CQUniCares Jenny Simpson Memorial Scholarship

To be eligible to receive the CQUniCares Jenny Simpson Memorial Scholarship, an applicant must meet the following criteria:

• Have completed at least two units of the Skills for Tertiary Education Preparatory Studies (STEPS) course;
• Be commencing or have commenced a Bachelor degree in 2026;
• Be enrolled with a minimum term study load of 12 credit points or more at Census date of Term 1, 2026*;
• 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.

*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:

How will a CQUniCares Jenny Simpson Memorial Scholarship assist with your studies?

• 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.  

Term 1, 2026 Donor-Funded Scholarships will be offered through a personalised targeted application process. Students identified as meeting eligibility criteria will receive an email with further information on how to apply. Eligibility assessment for a Donor-Funded Scholarship will be determined based on your information provided in MyCQU and enrolment details. Please ensure your details are up to date in your MyCQU to allow for accurate assessment. 

You may also be eligible for other CQUniversity Scholarships for Term 1, 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. 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.

*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.

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.

Payments are based on term study loads as follows:

• $625/term for study load of 6 credit points
• $1,250/term for study load of 12 credit points
• $2,500/term for study load of 18 credit points or more

*Payments may continue to be awarded on a pro rata basis to students completing less than 12 credit points in extenuating circumstances. This is at the discretion of both the Student Scholarships team and the donor.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.