NextGen Women in STEM Pathways Scholarship

Applications are assessed based on the strength of the following criteria:

• Written statement
• Demonstrated financial need and/or demonstrated hardships or barriers faced in accessing higher education.
• Evidence supporting the responses to application questions.

Selection process

The recipients will be selected by the ACU Scholarships Office in consultation with the Office of the Provost.

Applicants will be required to provide the following as part of the application:

A written statement* of approximately 300 words outlining:

• any hardship or barriers** you have faced in accessing higher education
• how this scholarship will assist you
• a time when you demonstrated leadership, particularly in a STEM setting

Evidence to support hardships or barriers outlined in the written statement. This may include a statement from a medical professional, statutory declaration, or other relevant document. Evidence of financial hardship may include:

• most recent Tax Assessment Notice or
• Centrelink Income Statement or
• the most recent 60 days of bank transactions AND pay slips from the last 6 weeks

* Statements are assessed on content, not language skills. If you access assistance from advisors, tutors or AI technology to complete your personal statement, please ensure that your submission accurately reflects your personal situation with regards to the criteria.

** Hardships or barriers may include but are not limited to financial disadvantage, living in a regional, rural or remote area, single parent background, ongoing medical conditions, non-English speaking background, first in family to attend university, social, cultural disadvantage or adjusting to life in Australia as a refugee.

About this scholarship

Established to support and promote the participation of women in STEM, in alignment with ACU's mission. At ACU, we believe that every student should have the opportunity to thrive. Established to support and promote the participation of women in STEM, this scholarship reflects ACU's ongoing commitment to equity and inclusion, in alignment with our mission to foster opportunity through education. The NextGen Women in STEM Pathways Scholarship helps remove financial barriers and empowers aspiring female STEM professionals to realise their potential and shape a more inclusive and innovative future.

This scholarship is open to applicants who meet all the following criteria:

• Gender: female
• Study load: full-time enrolment in Semester 1, 2026
• Course: Bachelor of Computer Science/Master of Data Science
• Campus: North Sydney
• Financial hardship and/or hardships or barriers faced in accessing higher education
• Commitment to Leadership
• Applicants cannot be in receipt of the Indigenous Code and Data Scholarship