Types of VU Access Scholarships

Western Region: Available if you completed Year 12 in the Western Region of Melbourne in the year before enrolling at VU. "Western Region" includes western metropolitan suburbs of Melbourne, the City of Hume, Moorabool Shire, Sunbury and Macedon Ranges areas.

Mature Age: Available if you are over 21 years of age and have had a break from full-time study for more than five years.

Parents: Available if you have dependent children (school age or under school age).

Pathway: Available if you have completed a VU TAFE course and are transferring to a VU Undergraduate degree in the same or the following year.

General: Available if you are not eligible for any of the other VU Access scholarship types.

Value

There are 350 VU Access scholarships available each year for higher education students, valued at $1,000 per year for up to four years.

How to Apply

Applications are closed for 2013. Midyear applications open in May 2013.

Students already in receipt of a Commonwealth Scholarship from VU (Education Costs or Accommodation) or from Centrelink (Start Up or Relocation) are NOT eligible to apply for a VU Access Scholarship.

To apply for a VU Access scholarship you must:

• be an Australian Citizen, Australian Permanent Resident, holder of a Permanent Humanitarian Visa or holder of a Bridging or other Temporary visa
• be on a Centrelink payment other than Youth Allowance or Austudy, or be able to show that you are on a low income and in financial need
• be enrolled in an undergraduate degree, honours degree or the Graduate Diploma of Secondary Education (includes continuing or commencing students)
• be enrolled full time (does not apply if you are registered with VU Disability Services)
• be enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (HECS place).

You cannot apply for a VU Access Scholarship if you:

• have already completed an undergraduate degree, or higher level of study, unless it is a pre-requisite for the Graduate Diploma in Secondary Education
• are in receipt of a Commonwealth Scholarship from VU (Commonwealth Education Costs or Commonwealth Accommodation)
• are in receipt of a Commonwealth Scholarship from Centrelink (Start Up or Relocation)
• are on Youth Allowance or Austudy because you will receive scholarship payments from Centrelink
• are enrolled as an international student.

Provide supporting documents

Applications without required supporting documents will not be assessed.

Assessment

• Assessment is not based on academic merit.
• Applications are ranked and scored based on financial income, educational background and social disadvantages.
• Applications with the highest levels of disadvantage are ranked higher.
• Scholarships are offered to the highest ranked applicants, until all scholarships are allocated.
• Some eligible students may miss out if there are more eligible applicants than scholarships available.
• You only need to submit one application for all scholarships available.
• Your application will be assessed against all of the scholarships available.
• If eligible, you will receive only one scholarship.