Proven Tips to Access Home Buying Programs for Nurses

Nurses and midwives have access to multiple programs that can reduce the deposit required to buy a home, eliminate lenders mortgage insurance, and lower stamp duty costs.

The most effective approach combines federal programs like the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme with state-based grants and concessions. Registered nurses can also access profession-specific LMI waivers through certain lenders that reduce the deposit requirement to 10% without additional insurance costs.

What Home Buying Programs Are Available to Nurses in Australia?

Nurses can access federal programs including the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme, Help to Buy Scheme, First Home Owner Grant, and First Home Super Saver Scheme. State and territory governments also offer stamp duty concessions and exemptions with thresholds that vary by location.

The Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme allows first home buyers to purchase with a 5% deposit and no lenders mortgage insurance, with unlimited places available. The Help to Buy Scheme provides government equity contributions of up to 40% for new homes and 30% for existing homes, though this program has income caps and limited annual places.

State-based grants range from $10,000 in New South Wales and Victoria to $50,000 in the Northern Territory. Stamp duty concessions and exemptions apply in all states and territories, with full exemptions typically available for properties below specific price thresholds. From 1 July 2026, the ACT will abolish stamp duty entirely for all first home buyers with no property price cap or income threshold.

Registered nurses also have access to lender-specific LMI waivers that are not available to the general public. These waivers allow nurses to borrow up to 90% of a property's value without paying lenders mortgage insurance, which can save thousands compared to standard loan products. Buying your first home involves coordinating these programs to maximise the benefit.

Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme (Formerly the Home Guarantee Scheme)

The Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme, renamed from the Home Guarantee Scheme on 1 October 2025, allows eligible first home buyers to purchase property with a 5% deposit and no lenders mortgage insurance.

Housing Australia provides a government-backed guarantee of up to 15% of the home loan value for first home buyers and up to 18% for eligible single parents or legal guardians. Single parents or legal guardians can access a 2% deposit option under the same program. The scheme has no income cap and unlimited places.

Consider a registered nurse purchasing an apartment in Brisbane. With the property price cap in Brisbane set at $1,000,000, a nurse buying a unit at $750,000 would need a deposit of $37,500 plus settlement costs. Without the guarantee, the same purchase would typically require a 20% deposit of $150,000 to avoid LMI, or a 10% deposit of $75,000 plus LMI costs that could exceed $20,000. The scheme removes both the need for a larger deposit and the LMI cost.

The scheme is available to Australian citizens and permanent residents who are first home buyers or have not owned property in the past 10 years. It covers new and existing houses, townhouses, apartments, house and land packages, off-the-plan purchases, and vacant land with a building contract. You must live in the property as your principal place of residence.

Property price caps apply based on location and were updated on 1 October 2025. Sydney and NSW regional centres have a cap of $1,500,000, Melbourne and Geelong $950,000, Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Sunshine Coast $1,000,000, Perth $850,000, Adelaide $900,000, Canberra $1,000,000, and Darwin $600,000 rising to $750,000 from 1 July 2026. Caps vary within states by postcode, so use the postcode search tool at firsthomebuyers.gov.au to confirm the exact cap for your intended purchase location.

The scheme is available through over 30 Participating Lenders authorised by Housing Australia. Your broker will confirm which lenders are participating and which offer the most suitable loan structure for your circumstances. The 5% Deposit Scheme for nurses provides a detailed breakdown of eligibility and application processes.

First Home Owner Grants for Nurses by State

The First Home Owner Grant is a state and territory government payment for eligible first home buyers purchasing or building a new home. It generally applies only to new or substantially renovated properties used as a principal place of residence.

The grant was introduced in 2000 to offset the effect of the GST on home ownership and is funded and administered by each state and territory. Grant amounts and eligibility rules vary significantly depending on where you are buying.

New South Wales provides $10,000 for new homes valued up to $600,000, or new builds where land and construction combined are under $750,000. Victoria offers $10,000 for new homes valued up to $750,000. Queensland provides $30,000 for contracts signed between 20 November 2023 and 30 June 2026, for new homes valued under $750,000.

South Australia offers up to $15,000 for eligible first home owners purchasing or building a new home. Western Australia provides $10,000 for new homes, with the property cap increased to $800,000 from 7 May 2026. Tasmania offers up to $30,000 for eligible transactions between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026.

The Northern Territory provides up to $50,000 under the HomeGrown Territory Grant for first home buyers building or buying a new home, with no cap on the build or purchase price. The ACT set its FHOG to $0 since 1 July 2019, replacing it with the Home Buyer Concession Scheme that provides stamp duty relief instead.

These grants apply to new properties only, which means buying an established home does not qualify. If you are a nurse purchasing a house and land package or building a new home, the grant can be applied directly to reduce your deposit requirement or cover upfront costs. Your broker will confirm which grant applies to your situation and how to submit the application as part of your settlement process.

LMI Waivers for Registered Nurses

Lenders mortgage insurance waivers allow registered nurses to borrow up to 90% of a property's value without paying lenders mortgage insurance. These waivers are lender-specific commercial policies and can change, so confirm current availability with your broker.

Westpac Group, including Westpac, St. George, Bank of Melbourne, and BankSA, offers LMI waivers at 90% LVR for registered nurses. BankVic provides the same waiver for AHPRA-registered health practitioners. People First Bank offers an Essential Services Package with no LMI up to 90% LVR on loans up to $1,200,000.

Enrolled nurses generally do not qualify for bank LMI waivers but can use the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme as an alternative pathway to avoid LMI with a 5% deposit. The LMI waivers for nurses page provides a full breakdown of lender policies and registration requirements.

In a scenario where a nurse practitioner is purchasing a property and has saved a 10% deposit, using an LMI waiver means the full deposit goes toward the purchase without any portion diverted to insurance premiums. For a property purchased at the current median in a metro area, the saving compared to paying LMI can exceed $15,000, which can instead be used for furniture, moving costs, or kept as a financial buffer.

LMI waivers apply to owner-occupied and investment purchases, though specific lenders may have different criteria for each. The waiver is tied to your registration status, so you will need to provide evidence of current AHPRA registration when applying.

Stamp Duty Concessions for Nurse First Home Buyers

Stamp duty concessions and exemptions reduce or eliminate transfer duty on property purchases for first home buyers. Each state and territory administers its own scheme with different thresholds and eligibility rules.

New South Wales provides a full exemption on properties up to $800,000 and a concessional rate up to $1,000,000. Victoria abolished stamp duty for first home buyers purchasing at $600,000 or less, with concessions available up to $750,000. Western Australia charges no stamp duty on homes up to $500,000, with scaled concessions between $500,000 and $700,000. Queensland offers concessions for first home buyers on homes under $700,000, with full exemptions up to $500,000.

The ACT will fully abolish stamp duty for all first home buyers from 1 July 2026, with no property price cap or income threshold. This makes Canberra one of the most accessible markets for first home buyers in terms of upfront cost reduction.

Stamp duty savings can be substantial. A nurse buying a home in New South Wales at $750,000 would save approximately $28,000 in stamp duty with the full exemption. That saving can be redirected toward the deposit, legal costs, or building and pest inspections.

Thresholds differ by state and territory and can change. Your broker will confirm what applies to your situation based on the property location and purchase price. Concessions typically require you to occupy the property as your principal place of residence for a minimum period, often 12 months, to retain the benefit.

First Home Super Saver Scheme

The First Home Super Saver Scheme allows eligible buyers to withdraw voluntary super contributions to use toward a home deposit. The scheme is administered by the Australian Taxation Office and has been available since 1 July 2018.

You can contribute a maximum of $15,000 in voluntary contributions per financial year, up to $50,000 total across all years. Voluntary concessional contributions are taxed at 15% rather than your marginal income tax rate. When you withdraw the funds, you receive a 30% tax offset on the assessable released amounts.

Contributions count toward your overall super contributions caps. Exceeding those caps may result in additional tax. You must enter a contract to buy or build within 12 months of the release, or re-contribute the amount back into super. The scheme does not require Australian citizenship or tax residency, which makes it available to permanent residents.

A midwife who has contributed $15,000 per year for three years would have $45,000 available to withdraw under the scheme. After the 30% tax offset, the effective withdrawal amount would be higher than if the same income had been taxed at the marginal rate and saved outside of super. The scheme is particularly useful for nurses who have been planning a home purchase over multiple years and can afford to salary sacrifice into super during that period.

The scheme can be combined with other programs including the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme and the First Home Owner Grant. Your broker will assess whether using the scheme aligns with your deposit timeline and overall financial position.

Help to Buy Scheme for Nurses

The Help to Buy Scheme is a shared equity program administered by Housing Australia, with applications open since 5 December 2025. The government contributes up to 40% of the purchase price for new homes and 30% for existing homes.

The contribution is structured as a loan with no regular repayments. The Commonwealth holds an equity share secured by a second mortgage. When you sell the property or refinance to buy out the government's share, the government receives the same percentage of the sale price or valuation that it contributed at purchase.

The scheme has 10,000 places available per year. Income caps apply: $103,000 per year for individual applicants, and $165,000 for single parents and joint applicants. Income is assessed based on your ATO Notice of Assessment for the previous financial year. You must be an Australian citizen, must not currently own property in Australia or overseas, and must live in the home as your principal place of residence.

The Help to Buy Scheme cannot be combined with the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme or other shared equity schemes or government-backed loans from states or territories. It can be used alongside the First Home Owner Grant and stamp duty concessions.

For a nurse purchasing a new townhouse and meeting the income cap, the scheme allows entry into the market with a smaller deposit and lower loan amount. The trade-off is that the government retains an equity share, which means any capital growth is shared proportionally. The scheme suits buyers who prioritise affordability and entry into the market over retaining full ownership from the outset.

Can Nurses Stack Multiple Programs?

In many cases, nurses can combine multiple programs to reduce upfront costs. Common combinations include the First Home Owner Grant, Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme, and stamp duty concessions.

The Queensland Revenue Office confirms the First Home Owner Grant is separate from schemes administered by Housing Australia, and eligibility for one does not affect eligibility for the other. This means a nurse in Queensland purchasing a new home under $750,000 can access the $30,000 FHOG, use the 5% Deposit Scheme to avoid LMI, and claim the stamp duty concession, reducing both the deposit and upfront transfer costs.

The Help to Buy Scheme can be combined with the FHOG and stamp duty concessions but not with the 5% Deposit Scheme. This is because both programs involve Housing Australia guarantees or equity contributions, and only one can apply to a single loan.

Your broker will assess full eligibility across all available programs before recommending a strategy. Buying your first home as a nurse involves coordinating federal, state, and lender-specific programs to maximise the benefit without creating conflicts between eligibility criteria.

LMI waivers can also be layered with government schemes. A registered nurse using a 10% deposit with an LMI waiver can still access the First Home Owner Grant and stamp duty concessions, though the 5% Deposit Scheme would not apply because the nurse is using a 10% deposit through a lender policy rather than the government guarantee.

How to Apply for Home Buying Programs as a Nurse

Applying for home buying programs as a nurse starts with confirming your eligibility across federal, state, and lender-specific schemes. Your broker will review your employment status, AHPRA registration, income, savings, and property preferences to identify which programs apply.

For the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme, your broker will submit your application through a Participating Lender. The lender assesses your loan application and, if approved, arranges the Housing Australia guarantee as part of the settlement process. You do not apply directly to Housing Australia.

First Home Owner Grant applications are submitted to your state or territory revenue office, typically through your conveyancer or solicitor during settlement. Your broker will confirm the documentation required, which usually includes proof of identity, proof of eligibility as a first home buyer, and the contract of sale.

LMI waivers are applied at the lender level. Your broker will provide evidence of your AHPRA registration and employment status when submitting the loan application. The waiver is factored into the loan structure, so you will see the benefit reflected in the loan offer with no separate LMI charge.

Stamp duty concessions are claimed when lodging the transfer of land with your state or territory revenue office. Your conveyancer or solicitor will prepare the paperwork and ensure the concession or exemption is applied before settlement.

For the Help to Buy Scheme, applications are submitted through a Participating Lender, similar to the 5% Deposit Scheme. The lender assesses your loan and income eligibility, and Housing Australia confirms the equity contribution before settlement.

Government schemes, grants, eligibility criteria, property price caps, and grant amounts can change over time. Speak with one of our brokers to confirm the latest details and your eligibility before making any decisions.

Call one of our team or book an appointment at a time that works for you. We will assess your full eligibility across all available programs, confirm current lender policies, and structure your application to reduce upfront costs and position you for approval.

Frequently Asked Questions