ROTARY ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER
TERTIARY SCHOLARSHIP
SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
Rotary International celebrated its Centenary on February 23rd, 2005. In recognition of this important
milestone, the Rotary Club of Balwyn established a Scholarship ("Scholarship") for Aboriginal & Torres
Strait Island students to study at an approved tertiary institution (TAFE, University or other approved
institution) for a period of up to four years duration. The inaugural Scholarship was awarded on a biannual basis in 2005 and was followed by another Scholarship awarded in 2007. As a result of significant
financial support and sponsorship from the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood
Development as well as Skills Victoria, the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and the Department of
Justice, it has now become possible for the Scholarship to be offered on an annual basis. The Rotary Club
of Balwyn will select the Scholarship winner(s) on the recommendation of the Advisory Board. Their
recommendation will be based on this written application and an interview (of short-listed applicants) to
be carried out in Melbourne, early in 2015. The date for interview has yet to be confirmed, but is likely to
be Thursday, February 12, 2015. Scholarship applicants who are short listed for interviews must make
themselves available on this date or possibly on an alternate date, which will be nominated in January
2015. The successful applicant must also be available to attend the presentation evening on Tuesday
February 24, 2015.
The value of the Scholarship will be UP to $25,000 per annum (UP to $100,000 over four years), which
will be paid regularly throughout the academic year. On information provided by the Australian
Taxation Office, it is anticipated that the Scholarship funds will be tax free in the hands of the recipient.
However, Scholarship winners should not rely on this advice and should make their own enquiries from
the Australian Taxation Office.
Closing Date for Applications is
Friday November 21, 2014
Please return completed Applications to
Rotary Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Tertiary Scholarship
PO Box 125
Balwyn
VIC 3103
Enquiries
Bob Batrouney Ph 03 9417 1185 Email [email protected]
Hugh Trumble Ph 03 9859 2784 Email [email protected]
Updated July 2014
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Scholarship Value
The value of the scholarship is UP to a maximum of $25,000 pa payable for a maximum of four years.
The amount payed by this scholarship will be a maximum of $25,000 per annum reduced by the value of
any Centrelink benefits received and also the value any other scholarships or awards payed over more
than one year. Each year the actual amount to be paid under this scholarship will be recalculated taking
account of the current Centrelink benefits received together with any other changes to scholarships or
awards. Once established for that scholarship year (March 01 – February 28(29)), the value of the
scholarship paid for the scholarship year will not be altered. By way of example, if the winner of this
scholarship was in receipt of Centrelink benefits of $8,000 pa and a small scholarship provided by their
tertiary institution of $2,000 pa, then the maximum amount payable under this scholarship would be
$15,000 pa ($25,000 less $10,000). The Rotary Club reserves the right to award a scholarship that,
following these rules, will bring the total income, (including Centrelink payments, other scholarships and
this scholarship) to less than $25,000 pa. Incidences of scholarship offers at less than $25,000 pa will be
rare and only occur under exceptional circumstances.
Award Criteria
Applicants must be able to demonstrate their consciousness of and identify as an Aboriginal or Torres
Strait Island person and be recognised as such by their community.
Applicants must also be enrolled and making good progress in the final year of their secondary education
at a school located in Victoria or be in the process of completing a “gap” year. The student’s home
address must also be located in Victoria or in an adjoining state immediately adjacent to the Victorian
border (eg towns located on the Murray River but just within NSW). Students who have already enrolled
in or commenced a course of tertiary study at the time of application are INELIGIBLE to apply for the
Scholarship. The scholarship is only tenable at tertiary institutions physically located in Melbourne. eg
students planning to attend Deakin University in Geelong or the University of Ballarat are ineligible to
hold this scholarship, Copies of this Application Form and Rules and Regulations for the Scholar may be
down-loaded from the Rotary Club web-site, www.balwynrotary.org.au
(Enquiries Links and
Downloads). The Scholarship winner(s) will be required to agree to these Rules and Regulations and
acknowledge their agreement by signing a copy of them prior to receiving the Scholarship. Applicants
who accept another Scholarship or award of significant monetary value may be ineligible to be awarded
this Scholarship. An example of the latter would be accepting entry into the BA (Extended) program at
the University of Melbourne, which would render an Applicant ineligible for the award of this
Scholarship.
Key steps to lodge an Application
1. Complete this Application and forward it by mail to arrive prior to November 21, 2014. The
address to send the Application is shown on the front page. [If a new Application Form is
required, it may be downloaded from the Rotary Club of Balwyn website
www.balwynrotary.org.au . Click on the Enquiries, Links and Downloads Tab and then click on
the Rotary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scholarship Application link. From here the
Application Form may be printed.]
2. Prior to Monday January 12, 2015, you must send a transcript of your VCE or VET results,
details of preferred courses and details of any offers received from tertiary institutions to the
address shown on the front page of this application. You should also forward documentary proof
of any Centrelink benefits received as at January 01, 2015.
3. You must be available for interview to be held in Melbourne on Thursday February 12 2015 (or
such alternate date that may be advised).
4. You must be available to attend the presentation evening to be held on Tuesday February 24,
2015 at a normal dinner meeting of the Rotary Club of Balwyn.
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Eligibility
1. You are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent and are recognized as such by your
community.
2. You are currently in year twelve, attending a school located in the State of Victoria. If you
completed year twelve in 2013, have not previously enrolled in any course of tertiary study and
are completing a “gap” year in 2014, you are also eligible to apply.
3. You are enrolled or plan to enrol at a tertiary institute of study that is physically located in
Melbourne. If you have any questions as to whether your proposed institution complies, please
contact one of the persons named on page 1.
4. Your normal home address is Victoria or in NSW or SA but, in the case of the latter two states, it
must be immediately adjacent to the Victorian border.
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APPLICATION FORM
PLEASE COMPLETE ALL SECTIONS AND DO NOT WRITE ON THE REVERSE SIDE OF THE APPLICATION.
ATTACH ADDITIONAL SINGLE-SIDED PAGES IF THIS FORM HAS INSUFFICIENT SPACE.
Applicant’s Full Name
_____________________________________________
Address
_____________________________________________
____________________State______Postcode_______
Telephone Number
_________________Mobile______________________
Email
_____________________________________________
Date of Birth
_____/____/______Gender Male □
Female □
Name of School/Institution _____________________________________________
School Address
_____________________________________________
____________________State______Postcode_______
Year Level in 2014 _____________________________________________
The Applicant acknowledge that the Scholarship is offered for one year but will be extended for up to a
total of four years, subject to continued satisfactory academic progress and subject to full compliance
with the Rules and Regulations by the Scholarship recipient.
The Rotary Club of Balwyn will appoint two Mentors to the Scholarship winner, one a member of the
Rotary Club of Balwyn and the second an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island person. The Scholarship
winner will be required to remain in contact with the two Mentors throughout the duration of the award
and to take reasonable guidance and advice regarding lifestyle, financial management and study habits
from these Mentors. The Scholarship holder should regard the Mentors as resources who can provide
considerable assistance and support to the awardee. Scholarship winners are responsible for enrolling at
the institution of their choice and in their chosen field of study.
Applicants proposing to study in a course of longer duration than four years are encouraged to apply as,
under certain circumstances, it may be possible to extend the duration of the Scholarship. It is hoped to
announce the name of the Scholarship winner(s) during February 2015.
Scholarship winners MUST study in an institution located within the Melbourne Metropolitan area.
Scholarship winners will not be allowed retain their scholarship, if they elect to change the location of
their studies to a tertiary institution located outside the Melbourne Metropolitan area. Scholarship
holders are required to be guests of the Rotary Club of Balwyn at their regular meetings on a number of
occasions throughout the duration of their scholarship and, at these meetings, provide a brief verbal
report of their progress in their chosen field of study.
□(please tick this box)
I acknowledge that I have read and understood “The Rules and Regulations for the
Scholar” and fully understand that the value of the scholarship is UP to $100,000 (UP to $25,000 pa) and
the maximum annual value to be awarded under this scholarship will be reduced by at least the value of
any Centrelink benefits received plus any other scholarships or awards covering more than one year. You
acknowledge and will be prepared to sign and abide by these rules if awarded the Scholarship.
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Signature of Applicant
______________________Date_____/____/_____
Academic Results
COMPLETE THE RESULTS FOR THE MOST RECENT SCHOOL YEAR AVAILABLE. IN MOST CASES
THIS WILL BE FOR YEAR 11.
YEAR
SUBJECT
UNIT
RESULT
VCE OR YEAR 12 RESULTS. IN MOST CASES THESE WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL AFTER
SUBMISSION OF THE APPLICATION. APPLICANTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR FORWARDING A
CERTIFIED COPY OF THEIR RESULTS TO THE ADDRESS SHOWN ON THE FRONT SHEET SO AS TO
ARRIVE PRIOR TO MONDAY JANUARY 12, 2015.
YEAR 12
SUBJECT
UNIT
RESULT
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Significant Achievements
LIST ANY PARTICULAR ACHIEVEMENTS YOU HAVE MADE AND SCHOLARSHIPS OR ANY AWARDS
YOU MAY HAVE RECEIVED. THESE MAY BE IN THE AREAS OF YOUR SCHOOL, COMMUNITY OR
SPORTING ACTIVITIES OR ANY OTHER ACTIVITIES YOU MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH.
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Community Interests and Involvement
HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES? IF YES, PLEASE DETAIL YOUR ROLE
AND THE EXTENT OF YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN BOTH INDIGENOUS AND NON INDIGENOUS AREAS.
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Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island Heritage
PLEASE EXPLAIN IN YOUR OWN WORDS WHAT YOUR ABORIGINAL OR TORRES STRAIT ISLAND
HERITAGE MEANS TO YOU AND HOW DOES BEING AN ABORIGINAL OR TORRES STRAIT ISLAND
PERSON IMPACT ON YOUR DAILY LIFE? YOU SHOULD ALSO DETAIL YOUR PAST AND CURRENT
INVOLVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY EVENTS.
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Connectedness to your Indigenous Community
IN YOUR OWN WORDS, EXPLAIN HOW YOU CONNECT TO AND INTERACT WITH YOUR LOCAL
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY. IF POSSIBLE YOU SHOULD LIST YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS AND YOUR
RELATIONSHIP TO THOSE PEOPLE. AS A MINIMUM YOU SHOULD LIST THE NAMES OF YOUR
PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS AND THE TRIBAL OR COMMUNITY NAME TO WHICH THEY
BELONG
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Proposed Use of Scholarship
PLEASE PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF HOW YOU INTEND TO USE THIS SCHOLARSHIP IF IT IS
AWARDED TO YOU. YOU SHOULD INCLUDE SUCH MATTERS AS COURSE DETAILS, INSTITUTION
DETAILS, STARTING DATE, LENGTH OF COURSE ETC. ALSO INCLUDE DETAILS OF HOW THE FUNDS
WILL BE USED: FOR EXAMPLE, COURSE FEES, BOOKS AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL,
LIVING EXPENSES, ACCOMMODATION ETC. . SUBMISSION OF A BUDGET WOULD ASSIST IN
ASSESSING YOUR APPLICATION
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Other Scholarships and Awards
PLEASE DETAIL ALL OTHER AWARDS OR SCHOLARSHIPS EITHER WON OR APPLIED FOR THAT
WILL OPERATE DURING 2015 AND/OR IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS. IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY WAITING
TO HEAR ABOUT ANY AWARDS OR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR WHICH YOU HAVE APPLIED, PLEASE LIST
THESE AS WELL AS THE DATE ON WHICH THE OUTCOME OF THESE WILL BE KNOWN TO YOU.
ARE ANY OF THESE OTHER AWARDS OR SCHOLARSHIPS MEANS TESTED?
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Current Academic Interests and Career Plans
PLEASE DETAIL YOUR LONG TERM PERSONAL AND CAREER GOALS
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Other Financial Support
THE SCHOLARSHIP IS NOT MEANS TESTED, HOWEVER, YOU SHOULD PROVIDE SPECIFIC DETAILS
OF ALL OF THE OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING, INCLUDING GOVERNMENT FUNDING OR SUPPORT
THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO YOU DURING YOUR PROPOSED COURSE OF STUDY, IRRESPECTIVE
OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL IN GAINING THIS SCHOLARSHIP.
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Other Supporting Data
PLEASE INCLUDE ANY FURTHER DATA IN SUPPORT OF YOUR APPLICATION THAT HAS NOT BEEN
COVERED IN A PREVIOUS SECTION.
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Referee Statement
TWO REFEREE STATEMENTS ARE REQUIRED. REFEREES ARE TO COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING DETAILS
School/Institutional Referee
Name of person supplying Reference: ____________________________________________________
Position within School/Institution ____________________________________________________
Address of Institution
________________________________________________
_____________________________State_____P/Code________
Telephone and/or Email Contact
____________________________________________________
PLEASE WRITE A PARAGRAPH INDICATING WHY YOU BELIEVE THIS STUDENT SHOULD RECEIVE A
SCHOLARSHIP. YOU MAY WISH TO COMMENT ON THE FOLLOWING AREAS: ATTENDANCE, PROGRESS IN
COURSE, POTENTIAL FOR SUCCESS IN THE COURSE, CONTRIBUTION TO THE INSTITUTION AND WIDER
COMMUNITY, FINANCIAL NEED, COMMITMENT TO STUDY AND LEADERSHIP ROLES/POSITIONS WITHIN THE
INSTITUTION. PLEASE ALSO COMMENT ON THE STUDENT’S MATURITY AND ABILITY TO LIVE AWAY FROM
HOME IF THIS IS RELEVANT TO THE STUDENT’S PROPOSED STUDY NEXT YEAR. IF INSUFFICIENT ROOM,
FURTHER COMMENT MAY BE ATTACHED.
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Signature
______________________________________
Date
______/_____/_____
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Community Referee
Name of person supplying Reference: ____________________________________________________
Address
________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________ State _____ Postcode________
Telephone and/or Email Contact
____________________________________________________
I, (insert full name)______________________________________ as a member of the Aboriginal and/or
Torres Strait Islander community at (insert locality)________________________ attest to (insert
applicant’s name)________________________________’s statement confirming their identity as an
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander for the purpose of the Rotary Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
Tertiary Scholarship for 2015. I have known the applicant for _________ years. Further comments may
be attached.
Signature
______________________________
Date
______/________/________
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Statement of Aboriginality
IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE TWO STATEMENTS IT IS CRITICAL TO THE APPLICATION PROCESS
THAT A CERTIFICATE OF ABORIGINALITY RELATING TO THE APPLICANT AND SIGNED UNDER
SEAL BY A RECOGNISED BODY OR INSTITUTION (eg LAND COUNCIL) IS ATTACHED TO THIS
APPLICATION. APPLICATIONS MADE WITHOUT THIS CERTIFICATE WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY
DISQUALIFIED.
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