Find the right scholarship for you
- Read the Scholarships Guide to find out all you need to know about applying for CDU scholarships.
- Explore our Scholarship Finder to identify scholarships where you meet the eligibility criteria.
- Read our Scholarship Application Tips to learn how to ace your scholarship application.
Scholarships key dates
| Round 1 | Round 2 | |
| Applications open | 24 November 2025 | 03 June 2026 |
| Applications close | 06 March 2026 | 24 July 2026 |
| Enrolment periods | Semester 1, HE Intensive 1, HE Intensive 2, He Intensive 3, Term 1 and Term 2 | Semester 2, HE Intensive 4, HE Intensive 5, HE Intensive 6, Term 3 and Term 4 |
| Outcome release | End of March | End of August |
| Scholarship Celebration | TBA 2026 | TBA 2027 |
Please be advised that certain scholarships may close before the designated closing date. We recommend checking each scholarship to make sure.
Check your eligibility
You might be eligible for more scholarships than you’d expect. Narrow down your search by selecting the eligibility criteria that match your background and circumstances.
Your eligibility is determined by your:
- Enrolment status (full-time or part-time)
- Citizenship (domestic or international)
- Level of study (undergraduate, honours, postgraduate coursework, postgraduate research HDR)
- Study area (some scholarships are only open for specific study areas or courses)
And whether you meet certain scholarship focus criteria.
Scholarship focus
- Academic excellence – for high-achieving students
- Accommodation – for students in need of support to cover some or all of their accommodation costs
- Diversity – for under-represented groups such people with disability, women in non-traditional study areas, people from non-English speaking backgrounds, and those who identify with the LGBTIQ+ community
- Financial hardship – for students who may be otherwise unable to meet their education-related expenses
- First Nations students – scholarships specifically for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students
- Regional and remote – for students who are relocating to study from regional or remote areas within Australia or have lived in a regional or remote area within Australia
- Sporting excellence – for students who are skilled sports people.
Application process
1) Application
You submit an application through our Scholarship Finder. Applications are open until the Friday of the first week of each semester.
2) Assessment
A Scholarship Selection Panel will score your application based on the information submitted and rank all the applicants. You may be required to attend an interview. Assessments will be completed by the end of March for round 1 and the end of August for round 2.
3) Outcomes advised
All applicants will receive an email notification regarding the outcome of their application. Awarding of scholarships is based on the eligible applicants’ response to the selection criteria and interview, if applicable. The decision of awarding the successful recipient is at the sole discretion of the Selection Panel and is final and cannot be overturned.
4) Scholarship acceptance
We will send you an email with details on the form to complete so that we can process your scholarship payment. Payments are not processed until after the Census date of Semester 1 or 2.
Effect on tax and Australian Government payments
Students who are receiving certain Commonwealth Benefits are recommended to advise Services Australia that you will be receiving a scholarship and the amount to be received to ensure your payments are calculated correctly. Income you get from scholarships can count in your income test and it might affect your payments.
- Please refer to the ‘Exempt equity and merit-based scholarships’ section, the online guide to Social Security or contact Services Australia.
- You can learn more about the taxation conditions of your scholarship by using the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) scholarship tool.
- For information on how scholarships may impact your ABSTUDY please read about what scholarships count as income. Please note that the First Nations Australian Commonwealth Scholarship does not count towards your $10,094 income limit.
8 tips to ace your scholarship application
Think a scholarship’s not for you? Think again. At CDU, students are awarded scholarships for a whole range of reasons. In short, opportunities abound. So, explore CDU’s scholarship opportunities, find the right ones and consider these eight tips for nailing your application.
Find out more