Sarina Community Bendigo Bank Scholarship

The Sarina community as well as Mackay and surrounding communities are playing a part in supporting the current strong growth in employment either directly in coal mining and export or in businesses that support these industries as well as the more traditional cattle and sugar cane industries. Experience shows that it is difficult to recruit sufficient numbers of professionally qualified and trained people from other areas to work in regional and rural areas and it is also difficult to retain people once recruited for a variety of reasons. Experience also shows that local people trained locally are more likely to enter the local workforce and remain longer. A strong, local tertiary education facility is crucial in order to allow people from local communities to develop professional skills and obtain formal qualifications. Sarina Community Bendigo Bank has formed a strategic partnership with CQUniversity Australia to encourage local people of all ages to undertake graduate courses at CQUniversity Australia. It is intended that the benefits be used by the Scholarship holder for one or more of the following purposes: • Upfront payment of HECS liability; • Purchase of books or other resources or equipment relevant and appropriate to the student’s course; • Payment of University or College residential costs; • Support daily commute costs if residing in Sarina.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to receive The Sarina Community Bendigo Bank Scholarship an applicant must meet the following criteria:

·         Enrolled in the Academic Programs:  Any Business or Information Technology related Bachelors degree – including;

·         Have completed at least 18 credit points in the first year of study

·         Must do at least two courses per term, for two terms in a year

·         Be enrolled at CQUniversity at the time of Census Date

·         Have a GPA of five (5) or above

·         Must not hold another scholarship of equivalent or more substantial benefit

·         Must currently reside within the Sarina-Mackay region (and will be residing in that region during the duration of the scholarship, unless enrolled in a program that requires subsequent student to be undertaken elsewhere)

Selection Criteria

Each Applicant will be assessed based on the following selection criteria, stated in section 3 in the attached application form:

·         Academic history and work experience;

·         Leadership and motivation as demonstrated by the candidate’s contribution to the community and school; and

·         Evidence of an ability to set and achieve personal and career goals.

The scholarship will be awarded on merit.

Additional Information

Payment of the scholarship

The scholarship has a value of $4,000 payable in two equal instalments. The first    $2,000 will be paid upon awarding the scholarship to the successful applicant. The second instalment will be paid on the second year evidence of success during the semester in which the first instalment was received and a statement from the student of their commitment to complete their remaining years of study. 

Scholarship terms & conditions

• Success is determined as holding a Grade Point Average (GPA) of five (5) or above.
• Must not hold another scholarship of equivalent or more substantial benefit.
• Must currently reside within the Sarina-Mackay region (and will be residing in that region during the duration of the scholarship, unless enrolled in a program that requires subsequent study to be undertaken elsewhere).
• A scholarship shall be terminated prior to the due date if the recipient:
• • Fails to fulfil any of the condition of the scholarship; or
  • Relinquishes the scholarship; or
  • Ceases to be a student at the University, whichever first occurs.

Supporting Documentation

Refer to the Application Form and Guidelines.

How do I apply?

To apply for this scholarship:

1.   Read the Scholarship Guidelines

2.     Complete the attached Application Form

3.     Send the completed Application Form to:

     CQUniversity

             Building 31

             Bruce Highway

             Rockhampton  QLD  4702

All completed applications should be received by CQUniversity by no later than March 15, 2013.

How will I know the outcome of my application?

A selection panel, consisting of representatives from The Sarina Community Bendigo Bank Scholarship and CQUniversity will be formed to determine the successful applicant in each instance. A scholarship will only be offered where there is an applicant of sufficient merit. The selection panel will provide a decision to students on the outcome of their application within 6 weeks of the closing date of the Scholarship. In cases where this is not possible, the students will be informed of a revised date within this 6 week period.

Scholarship Donor - Sarina Community Bendigo Bank