Be the first to know
Subscribe to receive weekly updates of upcoming events.
Scholarships for Catholics
A guide to scholarships, bursaries and study funds open to Catholic students and families across Australia — from undergraduate and postgraduate awards at Catholic universities and colleges, through research stipends, to teacher scholarships offered by Catholic education authorities and dioceses, and fee support for families in Catholic schools. Every entry links to the institution's own page, where the current criteria, closing dates and application form live. If you know of an award that should be here, please let us know.
Australian Catholic University (ACU)
ACU Equity Scholarship
Undergraduate$1,000 – $2,000 one-off or annual payment · Opens 1 Aug 2026 · closes 5 Feb 2027 (Semester 1)
For domestic undergraduate students who have faced financial hardship — Australian and New Zealand citizens, permanent residents and humanitarian visa holders, commencing or continuing study in any field. Applications are made through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) and then the ACU scholarship portal.
Criteria and application — Australian Catholic University (ACU)
ACU Education (Teacher) Postgraduate Scholarship
Postgraduate$5,000 total value · Opens 12 Oct 2026 · closes 1 Mar 2027 (Semester 1)
For domestic or eligible students commencing a postgraduate Initial Teacher Education or Education degree at ACU, to support tuition and study costs. Apply online through the ACU scholarship portal once applications open.
Criteria and application — Australian Catholic University (ACU)
ACU Stipend Scholarship / Research Training Program (RTP)
ResearchAUD $35,550 per annum stipend (2027) plus a fee offset of about $35,768 per annum · Round 1 in April · Round 2 closes 1 October (for February and July intake)
For domestic and international higher degree research candidates — PhD and MPhil — whose proposed research aligns with ACU's areas of expertise. The package includes a tax-free stipend and a tuition fee offset; international candidates also receive relocation support and Overseas Student Health Cover.
Criteria and application — Australian Catholic University (ACU)
ACU General & Endowed Scholarships
UndergraduateVaries by award · Semester 1: 1 Aug – 1 Mar · Semester 2: 1 Jun – 31 Jul
A large family of named awards funded by Catholic partners — including the St John of God, DOOLEYS and Archdiocese of Brisbane Theology scholarships — across theology, health, nursing and other fields. Criteria vary: some are for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in health degrees, some for postgraduate theology, others for financial hardship. One application enters you for every award you are eligible for.
Criteria and application — Australian Catholic University (ACU)
University of Notre Dame Australia
Notre Dame Opportunity & Opportunity Plus Scholarships
UndergraduateUp to $7,500 ($2,500 a year) · Apply before the semester census date — check the Notre Dame scholarships hub
For Australian citizens and permanent residents enrolled at the Fremantle, Broome or Sydney campuses who face financial or educational disadvantage. The Opportunity Program considers your circumstances as well as your academic record, and offers a pathway into study as well as the scholarship itself.
Criteria and application — University of Notre Dame Australia
Notre Dame Endowed & Parish Scholarships
UndergraduateVaries by award · Typically close Nov–Feb for Semester 1 and May–Jul for Semester 2
Named awards across theology, liturgy, arts, health and law — including the Oblate Fathers' and Russell Hardiman Liturgical scholarships — for commencing or continuing students. Each has its own criteria: academic merit, parish affiliation or a particular degree. The scholarship list sets out every award and its own closing date.
Criteria and application — University of Notre Dame Australia
Campion College Australia
Academic Excellence & Designated Schools Scholarships
Undergraduate$2,000 – $10,000 per year · Automatic — considered with your course or Early Offer application
For full-time undergraduate students in the Bachelor of Arts in the Liberal Arts. Academic Excellence is awarded on results; the Designated Schools scholarship is for graduates of partner Catholic schools. No separate scholarship form — you are assessed when you apply to the College.
Leadership, Fine Arts, Media, Sporting & Indigenous Scholarships
Undergraduate$2,000 – $10,000 per year · Semester 1 2027: apply by 1 Feb 2027 · Semester 2 2027: apply by 5 Jul 2027
For full-time domestic undergraduates who can show achievement in leadership, the fine and performing arts, media, sport, or who are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage. Applications need a written statement and referees. You may apply for several scholarships but can hold only one at a time.
Campion Relocation & Residential Bursaries
Undergraduate$1,500 per semester (Relocation) · $2,000 – $4,000 per year (Residential and Indigenous) · Semester 1 2027: apply by 1 Feb 2027 · Semester 2 2027: apply by 5 Jul 2027
For domestic full-time students in financial need, assessed on tax returns or a Centrelink assessment. The Relocation bursary requires you to be living outside Greater Sydney. These bursaries help with living and study costs rather than tuition alone.
Victorian Catholic Education Authority (VCEA)
VCEA Graduate Secondary Teacher Scholarships
EmploymentFinancial support on employment — confirm the current rate with VCEA · Claim within 15 months of completing your ITE degree
For graduates who commenced a VIT-accredited initial teacher education degree between 2024 and 2026 and then take up employment in a Victorian Catholic secondary or specialist school. The scholarship is claimed against your employment rather than applied for in advance — check the current program details and claim process with VCEA.
Criteria and application — Victorian Catholic Education Authority (VCEA)
Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD)
CSPD Teacher Scholarship Program
Undergraduate$5,000 a year for up to four years, plus a laptop and paid Associate Teacher work · Applications for the 2027 intake are open now
For Year 12 students graduating from a CSPD school in 2026 who will start a Bachelor of Education (Primary or Secondary) at any Australian university in 2027. Alongside the money, scholars get professional development, mentoring, peer support and the chance to work part time as an Associate Teacher while studying, then apply for permanent employment. Preference goes to students specialising in TAS, Religious Education, Mathematics or Science.
Criteria and application — Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD)
The Catholic Foundation, Archdiocese of Brisbane
Mary MacKillop Brisbane Catholic School Access Fund
SchoolPartial or full tuition fees · Rolling — applications through the school principal, assessed each term
For families with children in Brisbane archdiocesan Catholic primary and secondary schools who are facing sudden or severe financial hardship — illness, job loss or family breakdown. Applications are made through your child's school principal, and the fund is administered by The Catholic Foundation.
Criteria and application — The Catholic Foundation, Archdiocese of Brisbane
Australian Women's Canon Law Collaborative
Australian Women's Canon Law Scholarship
PostgraduateA stipend, limited accommodation and approved study costs · Expressions of interest open now · study proposed to begin August–September 2027
A formation pathway, not only a study scholarship: financial support and mentoring for one or more women to complete the Licentiate in Canon Law through Saint Paul University, Ottawa — full time or part time, in Canada, in Australia or a mix of both. Applicants should be Australian citizens or have the right to work in Australia, with the theology prerequisites met (or the capacity to meet them before the start date), and a commitment to serve religious institutions, especially women religious. Experience in governance, ministry, theology, law, education, leadership, Church administration or safeguarding is relevant. A collaborative initiative of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, the Dominican Sisters, the Ursuline Sisters, the Sisters of Mercy (ISMAPNG and Parramatta) and the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart.
Criteria and application — Australian Women's Canon Law Collaborative
Please note: Scholarship values, eligibility and closing dates are set by each institution and can change. Every entry links to the provider's own page, so please confirm the current details there before applying. Inclusion does not constitute endorsement, nor does omission imply any judgement. This directory is maintained by CathEvents for the Association of Ministerial PJPs — if something is missing or out of date, please contact us and we will refresh it.