Charles Sturt wants all students to feel supported throughout their studies. To help with this, the university awards more than $3 million in scholarships and grants to students like you each year.
When it comes to scholarships and the application process, there are few things you should remember:
- You don’t need to be the best student to apply.
- Don’t rule yourself out based on assumptions.
Although scholarships are regularly promoted by the Charles Sturt scholarships team, on average 6–10 scholarships go unawarded each year.
So, let’s say it’s a Saturday afternoon. You have completed all your errands and you are about to browse Netflix. Instead, let’s apply for a Charles Sturt scholarship!
When you open the browser, you will immediately notice the filter tool to search the scholarships and grants. You can use this tool to tailor results to your specific circumstances or you can scroll through all of what’s on offer. You may be surprised by what you find!
Let’s say you’ve scrolled to the Foundation Assistance Scholarship for instance. Read the criteria and while doing so, make a mental checklist of what applies to you. This particular criterion encourages applicants suffering from financial hardship. Although you may question your eligibility, you might still meet a lot of the other criterion so keep going. This is where many students miss out! They either can’t be bothered filling out the rest of the application or don’t provide the required documentation. But if you get your ‘ducks in a row’ before filling out the application, you will come to understand how fast and easy the application process is.
Here are some things you may need for your scholarship application:
- your Charles Sturt student number
- your Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) or equivalent
- for continuing students, your current Grade Point Average (GPA)
- a brief description of your financial situation. For example, are you receiving Youth Allowance? Are you expecting to defer your HECS-HELP payment?
- an updated resume or CV
- a document proving your current residence. For example, a school record, an electricity or phone bill (a requirement of Council or Rotary Club Scholarships)
- something to vouch for your skills and talents. A workplace testimony or reference perhaps.
Don’t be afraid to talk about yourself. The Charles Sturt scholarship team and their donors want to hear everything about you. A couple of sentences will do. It’s also recommended you compile all the required information and documents in one location. You will find that will make the process of applying to several scholarships a breeze.
On that note, it is a common misconception that students can only apply for one scholarship. Or that if they are a successful recipient of a scholarship, they can no longer apply for any others. The Charles Sturt scholarship team encourages you to apply for as many as possible. Most of the time applications require the same responses or documentation, so you might find the application process will become increasingly familiar and faster to complete.
Take Brooke Chandler, a journalism student, for example. She invested a couple of hours across the weeks of the January break comparing scholarship criterion and submitting applications.
“I was straight out of high school when I commenced my studies at Charles Sturt. I didn’t have much going for me. However, I’d heard that if I’d given all that I could into my applications – described all I have done and wish to do – then success would edge closer and closer”, Brooke said.
And success surely did! Brooke is the recipient of the Destination Australia, Frangopoulos Family and David Banks Memorial – Sky News Australia Scholarships.
“Just like the Charles Sturt scholarship team, I encourage everyone to invest some of their time in scholarship applications. Collate your information and documents because once that is done, so are the hard yards of this process. I would not be where I am now without the kindness and consideration of my scholarship donors,” Brooke said.
