Should I apply for a scholarship?
If you’re planning on further studies after high school, no matter if you’re thinking about uni or vocational training, there’s probably a scholarship for that.
No joke, there are literally thousands of scholarships available for Australians who are seeking to better their education or career prospects.
Lots of people think that scholarships are only there to benefit a very specific bunch of people (like high achievers). But that’s not the case. Most scholarships are aimed at a certain category of applicants, that’s true. But there’s a huge list of categories to choose from.
So if you’re wondering whether it’s worth applying for a scholarship, the answer is always yes. Each year there are thousands of dollars that go unawarded, simply because nobody applies!
Let’s take a look at some of the categories, and see some scholarships you can apply for.
Community Service
Spend lots of time volunteering and making a change in your school or community? Do you participate in lots of extra-curricular activities? You could be rewarded for your efforts with a scholarship.
Here are some scholarships you might be interested in:
- Bond Transformer Scholarship
- ACU Community Engagement Equity Scholarship
- Flinders Memorial Harvey Hayes Scholarship
Disability
If you are wanting to study but feel like your disability might be a barrier, there are scholarships out there to help. They can provide you with financial support, as well as other things like access to special support services, assistive technology, and more.
Here are a few we’ve found:
- Vision Australia Further Education Bursary
- Walter and Eliza Hall Trust Opportunity Scholarship (closed for this year, but keep an eye out for future rounds)
- Australian Disability and Indigenous Peoples’ Education Fund
Family/Domestic Violence
If you’ve found yourself in a bad situation at home, there is support out there for you. This includes scholarships to help you achieve your dream of future studies.
Here are some you might be eligible for:
- UOW Transforming Futures Scholarships
- Little Friends Scholarships (closed for now, but the next round will be opening in January 2022)
- University of Newcastle Helen Maslen Scholarship
Remember, if you need any help, you can call 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732), available 24/7, or chat online at 1800respect.org.au. You can also call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800.
Financial Disadvantage
Worried you might not be able to afford some of the expenses involved with study, like textbooks and equipment? Never fear – there are lots of scholarships out there for people struggling financially, no strings attached.
Here are some you might like to check out:
- Youth Off the Streets National Scholarship Program (closed for now, but the next round will be opening in March 2022)
- Flinders University Student Access Scholarships
- QUT Equity Scholarships Scheme (closed for now, but the next round will be opening mid-October 2021)
Indigenous Students
There are tons of scholarships available to Indigenous students who are looking to study after school.
You can see some here:
- Puggy Hunter Memorial Scholarship Scheme
- Curtin Business and Law Indigenous Undergraduate Scholarship
- Australian Indigenous Education Foundation – UTS Scholarship
Leadership
Were you school captain? Or the captain of your sporting team? There are scholarships out there to reward you for your efforts.
Here are some you might like:
- Bond University Leadership Scholarship (closed for this year, but keep an eye out in 2022)
- UTAS Global Leaders Scholarship
- UNSW Mike Cannon-Brookes Endowed Scholarship
LGBTQIA+
If you identify as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, you could be eligible for a scholarship to help with study costs.
Take a look at some we’ve found here:
- Pinnacle Foundation Scholarships
- University of Newcastle LGBTQIA+ Shaping Futures Scholarship
- University of Adelaide Dr Duncan Memorial Scholarship
Musical & Sporting Ability
Fancy yourself a musical virtuoso or sporting pro? If you’d like to continue your extra-curricular activities into university, but are worried it might affect your studies, there are lots of scholarships out there to support you, as well as provide you with some extra perks.
Here are a few scholarships to take a look at:
Refugee
If you’re a current or former refugee, you could be eligible for scholarships to provide you with financial support towards your studies.
Here are some we’ve found:
- RMIT Halim Family Women in Science Scholarship
- Friends of Zainab Tertiary Scholarship (currently closed, but keep an eye out for next year)
- Monash University Alter Family Foundation Scholarship
Rural
Living far away from university doesn’t have to be a barrier to attending. You could be eligible for tons of scholarships to assist you financially, and even provide accommodation too.
Take a look at a few you could be eligible for here:
- Rural and Regional Enterprise Scholarships Program
- UNSW Engineering Rural Scholarships Program
- Rural Pharmacy Scholarship Scheme
Women
There are also lots of scholarships out there to encourage girls and women to undertake further study, particularly in areas where they are underrepresented.
Here are some you might like:
- Harding Miller Education Foundation Scholarship
- University of Adelaide DST Women in Science and Engineering Scholarship
- Swinburne Avanade Women in STEM Scholarship
Want more?
You can search for hundreds more scholarships, open to all kinds of applicants, on our database here.
