Scholarships
Mater Education is proud to offer rare scholarship opportunities for some eligible students from an Indigenous or refugee background, as well as those facing financial hardship.
Scholarships are awarded on merit, and are available to eligible students commencing in the January or July intake.
If you think you are eligible, we encourage you to apply for the course and make a clear note in your application form that you’re also applying for the scholarship (list under “other relevant information”).
The successful recipient will need to demonstrate satisfactory completion of each semester and continuous enrolment to retain the scholarship.
All scholarship applications must be received no later than four weeks prior to the course commencement date. No late applications will be accepted.
Scholarship types
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Indigenous applicants are invited to submit an Indigenous background Scholarship application letter outlining their cultural background (with confirmed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Identity), goals and aspirations and a copy of achievements thus far. Two written referee reports (one professional and one personal) should also be included.
Students seeking scholarship on the basis of being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent will be considered eligible if they can provide one of the forms of evidence below:- a letter stamped with the common seal and signed by board members of an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Land Council, or
- a letter stamped with the common seal and signed by a delegate of an incorporated Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander organisation
- a copy of their birth certificate and a copy of their parent/s confirmation of Aboriginality via one of the two forms of evidence above
- a Statutory declaration witnessed by an authorised witness which included the applicants declaration that they:
- 1. Are of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent; and
- 2. Identify as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander; and
- 3. Is accepted as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander within the community where they reside.
*Students may be directed to the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies website to help them with locating the relevant information and documents.
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Applicants with a refugee background are invited to submit a refugee background scholarship application letter which outlining their cultural background, goals and aspirations and a copy of achievements thus far. Two written referee reports (one professional and one personal) should also be included.
Students seeking scholarship on the basis of being of refugee status will be considered eligible if they can provide one of the forms of evidence below:- an Australian Permanent Humanitarian Visa
- a Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) check
- refugee documentation from the Department of Immigration and Border Protection/Department of Home Affairs.
*An Immicard will not be accepted as evidence
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Applicants who are facing financial hardship are invited to submit a scholarship application letter outlining their current financial situation, goals and aspirations and a copy of achievements thus far. Two written referee reports (one professional and one personal) should also be included.
Students seeking scholarship on the basis of financial hardship will be considered eligible if they are an Australian or New Zealand citizen and can provide evidence that fall under one of the categories below:- They hold an Australian Government low-income health care card. Eligible cards include:
- Centrelink Health Care Card
- Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card
- Department of Veteran Affairs Health Card.
*Applicants must provide a copy that shows a current expiry date, full name, and address (or indicates their relationship to the person whose name and address is listed).
- If they live independently and support themselves in full, with an annual income of under $37 000, and can provide:
- A written explanation of why they don’t receive Centrelink benefits
- An ATO Notice of Assessment for the last financial year AND
- Their last three payslips.
- They receive Australian government income support from Centrelink or the Department of Veteran Affairs. Eligible payment types include:
- Youth Allowance (Access and Equity Scholarship Application Procedure Release date: 08 Jun 2020 Printed and local copies are uncontrolled – always refer to the Mater Document Centre 3 of 9)
- Newstart Allowance
- Austudy
- ABSTUDY
- Disability Support Pension
- Carer Payment (Excluding: Family Tax Benefit Part A or B, Childcare Benefits and/or Carer Allowance).
*Applicants must provide a recent statement (less than 3 months old) that shows date issued, full name and address (or indicates their relationship to the person whose name and address is listed). A low-income healthcare card is preferred to a Parenting Payment statement. If a Parenting Payment statement is provided, it must indicate the maximum Parenting Payment rate. Bank statements will not be accepted as evidence.
- They hold an Australian Government low-income health care card. Eligible cards include: