CQUniCares Clermont Aboriginal Community Development Fund (ACDF) Scholarship

To be eligible to receive the CQUniCares Clermont Aboriginal Community Development Fund (ACDF) Scholarship, an applicant must meet the following criteria:

• Be enrolled at CQUniversity in a February or March 2025 Vocational Education and Training (VET) intake at the time of Census date in any VET Certificate III, Certificate IV or Diploma or in Term 1, 2025 Census date in any Undergraduate or Postgraduate degrees;
• Identify as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person connected to the Clermont Belyando Area Native Title Claim Group and provide Confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Identity or Cultural Reference documents as detailed under the Supporting Documentation section.
• Be enrolled with a minimum term study load of 12 credit points or more at Census date of Term 1, 2025 (higher education students)* or the February or March 2025 intakes (VET students);
• Not currently in receipt of a CQUniversity Scholarship/Sponsorship or a Scholarship/Sponsorship where payments are administered by CQUniversity. 

*If you are unable to enrol into the required credit points due to pre-requisites, unit availability or placement commitments and are therefore prevented from meeting the credit point eligibility criteria of the scholarship, please advise the Student Scholarships team by emailing studentscholarships@cqu.edu.au and your eligibility will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants will be assessed on the application and a written submission of no more than 500 words addressing the following:

"How will a CQUniCares Clermont Aboriginal Community Development Fund (ACDF) Scholarship assist with your studies?"

• Tell us about yourself:
  • Name/ course/ interests
  • You may wish to also share your current situation, challenges you have experienced or overcome, as well as any examples of success, leadership, community, or volunteering.
• How will a scholarship help you to overcome financial barriers to success?
  • You may wish to further explain your current situation and how a scholarship will assist you in managing general living and study expenses.
• What are your career goals and how will a scholarship assist you in achieving your educational objectives?
  • You may wish to outline your aspirations following graduation, as well as your plans for giving back and supporting our regions.  

Expectations of recipients

As a scholarship recipient, you may be asked to participate in a feedback survey. You may also be approached to assist with promoting CQUniversity’s Scholarships program by sharing your experiences as a recipient through testimonials, media or invitations to attend events such as Orientation or Open Days. If you do not wish to be publicly recognised or be involved in the above initiatives, please advise the Philanthropy team via ourpartners@cqu.edu.au immediately following acceptance.

CQUniversity has a range of support services located on our website Student Support Services and Financial Preparedness.

Ongoing eligibility requirements

In addition to the eligibility criteria, any Higher Education successful applicant must:

• Maintain satisfactory academic progress;
• Remain enrolled in the course as at Census date of Term 1 and Term 2 with a minimum study load of 12 credit points.

In addition to the eligibility criteria, any VET successful applicant must: 

• Pass all previous units
• Remain enrolled in at least one additional unit at the time of Census date and minimum three months after the first payment and following ongoing eligibility checks.

If you are unable to enrol into the required credit points due to pre-requisites, unit availability or placement commitments and are therefore prevented from meeting the credit point eligibility criteria of the scholarship, please advise the Student Scholarships team by emailing studentscholarships@cqu.edu.au and your eligibility will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Please note that failure to meet the continuing eligibility criteria may result in the scholarship being withdrawn. 

Additional information

A scholarship may be deferred for a maximum period of two higher-education terms (excludes Term 3) or two VET intakes. 

Sharing details with the Donor of your Scholarship

Personal information is collected, stored, used, and disclosed by CQUniversity to process your scholarship.  As funds for your scholarship have been generously donated, the University is required to share your name, course/study area and ongoing eligibility (including academic performance) with the donor of your scholarship.  The University may also share your student email address and your nominated phone number, if requested by your scholarship donor, for the purpose of enabling their representatives to contact you regarding your scholarship. Donors may wish to celebrate their recipients, however if you do not wish for your donor or the University to promote your name publicly, this can be arranged by contacting the Philanthropy team via ourpartners@cqu.edu.au. 

Information collected can be disclosed without consent when required by law.  Any other provision of personal information will be authorised in accordance with the University’s Privacy Policy and Procedure, and in accordance with the Information Privacy Act 2009 (Qld), and the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). Visit Privacy for more information. 

Thanking your Donor

Many of our scholarships are made possible by generous donations from community partners who are committed to supporting CQUniversity students to reach their academic goals. Our donors are always keen to hear how their support is making a difference. You are strongly encouraged to submit a letter of thanks (Word/PDF) or short video to ourpartners@cqu.edu.au to express your appreciation. To help you get started, we recommend providing a brief overview of who you are, what you are studying and your career aspirations, as well as some insight into how your scholarship will benefit you. 

Payment of scholarship

HED Students: 

The successful applicant is required to enter their current financial institution details (banking details) into MyCQU (refer to instructions) for payment to occur. This must be done prior to Census date to avoid delays.

Undergraduate and Postgraduate payments are based on term study loads as follows: 

• Up to $3,125/term for study load of 12 credit points 
• Up to $6,250/term for study load of 18 credit points or more

Payment will be made to the successful recipient by week 6 of term following post Census date eligibility checks. 

VET Students: 

The successful applicant is required to enter their current financial institution details (banking details) into MyCQU (refer to instructions) for payment to occur. This must be done prior to the enrolled VET intake Census date to avoid delays.

The first payment of $3,125 will be made to the successful recipient following post Census date eligibility checks of their first enrolment intake. The second payment of $3,125 will be made following ongoing eligibility checks and minimum of three months after receiving their first payment.

Payment will be made to the successful recipient the month after the relevant VET intake Census date (refer to TAFE Academic Calendar). For example, if enrolled in the April intake, payment will be made in May.

Payments will be credited electronically to the successful applicant’s nominated bank account. Requests for an early payment will not be considered. 

*Disclaimer - Students may be required to provide further documentation to support their application. This can include the following:

• Documentation demonstrating academic achievements or unofficial transcript.
• Confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Identity or Cultural Reference documents as per the CQUniversity Confirmation of Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander Identity Protocol (Section 3.5 ‘Acceptable documentation’):
  • a) Certified copies of the applicant’s Confirmation of Identity documents. A Confirmation of Identity document is usually provided by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community organisation. The documentation names the individual and confirms they are a recognised member of a specified Indigenous Australian community
  • b) Native Title documentation issued by a Prescribed Body Corporate which specifically names the applicant or provides other formal evidence of ancestral or familial ties, or
  • c) In the absence of (a) or (b), an original Statutory Declaration signed by the applicant, accompanied by two supporting documents of verification from a recognised cultural consultant/referee.

Applicants will need to provide evidence that they belong to the Clermont Belyando Area Native Title Claim Group (formerly known as the Wangan and Jagalingou Traditional Owner Group) and/ or is an Aboriginal person who has resided within the area of the Clermont Belyando Area Native Title Claim for more than one year (approximate postcode ranges: 4721, 4723, 4724, 4728).

All requests for further information to support applications will be sent to the student email account. Failure to supply further information will deem the application incomplete and will not be considered.

To apply for a CQUniCares Clermont Aboriginal Community Development Fund (ACDF) Scholarship:

Complete a Donor-Funded Scholarship Online Application Form, ensuring all supporting documentation is completed and attached as outlined here:

• For Current students (applicants who already have a Student ID number) apply through MyCQU.
• For Future students (applicants who have applied or are intending to apply to study at CQUniversity but have not yet received or accepted an offer) apply now.

Applicants are required to provide a 500-word personal statement addressing the following question:

How would a CQUniCares Clermont Aboriginal Community Development Fund (ACDF) Scholarship assist with your studies?

Complete applications must be received by 10 am AEST on the closing date.

A selection panel, consisting of representatives from CQUniversity, the Clermont Belyando Area Native Title Claim Group and Glencore will be formed to determine the successful applicant. The selection process may involve an interview (either face-to-face or online). 

Scholarships at CQUniversity are highly competitive. All applications are ranked based on how well applicants address the selection criteria, and in comparison, to other applicants. Being eligible or being a recipient in the past is no guarantee of having a successful application. A scholarship will only be offered where there is an applicant of sufficient merit.

The Student Scholarships team are unable to provide updates to students on the progress of their individual application until all assessments are completed.

Glencore and representatives of the Clermont Belyando Area Native Title Group (formerly Wangan and Jagalingou) ensure the Clermont Aboriginal Community Development Fund is used in the most effective way to assist the Aboriginal Community of Interest achieve their “Vision and Future”. The Vision seeks to achieve equivalent access and outcomes in education, training, employment, and economic participation as that enjoyed by the community, as well as retaining the unique heritage and traditions of the Clermont Belyando People. Visit the Clermont Aboriginal Community Development Fund website for more information.