Students of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent have access to a variety of dedicated scholarships. Although many of them are based on need and being able to prove socio-economic disadvantage, others are based on merit and selection of course. Many others are entirely general and could require a combination of these things, allowing you to study whatever you want and still be eligible for funding.
The following are some examples and explanations of common requirements and materials you’ll be asked to provide in your application.
Without further adieu, here are some great scholarships that are exclusive to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. If you find any to be closed at time of reading, that’s ok; they tend to reopen annually.
This opportunity is designed specifically for students of nursing. It requires applicants to provide several materials, including:
This opportunity exists at the bequest of its late namesake, Dr Elspeth Young. It assists Indigenous Australian students at ANU with costs associated with going to university, like food, accomodation or transport. It’s a once-off payment made in proportion to a student’s expenses. Although it does not cover course fees, it covers much else and is available to students of any discipline.
Eligibility is determined by a combination of criteria, including:
‘Academic value’ is something determined by the selection committee as opposed to some quantifiable measure. They may assess the rigour of the program, future employment prospects or any number of other variables. The extent to which they undergo this evaluation and what criteria they use, however, are not publicly available pieces of knowledge. It’s still worth applying for all the same.
As the name would suggest, law students at ACU are the target audience. One student from Melbourne and NSW will be selected. Students need to demonstrate financial need in addition to being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent for eligibility. There are also a few tasks to be completed for a successful application.
This scholarship is exclusive to Aboriginal women chosen from a short-list prepared by the Director of the Tjabal Indigenous Higher Education Centre. Getting on this short list is unusually simple in that no application is required. Successfully completing one year of full time university study or part time equivalent at ANU automatically qualifies you for selection, provided that study will lead to a bachelor’s degree. If there aren’t any female students who meet the criteria in any given year, a male one will be selected instead.
This scholarship is dedicated to providing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students with the means to study education, be it early childhood, primary, secondary or special needs teaching. Requirements for entry are straightforward, including:
The purpose of the interview is to assess strength of character; it serves a similar purpose to personal references. The goal should be to show them your passion for education first and foremost, with practical achievements playing a supporting role rather than being the focus. They’ll most likely have your academic transcript, after all. What isn’t on that piece of paper is who you are.