Bursary for Indigenous Psychology Students

Many students experience difficulty with the costs of living and studying. This bursary aims to assist students who experience financial difficulty arising from having limited income (e.g. reliance on Centrelink benefits, caring for others, high medical costs, etc).

Bursary value

The bursary has a value of $750 for the purchase through the USQ Bookshop of prescribed textbooks, stationery or equipment for use in connection with the student's program. This Bursary will be paid after the last date to drop Semester One courses.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

be of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent_¹
enrol in the Bachelor of Sciences (Psychology), Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), or Bachelor of Sciences (Honours) in Psychology, Graduate Diploma of Psychological Studies at USQ
be enrolled on-campus at USQ Toowoomba, Springfield or Fraser Coast, or externally by distance education in Semester 2 2009.

¹Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants must substantiate his/her Aboriginality. An applicant who is a recipient of ABSTUDY, or who is a registered Aboriginal Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ATAS) student is eligible to apply. Alternatively, substantiation can be provided by submitting a certification of Aboriginality in the form of a statutory declaration, or in the form of an official letter from either:

the Centre for Australian Indigenous Knowledges at USQ, based on previous documentation on file
an official representative of the Torres Strait Islands Regional Authority (TSIRA), or The Board or Committee of an incorporated Torres Strait Islander community organisation.

Selection criteria

Evidence of sustained commitment to, and achievement in, academic studies.
Evidence of sustained participation in, and commitment to, community and social service activities.
Evidence of understanding of, and enthusiasm for, psychology as a profession.
Demonstrated commitment to ongoing personal and professional learning.
Meet the eligibility requirements for this bursary

Conditions

The allocation will be available for the purchase of prescribed textbooks, stationery and appropriate equipment, including second-hand goods, in accordance with USQ purchasing regulations. There will be no cash allocation.
The bursary will be forfeited if:
- the recipient fails any courses in the program
- the recipient cancels their enrolment in the program
- the recipient changes their program of study to a degree program offered by another Faculty.
The decision of the selection panel is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
The bursary is not transferable to other students in any circumstances.

Applications

To ensure the selection criteria are met applicants must:

state their reasons for wishing to pursue a career in psychology (one-page typed statement or equivalent)
provide details of involvement in professional/community organisations relevant to their development as an individual
provide any other information considered relevant.

Complete the USQ Scholarship Application Form (PDF 502 KB) and forward it to the Scholarships Officer, Student Services, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba QLD 4350.

Applications close Friday 30 October 2009.