CQUniCares North Queensland Airports Scholarship

Up to $22,500

4.5 (Four and a half) Years (payments in Term 2 and Term 1 only)

1 (One)

May 6, 2025

June 2, 2025

Donor-funded

The CQUniCares North Queensland Airports Scholarships will provide recognition and financial assistance to a deserving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student enrolled in a CQUniversity undergraduate degree in the Cairns Region.


To be eligible to receive the CQUniCares North Queensland Airports Scholarship, an applicant must meet the following criteria:

  • Be enrolled at CQUniversity in Term 2, 2025 in:

            - Bachelor of Laws [CG98] 

            - Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Accounting [CB68]

            - Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Business [CL53]

            - Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Information Technology [CL54]

            - Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Property [CL52]

            - Bachelor of Accounting [CQ01]

            - Bachelor of Accounting and Bachelor of Business [CQ91]

            - Bachelor of Business [CL86]

            - Bachelor of Information Technology [CQ18]

            - Bachelor of Information Technology (Co-op) [CG99]

            - Bachelor of Science and Environmental [CU18] 

            - Bachelor of Construction [CC62]

            - Bachelor of Aviation [CL09]

            - Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Diploma of Professional Practice (Co-op Engineering) [CC32]

            - Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) [CC31]

            - Graduate Diploma of Marketing [CM34]

            - Graduate Diploma of Human Resources Management [CC67]

            - Graduate Diploma of Project Management [CV81];

  • Be enrolled with a minimum term study load of 12 credit points or more at Census date of Term 2, 2025*;
  • Identify as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person and provide Confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Identity or Cultural Reference documents as detailed under the Supporting Documentation section below.
  • Reside in the Cairns region (postal code range: 4865 – 4887); 
  • Be studying in their first (0 – 48 credit points) academic year; 
  • Not currently in receipt of a CQUniversity Scholarship or a Scholarship where payments are administered by CQUniversity. 

*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. 

The selected scholar will be expected to work for North Queensland Airports. Employment hours will be flexible, however will need to be at least 10 hours per week. The student’s ability and desire will be assessed by North Queensland Airports during the selection process. North Queensland Airports will enter into a direct agreement with the scholar regarding employment arrangements.

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

  • Tell us about yourself: 
  • Name/course/interests.
  • You may wish to also share your current situation, challenges you have experienced or overcome, as well as any examples of success, leadership, community, or volunteering.
  • How will a scholarship help you to overcome financial barriers to success? 
  • You may wish to 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? 
  • You may wish to outline your aspirations following graduation, as well as your plans for giving back and supporting our regions.  

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:

  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress;
  • Remain enrolled in the course as at Census date of Term 1 and Term 2 with a minimum study load of 12 credit points*.
  • Maintain employment with North Queensland Airports.

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 privacy for more information. 

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 are always keen 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 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. 

Payment of Scholarship

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.

Payments are based on term study loads as follows:

  • $1,250/term for study load of 12 credit points
  • $2,500/term for study load of 18 credit points or more

Payment will be made to the successful recipient by week 6 of term following post Census date eligibility checks. 

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

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

  • Documentation demonstrating academic achievements or unofficial transcript.
  • Documentation demonstrating community involvement, exemplary work or demonstration of leadership.
  • Resume.
  • Students will need to supply any or all of the following supporting documents as per the CQUniversity Confirmation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Identity Protocol (Section 3.5 Acceptable documentation):
    • Certified copies of the student's Confirmation of Identity documents. A Confirmation of Identity document is usually provided by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community organisation. The documentation names the individual and confirms they are a recognised member of a specified Indigenous Australian community. 
    • Certified Native Title documentation issued by a Prescribed Body Corporate which specifically names the student or provides other formal evidence of ancestral or familial ties. 
    • In the absence of either of these documents, an original Statutory Declaration signed by the student, accompanied by two supporting documents of verification from a recognised cultural consultant/referee (as defined in the CQUniversity Confirmation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Identity Protocol, Section 5.1 Terms and definitions). 

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.

To apply for a Donor-Funded Scholarship:

Complete a Donor-Funded Scholarship Online Application Form, ensuring all supporting documentation is completed and attached as outlined here:

  • For Current students (applicants who already have a Student ID number) apply through MyCQU.
  • For Future students (applicants who have applied or are intending to apply to study at CQUniversity but have not yet received or accepted an offer) apply now.

Applicants are required to provide a 500-word personal statement addressing the following question:

How would a CQUniCares North Queensland Airports Scholarship assist with your studies?

Complete applications must be received by 10am AEST on the closing date.

A selection panel, consisting of representatives from North Queensland Airports Group will be formed to determine the successful applicant. The selection process may involve an interview (either face-to-face or online).

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.

North Queensland Airports Group (NQA) 

North Queensland Airports Group (NQA) is the owner and operator of Cairns Airport, Mackay Airport and the Mackay Airport Hotel. Our airports are widely recognised as key economic drivers for regional Queensland, servicing an extensive network of international and domestic routes, including critical links to many remote communities. 

We define our company purpose as: ‘Sustainably grow our aviation-related business to support the growth of our community’. We strive to protect our environment, champion employment pathways, collaborate with community and foster key partnerships as we continue to build our aviation network and serve our regions’ best economic interests.