Walter and Eliza Hall Trust Opportunity Scholarships for Students with a Physical Disability (Donor-funded)

To be eligible to receive The Walter and Eliza Hall Trust Opportunity Scholarship for a Student with a Physical Disability, an applicant must meet the following criteria:

• Be enrolled or intending to enrol at CQUniversity in Term 2, 2023
• Be studying any Undergraduate or Master course
• Be studying internally at any Queensland CQUniversity campus either face to face or mixed mode;
• Be enrolled with a minimum study load of at least 12 credit points each term;
• Be able to demonstrate low personal/family income or financial need
• Have a physical disability; examples include: Amputation, Arthritis, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple-sclerosis, Muscular dystrophy, Acquired spinal injury (paraplegia or quadriplegia), Post-polio syndrome, Spina Bifida, Hearing Impairment – diagnosis of moderate/profound hearing loss, Visual impairment – moderate/profound (qualify as legally blind/is ineligible to hold a Drivers License due to visual impairment), Other conditions which severely impacts an individual’s ability to function independently.

A physical disability may have existed since birth or it may be the result of an accident, illness, infection, disease, degeneration, medical condition or the result of congenital factors.

A person with a physical disability may require some assistance or the use of equipment to aid with mobility eg, wheelchair, mobility frame, mobility scooter, white cane, guide dog or to improve sensory connectivity eg, cochlear implant, hearing aids.

• Be an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident with a permanent home address in Queensland
• Be studying as a Commonwealth Supported student (HECS-HELP funded)
• Be enrolled at Census Date in Term 2, 2023
• Not be receiving multiple CQUniversity Scholarships that exceed the annual value of $10,000.

Please note:

• Indigenous students are strongly encouraged to apply
• An applicant will only be considered if the applicant has a diagnosed permanent physical disability
• Preference will be given to applicants who are eligible for the Australian Government Disability Support Pension

Applicants are required to:

1. provide a 500-word personal statement addressing the question:

How would a Walter and Eliza Hall Trust Opportunity Scholarships for Students with a Physical Disability assist with your studies?

Expectations of recipients

Scholars are responsible for sending a brief report at the end of each academic year, describing how they have used the funds - receipts are not required - just outline key expenses.

As a scholarship recipient, you will be asked to participate in a feedback survey. You may also be approached to assist with promoting CQUniversity’s Scholarship program by sharing your experiences as a recipient through testimonials, media or invitations to attend events such as Orientation or Open Days.

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 a minimum GPA of 4.0 each term
• Remain enrolled in the course as a Census Date each term with a study load of at least 12 credit points

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

Additional information

Students may request a deferral of their scholarship in special circumstances. This request must be made through the Student Scholarships Team and should occur in conjunction with an official Leave of Absence request to the University. If approved, a scholarship may only be deferred for a maximum period of two terms (excludes Term 3). Continuing students must still maintain a minimum GPA of 4.0 in the term directly before taking a Leave of Absence.

In special circumstances, a student may also make a request to transfer their scholarship to an alternative course of study. This request must be through the Student Scholarships Team and is at the discretion of the scholarship donor.

Sharing details with the Donor of your scholarship

As funds for your scholarship have been generously donated, CQUniversity is required to share your name, course/ study area and ongoing eligibility (including academic performance) with the donor of your scholarship. Donors may wish to celebrate their recipients, however if you do not wish your donor or CQUniversity to promote your name publicly, this can be arranged.

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) 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 their MyCQU for payment to occur. This must be done prior to Term 1 Census Date to avoid delays.

Payments are based on term study loads as follows:

• $2,500/term for study load of 12 credit points
• $5,000/term for study load of 18 credit points or more

Payment will be made to the successful applicant in Week 6 after final post Census Date eligibility checks each term.

Payments will be credited electronically to the student’s nominated bank account.

Scholars can use the scholarship funds to purchase educational equipment & materials (e.g. uniforms, tools required for specific programs, laptops, textbooks, assistive technologies), residential school costs, additional tutoring, transport costs and other costs related to the educational program. Up to 40% of the scholarship annual value may be used for living expenses. Funds are to be used for the direct benefit of the scholarship recipient and not to be utilised for the payment of HECS debt or for overseas travelling.

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

• Documentation demonstrating low personal or family income/ financial need
• Documentation demonstrating academic achievements or unofficial transcript
• Documentation demonstrating community involvement, exemplary work or demonstration of leadership
• Resume
• Confirmation of Identity or 2 x Cultural References + a Statutory Declaration (if relevant to scholarship)

Applicants will be assessed on the application and may be required to provide a written submission of no more than 500 words 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 consider your aspirations following graduation, as well as your plans for giving back and supporting our regions.

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 Walter and Eliza Hall Trust Opportunity Scholarship for a Student with a Physical Disability, complete an online Scholarship Application Form, ensuring all supporting documentation is attached:

• For Current students (applicants who have already have a Student ID number) apply through MyCQU. You will need to log in with your student details.
• For Future students (applicants who have applied or are intending to apply to study at CQUniversity but not yet received or accepted an offer) apply now.

Complete Applications must be received at the Student Scholarships Office by 10 am AEST on the closing date. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

A section panel, consisting of representatives from The Walter and Eliza Hall Trust will be formed to determine the successful applicant. Shortlisted applicants will be required to take part in a phone interview.

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.

During the middle of the nineteenth century, Englishman Walter Hall came to Australia with only a few pounds in his pocket to seek his fortune in the gold rush. After a shaky start he became a very successful and wealthy businessman. Much of his wealth came from Queensland's Mt. Morgan gold mine. He also acquired substantial holdings in the booming pastoral industry and his entrepreneurial skills also extended to transport. He was one of the last owners of Cobb and Co, the horse-drawn coach line of Australian history and tradition. He died in 1911 aged 80 years.

Both Walter and his wife, Eliza, were active philanthropists during their life together. In the year following her husband's death Eliza set up a charitable trust with a donation of £1,000,000. It was named the Walter and Eliza Hall Trust.

This scholarship is for students with physical disabilities only.

Examples of physical disability include:

• Amputation
• Arthritis
• Cerebral Palsy
• Multiple-sclerosis
• Muscular dystrophy
• Acquired spinal injury (paraplegia or quadriplegia)
• Post-polio syndrome
• Spina Bifida
• Hearing Impairment – diagnosis of  moderate/profound hearing loss
• Visual impairment –  moderate/profound (qualify as legally  blind/is ineligible to hold a Drivers License due to visual impairment)
• Other conditions which severely impacts an individual’s ability to function independently

A physical disability may have existed since birth or it may be the result of an accident, illness, infection, disease, degeneration, medical condition or the result of congenital factors.

A person with a physical disability may require some assistance or the use of equipment to aid with mobility eg, wheelchair, mobility frame, mobility scooter, white cane, guide dog or to improve sensory connectivity eg, cochlear implant, hearing aids.

For a student to be eligible for this scholarship they must have physical disability only.