University home page Faculty of VCA and MCM

 

Frequently asked questions

How do I apply for a Scholarship or Award through the University of Melbourne?
There are a number of scholarships on offer at a university level. These include merit and equity scholarships at undergraduate and graduate level. To find out more about these scholarships, you can visit the University of Melbourne Scholarships website.

Faculty of VCA and MCM scholarships and awards are available to current students and alumni (former students). Once you are accepted into your course and have enrolled in a program, there are a variety of scholarships and awards which you are eligible to apply for.

Are there any scholarships I can apply for through VTAC?
VTAC (Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre) offer several scholarship opportunities through the VTAC application process including the SEAS (Special Entry Access Scheme) program. Please read all the information on the VTAC website thoroughly to ensure you apply for any scholarships you are eligible for.

Access Melbourne Scholarships
Access Melbourne is the University of Melbourne's combined Special Entry and Access scholarships scheme for students from educationally, financially or socially disadvantaged backgrounds. It provides applicants with the opportunity to explain the on-going circumstances that have affected their chance of gaining a place at the University of Melbourne, and allow them to be considered for a place even if they have not achieved the Guaranteed Entry standard. All Access Melbourne applicants will also be considered for a Melbourne Access Scholarship - more information can be found on the Access Melbourne website.

What sort of scholarships may be available to me?
There are a range of scholarships, fee remissions, prizes, bursaries and awards available to undergraduate students, graduate students and alumni of the Faculty. Some are specific to an artistic discipline or area of study, while others are available Faculty-wide. Scholarships may be awarded on the basis of merit, financial need, results or through a competitive application process.

How will I find out what scholarships are available?
Scholarships will be advertised in a variety of ways:

  • on the VCAM website, under Currently available scholarships.
  •  you will be emailed through your unimelb email of scholarships that are available.
  • staff members in your discipline will be advised of scholarships for which you are eligible, and will encourage you to apply
  • you will be sent a message through the Student Portal


What are the selection committee or Head of School looking for from my application?
The adjudicators are looking for applicants who, firstly, fill all the eligibility and criteria requirements. Applications should be well written and considered – short applications that are succinct and to the point are generally preferred to a long-winded ramble. Consider addressing:

  • your current position, whether academically, artistically or financially
  • how you envisage the scholarship will help you in these areas, should you be chosen. It may, for example:
  • help with your living costs;
  • plans to further your studies;
  • access to course materials, software, equipment or instruments; or
  • fund a specific project you have in mind.

Student’s conduct and results will also be assessed, and year level coordinators and tutors may be consulted as to their opinions of applications. In generally, consistently performing students with above average grades are the preferred candidates for any VCAM scholarship, however, this will depend on the eligibility and criteria requirements.

I don’t know if I’m eligible for a specific scholarship.

Applicant eligibility will be outlined in the ‘Overview’ section for each scholarship. Eligibility may include year level, course of study, gender, citizenship, or qualification of need. If you are unsure, please contact the Trusts and Scholarship Coordinator, Eva Stephenson-Hargitay, at evesh@unimelb.edu.au or on 9035 9044.

I have just submitted my application – what happens next?
Once applications have closed (the date is available on the Overview section for each scholarship), all submissions will be processed by the Trusts and Scholarships Coordinator. Once this is done, all applicants will be sent an email to the address they included in their application to confirm receipt. Depending on the number of applications received and the number of scholarships that were open for application, this email might take between 1 and 3 weeks.

If there is a shortlisting process, those who don’t not proceed to the next round of adjudication will be emailed advice that their application was unsuccessful.

Applications will then be sent to either a selection committee or the relevant members of staff for evaluation. Once a recipient has been nominated the selection committee or staff members, the Dean will be advised and will be asked to approve the nomination. The Dean holds the final say in all VCAM scholarship awards, and can decline to make the award to the nominee.

If the Dean approves the nomination, the recipient will be sent an official letter from the Dean’s office to advise of the scholarship’s award and the final amount awarded. The Trusts and Scholarships Coordinator may be in further contact to confirm payment details.

All other applicants will be advised that their submission was unsuccessful.

I’ve been advised that I am to attend the short-listed applicant interviews with the panel. What do I need to do?
How to approach an interview with a panel will differ depending on the criteria of the scholarship, and your discipline. Always consider the eligibility and assessment criteria outlined in the Overview section of the scholarship website (the Invergowrie, the Kate Flowers or the Jim Marks are good examples of panels looking for specific attributes) as a guideline of expectations.

If the panel is internal (i.e. composed of staff members you’ll already likely know), the interview is a good opportunity to outline your plans for your career and artistic future, where you might like to travel, who you admire in your field, and what you still want to learn. You may also benefit from talking about your outside interests and how they contribute, reinforce or contrast your practice. A folio or examples of work may be beneficial to show to the panel.

If the panel is external (i.e. from an outside Foundation or composed of the donor or relatives of the donor), remember that panel members know nothing about you other than what they’ve read in your applications. Be prepared to discuss a range of things, such as where you have come from, how you came to your practice, how you’re enjoying your tertiary experience, and your career aspirations. The panel may also be interested to understand how the scholarship will benefit you in the coming year, and in the longer term. Again, a folio or examples of work may be beneficial to show to the panel.

I have been awarded a scholarship and was asked to submit a letter of thanks. What do I write, and to whom do I address the letter?
You will be sent a template for writing letters of thanks by the Trusts and Scholarships Coordinator when you’re awarded the scholarship. If you are unsure of the name of the donor, please contact the Trusts and Scholarship Coordinator, Eva Stephenson-Hargitay, at evesh@unimelb.edu.au or on 9035 9044.

As a scholarship recipient, do I have any further obligations?
This will depend on the scholarship you were awarded. The terms and conditions you were asked to sign outline the responsibilities of the chosen scholar, conduct expectations and promotion and acknowledgement conditions. Some scholarships have additional requirements included in their regulations – some examples include:

  • a progress report to trustees or donors to trigger the second instalment of payments
  • that the recipient organise a fundraising concert in their home district to raise funds for the scholarship
  • that academic progress be taken into consideration where continuance is a component of the scholarship

Where the award or trust has been donated by patrons who are still alive, we request the scholarship recipient write a letter of thanks, which will be passed on to the donors, and that the Trusts and Scholarships Coordinator is advised of any recitals, screenings, exhibitions or performances appropriate for the donor, so that an invitation can be extended on your behalf.

If you have been awarded a scholarship based on a project proposal, an update of progress for the donor is always appreciated.