Scholarships & Financial Support

Scholarships

If you plan to study there are a whole lot of scholarships available for rural students. Here are some places to start looking.

• Rural and Regional Enterprise Scholarships assist rural and remote Australians access university, TAFE and VET.
• Destination Australia Scholarships are available to people living and studying in regional Australia. Scholarship recipients receive $15,000 per year for the duration of their course.
• Country Education Foundation has a range of scholarships aiming to help rural and regional young people access further education and training. They also provide a guide on applying for scholarships.
• The Tertiary Access Payment is a one-off $5,000 payment to assist students who move more than 90 minutes from home to study.
• Aurora Indigenous Pathways Portal has a huge list of scholarships available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
• Research block grants are government grants available for postgraduate research degrees.
• Fulbright Scholarships provide financial support for students wishing to do a university exchange to the United States of America.
• Rural Bank has a focus of supporting the next generation of leaders in agriculture, by offering financial support in the form of scholarships.
• Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Scholarship for students living in rural and regional Australia
• The Hansen Scholarship is a flagship scholarship program at The University of Melbourne. From 2020, The Hansen Scholarship will be awarded to talented undergraduate students whose financial circumstances present a challenge to accessing a first-class education.
• The Indigenous Accommodation Grant is offered to Indigenous students who are residing at University Accommodation or Residential College and are ineligible for government accommodation funding or other forms of financial support.
• George Alexander Foundation Scholarship is offered outstanding rural students especially those experiencing economic disadvantage.
• Rural Grant for rural students whose family income is primarily from farming and who will be required to move to Melbourne to study at RMIT.
• VTAC Scholarships. Scholarships available through various institutions

Government assistance

Government financial assistance, or Centrelink, is also available to some students. There are many types of financial support:

• Youth Allowance is financial support for students or apprentices who are 24 years or younger, or 21 years or younger and searching for work.
• Austudy is financial support for students or apprentices who are 25 years or older.
• ABSTUDY is financial support for students or apprentices who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.
• Rent assistance is a fortnightly extra payment if you are paying rent and also receiving certain other financial supports (such as Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY).
• Fare allowance assists with travel costs between your home and place of study.
• Student Start-Up Loans are available to students studying full time who are receiving Youth Allowance, Austudy or ABSTUDY.
• Relocation Scholarships are annual payments if you receive Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY and move either to or from a regional or remote area for higher education.
• A Health Care Card is given to anyone on Youth Allowance, Austudy or ABSTUDY. A Health Care Card allows you to receive discounts on stuff like public transport, movie tickets, medication and utilities.

Managing your money

Managing money is not always something we are taught in school and it’s a pretty essential skill for moving out of home. So here are some money management resources if you feel you need some tips:

• Moneysmart is an Australian Government initiative that offers advice on budgeting, planning for the future and investing.
• UNSW has a guide for creating a student budget and points out why you should care about super as a young person.
• The Foundation for Youth Australians provide youth specific advice about managing your money. Year 13 and Headspace also have information specific for young people.