Apply for scholarships

You don’t have to choose just one – we encourage you to apply for all scholarships you are eligible for.

UON offers a large number of scholarships each year to recognise academic achievement, help overcome financial hardship and educational disadvantages, support Indigenous students, and for specific opportunities to travel, perform, play sport, relocate, gain industry or research experience.

Scholarships can be listed at any time during the year, however the main time to be looking at the website and applying is at the end of year (October) through to March.

Use the filters on the left side of the list of scholarships to narrow your search to study level, area for support, faculty, or campus location. Keyword search is also useful to help find what you are looking for.

Once you’ve identified the scholarships you want to apply for, make sure you meet (or will be meeting) the eligibility criteria. You should be meeting all criteria at the time the scholarship application closes. Then you need to prepare the required documentation. The tip sheets below may help with this.

When ready, click: Example scholarship apply button

You will need to submit an individual application for each scholarship you wish to apply for. Some scholarships may refer you to other application processes, such as UAC or Faculty websites. Follow any additional advice given on these other pages.

Tips and Support

For application and interview tips, please download the tip sheet here.

A list of documents supporting educational disadvantage claims are located here.

What Next?

You will receive an email confirmation when you have successfully submitted your scholarship.

Later, when the scholarship has closed, your application/s will start to appear in myhub in the My Scholarships menu. You will be able to see the status of your application here and you will also receive an email of the outcome. Please allow around 6 weeks from the close date for an outcome.

There may be some scholarships which do not appear in myhub as they are offered prior to enrolment. Correspondence for these will be via email.

Successful recipients receive an email with their offer, the scholarship terms and conditions, and advice on how to accept. If you have been eligible for more than one scholarship, and are not able to hold these concurrently due to the conditions, we will help you decide in accepting the one of most benefit or interest to you.

If you have been unsuccessful, it may be because you did not meet some of the specific criteria or there was a competitive application round for only a limited number available. An unsuccessful outcome does not mean you are considered not in need or not a strong candidate so don't let one outcome deter you from reapplying in the next offer round or the following year.

Payments

Generally, UON does not prescribe or monitor how you spend your scholarship money. We know that there are numerous costs associated with study that the scholarship may help with. You can use it in any way which supports your study, whether it be on tuition fees, text books, placement, travel, childcare, a new laptop…we hope it helps!

In most cases, scholarships are paid directly to the bank account nominated when you accept your offer. Payments are generally not made prior to census date and then can take up to 21 days to process. In most cases, you can expect your semester payment in April and/or September.

Tuition fee scholarships are credited toward your fee charges after enrolment. For International students, scholarships are not paid toward and do not reduce your deposit.


Frequently Asked Questions

For students studying at the University of Newcastle there are many scholarships available. Thanks to the generosity of donors, industry partners, university faculties and schools, and the Commonwealth Government a range of scholarships are on offer to provide great opportunities for UON scholars. To benefit from a scholarship, it is important to understand where and how to apply. Read below some of our most frequently asked questions:

Applying

Can I apply?

You are able to apply for any number of scholarships, as long as you meet the eligibility criteria of that particular scholarship. The eligibility criteria can be quite specific and include things such as your faculty, program of study, study level, residential postcode, ATAR, educational disadvantage etc. Use the left menu filters to refine your search and then ‘Read More’ to see the full scholarship description.

How do I apply for scholarships?

Submit an application for each scholarship you are applying for on the UON website via the scholarship listing. In some cases, you may be referred to another website to apply, such as the UAC website or Ma and Morley Scholarship Program page. Make sure you read the eligibility criteria carefully and have your documents ready to upload when you apply.

What are the closing dates for scholarships?

Closing dates for scholarships vary with applications generally closing in the early part of the year (February or March). Check the information on the website for the closing date for specific scholarships.

Can I apply for more than one scholarship?

Yes, you can apply for as many scholarships as you like. It is advised that you apply for any and all scholarships that you meet the eligibility criteria for. So start applying!

Can I be awarded more than one scholarship?

It depends on the particular scholarship. Some scholarships can’t be held concurrently, and others can. If it is the case that you are successful in more than one offer, UON Scholarships staff will assist you with accepting the scholarship of most benefit or of most interest to you.

Will I be notified that my application has been received?

Yes. You will be notified by email when your online application has been successfully submitted. You will also receive an email reminder for draft applications 7 days prior to the scholarship close date. Later, after the scholarship application period has closed, you may also be able to track the scholarship status in your myhub account.

Will I be able to track the progress of my application?

After the scholarship application close date, you will be able to see your application in myhub, My Scholarships menu. The status will update when offers are made.

Selection and Outcomes

When will I be notified of the outcome of my application?

Both successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified by email. All enrolled applicants can see the status of their applications in the My Hub "My Scholarships" menu after the application close date. This will change from “Applied” to “Offer” or “No Offer” once selection is finalised. Selection usually takes around 4-6 weeks as there are a large number of scholarships closing around the same time.

How are scholarship recipients selected?

Each scholarship has selection criteria. Scholarship applicants are assessed on the basis of the criteria and their supporting documentation. In some cases applicants are interviewed by a selection committee. The best candidate is offered the scholarship.

Selection criteria can include academic merit which includes Grade Point Average (GPA) or Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR), educational disadvantage (financial hardship, sole parent/carer, non-English speaking background, medical condition/disability, Indigenous etc), location (rural or isolated), personal attributes, performance at interview or a combination of these things.

What happens when I am successful for a scholarship?

You will receive an email with the offer of the scholarship and the conditions relating to the scholarship. To accept or decline your scholarship you need to login to MyHub at https://myhub.newcastle.edu.au.

Successful scholars may be asked to attend a Scholars Week event or other events acknowledging your achievements and the philanthropic giving of our Donors. You will also have the details of your scholarship noted on your academic transcript.

What happens when I am unsuccessful for a scholarship?

If you have been unsuccessful, it may be because you did not meet some of the specific criteria or there was a competitive application round for only a limited number available. An unsuccessful outcome does not mean that you are considered not in need or not a strong candidate, so don't let one outcome deter you from reapplying in the next offer round or the following year.

Can I send a message of thanks to the donor of my scholarship?

Please do! Those who have provided philanthropic donations to support scholarships very much appreciate an update and to know that their generosity has supported you. You can send a message following your acceptance of the scholarships and again at any time during your academic career via email to Donor-Relations@newcastle.edu.au.

Payments

When and how do I receive payment for my scholarship?

Payment is generally made within 21 days of the relevant census date.  Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) is most often the means of payment, deposited directly into your nominated account. Your nominated account is the same account you enter when you accept your scholarship in myHub.

Scholarships paid toward tuition fees will be applied directly to your tuition account as a sponsor credit. This will be around each relevant census date.

If you have allowed sufficient time and still are concerned about your payment, please contact scholarships.

Is my scholarship taxable?

A scholarship may be taxable in some cases, for instance if you are studying part-time. Please use this very simple & handy ATO tool - Is my Scholarship Taxable? - to find out.

Do I need to declare my scholarship to Centrelink?

Yes, you should declare all scholarships to Centrelink. Please also check the ATO tax tool to see if your scholarship is taxable.

Conditions

Can I defer my scholarship offer?

Typically, no. Most scholarships at UON have to be taken up in the year of award and can not be deferred. There are a couple of exceptions, such as the Vice-Chancellor's Award for Academic Excellence in Year 12 which allows year 12 students to have a gap year. Please refer the scholarship conditions received with your offer for further detail.

What if I am not meeting the ongoing requirements of my scholarship?

Some scholarships require you to meet ongoing conditions, such as maintaining full-time enrolment or achieving certain grades in every semester of study. Where required, these conditions are reviewed each semester and – if not met – your scholarship will be withdrawn. You will receive advice about this via email.

If you receive an ongoing scholarship and are not enrolling, withdraw from study, or are otherwise not progressing academically, please contact scholarships staff to discuss how this will impact your scholarship. In some cases you may be able to reserve your scholarship or apply for special consideration on the grounds of extenuating circumstances. In any case, we can offer advice about what you can apply for when you return to study or resume the required academic standard.

Can I reserve my ongoing scholarship?

Some ongoing scholarships may allow you to apply for an approved period of leave in special circumstances. Please refer to the conditions provided with your offer letter for more detail.

Can I change my program of study?

This will depend on the conditions of your scholarship. Often it won’t matter if the scholarship is for “any undergraduate program with UON”. If your scholarship is for a specific program – such as B Music – or for study in a particular Faculty who you will no longer be studying with, then you may not be eligible for your scholarship and should advise scholarships staff.

Can I repay my scholarship as I am no longer entitled to it?

Scholarships staff can assist with organising for you to repay a scholarship where you are no longer able to meet conditions and would like someone else to have the opportunity. Please contact scholarships@newcastle.edu.au.

Is anything expected of me as a scholarship recipient?

It is expected that you will continue to meet the criteria of your scholarship for the duration of the award, as outlined in the scholarship conditions. Some scholarships have an additional requirement, such as an essay, which will be explained at time of offer.

Particularly with scholarships funded by donations to the University, we do ask that you provide a letter of appreciation for the opportunity to forward on to the scholarship donor/s and will do you best to attend Scholars Week and other events held to acknowledge your achievements and the role scholarships play in providing support and contributing to success.