Discover how rural and regional scholarships could pave your pathway to higher education at The University of Queensland.
When you grow up in a small town or rural area, going to university can feel like a pipedream. Sure, moving away from home and adjusting to city life can be just as exciting as it is intimidating. But it’s often the expenses that make coming to uni seem impossible for students in regional and remote areas.
At UQ, we know some of the country’s brightest young minds live in, well, the country. And we believe a world-class education should be available to everyone – not just city kids.
This is why we encourage relevant students to apply for rural and regional scholarships (particularly through the Rural and Regional Enterprise Scholarships Program). These can help cover the costs of moving a long distance, finding a home in Brisbane and studying at one of Australia’s best universities. A scholarship can alleviate your financial stress, so you can truly focus on your studies and live your best uni life.
Whether you want to pursue a professional or academic career in the city, or take your learnings back home, UQ gives you the support to soar.
Our Gatton campus in particular prepares students to return to their rural communities and make a positive impact.
Rural and regional scholarships available
Students enrolling at UQ can apply for one of the Australian Government’s Rural and Regional Enterprise Scholarships (RRES). These can be applied to any study area and any study level from Certificate IV to PhD.
The maximum amount for these rural and regional scholarships is $18,000, which can be awarded to a full-time student studying a 4-year qualification. Part-time students and shorter programs are awarded on a pro rata basis.
These rural and regional scholarships can also include an additional $500 to assist you with completing an internship.
You don’t necessarily need to join us in person to receive this scholarship either – though we’d love to meet you in person and for you to make yourself at home on our beautiful campus. Rural and Regional Enterprise Scholarships can help you study online or via distance education for applicable programs.
You can learn more about these scholarships and how to apply on the QTAC website.
In addition to this, Tertiary Access Payments are available to help regional and remote students cover the costs of moving to Brisbane for study ($3000 for inner regional, $5000 for outer regional and remote, undergraduate only). These payments can also go towards your living and study costs, such as groceries and textbooks.
Other rural scholarships at UQ
The RRES program above is the primary support available to regional students coming to UQ. However, this isn’t the only assistance potentially available to you.
One of our rural scholarships is named after our Warwick Solar Farm.
Some areas of study at UQ offer specific scholarships for students in rural and remote locations. For example:
- The Destination Australia Scholarship (Domestic Students) helps rural students study agriculture and the environment at our Gatton campus ($15,000 per year, all study levels).
- The UQ Commonwealth Regional Journalism Scholarship provides support to students from regional or remote areas to study a Bachelor of Journalism or Bachelor of Journalism (Honours) (up to $29,960, undergraduate only).
- The Business School Master of Business Analytics Rural and Regional Scholarship supports professionals to explore using data to enrich their careers in business ($5000, postgraduate only).
Don’t let distance or expenses stop you from soaring. Get inspired by discovering how Nathan Sagigi’s scholarship helped him make the move from boarding school in Cairns to studying at UQ in Brisbane.
