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Equity scholarships for current undergraduates

Walter & Eliza Hall Scholarship in Nursing

The Walter and Eliza Hall Scholarships were established in 2008 from the Walter and Eliza Hall Trust. The Scholarships were established to ensure that the absence of money does not stand in the way of a selected person's ability to achieve their maximum potential, in terms of a formal tertiary education.
For: Undergraduate Nursing or Master of Nursing students who have completed at least 48 credit points in their degree program at the University of Sydney. Applicants should be in receipt of a means-tested Centrelink benefit and be in full-time study in a Commonwealth Supported Place.

This scholarship is open to Australian Citizens only.

Value: $6,000 for one year only.

Applications open in August 2013.

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Walter & Eliza Hall Scholarship in Social Work

The Walter and Eliza Hall Scholarships were established in 2008 from the Walter and Eliza Hall Trust. The Scholarships were established to ensure that the absence of money does not stand in the way of a selected person's ability to achieve their maximum potential, in terms of a formal tertiary education.
For: Undergraduate Social Work students who have completed at least 48 credit points in their degree program at the University of Sydney. Applicants should be in receipt of a means-tested Centrelink benefit and be in full-time study in a Commonwealth Supported Place.

This scholarship is open to Australian Citizens only.

Value: $6,000 for one year only.

Applications open in August 2013.

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The William John & Lizzie May Sinclair Scholarship

Established in 2012 by a bequest from Mr William Robson Sinclair, in honour of his parents, the purpose of this scholarship is to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and students from a disadvantaged background, who are studying Engineering at the University of Sydney.

Value $25,000 per year.
Duration: Course duration including honours.

Applications open in August 2013.

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Blooms The Chemist - John Sidgreaves Scholarship in Pharmacy

For: Pharmacy students entering their 4th year, with at least a credit average over their first three years and who have been disadvantaged financially and who have a proven interest in community pharmacy as demonstrated by full-time or part-time employment in a pharmacy for a minimum period of 1 year.
Value: $5,000.
Duration: One year only.

Applications open in August 2013.

Selected eligible students will be asked in January 2014 to submit a personal statement demonstrating their proven interest in community pharmacy.

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Centrelink income support for students

New income support for students

From April 2010, Centrelink will pay 2 new scholarships to students in higher education to assist with the costs of studying and living away from home. You don't need to apply for these scholarships - they will be paid directly to eligible customers.

Student Start-up Scholarships

For: Full-time students in an approved scholarship course, who are receiving Youth Allowance, AUSTUDY or ABSTUDY.
How much: $1,300 in 2010, increasing to $2,218 in 2011 and indexed. The Student Start Up Scholarship will be paid in two instalments, at the beginning of each semester, in each year of a student's course of study at University.
How to apply: No application is necessary. This will be paid directly to eligible students through Centrelink.

Please visit Centrelink for further information and definitions.

Relocation Scholarships

For: Full-time students in an approved scholarship course, who are receiving Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY and who are dependents who have to live away from the family home for study or who meet specific independence criteria.
How much: Students on the Relocation Scholarship will be paid $4,000 in their first year at university and $1,000 each year thereafter.
How to apply: No application is necessary. This will be paid directly to eligible students through Centrelink.

Please visit Centrelink for further information and definitions.

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Commonwealth Scholarships Program

For students who are not currently in receipt of a Commonwealth Scholarship, the Commonwealth Scholarships program has been replaced by the Centrelink income support for students, above.

If you are currently receiving a Commonwealth Scholarship, you will continue to receive payments of your Commonwealth Scholarship, if you continue to be eligible. This means that:

  • you must be receiving a means-tested Centrelink Income as at the HECS Census date each semester (31 March and 31 August);
  • you must be studying full-time in an eligible course (unless you have permission from the Scholarships Office to study part-time); and
  • you must maintain an AAM of at least 50 each semester.

You cannot receive both a Start Up Scholarship and a Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarship or a National Priority Scholarship.

You cannot receive both a Relocation Scholarship and a Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship or a National Accommodation Scholarship.

For further information please visit Centrelink's Start-Up or Relocation scholarships pages or the SRC website

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Equity Scholarship Assessment

Equity scholarship applications are assessed by the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC), which provides information to the University of Sydney, which reflects the applicant's degree of disadvantage as assessed by the UAC based on the information provided in the application process.

The University of Sydney awards the scholarships according to eligibility and equity information provided by the UAC. Eligibility will be determined according to the current Ministerial Guidelines for Commonwealth Scholarships, pursuant to the Higher Education Support Act (2003).

If eligible applicants need to be distinguished, this may be done by equity ranking, academic merit or by duration of receipt of eligible means-tested Commonwealth benefits, as determined by the University of Sydney. The same criteria will apply to all applicants in any one round for any one scholarship.

Applicants must meet all eligibility criteria as at the HECS census date for the first scholarship period following offer of scholarship. If a student is not eligible at this point, or if the student is not awarded a scholarship in that round, he or she may re-apply in any subsequent application round throughout the course of their eligible degree.

Further assistance can also be found through Equity Support Services.

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