Tertiary Scholarship Program
We offer university and TAFE scholarships to young people who have grown up in out-of-home care.
Scholarships for success
A scholarship will allow you to work less hours, and better focus on your studies
You may choose to spend the scholarship however you wish, for example on study expenses (course fees, textbooks, laptops and other tech, Wi-Fi), taking advantage of career opportunities (attending conferences and networking events, completing internships), or living costs (rent, bills, groceries, transport, health care etc).
Throughout my life I always struggled with feeling like I wasn’t good enough, but this achievement proved to me that I am capable of so much more than I let myself believe. I was finally able to see my own potential and have confidence in my abilities. When I held my diploma in my hands, it was like holding a physical representation of how far I had come.
Zarah, Diploma of Visual Arts
Eligibility requirements
Our scholarships allow young people with care backgrounds to study at their choice of university, TAFE and other institutions Australia-wide
To be eligible to apply for the Tertiary Scholarship Program, you must:
- be an Australian citizen or permanent resident;
- be enrolled, or intending to enrol, at a tertiary institution;
- currently be in out-of-home care, or have previously been in out-of-home care (examples include foster care, kinship care and residential care);
- be aged 27 or under;
- demonstrate that you are experiencing educational disadvantage and financial hardship; demonstrate academic achievements, commitment and motivation to study and to successfully complete the course to gain employment;
- correctly and fully complete the appropriate application form (including writing a personal statement in Section 9) and submitting it by the closing date;
- be willing to provide the Foundation with reports on your progress. These may include a written report once a year, a survey, and informal conversations throughout the year.
Before I applied for the scholarship I’d had to leave a group home, I had never lived on my own before, I was finishing up high school and I was working a retail job. Without the scholarship I genuinely wouldn’t have been able to pay my rent and support myself and go to university.
Teresa, Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)/Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Apply for a scholarship
Our 2027 tertiary scholarship round is now open
To apply for a scholarship for university, TAFE or another tertiary provider, please download, save and complete the application form below.
The closing date for applications is midnight Wednesday 7 January 2027, but we encourage you to get your application in as early as possible. The outcomes of the scholarship round will be announced in late January 2027.
If you have any questions about your eligibility, the application form or our scholarships, please contact us at scholarships@sistersofcharityfoundation.org.au or call our office on (02) 9367 1211. Please note our office will be closed from 24 December 2026 until Tuesday 6 January 2027.
Our scholarships for the Canberra region are generously funded by the Snow Foundation.
Money has been so ingrained in me to be something that causes stress. With a scholarship, it takes some of that load off. I’m not putting myself in a worse position, I’m not causing myself financial stress by studying.
Zinny, Graduate Certificate in Social Impact
FAQs
What is out-of-home care?
For the purposes of this scholarship, out-of-home care means living away from your family home in alternative care arrangements, including living with relatives or friends (kinship care); foster care; with permanent carers; in residential care; or any other relevant arrangements.
I want to apply for a scholarship. How do I fill out the application form?
- Download the tertiary application form onto a computer and save it.
- Read through the application and make sure you have all the supporting documents you need (such as your birth certificate or passport, evidence of out-of-home care experience and your high school or post-school study results).
- Complete the application form by ticking the relevant checkboxes and typing your answers into the blue boxes.
- Pay particular attention to writing your personal statement (see Section 9 for details).
- You will need a referee to complete a declaration on your behalf – this cannot be completed by a friend or relative. Examples of suitable referees might include a teacher, case worker, school principal, registered counsellor or a past or current employer. Save your completed form and send it to your referee to fill, sign and return to you.
- Sign your application form, and make sure your referee has signed it as well. You should be able to sign the form in Acrobat Reader, the free program that enables you to view PDFs. See here for more information.
Email scholarships@sistersofcharityfoundation.org.au if you have any questions or call the Foundation on (02) 9367 1211.
I’m having trouble with my application. What should I do?
Please phone the Foundation on (02) 9367 1211 or email scholarships@sistersofcharityfoundation.org.au.
Do I need to be a high-achieving student to apply?
No, but you should be able to demonstrate that you are committed to your chosen course of study.
I am not Catholic. Can I still apply for a scholarship?
Yes you can. Eligibility to receive support through our programs is not determined by religion.
I have already won another scholarship. Can I still apply?
Yes, you can still apply if you meet our scholarship criteria.
Can I apply for a scholarship part-way through my course?
Yes you can. Depending on the level of funding we have available, we sometimes can support students who have already completed some of their chosen course.
How much are the scholarships and what can the money be used for?
The scholarships are valued at up to $30,000 for university scholarships or up to $10,000 for TAFE scholarships. For students who are studying at different tertiary institutions (like private colleges), scholarships are awarded on a case-by-case basis.
You can choose how you spend the scholarship money however you wish, for example on course fees, laptops, living expenses (rent, bills, groceries) or career opportunities like internships or networking opportunities.
Are scholarships offered Australia-wide?
Yes, we offer scholarships to young people from out-of-home care backgrounds in all Australian states and territories.
Do you offer scholarships for tertiary institutions other than university or TAFE?
Yes we do. Tick the box for ‘Other tertiary provider’ on the form and include the course details (and the cost if you know this) in your application.
What is the selection process?
Your application will be reviewed by our Scholarship Committee, which assesses each application against the selection criteria. The Committee then presents their recommendations to the Sisters of Charity Foundation Board for final approval.
I don’t have my year 12 results yet. What should I do?
Just make a note of this on your application and submit your results separately via email to scholarships@sistersofcharityfoundation.org.au when you receive them.
How do I find out more about the Tertiary Scholarship Program?
Please contact Program Development Manager Estelle Muller at scholarships@sistersofcharityfoundation.org.au for information about the Tertiary Scholarship Program.
What is out-of-home care?
For the purposes of this scholarship, out-of-home care means living away from your family home in alternative care arrangements, including living with relatives or friends (kinship care); foster care; with permanent carers; in residential care; or any other relevant arrangements.
I want to apply for a scholarship. How do I fill out the application form?
- Download the tertiary application form onto a computer and save it.
- Read through the application and make sure you have all the supporting documents you need (such as your birth certificate or passport, evidence of out-of-home care experience and your high school or post-school study results).
- Complete the application form by ticking the relevant checkboxes and typing your answers into the blue boxes.
- Pay particular attention to writing your personal statement (see Section 9 for details).
- You will need a referee to complete a declaration on your behalf – this cannot be completed by a friend or relative. Examples of suitable referees might include a teacher, case worker, school principal, registered counsellor or a past or current employer. Save your completed form and send it to your referee to fill, sign and return to you.
- Sign your application form, and make sure your referee has signed it as well. You should be able to sign the form in Acrobat Reader, the free program that enables you to view PDFs. See here for more information.
Email scholarships@sistersofcharityfoundation.org.au if you have any questions or call the Foundation on (02) 9367 1211.
I’m having trouble with my application. What should I do?
Please phone the Foundation on (02) 9367 1211 or email scholarships@sistersofcharityfoundation.org.au.
Do I need to be a high-achieving student to apply?
No, but you should be able to demonstrate that you are committed to your chosen course of study.
I am not Catholic. Can I still apply for a scholarship?
Yes you can. Eligibility to receive support through our programs is not determined by religion.
I have already won another scholarship. Can I still apply?
Yes, you can still apply if you meet our scholarship criteria.
Can I apply for a scholarship part-way through my course?
Yes you can. Depending on the level of funding we have available, we sometimes can support students who have already completed some of their chosen course.
How much are the scholarships and what can the money be used for?
The scholarships are valued at up to $30,000 for university scholarships or up to $10,000 for TAFE scholarships. For students who are studying at different tertiary institutions (like private colleges), scholarships are awarded on a case-by-case basis.
You can choose how you spend the scholarship money however you wish, for example on course fees, laptops, living expenses (rent, bills, groceries) or career opportunities like internships or networking opportunities.
Are scholarships offered Australia-wide?
Yes, we offer scholarships to young people from out-of-home care backgrounds in all Australian states and territories.
Do you offer scholarships for tertiary institutions other than university or TAFE?
Yes we do. Tick the box for ‘Other tertiary provider’ on the form and include the course details (and the cost if you know this) in your application.
What is the selection process?
Your application will be reviewed by our Scholarship Committee, which assesses each application against the selection criteria. The Committee then presents their recommendations to the Sisters of Charity Foundation Board for final approval.
I don’t have my year 12 results yet. What should I do?
Just make a note of this on your application and submit your results separately via email to scholarships@sistersofcharityfoundation.org.au when you receive them.
How do I find out more about the Tertiary Scholarship Program?
Please contact Program Development Manager Estelle Muller at scholarships@sistersofcharityfoundation.org.au for information about the Tertiary Scholarship Program.
