Clermont Aboriginal Community Development Fund (ACDF) Scholarship (Donor-Funded)

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

• Be enrolled or intending to be enrol at CQUniversity in 2024;
• Be enrolled in any VET Cert III, VET Cert IV, VET Diploma, Undergraduate or Postgraduate degrees with a full-time study duration of at least 1 year;
• Be able 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);
• Be enrolled as at Census Date in Term 1, 2024 or the appropriate intakes (VET students);
• Be an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident;
• Not be receiving multiple CQUniversity Scholarships that exceed the annual value of $10,000.

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

"How will a 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 Scholarship 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 requirements, the successful applicant must:

• Maintain a minimum GPA of 4.0 each term (Undergraduate and Postgraduate scholars) or pass/competency achieved (for VET scholars)
• Remain enrolled in the course as at Census date of each term (Undergraduate and Postgraduate scholars) or the appropriate intakes (VET scholars)

Additional information

Students may request a deferral of their scholarship in special circumstances. This request must be made through the Student Scholarships Team and should occur in conjunction with an official Leave of Absence request to the University. If approved, a scholarship may only be deferred for a maximum period of two higher-education terms (excludes Term 3) or two VET intakes. Continuing students must still maintain a minimum GPA of 4.0 / Pass in the term directly before taking a Leave of Absence.

In special circumstances, a student may also make a request to transfer their scholarship to an alternative course of study. This request must be through the Student Scholarships Team and is at the discretion of the scholarship donor.

Public recognition and your involvement

CQUniversity is committed to protecting your privacy. CQUniversity will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the collection, use, disclosure and handling of personal or health information provided by you complies with CQUniversity Information Policy and Procedures and the Information Privacy Act (2009). Visit www.cqu.edu.au/privacy for more information.

As funds for your scholarship have been generously donated, CQUniversity is required to share your name, course/ study area and ongoing eligibility (including academic performance) with the donor of your scholarship. CQUniversity 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 your donor or CQUniversity to promote your name publicly, this can be arranged.

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.

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

The successful applicant is required to enter their current financial institution details (banking details) into MyCQU 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 applicant in Week 6 of Term 1 and Term 2 following post Census Date ongoing eligibility checks.

VET payments will be made in accordance with the month of intake as follows:

• Up to  $3,125 at the commencement of the qualification (on proof of enrolment and attendance).
• Up to  $3,125 on completion of each full semester of study.

Payments will be credited electronically to the student’s nominated bank account.

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

• Documentation demonstrating low personal or family income/ financial need
• Documentation demonstrating academic achievements or unofficial transcript
• Documentation demonstrating community involvement, exemplary work or demonstration of leadership
• Resume
• Confirmation of Identity or 2 x Cultural References + a Statutory Declaration (if relevant to scholarship)

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 the 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 have already have a Student ID number) apply through MyCQU. You will need to log in with your student details.
• For Future students (applicants who have applied or are intending to apply to study at CQUniversity but not yet received or accepted an offer) apply now.

A section 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 recruitment 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 of the Future”. The Vision seeks to achieve equivalent access and outcomes in education, training, employment and economic participation as that enjoyed by the community as a whole, 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.