2025 Roberta Sykes Scholarship – Curtin University, Australia

Applications open: 1/10/2024
Applications close: 31/01/2025

View printable version [.pdf] About this scholarship
Description/Applicant information

Disclaimer – This Roberta Sykes Scholarship is made available and administered by Aurora Foundation and is not affiliated with Curtin. You should contact Aurora Foundation for up to date information about this scholarship program, and to apply.

The Roberta Sykes Indigenous Education Foundation provides supplementary financial assistance to Indigenous Postgraduate students who wish to undertake studies at any recognised overseas university. The scholarship is offered for one year, but recipients may reapply for a subsequent year of the same program of study. Roberta Sykes Scholarships are jointly funded by the Australian Government (National Indigenous Australians Agency), the British High Commission (Chevening), Cambridge Australia Scholarships Ltd, Cambridge Commonwealth Trust, and the University of Cambridge.

Student type

• Current Students

Faculty

• Centre for Aboriginal Studies
• Faculty of Business and Law
• Faculty of Health Sciences
• Faculty of Humanities
• Faculty of Science & Engineering
  • Science courses
  • Engineering courses
  • Western Australian School of Mines (WASM)

Course type

• Postgraduate coursework
• Higher Degree by Research

Citizenship

• Australian Citizen

Scholarship base

• Merit Based

Value

Total up to: $30,000 approximately for the duration of the program

For more information, please visit Aurora Foundation website

Scholarship Details
Eligible courses

Study level:

• Postgraduate coursework
• Postgraduate research

Area of study:

• Any area of study

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible to apply, applicants must:

• Be of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, identify as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and be accepted as such by the community in which they live or have lived;
• Hold an Undergraduate degree with strong performance;
• Be accepted into a Postgraduate coursework or research degree at an overseas university;
• Be able to demonstrate that they have or will have sufficient funds to support themselves during the course of their Postgraduate study, such as through another scholarship, private sponsorship or personal funds;
• Be able to demonstrate that their studies will be of benefit to their community upon their return to Australia.

Application process

Please complete an online application form via Aurora Foundation website.

You will need the following documents:

• Your personal statement should address the following:
  • Why you want to study your chosen course, how you identify with the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community in which you live/have lived and past contributions you have made within your community and ways in which understanding your chosen course will benefit the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community (and wider community) following the completion of your course.
• A current curriculum vitae (CV);
• Academic transcripts: official transcripts of your university results (including mid-year if possible);
• Offer letter – offer letter or proof of application to selected institution. This will need to be sent directly to scholarships@aurorafoundation.com.au;
• Confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Descent: through a signed statement, including a common seal.
• Budget;
• A high resolution headshot;
• Four references: 2 Academic and/or Professional, 1 Personal and 1 Community – for more explanation on this please see the “further information” tab via Aurora Foundation website.

Further information

Application documents explained:

• A Confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Descent is a signed statement, including a common seal that is typically administered by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Heritage Association, Corporation or Land Council.
  Aurora understands that the process to obtain a Confirmation of Aboriginality with a common seal is complex, but it is required for your application to the Scholarship, any applications without this document will be marked as incomplete and will not be assessed.

Reference types:

• Academic: academic staff such as Lecturers, Tutors and Course Coordinators – someone who can speak to how you have undertaken your studies. Professional staff members, such as Student Success Officers, will not be accepted.
• Personal: someone who you hold a long-standing relationship with and can speak to your character and aspirations.
• Professional: someone who is/was your reporting manager.
• Community: a recognised Leader or Elder in your community.

Enquiries

For more information, please visit Aurora Foundation website.

E: info@aurorafoundation.com.au

W: www.aurorafoundation.com.au

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