Tertiary Scholarship Program
We offer university and TAFE scholarships to young people who have grown up in out-of-home care.
You can help young care leavers make their dreams a reality
For care leavers, embarking on a tertiary education is extraordinarily difficult. They must overcome significant social and economic barriers: from frequent school changes, absenteeism and lower expectations from carers and teachers to lack of family support, unstable housing or homelessness, and unemployment.
The vast majority of these young people lack the emotional and financial support that most of us take for granted, and are among the most disadvantaged in our community.
The Sisters of Charity Foundation Tertiary Scholarship Program empowers these students to transform their lives through education.
Tenayah, Diploma of Community Services
You can make tertiary education possible for a young person from out-of-home care
Financial support helps our scholarship recipients afford study expenses such as course fees and textbooks, as well as the cost of living on their own with no parental support. It also allows them to take advantage of opportunities that boost their chances of career success, such as attending conferences and networking events, or completing internships.
A scholarship means our students can focus on their studies without needing to hold down multiple jobs at the same time.
Faraz, Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production
Out-of-home care is a statutory care arrangement for children under 18 who can’t live safely at home with their birth families due to chronic child abuse or neglect.
The state government becomes their legal guardian and places the child with an alternate caregiver: a foster carer, relative, or someone in their social network. They might also live in a residential building under the care of paid staff, or independently in a private rental situation.
Almost 47,000 young Australians are in out-of-home care, with around 11,600 transitioning out every year. Government assistance for this group has traditionally stopped at 18.
The Home Stretch campaign, which the Foundation supported, was recently successful in calling for all state and territory governments to provide an option where the provision of care can be extended to age 21.
Missing out on university or other tertiary studies further excludes a vulnerable cohort from the lifetime rewards brought by higher education, from improved employment opportunities and earning potential to mental wellbeing and community connectedness.
The Sisters of Charity Foundation believes that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. Young people who have the opportunity to study because of the generosity of our donors then go on to become active and engaged members of our community.
Past and current scholarship recipients have attended the following universities:
TAFE locations:
Other:
Please contact Program Development Manager Estelle Muller at [email protected] for information about the Tertiary Scholarship Program.
The Sisters of Charity Foundation offers a university scholarship valued at up to $30,000 over the duration of your course, and a TAFE scholarship valued at $5,000 per year for the duration of your course. To be eligible to apply for the Tertiary Scholarship Program, applicants must:
Download the 2024 University Application
Download the 2024 TAFE Application
We are now accepting applications for 2024 university and TAFE scholarships. All applications must be received by Wednesday 13 December 2023. Please contact Program Development Manager Estelle Muller at [email protected] with any queries.
Out-of-home care is a statutory care arrangement for children under 18 who can’t live safely at home with their birth families due to chronic child abuse or neglect.
The state government becomes their legal guardian and places the child with an alternate caregiver: a foster carer, relative, or someone in their social network. They might also live in a residential building under the care of paid staff, or independently in a private rental situation.
Almost 47,000 young Australians are in out-of-home care, with around 11,600 transitioning out every year. Government assistance for this group has traditionally stopped at 18.
The Home Stretch campaign, which the Foundation supported, was recently successful in calling for all state and territory governments to provide an option where the provision of care can be extended to age 21.
Missing out on university or other tertiary studies further excludes a vulnerable cohort from the lifetime rewards brought by higher education, from improved employment opportunities and earning potential to mental wellbeing and community connectedness.
The Sisters of Charity Foundation believes that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. Young people who have the opportunity to study because of the generosity of our donors then go on to become active and engaged members of our community.
Past and current scholarship recipients have attended the following universities:
TAFE locations:
Other:
Please contact Program Development Manager Estelle Muller at [email protected] for information about the Tertiary Scholarship Program.
The Sisters of Charity Foundation offers a university scholarship valued at up to $30,000 over the duration of your course, and a TAFE scholarship valued at $5,000 per year for the duration of your course. To be eligible to apply for the Tertiary Scholarship Program, applicants must:
Download the 2024 University Application
Download the 2024 TAFE Application
We are now accepting applications for 2024 university and TAFE scholarships. All applications must be received by Wednesday 13 December 2023. Please contact Program Development Manager Estelle Muller at [email protected] with any queries.
Danny, Bachelor of Nursing
Donate now and support our Tertiary Scholarship Program
Every year, young people miss out on tertiary education because they don’t have the resources to pay for additional costs. You can help them get the opportunity they need. There are a few ways you can donate to us, including:
Make a life-changing decision now and support the growth of a young person who needs it.