RAS Foundation Rural Scholarships
Students in regional areas often have to relocate in order to study, leaving behind the support of family and friends and feeling torn between their education and their obligations. Fortunately, assistance in the form of a RAS Foundation Rural Scholarship can help ease some worries and allow greater freedom to more regularly visit home and lend a hand.
Our Rural Scholarship program goes a small way to ensure students from regional areas can chase the same education dreams as students from metropolitan areas.
- Who can apply?
- What type of courses qualify?
- FAQs
- Expression of Interest
Rural Scholarships are available to support individuals in NSW and the ACT, who demonstrate a passion for rural communities and commitment for any career that will ensure the future success of rural and regional NSW.
Applicants for a Rural Scholarship must:
- Be enrolled in or applying for study in any accredited tertiary course including Vocational Educational Training (VET) courses at an approved Australian education provider. This includes university, TAFE or college.
- Demonstrate a desire to contribute to the future of rural and regional NSW.
- Demonstrate how a scholarship would assist them in achieving their education or training goal.
- Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
- Be school leavers having completed a minimum of year 10. Students completing school-based apprenticeships and traineeships are not eligible to apply.
There is no limit on the types of courses that qualify, and you could be studying anything from physiotherapy, teaching and medicine to agriculture, horticulture, vet nursing or metal fabrication. There is no age limit for applicants, and you can be studying at university, college or TAFE. However, applicants all have one thing in common - a desire to play an active part in the future of rural and regional NSW.
Applications for a RAS Foundation Rural Scholarship open on Monday 3 July 2023 and will close on Monday 17 September 2023.
The scholarships are not awarded on academic merit; however, it is a requirement that scholarship recipients complete their studies for their nominated subjects and pass their course. As part of the scholarship, progress reports along with academic transcripts are to be submitted twice a year.
No. You can be studying at college or TAFE as well as university.
Yes, you are still eligible to be considered for a scholarship if you are studying part-time. A part-time scholarship is valued at up to $3,000 payable over 3 instalments.
Yes, you are still eligible to be considered for a scholarship if you are studying via distance.
Scholarships of up to $6,000 are available for full-time students and up to $3,000 for part-time students. The scholarships are paid in three instalments throughout the year, with the first instalment paid in April of each year.
That’s OK, you can apply for a RASF scholarship anyway, but you will need to indicate your chosen area/s of study.
If you are a first-year student and you are unsure which college, university or TAFE you will be attending, please tick ‘unsure’ on the question.
No, you do not have to attend an interview in Sydney as part of the scholarship assessment process. Interviews are conducted via phone or zoom video conferencing.
Course fees are those that are related to your studies for your nominated course that you are unable/have opted not to pay for via a HELP-HECS loan or VET Student Loan (VSL).
Relocation fees are one-off costs that you may incur when relocating from home to university or college. Examples of these types of costs are:
- transportation of your belongings to campus
- purchase of furniture if moving into unfurnished accommodation
- bond for rental accommodation
Relocation fees are not your rent or bills for shared housing or board and lodging fees for on-campus accommodation, even if you are required to pay these costs in advance. Costs associated with rent or board and lodging should be included in your weekly expenses.
These are costs that you may incur if you are required to temporarily relocate to participate in practical placements for your course. These may include additional transportation costs and accommodation costs.
You will need to average your income out on a weekly basis. For example, if you are only able to work during your holidays, please total your expected income for the year and average it out on a weekly basis rather than entering the weekly amount you receive during the weeks when you are able to work.
You will need to make an estimate of your expected costs. Visit the website of your university or college to look at the range of accommodation options on offer to assist with your budget
Please email us at foundation@rasf.org.au if you have any other questions regarding the RAS Foundation Rural Scholarships or the application process.