Bursaries

Bursaries for TheMHS Conference

TheMHS Bursaries are offered to people who wish to attend The Mental Health Services (TheMHS), who identify as either someone with lived experience or a young clinician from Australia or New Zealand, or someone working in the mental health sector in a Pacific Nation (excluding Australia and New Zealand).

Bursaries for TheMHS Conference

TheMHS Bursaries are offered to people who wish to attend The Mental Health Services (TheMHS), who identify as either:

1. Someone with Lived Experience or a young clinician from Australia or New Zealand OR
2. Someone working in the mental health sector in a Pacific Nation (excluding Australia and New Zealand)

Bursaries aim to support people who do not have the financial resources to attend the event otherwise.

Please note only a limited number of bursaries are available. TheMHS tries to support as many people as possible which is why a mixture of bursaries are offered.

TheMHS will offer a mixture of bursaries as follows:

  • Full Bursaries: Includes free registration to the Consumer or Carer Forum and the 3-day conference, as well as a travel stipend ranging between $500 - 2000 AUD. 
    • Please note: The travel stipend amount varies depending on your location and you will be informed of this in your confirmation email. Travel stipends are only to be used for travel expenses to/from the event and accommodation, it excludes meals and travel insurance. Recipients will need to organise and pay for their travel upfront; and the stipend will be reimbursed post-event, after attendance is confirmed and once all receipts have been submitted. If there are any other financial concerns please contact us at info@themhs.org and circumstances will be considered on a case by case basis.
    • are usually reimbursed post-event after attendance is confirmed and once all receipts are submitted.
  • Registration Bursaries: Includes in-person registration to the Consumer or Carer Forum and the 3-day conference.
  • Virtual Bursaries: Includes free virtual registration to the Consumer or Carer Forum and the 3-day conference.

To be eligible to apply for a TheMHS Bursary, you must fulfil the following essential criteria:

  • You identify as a either:
    • Consumer of Mental Health Services 
    • Carer of a person with Lived Experience of Mental Illness
    • Young clinician - someone who has recently graduated or only been working in the mental health sector for 1-3 years and is under the age of 25 years old.
    • For financial reasons, you would be unable to attend this year’s conference.
    • Over 18 years of age.

Applications close 27 April 2025. 
Applicants will be notified of their acceptance or otherwise by end of May 2025. For enquiries please email info@themhs.org

Special consideration will be given to people who identify as the following:
  • Indigenous, First Nations, Torres Straight Islander 
  • LGBTIQA+
  • Culturally and linguistically diverse
  • from a Regional, rural, remote community
  • People with disabilities
  • Veterans
  • Youth (18 - 25 years old)

Things to note

  • The current funding secured is for Australian residents only, but we are working on securing funding for bursaries for New Zealand and Pacific residents. If you are from New Zealand or any of the Pacific islands, you can apply for a bursary but please note you will be placed on a waitlist until we are able to secure funding.
  •  TheMHS Bursaries are not intended for students, unless they have lived experience. For students there are concession registration fees or, alternatively, apply to be a student volunteer.

Thank you to our lived experience bursary sponsors:

TheMHS Learning Network is a not-for-profit learning network for improving mental health services in Australia and New Zealand

© 2023 TheMHS Learning Network Inc