AVCAT transforming lives through education

Scholarships

Applications open 18 August

Scholarships

Applications for scholarships open each year on 18 August and close on 31 October. Read more about preparing your application in our Application Guide.

AVCAT scholarships include Long Tan Bursaries and sponsored scholarships. Sponsored scholarships are for the children and grandchildren of ex-serving veterans. Long Tan Bursaries are for the children and grandchildren of Vietnam Veterans and are available in each state and territory. The Long Tan Bursary is funded by the Australian Government Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

AVCAT sponsored scholarships are funded by ex-service organisations and private donors.
These scholarships are for children and grandchildren of ex-serving veterans.

All bursaries and sponsored scholarships are for tertiary education and are $4000-$6000 per year, for up to three years.

To Be Eligible

Eligibility for a scholarship includes the following:

  • Australian residency status
  • Planning to enrol or enrolled in a tertiary course of study (recognised under the Australian Qualifications Framework) for one or more academic years at a university, TAFE or a registered training organisation in Australia.
  • Be studying or planning to study full-time, online or face-to-face. Priority is given to those who have not previously undertaken tertiary education.
  • Applicants who are seeking a scholarship for a second degree, or a graduate degree, Masters or Doctorate will be given lower priority.
  • If an applicant has received a Long Tan Bursary, they cannot be considered for another Long Tan Bursary.
  • In receipt of, or eligible to receive, a means-tested Commonwealth educational benefit - Youth Allowance, ABSTUDY, Austudy or Veterans' Children Education Scheme (VCES).
  • Be a child or a grandchild of an ex-serving veteran. Children include adopted children, ex-nuptial children, stepchildren and foster children. Stepchildren and foster children must have resided with, or been financially supported by, their veteran stepparent or foster parent for 5 of the last 10 years. Grandchildren are defined as the children of one's son or daughter. Step-grandchildren are not eligible.
  • The veteran must be an Australian ex-serving veteran with operational service including eligible war service, war-like service and peacekeeping/peacemaking service OR 3 or more continuous years of full-time other service, as a member of the
    Australian Navy, Army or Air Force.
  • People who are serving in the Reserve Forces (SERCAT 3, 4 & 5 – Rendering Service) are considered to be serving so the applicant child or grandchild is not eligible.

The same application form is used for all scholarships. Applicants will be considered for all scholarships for which they are eligible.

How is my application assessed?

Applications are considered by a team of independent assessors and AVCAT’s National
Selection Committee. Each applicant is assessed on the following:

Financial need

Applicants should be eligible on income and assets grounds for full-time means-tested
educational benefits like Youth Allowance, ABSTUDY or Austudy or an accepted means-tested
Commonwealth government payment at the time of application. In assessing the financial need,
income, household assets and liabilities are reviewed.
Applicants who have a greater degree of financial need for assistance with educational and
living costs will have a higher chance to be recommended for a scholarship.

Academic potential

An assessment is made about the ability of the applicant to complete the nominated course
of study and is dependent on recent academic results and an academic referee or employer
report.

Deservedness

The assessors consider the impacts of the applicants’ personal, health and family
circumstances. Deservedness is based how the veteran’s service in the Australian Defence
Force has impacted the family’s health and wellbeing. Applicants will need to detail the
health conditions of the veterans.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Am I eligible to apply for an AVCAT scholarship?

Please refer to the guidelines above to find out if you are eligible to apply.

When can I apply for an AVCAT scholarship?

Applications for AVCAT scholarships open every year on the 18th August, Vietnam
Veterans’ Day, and close on 31st October at 12am AEST.

How is my scholarship application assessed?

Applications are considered by a team of independent assessors and AVCAT’s National Selection Committee. The following criteria are used to assess applications:

Financial Need: the level of financial need is determined by eligibility for a means-tested Commonwealth educational benefit - Austudy, ABSTUDY, Youth Allowance or Veterans' Children Education Scheme (VCES). Additionally, an applicant’s household assets and liabilities are reviewed.

Academic Potential: an applicant’s academic potential is assessed on recent academic results and the submission of an Academic Referee Report.

Deservedness: any personal challenges, family circumstances or health issues that may impact an applicant’s studies are taken into account.

Do all applicants receive an AVCAT scholarship?

The selection process is very competitive and scholarship numbers are limited therefore, not all worthy and eligible applicants will receive a scholarship.

What supporting documents do I need for my scholarship application?

It is advisable to start preparing the required documents before applications open. Preparing the documents can take a considerable amount of time. The Application Guide details which supporting documents are required. 

When will I be notified of the outcome of my application?

Applicants are notified of the outcome of their application from late February through March. Applicants will be kept updated on any change to the timing of notification.

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