CQU Cares Student Success (Central Queensland) VET Scholarship

To be eligible to receive the CQU Cares Student Success (Central Queensland) VET Scholarship, an applicant must meet the following criteria:

• Be enrolled at CQUniversity in any 2026 Vocational Education and Training (VET) intake at the time of Census date* in any Certificate III, Certificate IV or Diploma;
• Be residing and studying in Central Queensland (post code range: 4680, 4694 -4699, 4700 – 4714, 4715 – 4720, 4709 – 4723);
• Be experiencing financial circumstances affecting participation and success, and complete and submit the Student Circumstances Declaration;
• Be an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident, holder of a Humanitarian Visa or New Zealand Citizen with a permanent home address in Australia;
• Not currently in receipt of a CQUniversity Donor-Funded Scholarship.

Preference will be given to applicants who:

• Are studying from regional, remote or very remote locations;
• Have a medical condition/disability;
• Have significant carer responsibilities;
• Are not living in close proximity to a CQUniversity campus;
• Are enrolled in courses with high educational expenses.

*If you are unable to enrol into the required credit points due to pre-requisites, unit availability or placement commitments and are therefore prevented from meeting the credit point eligibility criteria of the scholarship, please advise the Student Scholarships team by emailing studentscholarships@cqu.edu.au and your eligibility will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants will be assessed on the application and a 500-word personal statement addressing the following:

• Tell us about yourself:
  • Name/course/interests.
  • Please include your current situation, challenges you have experienced or overcome, work experience history, as well as any examples of success, leadership, community, or volunteering.
• How will a scholarship help you to overcome financial barriers to success?
  • Further explain your current situation and how a scholarship will assist you in managing general living and study expenses.
• What are your career goals and how will a scholarship assist you in achieving your educational objectives?
  • Outline your aspirations following graduation, as well as your plans for giving back and supporting our regions.

Applications for Donor-Funded Scholarships are offered through a personalised, targeted process. Eligible enrolled students will receive a direct email to their student account with instructions on how to apply. Initial eligibility for an invitation to apply is determined based on the personal information provided in MyCQU and enrolment details, so it is important to ensure your details are up to date in MyCQU to allow for accurate assessment.

You may also be eligible for other CQUniversity Scholarships for Term 2, 2026. Please monitor the Scholarships website for information on available scholarships and how to apply.

Assessment Process

A selection panel, consisting of representatives from CQUniversity will be formed to determine the successful applicant.

Scholarships at CQUniversity are highly competitive. All applications are ranked based on how well applicants address the selection criteria, and in comparison, to other applicants. Being eligible or being a recipient in the past is no guarantee of having a successful application. A scholarship will only be offered where there is an applicant of sufficient merit.

The Student Scholarships team are unable to provide updates to students on the progress of their individual application until all assessments are completed.

Students will be notified of the outcome of their application via their student email account only. Decisions are final.

*Disclaimer - Students may be required to provide further documentation to support their application. This can include the following:

• Student Circumstances Declaration.

All requests for further information to support applications will be sent to the student email account. Failure to supply further information will deem the application incomplete and will not be considered.

The successful applicant is required to enter their current financial institution details (banking details) into MyCQU (refer to instructions) for payment to occur. This must be done prior to Census date to avoid delays.

The first payment of $1,250 will be made to the successful recipient following post Census date* eligibility checks of their first enrolment intake. The second payment of $1,250 will be made following ongoing eligibility checks and minimum of three months after receiving their first payment.

Payment will be made to the successful recipient the month after the relevant VET intake Census date* (refer to TAFE Academic Calendar). For example, if enrolled in the April intake, payment will be made in May.

*For Certificate-level courses, payment will be made following the last day to withdraw without financial liability.

Payments will be credited electronically to the successful applicant’s nominated bank account. Requests for an early payment will not be considered.

Expectations of recipients

As a scholarship recipient, you may be asked to participate in a feedback survey. You may also be approached to assist with promoting CQUniversity’s Scholarships program by sharing your experiences as a recipient through testimonials, media or invitations to attend events such as Orientation or Open Days. If you do not wish to be publicly recognised or be involved in the above initiatives, please advise the Philanthropy team via ourpartners@cqu.edu.au immediately following acceptance.

CQUniversity has a range of support services located on our website Student Support Services and Financial Preparedness.

Ongoing eligibility requirements

In addition to the eligibility criteria, the successful applicant must:

• Marked Competency Achieved for all previous units;
• Remain enrolled in at least one additional unit at the time of Census date* and minimum three months after the first payment and following ongoing eligibility checks.

Please note that failure to meet the continuing eligibility criteria may result in the scholarship being withdrawn.

Additional information

A scholarship may be deferred for a maximum period of two higher-education terms (excludes Term 3) or two VET intakes.

Sharing details with the Donor of your Scholarship

Personal information is collected, stored, used, and disclosed by CQUniversity to process your scholarship.  As funds for your scholarship have been generously donated, the University is required to share your name, course/study area and ongoing eligibility (including academic performance) with the donor of your scholarship.  The University may also share your student email address and your nominated phone number, if requested by your scholarship donor, for the purpose of enabling their representatives to contact you regarding your scholarship. Donors may wish to celebrate their recipients, however if you do not wish for your donor or the University to promote your name publicly, this can be arranged by contacting the Philanthropy team via ourpartners@cqu.edu.au.

Information collected can be disclosed without consent when required by law.  Any other provision of personal information will be authorised in accordance with the University’s Privacy Policy and Procedure, and in accordance with the Information Privacy Act 2009 (Qld), and the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). Visit our Privacy webpage for more information.

*Disclaimer - The Scholarship Support Financial Hardship Form is only required to support your Scholarship Application and will not be shared with the Donor or panel members as part of the Selection Process.

Thanking your Donor

Many of our scholarships are made possible by generous donations from community partners who are committed to supporting CQUniversity students to reach their academic goals. Our donors love to hear how their support is making a difference. You are strongly encouraged to submit a letter of thanks (Word/PDF) or short video to ourpartners@cqu.edu.au as soon as receiving your scholarship to express your appreciation. To help you get started, we recommend providing a brief overview of who you are, what you are studying and your career aspirations, as well as some insight into how your scholarship will benefit you.