What makes a future leader? In their eyes, you’re an exceptional thinker and highly ambitious. You are a natural collaborator with big ideas. And you’re driven by a desire to bring positive change to the world.
These are the attributes we celebrate with our Westpac Future Leaders Scholarships – designed in conjunction with Australia’s leading universities to be a genuinely life-changing experience.
Westpac Future Leaders Scholarships are among the most potent development scholarships in Australia. As well as investing up to $120,000 over 2-3 years into your postgraduate studies, the Scholarship will also shape your leadership skills far and above your expectations.
Looking for fully-funded opportunities, install the Youth Opportunities Android or iOS App here.
Naturally, good ideas deserve to go global. So they’ll encourage you to open your mind to new experiences by heading overseas for up to six months to study. Whether it be at a world-class university, an NGO or a private organisation, you’re guaranteed to make valuable international connections and discover new insights to bring your vision to life.
As a Westpac Future Leaders Scholar, you’ll become a part of the Westpac 100 Scholars Network. Lifelong membership to this network gives you access to one of Australia’s most diverse meetings of like-minds. Drawing on the Scholars’ strong sense of purpose and desire to collaborate, the network is designed to be inspiring, influential and a lifelong learning experience.
First, you’ll have exceptional ideas. Second, you’ll have the ambition and drive to bring those ideas to life. And above all else, you’ll have a generosity of spirit. Ultimately it’s this that fuels your desire to do great work. We’re offering 17 scholarships in 2020 to support your Masters or PhD studies, and are looking for switched-on, curious thinkers who have the inspiration, drive and ideas to change Australia – and potentially the world – for the better.
Key dates
Prospective Scholars:
- Applications Open: Wednesday 15 June 2022 at 9:00 am AEST
- Online Information Session: Tuesday 19 July 2022 at 6:00 pm AEST. REGISTER NOW
- Applications Close: Thursday 1 September 2022 at 5:00 pm AEST
- Eligibility Checks: 5 – 16 September 2022
- Uni Shortlisting: 26 September – 13 October 2022
- National Assessment Centre: 6 – 7 December 2022, Sydney
- Notification of Outcome: 13 December 2022
Current Scholars:
- Westpac Scholars Summit: 11 – 12 July 2022. Sydney
- Leadership Development Program Residential: 3 – 8 July 2022, Sydney
- Follow-up Leadership Development Program Residential: 11 – 14 September 2022
Location:
AustraliaBenefits
- The Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship will provide funding of up to $120,000.
- The scholarship supports individuals undertaking a postgraduate study that will ultimately make a difference to Australia in one of four areas; technology and innovation, fostering Australian-Asian ties, reducing Australia’s environmental impact, and creating a more inclusive country.
- As well to your studies, the scholarship provides a nine-month Leadership Development Program which will build on your personal strengths and give you the insights, learning and inspiration you need to make your mark on the world.
- As a Westpac Future Leaders Scholar, you’ll become a part of the Westpac 100 Scholars Network.
Funding is available to commence in 2023 for the following maximum periods (inclusive of an international experience of up to 6 months):
- Masters by coursework – the program must be completed within 2 years
- Masters by research – the program must be completed within 3 years;
- PhD – program must be completed within 4 years.
Eligibilities
We’re looking for Australia’s best and brightest. Your ability matches your drive – giving you the potential to make a lasting difference in Australia’s future. We want to help you realise this potential. To be eligible to apply, applicants must:
- be an Australian citizen or permanent resident (New Zealand citizens are not eligible);
- have completed your first undergraduate degree within the last 5 years, or will complete it by December 2022;
- have achieved or are on track to achieve an average result of H1 or H2A equivalent or approx 75 WAM;
- have chosen to undertake a full-time Master by coursework or research or a PhD at one of our participating university partners;
- have a field of study which, for PhD and Masters by research applicants has an ERA four-digit FOR rating of “well above world standard” and Masters by coursework applicants, your proposed area of study must be in the area of world-class standing;
- commence study in 2023. Current postgraduate students are not eligible;
- Your proposed program of study must contribute to the future of Australia in one of the Foundation’s priority funding areas: Sustainable Futures, Australia in Asia, Thriving Tech Sector or An Inclusive Country;
- include in your proposed program of study international opportunities which will develop your leadership skills and global networks, such as; study tours for the purpose of research, attending a short course or conference, a period of internship or volunteering;
- have a worthy and viable post-study plan that benefits Australia;
- supply two letters of reference, one academic reference and one personal reference;
- be able to attend the National Selection Panel to be held in Sydney on 6-7 December 2022;
- be able to attend the Future Leaders Scholars Leadership Development Program in Sydney on 12 – 17 February 2023 and another date to be determined in August; and
be able to participate in the 2023 Westpac Scholars Summit on 3-4 April 2023.
Application Process
- All applications must be submitted through Westpac Scholars Trust’s online application system.
Supporting documentation required as part of the online application:
- Your CV of no more than two pages of 10-point Arial font and line spacing 1.5;
- Certified copy of all university academic transcripts; Letter of Support is required from your university (for PhD and Masters by Research applicants only) from your supervisor, the Dean of the Faculty or Head of School or equivalent using the template located on the Westpac Scholars Trust website.
- Two references are required using the reference templates which are located on the Westpac Scholars Trust website
Looking for fully-funded opportunities, install the Youth Opportunities Android or iOS App here.
Application Deadline: September 1, 2022
Application ClosedOfficial link
