Scholarships

There are many scholarships administered by independent trustees rather than the Department or a school. A list of these scholarships follows.

i. The David Burgess Foundation Award
Applications for this annual award are invited from Principals of Victorian government secondary schools on behalf of current Year 12 students who have had to struggle to overcome adversity, who have shown commitment to their own goals and to those of the community and who, with some help, will achieve those goals. Award winners receive approximately $3,000 towards the cost of tertiary education in each year of their course, and support and guidance from mentors. Application forms are posted to all Victorian government secondary schools in August with applications closing in October. All applications must be returned to the Chairperson, The David Burgess Foundation, PO Box 278, Vermont, 3133
For further enquiries phone Mary Burgess on 9873 3053 or email grannymb@bigpond.com

ii. The Dafydd Lewis Trust
Students undertaking a degree course at a Victorian University (other than in theology, music, arts and education) may apply for scholarships under the Dafydd Lewis Trust. The scholarships are open to boys completing Year 12 who have been educated in Victoria at a government secondary school for at least five consecutive years and whose parents’ combined gross income does not exceed $55,600 per annum. Scholarships provide for a living allowance of $18,000 each year and is available for the duration of the student’s undergraduate degree.
Further information on Dafydd Lewis Trust scholarship can be obtained from: https://www.dlewis-scholarship.org.au

iii. Mary Jane Lewis Scholarship Foundation
Scholarships of $10,000 per annum for the duration of the student’s undergraduate degree are available for students (male and female) from government and non-government schools undertaking any degree course at the University of Melbourne. The combined gross income of the applicant’s parents must not exceed $55,600 per annum. Further information on the Mary Jane Lewis Scholarship Foundation can be obtained from: https://www.dlewis-scholarship.org.au
Additional information can be obtained from ANZ Trustees Limited on 1800 808 910

iv. Frederick Richard O’Connell Scholarship
Scholarships are available to candidates who are about to commence or who have already commenced a degree or accredited course conducted by a Victorian University. Preference will be given to candidates who are children of either employees or directors/proprietors of companies that are members of the Timber Merchants Association (Victoria).
Scholarships are awarded on the basis of good character, personality, academic achievement and proficiency at sport. Grants of up to $5,000 plus per annum for each year of a course are available.
Application forms are available from the Equity Trustees website at https://www.eqt.com.au/grantseekers/trustsdetails.asp?trustID=8585 For further details please contact Equity Trustees Philanthropy Services by telephone on (03) 8623 5000 or by email at charities@eqt.com.au

v. The Captain Reg Saunders Scholarship
The Captain Reg Saunders Scholarship is an annual scholarship open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who are eligible to commence, or are currently studying, a university degree or diploma course and intend undertaking this degree/diploma in an area of relevance to the indigenous community, with a preference for alcohol and substance abuse. This Scholarship is valued at $2,000 for one year.
Further information and application forms can be obtained from:
Australian Veterans’ Children’s Assistance Trust (AVCAT), PO Box K978, Haymarket, NSW 1240 on telephone 1800 620 361.
Email: vvt@accsoft.com.au
Web site: www.accsoft.com.au/~vvt

vii. The Margaret Schofield Memorial Scholarship
Applications for this annual scholarship are invited from government school students of VCE Music: Solo Performance. The selection panel will consider applicants who can demonstrate a commitment to music in recent years and to a future career in music performance. The students’ study score for VCE Music: Solo Performance will be taken into consideration. The annual scholarship of $4,000 will contribute towards the cost of tertiary education in music performance.
This scholarship was established by the family of the late Margaret Schofield in recognition of her achievements as a musician and her commitment to music education and is coordinated by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA). The application form is published in the VCAA Bulletin (September and October editions) available on VCAA website at: https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/correspondence/bulletins/2007/bulletin2007.html
Phone enquiries: (03) 9651 4544.

viii. GW Robertson Scholarship

This scholarship will now be open to all students enrolled in Year 6 in a registered Victorian government school and who will be completing Year 7 and 8 (consecutively) in the following two years in a registered Victorian government school. Applications will open on Sinday 1 October 2023 and close 11.59pm on Thursday, 1 February 2024. Students may view and apply for this scholarship from the Department’s Student Scholarships site.

Secondary School Scholarships administered by DET

The Department of Education also offers scholarships for primary and secondary students at government schools. For a full list of these, please consult their webpage: www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/scholarships

These school scholarships are for students who are studying in Victoria (Australia) and who are citizens or permanent residents of Australia.

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development administers 35 different student scholarships which equates to approximately 250 scholarship awards (as some scholarships have more than the one award).

For scholarships that the Department administers, a student must apply for a scholarship at the same year level that they were studying in 2024, eg. a student in Year 8 in 2024 would apply for a Year 8 scholarship.

The scholarships are offered to primary, secondary and tertiary students and range in value from $300 to $2300. They are generally awarded to students who:

• demonstrate academic achievement
• demonstrate participation in their school and local community
• are in financial need (determined by the parents/guardians being in receipt of the Education Maintenance Allowance, the Family Tax Benefit (Centrelink reference number required) or the students themselves receiving the Youth Allowance).

However there are scholarships that are not based on the above criteria, especially scholarships connected to the Police Force and the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, Locomotive Division.

Please note: There are thirty scholarships offered for the George Garibaldi Turri Scholarship. These scholarships are for VCE students at government schools who intend to become teachers.