Financial Assistance

Financial Assistance

Students from all backgrounds have the chance to be part of the St Mark’s community.

 

Financial assistance options include scholarships, grants, prizes and bursaries to a total value of over $500,000 for new and existing students at the College each year.

St Mark’s College seeks to encourage the pursuit of academic excellence, the development of good character and a commitment to service in all its students, and to ensure that, as far as possible, financial need is not a barrier to gaining the benefits of an all-round collegiate education at St Mark’s.

A generous financial assistance program recognises excellence in all its forms with over $500,000 available each year to distribute to students through scholarships, grants, prizes and bursaries.

Through the generosity of benefactors, usually more than 50 per cent of St Mark’s students receive some form of financial assistance to help them attend or continue at the College.

Applicants are encouraged to discuss their need for financial assistance with staff on application.

Scholarships, Grants, Prizes & Bursaries

Criteria for awards vary. In general, awards are ordinarily made to new and returning students on the basis of academic excellence, financial need, and service to the College and the wider community.

Any student who would like to attend St Mark’s but think they cannot afford the fees is invited to discuss their options with the College.

Application Process

The 2024 new student scholarship round is now open and closes at 9am on Tuesday 16 January 2024.

All new students are welcome to apply for scholarships in the new student scholarship round, including students commencing mid-year.

To apply for a scholarship in the new student scholarship round, please complete the application form and provide supporting documents. Only one form is required per applicant – the scholarship panel will review your application and consider you for all scholarships and bursaries for which you may be eligible.

If eligible you may also choose to apply for the A. Simpson & Sons Scholarship or the Robin Ashwin Scholarship, which have additional application requirements. Details on how to apply are provided in the new student scholarship application form below (please note that these scholarships have an earlier application deadline, closing at 9am on Tuesday 19 December 2023). Interviews for the Simpson and Ashwin Scholarships will be held in January 2024.

Students starting College in Semester 2 who require financial assistance should contact the College directly.

The 2024 new student application form is available here.

The full list of Scholarships, Prizes and Bursaries can be found here.

Answers to some Frequently Asked Questions can be found here.

A. Simpson & Sons Scholarship

The A. Simpson & Sons Scholarship was created in 2022 through a generous endowment by Mr Antony Simpson, Honorary Fellow of the College and Governor of the St Mark's College Foundation.

The Scholarship is awarded annually by the College on the basis of excellence in intellect, character, leadership, and service, and to give the recipient(s) of the Scholarship the opportunity to attend the College. The following factors are taken into account in the selection of Simpson Scholars:

• Assessment of excellence in intellect, which will include consideration of academic potential and motivation (as well as achievement to date) and be open to “late bloomers”.
• Assessment of excellence in character, as reflected in behaviour and motivation, which will include an expectation that the Scholar will show thoughtfulness to others, including an aptitude for bringing others together for the benefit of all, a consistent work ethic, and character in the face of adversity.
• Assessment of excellence in leadership, which will include an expectation that the Scholar will contribute to their community, be it within their school or the College or the community generally.
• Assessment of excellence in leadership will also include consideration of the extent to which candidates for the Scholarship are innovative and show an ability to think outside established precedents.
• Assessment of excellence in service.
• In the awarding of the Scholarship, no particular regard is to be paid to sporting achievement, contribution or ability.
• Assessment of the Scholar’s financial circumstances such that, without the benefit of the Scholarship, the applicant would be unable to attend the College.

Where there is more than one excellent candidate based on the above criteria, the award may be shared by up to two Scholars. In 2024 an award or awards totaling up to $10,000 may be made if suitable candidates are selected. In determining the monetary value of the award, the College will take into account the degree of financial need of the Scholar/s.

The A. Simpson & Sons Scholarship is open both to new and to returning students of the College, regardless of gender, and to students studying in any discipline.

It is awarded for a single year (subject to the Scholar remaining in residence for that year) and may be awarded to an individual more than once, on the basis of the selection criteria set out above.

The names of the A. Simpson & Sons Scholars are recorded on an honour board in the Junior Common Room.

Applications for the 2024 A. Simpson & Sons Scholarship close at 9am on Tuesday 19 December 2023, and must directly address the selection criteria listed above. Details on how to apply are provided in the new and returning student scholarship application forms. Interviews for the A. Simpson & Sons Scholarship will be held in January 2024.

Robin Ashwin Scholarship

The Robin Ashwin Scholarship is for an excellent student whose studies have a strong international focus, and who is in financial need. The strong international focus could be, but does not need to be, in the study of international relations or international politics; it could be in any relevant field or fields of study, such as, for example, health, economics, history, law, or other fields.

The Scholarship was created in 2020 through the generosity of the family of the late Charles Robin Ashwin (1930-2019), former Master of the College (1991-99). It is intended for the Scholarship (which may be shared) to be awarded each year in which there is a suitable recipient. The Robin Ashwin Scholarship is open both to new and to returning students of the College, regardless of gender.

Applications for the 2024 Robin Ashwin Scholarship close at 9am on Tuesday 19 December 2023, and must directly address the selection criteria listed above. Details on how to apply are provided in the new and returning student scholarship application forms. Interviews for the Robin Ashwin Scholarship will be held in January 2024.

C.A.S. Hawker Scholarships

C.A.S. Hawker Scholarships are one of the most prestigious and generous privately funded scholarships available to undergraduate and postgraduate students in Australia and are administered by the Hawker Trustees. Each residential scholarship is valued at up to $60,000 over three years. Selection is largely based on personal qualities and demonstrated leadership as well as academic ability. The scholarships are available to all Australian students. The majority have been awarded to students entering their first year of university studies. St Mark’s College is proud to have been the home of 49 Hawker Scholars since the scholarship’s creation .

The Hawker Scholarships are given in memory of Charles Allan Seymour Hawker MP, a scholar, soldier, pastoralist and significant political leader, who was one of the founders of the College and served on the College Council until his death in an aeroplane crash in 1938. His portrait hangs in Downer House at St Mark’s, and one of the College’s buildings is named in memory of him.

The Hawker Scholarships were endowed by Charles Hawker’s sister, Lilias Needham. She was also a generous benefactor of St Mark’s College, but insisted on no public recognition of her generosity during her lifetime. A prestigious prize, the Lilias Needham Medal for Service, is given in her memory at St Mark’s for selfless service.

Information about the Hawker Scholarships, including an online application form, is available at www.hawkerscholarship.org. Interested applicants should apply for this scholarship directly via the Hawker Scholarship website.

Applications for the 2024 C.A.S. Hawker Scholarships open on Monday 4 December 2023, and close on Friday 5 January 2024.

Ivan Shearer Scholarship

A generous bequest from the late Professor Ivan Shearer AM (1938-2019) enables St Mark’s to provide significant scholarships for members of the College who go on to study at either Oxford or Cambridge (subject to certain terms). A call for applications for the 2024-25 UK academic year will be made in late 2023.

External Scholarships and Other Financial Support

Students are encouraged to apply for university and external scholarships to support their studies. You can find out more about the relevant university scholarship programs here:

Other external sources of financial support and useful information include:

Testimonials