Support for humanitarian visa holders who've experienced financial or educational disadvantage
The Rachel Hunter Refugee Scholarship is for commencing students who have experienced financial hardship and/or educational disadvantage that has impacted their ability to achieve their full potential.
The scholarship—named in honour of long-serving Griffith University Council member and former Deputy Chancellor Rachel Hunter—has a maximum value of $20,000, paid in trimester instalments.
Sustainable Development Goals
Griffith University is aligned with the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is committed to addressing the global challenge of poverty and promoting sustainable development by leveraging our resources, expertise, and partnerships to have a meaningful impact.
Key points
Targeted to
Humanitarian visa holders
Value
$20,000
Level of study
Undergraduate
Apply by
4pm Tuesday 28 January 2025 for Trimester 1 2025
Scholarship details
To be eligible, you must:
- be a permanent humanitarian visa holder
- be a commencing Griffith University undergraduate student for the first time (includes school leavers and non-school leavers)
- demonstrate financial hardship and/or educational disadvantage
- not have previously commenced or completed the requirements for an Australian bachelor award unless such award is a pre-requisite to your undergraduate program of enrolment and there is no alternate pathway into that program. (in exceptional circumstances, with the approval of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Education), consideration may be given to students who have already completed a degree that is not a pre-requisite to their current program).
Applicants in receipt of one of the following scholarships are ineligible for the Rachel Hunter Refugee Scholarship:
- Centrelink Relocation Grant
- Commonwealth Scholarship.
You can apply for this scholarship via our scholarship application process.
Application information
We use the following sections of the application to consider you for this scholarship:
Study details
- Tertiary education history
- Secondary education history
- Relocation within Australia.
Personal background
- Income and expenditure
- Scholarships
- Circumstances.
Application assessment
Applicants are assessed on the following six categories:
- financial hardship
- rural and remote location and relocation
- home environment and responsibilities
- English language difficulty
- personal illness and disability
- educational disruption.
Applications must be completed and submitted by the closing date.
Value
The Rachel Hunter Refugee Scholarship has a maximum value of $20,000, payable in trimester instalments. Instalment amount is based on enrolled credit points per trimester, being $625 per 10 credit points, up to the maximum value of the scholarship.
Please note payments made whilst part-time study may be taxable.
Payment
The Rachel Hunter Refugee Scholarship is payable into the recipients nominated bank account, payments are made after each enrolled trimester census subject to the recipient satisfying scholarships terms and conditions.
Early payment
To ease the financial burden of students with expenses at the beginning of the trimester, students who have accepted their scholarship offer and are enrolled for the upcoming trimester three weeks before Orientation Week will receive an early payment of $500 from their scholarship, prior to orientation. This one-off early payment is only available at the start of the scholarship.
Awarding of a Rachel Hunter Refugee Scholarship is dependent on acceptance of an admission offer at Griffith University.
To remain eligible for the scholarship, recipients will be required to remain:
- remain enrolled at Griffith University in an undergraduate degree. (Recipients who withdraw after census may have their scholarship suspended or terminated.)
- in good academic progress. A student excluded from study under any University policy loses their scholarship.
- eligible for the scholarship each year and remain on a humanitarian visa.
The above conditions are verified each trimester at census date. If a scholarship recipient fails to successfully meet these conditions, scholarship payments may be withheld, or the scholarship may be terminated.
Where the duration of the scholarship benefit has not exceeded the maximum period, the scholarship’s recipient may use the balance of the scholarship for a bachelor honours degree program.
Recipient may take leave of absence in accordance with University Enrolment Procedure. Scholarship benefits are suspended for the period of leave of absence. A recipient who is not enrolled and is not on an approved leave of absence loses their scholarship.
Recipient may change their degree program. Recipients who are on approved cross-institutional study continue to remain eligible for scholarship benefits, however recipients are required to provide documentation to prove cross-institutional study and academic load. Scholarship recipients undertaking approved cross-institutional study through Open Universities Australia and who remain active as a Griffith student continue to remain eligible for scholarship benefits, however recipients are required to provide documentation to prove Open Universities Australia study and academic load. (OUA non-Award courses are not eligible).
Offers are made via email.
Applicants may be shortlisted and be required to provide additional information.
Griffith University reserves the right to withdraw an advertised scholarship at any time.
About Rachel Hunter
Ms Rachel Hunter PSM DUniv was a valued member of the Griffith University Council for more than 20 years and was elected as Deputy Chancellor in 2015, a position she held through to her departure in 2021. She was first appointed as a member of the Council by the Governor-in-Council in 2000.
In addition to her significant contributions as the Deputy Chancellor and as a Council member, Ms Hunter provided extensive service to the University as a Council-appointed member on many University governance committees.
In recognition of Ms Hunter's distinguished service to the community and the University, she was awarded a Doctor of the University by Griffith University in 2010.
Ms Hunter is a highly regarded and accomplished Director-General and CEO, having worked across various portfolios. In 2021, Ms Hunter was appointed as Director-General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet in Queensland and is the first woman to take on the role since the Department's inception in 1859. Prior to this, Ms Hunter was the Under Treasurer for Queensland Treasury and is a former Director-General of three Queensland Government departments. Ms Hunter also served as Queensland's Public Service Commissioner from 2000 to 2003.
Ms Hunter has chaired the Board of Jobs Queensland, providing industry and evidence-based advice on skills needs and workforce planning and has served as the Chair of Children's Health Queensland. Recognised for her outcome-focused and values-led leadership style, much of Ms Hunter's career in government has been spent in portfolios focusing on employment, skills, training, and economic growth and resilience. In 2020, Ms Hunter was awarded a Public Service Medal for outstanding public service to the community of Queensland.
Start your application
We've put together a checklist to ensure you make the most of your scholarship application. Once you have all the information and documentation needed, you can create an account in or login to our scholarships system and submit your application.
Get in touch
If you have a question, need some help with your scholarship application, or would like to make a donation, feel free to contact us.