No matter which way you look at it, higher education is expensive. First, you have to pay tuition, and then buy your books, materials and a host of assorted fees. If your family home isn't near the university, you have to pay for accommodations. All of that is on top of standard living expenses like food, transportation and entertainment.
It seems the height of irony to expect students to pay thousands of dollars when they have little to no money coming in. Fortunately, financial assistance is available in the form of student loans, scholarships, grants and bursaries. Of these four ways to pay for your education, you only have to pay back the loans.
The other three are 'free' money given to students based on either need or merit. Often, those three terms are used interchangeably simply because they all amount to the same thing - money you don't need to pay back. But they are a bit different; for instance, charitable organisations typically offer grants while businesses prefer bursaries.
Scholarships offer the widest array of financial awards. Some universities offer scholarships to gifted students as an enticement for enrolment while others consider students' personal circumstances to determine the award's size. Still, whether bursary, grant or scholarship, students must apply. As scholarships are the most accessible form of financial aid, Superprof talks about how to apply for them.
Types of Scholarships
In this article's introduction, we mentioned that scholarships are granted based either on need or merit. For example, if you're a talented violinist enrolling in an undergraduate program at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, you may apply for one of their merit-based scholarships. Conversely, if you're a star athlete applying to Melbourne University, your student advisor will likely recommend that you apply to their scholarship program.
Those are examples of merit-based scholarships. Needs-based awards are generally reserved for students with less robust financial resources. Somehow, it sounds shameful to need financial support to fund your education but there's no shame in applying for such a scholarship. School is expensive and most students need all the help they can get, especially if their degree plan calls for a lot of extras like lab or art supplies.
Universities fund most scholarships but Indigenous student scholarships have access to funds from the Aurora Education Foundation. Currently, this foundation lists 529 scholarships to support studies in Australia or overseas. Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander students may also apply for university scholarship programs at whichever school they attend. They are not limited to scholarships from Aurora.
Research Training Program (RTP) scholarships are available to graduate and postgraduate students. However, as this article is part of a series for undergraduate university students, we'll not talk more about RTP opportunities. If you are studying at the graduate level or getting close to that level, you can learn more about RTP from the government's Department of Education site.
International students also have access to scholarships from Australian universities. We'll discuss their opportunities in a later segment; for now, let's talk about Australian students hoping to study abroad. The website We Make Scholars currently lists over a thousand scholarships open to all Australian nationals. They also list scholarships for study in various Australian universities.
Applying for Scholarships
You may be a budgeting wizard and have your finances planned out already but it never hurts to find out what else is available to you. Knowing what's available to you is half the battle in applying for scholarships. With all that information covered in the previous segment, we only need to look at the application process.
The rule of scholarship applications is 'apply for everything because you never know what you might get'. Of course, there are limitations. For instance, if you're not a Torres Strait Islander, you're not qualified for those funds. And if you're not an athlete, you'll have a hard time justifying an application for an athletic scholarship.
The best time to start your scholarship search is when you're still in high school. Remember that, in Australia, universities manage their own scholarship programs. So as you're exploring your university choices, also read through each school's scholarship offerings. Some funds are earmarked for specific study programs while others welcome applicants in all study areas.
As a first-year uni student, you'll probably have to fill out applications to be considered for scholarships. This can be a tedious process because you have to fill out a lot of information. If you're applying for a merit-based scholarship, you'll likely have to prove your qualifications. If your request is needs-based, you'll have to demonstrate your need.
Most universities have fully transitioned to an online application process so you'll have to access their site to fill out and submit your request. Make sure you fill out all of the required fields and attach all of the requested documentation. Otherwise, your application may be rejected. And if you apply for more than one scholarship, you will have to repeat the process each time.
Applying for Scholarships in Australia as an International Student
For most international students, applying for scholarships in Australia works the same way as for Australian students at the university level. On your university's website, find the Scholarships page. Look over the scholarships on offer to find those that fit your study program and click on its link. You'll see in the scholarship's details if it's open to international students. Or you might simply ask your school's financial aid office how to apply for scholarships in Australia.
Depending on where you call home, you may qualify for an Australia Awards scholarship. You must apply for this award before you travel to Australia to begin your studies. Many countries allow you to apply for this award online but some, like the Philippines and Indonesia, require you to mail in a paper application.
Students from the United States coming to Australia to study must also apply for Australian financial aid and scholarships while still in their home country. If they already receive financial aid from any US organization, they may transfer their loans and scholarships to their Australian university. They may even transfer their Post-9/11 GI Bill military benefit if their chosen Australian university is eligible for the program.
International students planning to intern in their home countries may have scholarships reserved exclusively for them. The scholarships may be limited to specific areas of study and not every international student may qualify for this program. If you don't find any information on internship scholarships abroad on your school's scholarships page, ask the financial aid office or your student advisor if they're available at your school.
Application for Scholarship Example
Every scholarship application will ask you to verify your identity so you must have a copy of your identifying document ready to attach to your application. The name you write on your application must match your identifying document's name exactly. So if your identification only has an initial instead of your full second (middle) name, that's how you have to write it on your application as well.
Even if you're applying for a general studies scholarship, you will have to answer a lot of questions. That's to prevent fraud and abuse of Australian universities' generous scholarship programs. So before you start the application process, have all of your documents and information close by. But don't worry if you can't fill out the whole package in one sitting; many universities let you save your draft application and finish it later.
At the minimum, you'll need your Australian Tertiary Assessment Rating (ATAR), your school report card, and your parents' financial information. As you are applying for scholarships from your school, you will probably need to forward a copy of your enrolment. If you are applying for a merit-based award, be prepared to prove your worth for the merit you're claiming. Should you need a Tertiary Access Payment award, make sure you can prove you meet all of the eligibility criteria.
You may fill out scholarship paperwork if you're going on exchange, too. As soon as you've been accepted into your school's exchange program, you may start filling out your scholarship application. But do so before you transfer; otherwise, your school might reject your application. These awards are typically granted on merit so be sure you can prove your high marks and good attendance record.
The best place to find an application for scholarship example is in your school's financial aid office. This department should be staffed with experienced advisors who can help you put your application package together. Indeed, it's a great idea to print your draft application out for them to review before you submit it.
While you're there, ask them if they know of any other scholarships you might qualify for. Often, schools offer one-off bursaries to commemorate special events or promote new initiatives. Remember the rule of thumb: apply for everything; you'll never know what you'll get. And once you've got the application process down pat, it'll take no time at all to fill out other forms.
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