Salzburg AMS rejecting nursing scholarship applications, FPÖ says
Salzburg's regional government is accusing the Public Employment Service AMS of turning down applications for the nursing scholarship, the Pflegestipendium. Deputy Governor Marlene Svazek and social affairs councillor Wolfgang Fürweger, both FPÖ, said on 29 September that applications are being rejected one after another, reportedly because Salzburg already has enough nursing staff. Fürweger says the province will need about 1,570 additional nursing staff over the next ten years.
The scholarship is meant for people aged 20 and over who start a nursing training course. It pays at least 1,650 euros a month, about 55 euros a day, to cover living costs during training. Anyone who cannot show progress in the course has to pay it back. Interest has been rising: in Salzburg 710 people received the scholarship in 2024 and 831 in 2025.
The AMS rejects the accusation. Julia Kröll, head of AMS Salzburg, said there is no longer a legal entitlement to the scholarship. It is now a subsidy that has to be applied for, and the AMS checks in each case whether it is needed for the labour market. Svazek accused the SPÖ of using the AMS to cut back care funding. The province says it has put an extra 45 million euros into care.
What this means for you: if you plan to train as a nurse or care assistant with AMS support, apply before your course starts and do not assume approval. Ask your AMS adviser for the decision and the reasons in writing, and ask about other funding, including support from the province of Salzburg, before you give up a job or sign up for a course.