

Qualified early childhood teachers (ECTs) in New South Wales are being invited to access scholarships designed to increase the capacity of the early childhood education sector to include children with disability and additional needs, in community preschools, mobile preschools and long day care services.

The scholarships provide financial assistance to scholars who are qualified early childhood teachers wishing to progress to post graduate level by gaining a qualification in Inclusive Education through the University of Newcastle. 

Such professionals, the NSW Department said, are invaluable to the quality and care provided in community preschools, mobile preschools and long day care services. They deliver high-quality, evidence-based teaching and learning to young children with disabilities and additional needs, supporting their inclusion and participation in a quality early childhood program on the same basis as their peers.

Scholarships are available for eligible applicants:

• Up to $20,000 each for those commencing or completing the Master of Special and Inclusive Education (specialising in Early Childhood); or,

• Up to $10,000 for those commencing or completing the Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Disability Support, at the University of Newcastle.

Both qualifications can be studied online.

Scholarships will be awarded taking into consideration prioritisation areas to meet emerging workforce needs. This includes those already employed in a preschool (including mobile preschool) or long day care in NSW, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, those in regional and remote NSW areas, and/or NSW areas with high numbers of disadvantaged children.

The final number of scholarships awarded may vary depending on the financial award provided to each scholar (for instance if there is substantial recognised prior learning or the scholar has partially completed a qualification).

Applications are sought from individuals intending to commence or continue studying from Trimester 1 2023.

Eligibility criteria

Interested applicants need to be qualified early childhood teachers in the NSW early childhood education sector to apply. To be eligible to apply for the 2022-23 Early Childhood Inclusive Education scholarship program, applicants must:

• intend to enrol or already be enrolled in the Master of Special and Inclusive Education (specialising in Early Childhood) or a Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Disability Support, at the University of Newcastle

• intend to complete the above qualifications in no more than four years

• have completed an early childhood teaching bachelor’s degree recognised by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)

• not be in receipt of any other scholarship funding related to the course for which the scholarship is sought

• be employed or intend to work in a NSW community preschool, mobile preschool or long day care service

• be an Australian citizen or permanent resident residing in NSW. An exemption from the NSW residency requirements may be provided where the applicant can demonstrate they are working or intend to work in NSW early childhood education services. An example of this would be an applicant living in a border region where the applicant is already employed in a NSW early childhood education service.

Applicants may study full-time or part-time.Scholarship applications close on Monday 10 October 2022. Late applications will not be accepted. A competitive assessment process may be used. Payments will be made in instalments upon successful completion of milestones based on a scholar’s progress in the degree. 

Details of the Master of Special and Inclusive Education are available here. For information about the Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Disability Support at the University of Newcastle, see here. 

To have questions about the 2022-23 Early Childhood Inclusive Education Scholarships program answered, email the Early Childhood Directorate on [email protected]  or call 1800 619 113.