Financial Assistance
Public Education Foundation Scholarships
Applications for Public Education Foundation Scholarships close on the 19th September 2025
| SCHOLARSHIP | SCHOOL YEAR | OVERVIEW | STATUS |
| 11-12 | Supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in NSW public schools during Years 11 and 12 to help them complete their senior secondary education. It provides funding for essential educational resources and encourages students to pursue further study or vocational training after school. | Open 2 June | |
| PEF National Secondary Scholarship | 10-12 | Provides financial support to high school students in Years 10 to 12 who are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, refugees, or experiencing financial hardship. Open to students in Australian public schools, the scholarship helps cover school-related expenses and supports students to stay engaged in education and pursue further study. | Open 2 June |
| Rural and Remote Indigenous Secondary Scholarship | 11-12 | Provides financial support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in rural or remote public schools as they complete Years 11 and 12. It helps cover educational costs and encourages students to stay engaged in school, pursue their goals, and maintain strong connections with their communities. | Open 2 June |
| Una May Smith Scholarship | 6-12 | Supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in NSW public schools from Kindergarten to Year 11, with funding to help cover education-related expenses. Named in honour of educator Una May Smith, the scholarship aims to empower students to complete their schooling and pursue further study or training. | Open 2 June |
| Unions NSW Jeff Shaw Memorial Scholarship | 12 | Provides financial support Year 12 students in NSW public schools who are studying subjects like Economics, Business Studies, Legal Studies or Modern History. The scholarship recognises students who embody the values of the union movement and need support to reach their academic and career potential. |
Open 2 June |
| VET in Schools Scholarship | 9-11 | Provides financial support to students in Years 9-11 who are pursuing vocational education through their public high school. The scholarship helps students experiencing financial hardship to continue VET studies at school and beyond, with funding available for education-related costs including tools, technology, and work placements. |
Open 2 June |
| Waratah Education Foundation Secondary Transition Scholarship | 7-8 | Supports students in Years 7 and 8, attending NSW public schools who are facing financial disadvantage. The scholarship includes two years of support to help with school expenses – and a refurbished laptop – to ensure a strong start to high school. | Open 2 June |
Subject to various criteria, parents may obtain financial assistance through a variety of government and non-government sources which
provide funding or scholarships, including the following.
| FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TYPE | DETAILS |
| Scholarships & Allowances for Rural Students |
NSW Dept of Education site providing information about LAFHA, BSIS, AIC (also listed below) |
| Abstudy |
A group of payments for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students or apprentices. |
| Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) |
A group of payments for parents and carers of children who can't go to a local state school. This could be because of geographical isolation, disability or special needs. To get this, your child must meet living, age and study requirements and either is geographically isolated, has a disability or special education need or has no reasonable access to a government school. |
| Boarding Scholarships for Isolated Students (BSIS) |
Boarding Scholarships for Isolated Students (BSIS) provide assistance to eligible students who are disadvantaged by a low family income
and geographic isolation. Scholarships are available to students in Years 7 – 12 who need to board to attend NSW public specialist
high schools including agricultural boarding schools. For 2025; Early Round Applications close - Wednesday 13 November 2024 (Term 4, Week 5) |
| Bush Children's Education Foundation of NSW | BCEF bursaries are structured to bridge the gap between the cost of rural boarding and funding received through NSW and Commonwealth Government allowances. These include Assistance for Isolated Children, Living Away From Home Allowance, Assistance for Isolated Students, Youth Allowance and Boarding Scholarship for Isolated Students. |
| Connellan Airways Trust - General Grants |
Connellan Airways Trust General Grants are designed to support improved social and economic outcomes for people of Outback Australia.
General Grants enable successful applicants to access opportunities for increased education, health or wellbeing, improve social and
economic outcomes by expanding skills, increasing remote livability and reducing isolation. Locations categorised as very remote or remote are eligible to apply. Outer regional locations may also be considered. To see if your residential address fits the location criteria, please refer to this Eligibility Guide. |
| Isolated Children's Parents' Association (ICPA) | ICPA is a voluntary, non-profit, apolitical parent body dedicated to ensuring all geographically isolated children’s educational needs and aspirations are not disadvantaged because of where they live. |
| Living Away From Home Allowance (LAFHA) |
The Living Away from Home Allowance (LAFHA) provides assistance to eligible NSW families whose children have to board away from home to access secondary education. Eligibility relates to family income & distance from a secondary school (public or preferred religion). Other circumstances taken into consideration include medical conditions, impassable roads, inability to provide adequate supervision outside school hours and a change of residence when the student is in Year 12. |
|
Smith Family Saver Plus |
Saver Plus is a free financial education program for people on lower incomes. Saver Plus helps people to develop life-long savings habits with up to $500 in matched savings for education costs for you or your children |
| School Drive Subsidy |
The School Drive Subsidy is administered by Transport for NSW and is available to NSW residents in areas where there is no public transport, to drive an eligible student all or part of the way to school. The subsidy is only intended to partly offset the cost of using a private vehicle to drive the eligible student and is not intended to cover all costs. |
|
Youth
Allowance |
A payment if you're up to 24 years old and studying or doing an apprenticeship. |
| Farrer School Foundation Scholarships |
From time-to-time Scholarships may be available through the school's registered charity, the Farrer School Foundation Inc. When available, applications will be accessible via the Foundations website and promoted throughout the region. Recipients of scholarships, bursaries or prizes will be determined by members of the Farrer School Foundation Management Committee and may include Indigenous students, students from socially or financially disadvantaged backgrounds and those aspiring to achieve excellence in their chosen areas of study. |
| 2023 ICPA Financial Assistance Guide | This guide, currently showing 2023 rates, is produced by the Isolated Children's Parent's Association of NSW who have kindly granted permission for Farrer to publish it on our website. |
