Foundation Scholarship

Program aims

Provide access to tertiary study to outstanding rural Victorian youth by reducing or removing financial barriers
Promote the value of tertiary study to rural Victorian youth by providing role models/advocates
Improve the availability of needed skills in rural Victoria by providing scholarships to students who plan to return to a rural Victorian community after graduation
Support the transition from school to university, and (where required) from a rural community to a city university by outstanding rural youth
Build a network of young rural leaders in Victoria

Program overview

Scholarship consists of three elements: financial support, mentoring and leadership development
Financial support is valued at $45,000 ($15,000 per annum for three years)
Open to rural Victorian VCE students who plan to attend university after they complete year 12
Rigorous, competitive application and selection process
Selection criteria include: demonstrated leadership capacity/potential, desire to return to rural Victoria after graduation, and previous community contribution.

Scholarship terms and conditions

Key Dates for 2013 Scholarship Applications

Applications open: 11 May 2012

Applications close: 11:59PM on 30 July, 2012

Application assessment period: August & September, 2012

Each application will be individually assessed. Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed by the MSRF selection panel on Saturday 1st September or Saturday 8th September 2012.

Scholarships awarded: February 2013

Scholarships announced: March 2013

Scholarship Conditions

Students who are offered Awards will be required to sign a Scholarship Agreement indicating their acceptance of the offer and the terms and conditions. Awardees wishing to defer commencement of their course for twelve months are required to seek the approval of the MSRF board.

The continuation of each Scholarship will be subject to the awardee:

not accepting any other scholarships in excess of $5,000 per annum without approval of the MSRF board
progressing satisfactorily through their chosen undergraduate course
remaining a full-time enrolled student at the University at which the scholarship was granted, unless there are exceptional circumstances which prevent the student from studying full-time, or there is a need to relocate to another Victorian university
promptly advising MSRF that the initial understanding that the awardee would intend to return to regional or rural Victoria upon completion of a university course has changed, due to altered circumstances

Student Scholarship Qualifications

Applications will be considered from students who meet all of the following requirements:

are Australian citizens or have Australian residency status
are registered VCE or International Baccalaureate (IB) students attending a secondary school situated in Victoria
if invited, propose to accept a full-time undergraduate place at a Victorian university
have submitted online scholarship applications before the closing date
have had their applications endorsed by their school principals via our online application system before the closing date. (Note that a maximum of 2 applicants from any given school will be considered.)
will be under the age of 21 as of January 1 in the year they commence their degrees
have been resident in regional or rural Victoria for at least three years
live at a home address defined as: Inner Regional Australia (RA2), Outer Regional Australia (RA3), Remote Australia (RA4), Very Remote Australia (RA5), as classified by the Australian Standard Geographical Classification for Remoteness Areas. To determine the Remoteness Area of your home address, please enter it in the DoctorConnect website at http://www.doctorconnect.gov.au/internet/otd/Publishing.nsf/Content/locator

Selection Criteria

Selection of scholarship recipients will be managed by the MSRF Scholarship Selection Panel and approved by the MSRF Board.

Applications will be individually assessed, and may be shortlisted for interview. Interviews form part of the application process. All applications and interviews will be treated in the strictest confidence.

The MSRF Scholarship Selection Panel and MSRF Board will consider the following in selecting scholarship recipients:

demonstrated leadership in their local community, for example, participation in community organisations, events, sporting clubs etc, volunteering and /or mentoring experience, sharing family roles and responsibilities, extra-curricular roles at school
managing and/or overcoming personal difficulties ie financial disadvantage, cultural issues, non-English speaking background, remoteness, disability, loss of one or more parent, etc
demonstrated interest and passion for living in rural/regional Victoria and an intent to return to rural/regional Victoria
the level of likely impact on their life and rural/ regional Victoria if awarded a scholarship
references confirming examples of demonstrated leadership and how they may have handled any personal difficulties. Applicants will be notified by email of the outcome of their applications.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many scholarships will MSRF offer?

The number of scholarships is decided by the MSRF board each year after reviewing a number of factors, including: the financial position of MSRF and the quality of scholarship applications. At this stage, MSRF expects to provide three scholarships in 2013.

If I miss out on a scholarship are there any other MSRF programs available to me?

Yes. MSRF also runs a Mentor Program and a Future Rural Leaders Program. In 2013 we expect to offer approximately 36 places in each of these programs. There is no separate application process – participants are selected based on the strength of their scholarship applications.

How should a school principal decide which two applicants to endorse?

This is entirely at the discretion of each school principal. In general, principals should examine the eligibility and selection criteria above, and endorse applicants whom he/she feels are most likely to be competitive in the selection process. A principal might make this judgment based on his/her existing knowledge of the applicants, or alternatively could ask to see draft applications from more than two applicants before making a decision.

Can I change my application after it has been submitted?

No. Submitted applications are final. Please check your application carefully before you submit it. We STRONGLY recommend that you work on your application as a separate document that you save on your own computer before “cutting and pasting” your responses into the online application system.

Can my principal or other referees see my application through your website?

No. To safeguard the confidentiality of your information this is not possible. You will need to keep a record of your application if you wish to share parts of it with your school principal and/or other referees. We STRONGLY recommend that you work on your application as a separate document that you save on your own computer before “cutting and pasting” your responses into the online application system.

Can I format my application with graphics, colors, fancy fonts, bullet points, etc.?

No. Please just paste plain text into the online application system. Formatting may not transfer correctly and could make your application harder to read.

Can I add attachments to my application?

No. Shortlisted applicants will be asked to bring documentary evidence to their interviews. No original documents are required or accepted prior to the interview stage.

Can my school principal still endorse my application after the closing date?

No. All endorsements and references must be submitted before the close of applications. We STRONGLY recommend that you give your school principal adequate time to endorse your application before the closing date.

Should I speak to my school principal before I apply for the scholarship?

Yes, before starting work on your application you should ensure that your school principal: (a) is willing to endorse your application, and (b) has not yet endorsed two applications from your school.

How do I apply for the scholarship?

To apply, please carefully read the information above, then visit our Applications page.