This page brings together resources, guidance and tools to help you prepare a strong application, understand common requirements and avoid common mistakes identified by scholarship assessment committees.
Scholarship application process
- Step 1
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Check open scholarships and submission deadlines.
- Step 2
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Review the eligibility and selection criteria of the scholarship or award
- Step 3
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Gather supporting documentation (recommendation letters, financial documents, transcripts, budget and travel documents, etc.) if required.
- Step 4
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Submit your application via SmartyGrants. If the scholarship has a financial need component, complete a Student Financial Assessment Form.
- Step 5
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Await decision (approximately within 4-8 weeks from closing date).
- Step 6
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Respond to the offer and provide a message of thanks to donor/s (if successful).
- Step 7
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Ensure your bank details are updated in your student portal.
- Step 8
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Await payout.
Application checklist
Prior to submission, ensure that you have:
Application tips
Before applying for any scholarship, prize or award, take time to understand the purpose of the funding and ensure you meet all eligibility requirements.
Featured content
Scholarship rounds
Scholarship application rounds and opening dates may vary from year to year. Please note that not all scholarships and awards have future application rounds. The availability of future rounds is subject to funding, donor requirements and University approvals.
Please refer to the relevant scholarship web page for the most up-to-date application dates and closing deadlines before submitting your application.
| Scholarship Round | Application Dates | Application Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | January - March | May - July |
| Round 2 (if applicable) | June - August | September - October |
| Round 3 (if applicable) | September - October | November - December |
Important:
- Some scholarships may have application dates that fall outside the dates listed above.
- The outcome dates above are approximate only and subject to change.
Supporting documentation
Some scholarships require supporting documentation as part of the application. Please review the requirements carefully and ensure all requested documents are submitted.
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Student Financial Need Assessment applications are used to score and rank students for selecting a suite of financial-need-based scholarships and bursaries. If the scholarship has a financial need component, applicants need to submit a Financial Need Assessment Form to be considered.
Other requirements may include Centrelink documents, Official letters, or Statutory declarations.
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When is a budget required?
Some scholarships and travel awards require applicants to provide a budget or explain how the requested funds will be used. Where a budget is required, applicants should provide a clear breakdown of expected costs, the amount requested, any other funding sources, and a brief explanation of how each cost supports the proposed activity.
Applicants should check the requirements for each scholarship carefully. Some awards require a detailed budget, while others ask for a shorter explanation of how the funds would support research, travel, fieldwork, professional development or study-related costs.
Where a budget is requested:
- Include all anticipated expenses
- Explain how figures were calculated
- Ensure costs are realistic
- Clearly link expenses to the proposed activity
Budget tips
A strong budget should:
Include Explain Avoid - Registration fees
- Conference costs
- Travel expenses
- Accommodation costs
- Research consumables (where permitted)
- Other directly related expenses
- Why each expense is required
- How the amount was calculated
- Whether other funding sources have been secured
- Unexplained lump sums
- Estimates without justification
- Costs unrelated to the purpose of the award
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Your personal statement is your opportunity to tell your story and explain why you are a strong candidate for the scholarship. Use it to highlight your achievements, goals, experiences, and any circumstances relevant to the selection criteria. Focus on the impact of your studies, research, leadership, community involvement, or financial need, and provide specific examples to support your application.
A well-written personal statement helps the selection committee understand your potential and how the scholarship will support your academic and personal aspirations.
Tip: Tailor your statement to the scholarship criteria and use clear, concise language that reflects your individual experiences and future goals.
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A rural or isolated area is defined as an area with a Remote Areas (ASGC-RA) Australian Standard Geographic Classification of:
- RA2 – Inner Regional,
- RA3 – Outer Regional
- RA4 – Remote or
- RA5 – Very Remote
The Department of Health and Ageing uses this categorisation system for a number of programs related to medical practice in Australia. You can check the classification of your rural or isolated address on the Department of Health and Ageing website.
Applicants may be asked to provide evidence that they live, have lived, or completed schooling in a rural or regional area. Examples of acceptable documentation include: utility bills, school reports, council rates or statutory declarations. -
Some scholarships require a Supervisor or Head of School Support Statement.
These statements are used to:
- Confirm academic support
- Verify aspects of the application
- Confirm feasibility of the proposed activity
- Provide relevant contextual information
Important
Support Statements are used for endorsement, verification and contextual purposes only.
They are not used to rank applicants and are not a scored component of assessment. Applications continue to be assessed against the published eligibility and selection criteria of the scholarship.
Resources
Offers and acceptance
Scholarship outcomes are communicated through SmartyGrants. Please monitor your email and SmartyGrants account regularly and respond to any scholarship offer by the specified deadline.
Award acceptance
If you receive a scholarship offer, carefully review your offer letter and ensure you understand the acceptance process, conditions, key dates, and any required actions to manage your award.
Thanking the donors
Scholarship donors appreciate hearing how their support has made a difference. When accepting your scholarship, you are encouraged to write a letter of thanks sharing the opportunities the award has provided and the impact it has had on your studies and future goals.
Annual award report
Annual reports provide donors with valuable insights into how their support has contributed to students' education and opportunities. If a report is required from you, you will be contacted directly with further details.
Scholarship payments
Scholarship payments are made in accordance with the terms and conditions of each award. Payment schedules, amounts and methods may vary between scholarships. Successful recipients will receive payment information with their scholarship offer and should ensure their student and banking details are up to date.
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Payments are made via the University’s Payroll on set pay days and will appear as a University of Melbourne salary on your bank statement. Once you have accepted your award, you will need to update your bank details.
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Please note that scholarship and award payments are processed through scheduled payment cycles. Once all required documentation has been received and approved, payments may take up to one month to be processed.
If your information is submitted before the relevant processing cut-off date*, it will be included in the next available payment run. Information received after the cut-off date will be processed in a subsequent payment cycle, which may result in a longer wait before payment is received.To allow sufficient time for processing, we strongly recommend submitting all required information at least 48 hours before the payment cut-off date.
If you believe you have missed a payment, please contact the Science Awards team for assistance.
Scholarship terms and conditions
FAQ
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You do not need to apply for these scholarships and awards. Eligible students are automatically considered based on the award criteria. If selected, you will be notified via SmartyGrants.
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Yes, provided you meet the eligibility requirements for each scholarship and the proposed activity aligns with the purpose of the award.
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Incomplete applications may not provide assessors with enough information to evaluate your proposal and may reduce your competitiveness. Some applications may be deemed ineligible if mandatory information is missing. The faculty does not contact applicants to provide any missing information.
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Applications must be submitted by the advertised closing date, extensions are not permitted. Apply early to ensure you have plenty of time to complete the application.
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AI tools are used in the initial stage of processing scholarship applications to support the review of written responses. At this stage, the purpose is limited to checking whether applicants have addressed the questions and provided information relevant to the selection criteria.
These tools assist in organising and summarising application content, and in identifying whether key information appears to be present. They do not assess the quality of responses or determine eligibility.
AI is used for administrative support only. It does not make decisions about eligibility or selection, and it does not replace human judgement. All applications are reviewed and assessed by University staff and relevant selection committees.
Your application information may include:
- Information you provide (such as personal statements and supporting documents), and
- Relevant University records (such as enrolment and academic data)
All personal information is handled in accordance with the University’s privacy obligations.
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Please ensure that you log-in using your University of Melbourne student email. If issues persist, please contact the Science Awards team.
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While we strive for accuracy in all our communications, errors can occasionally occur in scholarship notifications. Please note:
1. The University reserves the right to withdraw or amend a scholarship offer if it is found to have been made in error.
2. This could include, but is not limited to, cases where:
- You were incorrectly identified as eligible for the scholarship
- The scholarship amount was incorrectly stated
3. If an error is discovered, we will contact you as soon as possible to explain the situation and discuss any next steps.
4. We understand that such situations can be disappointing, and we are committed to handling them with sensitivity and transparency.
5. If you believe you've received an incorrect notification, please contact the Scholarships Office immediately for clarification.
We continuously review and improve our processes to minimise the occurrence of such errors.
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Award values are indicative only, and the selection committee has discretion to determine both the number and value of awards in each round. Amounts may vary depending on the availability of funds, the number and quality of applications received, and the committee’s aim to distribute support as fairly and effectively as possible. As a result, individual award amounts may differ between recipients and may not always align exactly with the advertised range.
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Schools within the Faculty of Science host events to recognise and celebrate scholarship and award recipients. Your School will contact you directly with further details.
Need help?
If you have questions about scholarship eligibility, supporting documentation, supervisor endorsements or the application process, please contact the Faculty of Science Scholarships and Awards team.