Gerard Driesen Scholarship for VE Indigenous Students

This scholarship provides:

• Full-time enrolled: $10,000 per year ($5,000 per semester) for up to two years
• Part-time enrolled: $5,000 per year ($2,500 per semester) for up to four years

The duration of the scholarship may include a sequence where you articulate/pathway in the same discipline, e.g. from certificate IV to a diploma, advanced diploma, associate degree or bachelor's degree. 

One scholarship available.

To be eligible for this scholarship you must:

• identify as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
• be an Australian citizen
• be enrolling in semester 2 2024 in a certificate IV, diploma or advanced diploma
• be enrolled in a program with a duration of at least one semester
• be able to demonstrate circumstance/s which impact your ability to study such as:
  • receiving a government tested low income benefit or having a Centrelink Health Care Card
  • living with a disability, long-term medical condition or identify as neurodiverse
  • experiencing personal/family/social difficulties 
  • be from an interstate or rural/regional area and moving/moved to Melbourne to study at RMIT 
  • have previously/are currently living in foster/kinship care or are a ward of the state 
  • be from an under-represented background such as completed secondary school at a School Network Access Program school 

Preference will be given to applicants enrolling in creative studies such as design, visual arts, custom-made footwear, photography, screenwriting. 

The online application form will be made available here when applications open. 

Supporting documentation

Depending on your circumstances, you will need to provide different types of evidence and material to support your scholarship application. Applications without supporting documents will not be considered.

• You will need to confirm your Indigenous eligibility with RMIT’s Ngarara Willim Centre prior to the application close date

Please visit Supporting Your Application for more information.

Find out more about applying for scholarships.

Applications are now closed.

It is anticipated that this scholarship will next be offered for Semester 1, 2026, with applications opening August 2025.

Applications are now closed. 

View the Coursework Scholarships Office’s terms and conditions (PDF, 698KB).

Successful recipients are paid this scholarship as a stipend (fortnightly payments) and not as a lump sum. It is impractical to expect to use this scholarship to pay tuition fees.

Find out how to contact the Coursework Scholarships Office.