How to bring your project idea to life with a Student Life Grant
Do you have an idea for an event, activity or project that seeks to enrich campus life and strengthen our student community?
Through funding and development support, Student Life Grants give you the opportunity to make a real impact to students, develop your leadership skills and add project management experience to your resume.
Read on to find out what it takes to craft a winning application and score funding to see your vision become a reality.
Know your project
Student Life Grant applications for Round 2, 2024 are open until Thursday 23 May. You can apply as an individual or as a group to access up to $3000 in funding.
The first step to submitting a winning application is to have a strong idea of what your project is, so you can create a solid outline of how you plan to implement it and a clear objective of what you ultimately want to achieve once your project is complete.
Think about how your project idea will benefit students while strengthening and supporting the University community more broadly. Project areas eligible for funding include social activities and mentoring, professional development, community contribution, academic opportunities, and sustainability.
If you’re not sure what your project is yet, or would like some insider tips and tricks about the application process, register to attend an upcoming Student Life Grants information drop-in session.
At the information session, you'll hear from the Student Life team about what makes a good application and hear about some of the past grants that have been supported. During the session there is plenty of opportunity to ask any questions about the process.
Students participating in a terranium workshop funded by Student Life Grants.
There are four grant streams available for the Student Life Grants Round 2, 2024: General, Welcome, Sustainability Action and Dalyell.
Don't be afraid to think outside of the box and be creative! Use the following examples as a springboard to think of a new, innovative idea that brings our community together, enhances our campus life and helps develop graduate qualities in our students.
General stream
Projects that focus on co-curricular opportunities for all students during the semester and break periods. Up to $2000 in funding is available. General stream projects will run between 26 August to 22 November 2024.
- A celebration of Holi with students gathering at a local low-carbon emission and vegetarian Indian restaurant.
- LinkedIn workshop that targets low socioeconomic and equity scholar students, providing education on leveraging LinkedIn for career development and networking.
- Activation of locations on campus with activities, food and dance to promote cultural days of importance.
- Creation of a digital beginner guide to learning new languages and launch bringing language enthusiasts together.
- Painting workshop connecting students at a satellite campus while creating a permanent display to uplift a common space.
Welcome stream
Projects open to all students that align with our Welcome Program and focus on welcoming students to the start of a new semester and research period. Up to $2000 in funding is available. Welcome stream projects will run between 29 July and 23 August 2024.
- An outdoor movie screening on campus.
- Mini golf on the Law Lawns.
- A variety of wellbeing workshops that help international students integrate into the University.
- An insight into artificial intelligence (AI) in the Healthcare profession with guest speakers with experience in industry, academia and a clinical setting.
- Social activity bringing students together to learn lawn bowls and make new connections across the University.
Sustainability Action stream
Projects open to all students that align with the University’s Sustainability Strategy and focus on enabling and embedding sustainability across campus life and within our community. Up to $2500 in funding is available. Sustainability Action stream projects will run between 29 July and 22 November 2024.
- Zero waste cooking classes.
- Growing sustainability awareness and promoting environmentally-friendly practices through social media influence.
- Setting up a ‘slow fashion’ sewing hub on campus for students to repair, reuse and recycle their clothing items.
- A series of workshops on ways to save food waste, by food preservation and storage including creating your own jam and beeswax food wraps.
- Creating zero waste craft items from plant hanger, to DIY compost bins and reusable tote bags.
Dalyell Scholar stream
Projects that focus on providing interdisciplinary opportunities for the Dalyell Scholars Cohort. Up to $2000 in funding is available. Dalyell stream projects will run between 29 July and 22 November 2024.
- A two-day hackathon targeting Australian cost-of-living crisis issues, with an opportunity to present research findings in an open forum at the conclusion of the event.
- Bringing Dalyell Students together to solve mysteries and build a story with a team with the fantasy tabletop role-play game of Dungeons and Dragons over four weeks.
- Explore Taronga Zoo and it's connection with the University with a wild adventure at the Twilight Safari.
- Travel themed trivia, challenging your knowledge of the world while learning about how to take full advantage of your Dalyell Global Mobility Scholarship.
Students at a balcony gardening workshop funded by Student Life Grants.
The application process
Once you have a solid grasp of what your project is and what you’re setting out to achieve, the next step is to think about implementation.
Projects that clearly outline how sustainable practices will be incorporated into planning and delivery will be highly regarded, as will projects that consider equity and strategies for engaging diverse student groups.
You should also identify how you'll minimise financial and safety risks – if a project is deemed high risk, it won’t be eligible for funding.
Things to consider:
| Guiding questions | Considerations |
|---|---|
| How is your co-curricular project innovative in building a sense of community? | Consider how your project idea is unique and fosters community engagement among students with a new idea. |
| How will you engage the University’s diverse student community in your project? | Ensure inclusivity and accessibility for all students across the University. |
| What are the requirements of the stream that you need to meet? | If applying for a Welcome, General, Dalyell or Sustainability Action grant, ensure your project algins with the specific criteria. |
| Who will implement your project? | Form a team of motivated and skilled student members who bring diverse talents and a passion for the project. |
| What sustainable marketing and communications avenues do you plan to target for promotion? | Digital flyers, communications and registrations promoted via groups social media, University Welcome Planner, club and society collaborations. |
| Will you collaborate with other stakeholders? | Identify potential collaborations with other student groups, faculty support or external organisations and include this in your application. |
| Will you receive additional funding or have received funding for this project previously? | Declare any additional funding sources – personal, faculty or other grant funding or sponsorship. |
| Are there any potential conflicts of interest? | Any associations or personal circumstances that may present a conflict of interest will need to be identified in your application. |
| What resources will you need to implement the project? | Specify the venues, equipment, materials and personnel needed to successfully execute your project. |
| What risks will you need to be aware of and mitigate for your project? | Completing a risk assessment, looking at physical, emotional, financial and reputational and a plan for the safety of all involved. |
| What is the timeline for your project? | Outline a detailed timeline from project creation, through promotion to delivery, specifying key actions at each stage. |
As a student, it's your responsibility to ensure your project acts in accordance with the values and principles of mutual responsibility and expectations between staff, students and the University as set out in the University of Sydney Student Charter (pdf, 221KB).
If you have questions about your application, please reach out to the Student Life team at studentlife.office@sydney.edu.au.