Good extracurricular activities for scholarships

It’s no secret that receiving a scholarship can make a huge difference to your uni experience. With some UQ scholarships valued at up to $60,000, it’s worth investing some time to research the opportunities out there.

If you’re wondering what the best way to get a scholarship is, achieving a high ATAR or excelling academically is only part of the bigger picture. The assessment for scholarships can often be more holistic.

Extracurricular activities that demonstrate leadership, community service, dedication to creative pursuits, and academic achievement beyond the standard curriculum can improve your chances of scholarship success. If other students possess similar academic merit, having these extra skills and experiences can help you stand out from the crowd.

In this article, we’ll dive into the best extracurricular activities for scholarships across these categories:

• Community service
• Youth programs
• School leadership
• Academic enrichment
• Cultural and creative activities
• Sports and athletics

Community service

Participating in community service shows that you actively give back to society, indicating your maturity and responsibility. This can also help develop essential life skills. After all, part of being an adult is balancing responsibilities to the community with other aspects of your busy day-to-day life.

Community service activities for students

• Volunteering: There are always volunteering opportunities with organisations that could use a helping hand. We recommend getting in touch with local reputable organisations, such as charities, hospitals, food banks and animal shelters.
• Working with charities: Students can help organise charitable events and fundraisers. If you find a cause that resonates with your own values, this will make it easier to stay committed.
• Taking part in environmental conservation programs: Get in touch with your local council to get involved with tree planting, park and public space clean-ups, wildlife conservation, and recycling programs.

Youth programs

Taking part in youth-centred programs demonstrates leadership capabilities, community awareness and commitment. Getting involved with leadership youth programs can also help you build strong networks and show skill-building backed by evidence of your participation in public-facing events and projects.

You’ll also benefit from unique experiences and exposure to professional environments with leaders working through real-world problems.

Examples of youth leadership programs

• Youth Parliament: Programs like YMCA Youth Parliament run in every state/territory, allowing students to serve as "Youth Members" and gain a hands-on understanding of parliamentary processes.
• UN Youth Australia state programs: These programs engage young people in simulated diplomatic activities, conferences and leadership development focusing on global issues, international relations, and public speaking.
• Local council youth programs: Your local council may have opportunities to get involved in creative endeavours, leadership initiatives, and active and healthy programs.
• Duke of Edinburgh Award: This development program challenges young people to set personal goals and achieve them in 4 areas – physical activity, skills development, volunteering, and adventure/expedition.
• Indigenous mentoring programs: Mentoring programs such as the Queensland Indigenous Youth Leadership program provide leadership training, cultural connection, and parliamentary education for young Indigenous Australians.

School leadership

School leadership programs can develop your ability to take initiative, manage responsibilities, coordinate teams and positively influence the school community. These roles are particularly valuable for scholarship applications because they show you can balance leadership duties with academic performance.

Examples of leadership programs in schools

• School Captain or House Captain: These roles represent and lead fellow students, organising events, speaking at assemblies, and coordinating activities while serving as a role model to peers.
• Serve as Prefect: A school prefect is a positive role model that helps maintain school standards and uphold school rules. They help guide and supervise students and assist with school operations and events.
• Join the Student Representative Council: Students on a Student Representative Council act as a voice for their fellow students. They present ideas and concerns to school staff, advocate on behalf of the student body, and help organise events or initiatives that improve the overall student experience at school.
• Student mentoring programs: Experienced students can mentor and support younger students, international students, or those in challenging circumstances.

Academic enrichment

If you’ve got a gift for a particular field of study, you may be able to access an academic enrichment program. These programs demonstrate your passion for a specific subject area and create a distinction from other academically talented scholarship applicants. Participating in academic enrichment programs shows knowledge and ability beyond the required coursework and curriculum, as well as self-discipline and critical thinking.

Academic enrichment program examples

• Taking advanced classes: Academically gifted high school students can take advanced classes, acceleration or extension programs, International Baccalaureate (IB), and university pathway programs (like UQ’s Enhanced Studies Program). These classes will push you beyond the standard curriculum and develop higher-level skills.
• Academic competitions: There’s a plethora of academic competitions across diverse study areas that demonstrate the knowledge and ability of their competitors. You could get involved in competitions such as the Australian Mathematics Competition, Australian Science Olympiads and Tournament of Minds, to name a few.
• Clubs: Being part of a club boosts scholarship success by showing your passion and commitment to a particular area. You'll also meet like-minded peers and increase your networking opportunities. From chess, STEM and robotics to debate, drama and music, there’s bound to be a club that matches your skills and interests.

Cultural and creative activities

Engaging in creative, artistic and cultural activities will showcase your unique talents and dedication to your craft. Creative pursuits indicate that you're well-rounded and can commit time to nurturing passions while balancing academic life. You might like to platform your achievements by creating a portfolio of your work, videos, or recordings of performances. You can also demonstrate your ability to work and collaborate with others on shared creative projects, exhibitions or performances.

Examples of cultural and creative activities

• Music programs: Participating in band, orchestra or school choir shows commitment and teamwork. If you’ve invested significant time in mastering an instrument, taking part in competitions and learning from a qualified music teacher, you can use this as an example of your discipline and dedication.
• Theatre and drama programs: If you’ve got a flair for acting, consider joining your school's drama club and taking part in school theatre productions. Many major theatre companies offer youth programs outside school, such as Queensland Theatre’s Student Pathways Program and La Boite Theatre’s acting classes for young artists. Of course, don’t look past local community theatres for opportunities to be on stage (or backstage) as well.
• Art programs, exhibitions and competitions: If art is your passion, early exposure can boost your chances of scholarship success. Some high schools may have specialist art programs and academies that support and mentor young artists. Emerging artists are encouraged to showcase their work in local government art prizes such as the Queensland Regional Art Awards. There are also opportunities for talented youth artists, with some major galleries offering residency programs and awards, such as QAGOMA’s Creative Generation program.
• Creative writing activities: Storytellers can participate in many programs to hone their skills. At school, you can get involved in writers' clubs and contribute to school publications such as magazines and newsletters. Some schools may offer English and Literature extension programs that partner with associated organisations and experiences. You could also submit stories for recognition in writing competitions such as Queensland Writers Centre’s Youth Writing Competition and Somerset National Schools writing competitions.

Sports and athletics

This is the OG of extracurricular activities that look good for university. Students who play sports are often considered highly by scholarship committees. Athletes are valued for qualities such as leadership, discipline, teamwork and time management. If you're exceptionally driven and demonstrate competitive ability, this may also open athletic scholarship opportunities for you as a student-athlete.

Examples of sports extracurricular activities

• School-based sports: Most high schools have various sports teams competing at different levels. Sporting programs can be held within the school and as part of interschool sports programs (structured sporting competitions between schools). If you've got exceptional athletic abilities, you may get selected to go on to regional trials and be chosen to represent the region at state championships.
• Club sports: Playing a club sport shows dedication beyond school sports. Competitive club sports can lead to regional, state, or national achievements. Networking opportunities may increase as some universities partner with club teams for development programs. Additionally, coaches looking for talent often scout club teams more than high school teams.
• Outdoor and adventure activities: Outdoor and adventure sports like rock climbing, skateboarding, surfing and mountain biking can enhance scholarship success in unique ways. Many of these sports offer state and national competitions that can lead to competing internationally. More and more are emerging as officially recognised sports, with skateboarding now an Olympic sport. This means there are enhanced governing bodies, funding and support for getting involved in these alternative sports.

Final thoughts

These are our top suggestions for extracurricular activities that may enhance scholarship success. While there are many things listed here, note what they all have in common: they allow you to demonstrate your leadership capabilities, talents and commitment.

When it comes to what to say in a scholarship application, expressing sustained, high-level commitment to an extracurricular activity is much more impactful than doing many things occasionally or as one-offs. The committee wants to see a record of your growth, achievements and recognition for your extracurricular activities.