Peter Shergold Asylum Seeker Scholarship

Scholarship Type: Humanitarian - Asylum Seeker
Scholarship Group: B

This scholarship is designed for asylum seekers who have been living in Australia for a minimum of twelve months, have not undertaken any previous tertiary education in Australia and are suffering social and financial disadvantage.

Value

The scholarship may include one or more of the following:

• the relevant course tuition fees, which are not less than the minimum international tuition fees for an undergraduate course;
• the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF); and
• a bursary amount of up to $5,000 for books and other mandatory course materials.

Duration

• The scholarship is intended for the duration of the student's degree unless Visa status changes; resulting in a review of benefits.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

Citizenship:

• hold one of the Humanitarian visas listed under the Asylum Seeker Scholarships section on the Humanitarian Visa Classes page.

Enrolment:

• new or continuing students

Program/s:

• any undergraduate degree at Western Sydney University or diploma (including Extended Diploma or Foundation Studies) at Western Sydney University The College

Additional:

• Have been born overseas

• Have resided in Australia for at least one year

• Be experiencing financial hardship and able to demonstrate social or other disadvantages.

• Have received a full offer of admission into Western Sydney University (or Western Sydney University’s The College) by the time the scholarship application is considered.

• Provide a personal statement relevant to the scholarship applications, which covers the following points:

  • Clear commitment to learning and study.
  • Demonstrated academic ability.
  • Good citizenship.
  • What the applicant would like to achieve through study at Western Sydney University and by receiving a scholarship.

• Provide a personal reference relevant to the scholarship application from a referee who has been known by the applicant for at least 12 months. A referee statement should comment on the applicants:

  • Clear commitment to learning and study.
  • Suitability for university study and a scholarship.
  • Demonstrated academic ability.
  • Good citizenship.

Application and Selection Process

Selection will be determined by the Asylum Seeker Scholarship Panel, which will consider the applicant’s referee's statement, the applicant's personal statement, their educational documents, or a statutory declaration as to their educational history and financial circumstances, their visa notification letter.

Each year Western offers a limited number of Asylum Seeker Scholarships. Applying and meeting the eligibility criteria will not guarantee an offer of a scholarship.

Preference is given to applicants who do not hold a qualification from an Australian university and applicants who are not enrolled at an Australian university.

Further information and how to apply can be found on our Humanitarian Scholarships page (Asylum Seeker section).

Continuing Eligibility Criteria

• Recipients must remain enrolled at Western.
• Recipients must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.5.

The scholarship does not apply to cross-institutional study at another institution unless the units are required for the recipient's course and are not offered by the University. If any of the specified conditions are not met, or the recipient's circumstances change, the continuation of the scholarship will be reassessed.