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Commonwealth Scholarships Program
The Commonwealth Scholarships Program (formally known as the Commonwealth Learning Scholarships (CLS) Program) was introduced in 2004 to assist students from low socio-economic backgrounds, particularly those from rural and regional areas and Indigenous students, with costs associated with higher education. To be eligible applicants must be Australian citizens or holders of Australian permanent humanitarian visas.
Following recommendations from the Bradley Review of Higher Education, the Australian Government has implemented new scholarship arrangements to improve the access to, and participation in higher education for Indigenous students. Two main scholarship types - Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarship to assist students with general education costs, and the Indigenous Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship to assist students from regional and remote areas who have to relocate to attend higher education with accommodation costs. The scholarships are not treated as income for Social Security and Veterans Affairs pensions and allowances, or for ABSTUDY.
Indigenous Access Scholarships, a once in a lifetime scholarship is available to Indigenous students to assist them to access higher education. These scholarships are aimed at commencing students undertaking approved enabling courses. Indigenous Commonwealth Scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis and are non-repayable.
Applying for Scholarships
The Commonwealth Scholarships Program is administered on behalf of the Australian Government by eligible higher education providers. Providers are responsible for conducting their own application and selection procedures on the basis of guidelines issued by the Commonwealth. Potential applicants need to direct their enquiries on application procedures, deadlines, etc to the higher education provider where they are studying or plan to study.
Indigenous Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarships
Indigenous students from low socio-economic status backgrounds face particular challenges in meeting their education costs. Indigenous Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarships have been introduced to provide such students with a scholarship of $2,254 in 2010 (indexed annually) per year for up to four years to assist with their education costs.
Indigenous Enabling Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarships
Indigenous Enabling Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarships have been introduced to provide Indigenous students with a scholarship of $2,254 in 2010 (indexed annually) per year for up to one year to assist with their education costs when undertaking an eligible enabling course.
Indigenous Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarships
The cost of accommodation can be a significant burden for Indigenous students from regional and remote areas who need to move away from home to commence higher education. Indigenous Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarships (ICAS) provide selected students from low socio-economic backgrounds from regional and remote areas with a scholarship of $4,508 in 2010 (indexed annually) per year for up to four years to assist them with accommodation costs when they move to undertake higher education.
Indigenous Enabling Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarships
The Indigenous Enabling commonwealth Accommodation Scholarships have been introduced to provide students with a scholarship of $4,508 in 2010 (indexed annually) per year for up to one year to assist Indigenous students with accommodation costs to undertake an eligible enabling course.
Indigenous Access Scholarships
The Indigenous Access Scholarships provide eligible commencing students with a one off payment of $4,253 in 2010. These scholarships assist Indigenous students to undertake an eligible enabling course, undergraduate course or graduate diploma (or equivalent post graduate course of study) in an area of National Priority required for initial registration to practice in the chosen National Priority field.
In determining whether an applicant has come from a regional or remote area, higher education providers should use the Australian Standard Geographic Classification (ASGC) Remoteness Areas classification. Applicants from localities other than those belonging to the Major Cities of Australia classification may be eligible for a scholarship.
A map detailing the ASGC areas can be accessed via the Department of Health and Ageing’s website.
Questions & Answers for Providers
To assist in managing the new Indigenous Commonwealth Scholarships, a series of Questions and Answers has been established.
In providing these Questions and Answers, DEEWR in no way represents that the Minister will or will not make any particular decision in relation to a provider’s compliance with the Guidelines.
Commonwealth Scholarship Guidelines
The Commonwealth Scholarships Guidelines (Education) 2010 were registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments (FRLI) F2010L00696 on 17 March 2010 and an Amendment was registered on the 2 July 2010. The Guidelines and a copy of the Amendments are available on the Attorney General’s Department website.
See also:
Youth Allowance