Scholarships and financial assistance for Koorie young people

Hundreds of scholarships and other forms of financial assistance are offered specifically for Indigenous students across Australia.

Scholarships

Student scholarships

School scholarships are for students who are studying in Victoria (Australia) and who are citizens or permanent residents of Australia. Most scholarships we offer are for Victorian government school students. A small number are also open to non-government school students.

We administer more than 25 different student scholarships which equate to approximately 250 scholarship awards (as some scholarships have more than one award).

Marrung education scholarships for Koorie students

Koorie students in years 11 and 12 in Victorian government schools are able to apply for support through the Marrung education scholarship program. The program offers 20 scholarships of $5,000 each ($2,500 per year over two years). The scholarship recognises students who demonstrate a high potential to succeed in their chosen pathway.

Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC)

VTAC lists scholarships that provide financial support to help students with the costs of higher education. Most institutions have several scholarships available to reward academic excellence and ensure equitable access to education.

Myfuture website

The Myfuture website has detailed listings of scholarships and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

Scholarships from TAFE institutes and universities

A particular TAFE or University may offer scholarships that are sometimes linked to study in a particular area. Go to the TAFE or University website for specific information.

The following are direct links to scholarship pages.

TAFE

Universities

Scholarships from organisations

Some scholarships are available from organisations for study at your chosen institution.

The LimeNetwork for jobs, scholarships and grants in medicine. A medical degree is a large financial commitment. There are opportunities to get assistance or a scholarship to help pay for your university fees. Several Indigenous fellowships and scholarships are available from the government and private sources for Indigenous undergraduates, postgraduates and postdoctoral fellows for study within Australia or abroad.

Australian Public Service Indigenous Pathways Program- The APS provides career opportunities for Indigenous Australians. The Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) coordinates recruitment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and graduates in over 40 Australian Government agencies.

Victorian Public Service Aboriginal Scholarships - The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) offers scholarships associated with training or higher education in health and community services.

Indigenous Youth leadership Program (IYLP) is funded by the Federal Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and offers scholarships and leadership opportunities to young Indigenous Australians, with a focus on Indigenous youth from remote or regional communities who have demonstrated potential leadership capability and want to develop their leadership skills with the support of both family and community. 

IYLP gives Indigenous young people the opportunity to study at high performing secondary schools and benefit from practical leadership experiences, personal development and mentoring. It is a national initiative that offers up to 250 scholarships to young Indigenous Australians 12 - 25 years of age undertaking secondary or tertiary studies within Australia. Tertiary scholarships offer $6000, Secondary scholarships offer $15,000 per student per year.

The Aspiration Initiative (TAI)is a joint initiative of the Aurora Project, the Charlie Perkins Trust and the University of Canberra and is named for a collective range of Indigenous education projects that includes:

Postgraduate scholarships

For information on postgraduate course scholarships explore Joint Academic Scholarship Online Network (JASON) JASON is a search engine that contains information about postgraduate scholarships for Australian students wishing to study at home or abroad, and for international students wishing to study in Australia.

Financial Assistance

Student income support benefits offer a range of means-tested payments available to support eligible students who are undertaking, or who are planning to undertake, approved study or an Australian Apprenticeship.

Abstudy helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians with costs whilst studying or undertaking an Australian Apprenticeship. The financial assistance you receive includes a fortnightly living allowance and extra funding to help with other costs associated with going to school.

Centrelink can assist Indigenous secondary or tertiary students or full-time Australian Apprentices with their Abstudy applications.

Youth Allowance offers financial help for people aged 16 to 24 years who are studying full-time, undertaking a full-time Australian Apprenticeship, training, looking for work or sick.

Austudy offers financial help to full-time students and Australian Apprentices aged 25 years or more.

Student start-up scholarships offer higher education students receiving student payments may also be eligible to receive support.

Relocation scholarships are available for eligible students to help with an annual payment to help certain students in higher education who are required to live away from their family home while studying.

Study Assist offers government assistance for financing tertiary study. The Government administers the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) which consists of five HELP loans schemes to assist students with the cost of their fees. The right loan for you will depend on your circumstances, eligibility and where you want to study.

VET FEE-HELP is available to assist eligible students studying higher-level vocational education and training (VET) qualifications to pay their tuition fees. Higher-level VET qualifications are at the diploma level and above. VET FEE‑HELP can be used to pay all or part of an eligible student’s tuition fees, but cannot be used for additional study costs such as accommodation or textbooks.

Indigenous Youth Mobility Program (IYMP) is part of the Australian Government’s Indigenous Advancement Strategy (IAS) funded through the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPM&C). The program offers young Indigenous people from regional and remote communities the opportunity to move to a host location to participate in further education, training or Australian Apprenticeships.