Destination Australia scholarships to boost regional campuses

More than $23 million in scholarships will be awarded to help 551 students at 87 regional campuses undertake tertiary education opportunities over the next four years.

Assistant Minister for Education and Regional Development, Anthony Chisholm said each student would receive $15,000 for each year of study through round five of the Australian Government’s Destination Australia scholarship program.

“These scholarships provide students in regional Australia with the opportunity to complete a tertiary education and set up their careers while also helping their families, friends and communities in the process,” Assistant Minister Chisholm said.

“This program also plays an important role in easing the skills shortages we’re facing in non-metropolitan areas with Destination Australia prioritising students whose courses align with the Australian Government’s Skills Priority List.”

The program has been running since 2020 with more than 2,300 scholarships being awarded.

Past Destination Australia scholarship recipients include Pearl Dunn who won this year’s Victorian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year Award. Ms Dunn used the scholarship to study a Diploma of Nursing at SuniTAFE in regional Victoria and is now making the most of her rewarding career. 

“My journey has been a positive story for my family and my community” Ms Dunn said. “I love my job. It is very rewarding to help people on their health journey.”

The program also opened doors for paramedic Corey Gibson to undertake a Doctorate of Medicine with the University of Sydney in his hometown of Dubbo in Central West New South Wales.

“The Destination Australia program allows me to pursue my interest in rural healthcare where workforce shortages are a concern,” Mr Gibson said. “The scholarship gives me the opportunity to study while also supporting my family and meeting financial commitments without having to move to Sydney.”

Indian student Samee Aman is another scholarship recipient who is using the support to complete a Bachelor of Social Work at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia.

“This scholarship will really help me with my education,” he said. “I aspire to do honours at the end of it and graduate with very good marks and go back to India and work in the field of social work.”

Assistant Minister Chisholm said these examples underline the importance of the Destination Australia program, both to students and to regional communities.

“This initiative contributes to the growth of education in regional and remote Australia, while also offering students the opportunity to experience a great lifestyle in a regional community and giving those towns a share in the social, cultural and economic benefits that international students bring.”

The full breakdown of scholarships per institution can be viewed on the Department of Education’s website here.

ENDS