Applying for an AIEF Scholarship

The Australian Indigenous Education Foundation offers boarding school scholarships to Indigenous students who are in financial need and eligible for ABSTUDY to attend an AIEF Partner School.

The AIEF Scholarship Program is different to other scholarship programs in that we do not process student applications or select students ourselves.  Instead, we partner directly with leading schools, which are responsible for their own selection and enrolment processes.  This means that all students and families apply directly to one of the AIEF Partner Schools. After students are accepted for enrolment, AIEF then provides scholarship funding directly to each school.

AIEF scholarships supplement payments from ABSTUDY and students’ families to cover the costs of the student attending school, including boarding and tuition fees and some incidental expenses such as books, school excursions and uniforms.

Scholarship eligibility

AIEF scholarships are available where all of the following criteria are satisfied: 

Indigenous secondary school students

1. who are receiving ABSTUDY;

2. who are in financial need;

3. who are likely to complete their schooling through to Year 12 academic certificate;

4. who have been accepted for enrolment at an AIEF Partner School;

5. who will be boarding at the school;

6. who are enthusiastic about attending the school;

7. whose family or guardian is supportive of the enrolment and the scholarship; and

8. whose family or guardian makes a contribution to the costs.

 

Family support and contributions

Scholarships are only available for students who are eligible for ABSTUDY, are in financial need and whose family or guardian are supportive of the enrolment.

A family's financial contribution towards the student’s educational expenses will be agreed with the school at the time of enrolment.  As part of the enrolment conditions, families will also need to:

1. Authorise the school and AIEF to make ABSTUDY and other financial enquiries about the student.

2. Consent to release to AIEF all school reports and student financial information.

3. Consent to AIEF using and publishing photographs and other information about the student’s activities and achievements.

4. Establish a direct debit or Centrepay payment of a family contribution to the school towards the costs of the student’s education.

5. Comply with the school’s application procedure.

What AIEF Scholarships cover

1. the payments received from ABSTUDY and parent and other contributions; and

2. the cost of boarding and tuition fees and some incidental expenses such as books, school excursions and uniforms.  Scholarships do not provide cash payments or prizes to families or students.
   

How to apply

Students and families interested in applying for a scholarship need to contact AIEF’s Partner Schools directly to go through the enrolment process at the schools.  AIEF is not involved in the enrolment process. Enrolment discussions take place between the school and the family.

Each AIEF Partner School may have different enrolment processes, criteria and timeframes so it is important that you make contact with the schools directly and early to find out about their enrolment requirements and the timing for applications.

AIEF Scholarships at some Partner Schools are only available for students from particular communities.  Details on these and other criteria will be provided by the relevant schools. 

If the student is offered enrolment at the school, the school will give the necessary information to AIEF and organise payments directly.

All enquiries and other communications should be made directly to the school.  School contact details are available here.

AIEF currently has scholarship partnerships in place with 24 schools in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia, and more schools will be added as AIEF continues to grow.  AIEF is unable to provide scholarships for students attending any other schools apart from AIEF Partner Schools, which are listed here.