Current undergraduate and TAFE scholarship holders are advised to read this page.
We outline eligibility requirements and advise you on what to do if your circumstances change.
Scholarship payments
Payments to new and continuing undergraduate scholarship holders are made by electronic funds transfer (EFT) to your nominated bank account. They occur in late April and late September – after we have checked your enrolment status at the relevant HE census date or VET/TAFE census date.
Bank account
You will be asked to provide your bank account details at the time of accepting your scholarship. When the payment has been sent to your bank account, you will receive an email to confirm that payment has been made. This is sent to your VU student email so please make sure you check your student email regularly.
Changing your banking details
If your bank account details have changed, please fill out a new banking details form and return it to the Scholarships Office by mail, hand delivery, fax or email as indicated on the form before the next payment.
Centrelink & tax
You will need to advise Centrelink that you have been granted a scholarship as it may affect your payments.
Generally, scholarships for full-time students are not taxable. You should obtain advice from your tax agent or refer to the Australian Tax Office.
Before payments begin
If you need access to money before your scholarship payment is made, you can take one of these actions:
- apply for a student loan for costs outside of your tuition fees
- talk to our staff for financial advice and support.
Apply for a student loan as early as possible as it may take some time to be approved. You should advise the Loans Officer that you have been granted a scholarship, how much you will be paid and when. Your scholarship income may be taken into account when your loan application is assessed.
Ongoing eligibility
Once you have been awarded an undergraduate or TAFE scholarship, you will have your eligibility checked before each payment is made.
To remain eligible for your scholarship payment you will need to:
- remain enrolled full-time (unless you have requested and been granted approval for part-time enrolment)
- maintain satisfactory progress in your studies
- continue to be on a low income (if receiving an equity scholarship)
- advise the Scholarships Office of any changes to your income or eligibility.
Academic progress
One of the ongoing eligibility requirements is that you have to make satisfactory academic progress. If you fail a unit and your enrolment changes to part-time, you will need to submit a statement to the Scholarships Office, and the scholarship selection panel will advise if you can keep the scholarship. You will lose your scholarship if you are excluded from the course.
Scholarships with ongoing eligibility requirements
The following scholarships have ongoing eligibility requirements. Find more information about ongoing eligibility:
- Asylum Seeker scholarships eligibility
- Indigenous Commonwealth scholarships eligibility
- Santa Singh and Balwant Kaur scholarships eligibility
- Tertiary Access Payment (TAP) scholarships eligibility
- VU Access Higher Education scholarships eligibility
- Western Chances scholarships eligibility
- Women in Sport scholarships eligibility
Changes in your circumstances
You must notify us immediately of any of the following changes in your circumstances:
- changes in your financial situation (including increase in income)
- decrease in your study load (eg full-time to part-time)
- changes in your family situation
- changes to your disability status
- if you transfer to a different course
- if you take leave of absence or withdraw from your studies.
If at any time you think you may no longer be eligible for your scholarship:
- phone +61 3 9919 6100
- email [email protected].
Changes in your financial situation
You will be asked to verify that you are still eligible before each payment. This includes a statement about whether your financial situation has changed.
If you are unsure about your eligibility:
- phone +61 3 9919 6100
- email [email protected].
Changes in your study load
If you are registered with VU Disability Services you will retain your scholarship even if you study part-time. If your reasons for reducing to part-time study relate to an illness or other exceptional circumstances, you need to submit a statement with supporting documentation for consideration by the Scholarship selection panel.
If you reduce your study load to part-time, please get in contact:
- phone +61 3 9919 6100
- email [email protected].
If you have less than a fulltime load in your last semester of study, and have already been paid a scholarship for the maximum number of eight payments or four years, the scholarship would finish.
If you have time left on your scholarship you would need to apply for approval to study part-time and retain the scholarship for the final semester. Approval is not automatically granted, but your circumstances will be taken into account.
- For a higher education student, 75% of a normal full time load is 0.375 EFTSL (36 credit points) per semester, usually three units per semester.
- For a TAFE student, 75% of a normal full time load is a minimum of 270 study hours per year.
Scholarships are only paid for the maximum duration so if you take longer to finish your course, your scholarship may end before your studies are completed.
Changes to your enrolment
Overseas exchange
If your exchange is approved as part of your course by the University and you continue to meet the eligibility requirements, you will be able to keep your equity scholarship.
Leave of absence
If you have been approved to take a leave of absence (intermission) from your course, your scholarship payments can be suspended.
Payment will resume in your first semester back as long as you still meet the eligibility for your scholarship.
You will need to phone +61 3 9919 6100 or email [email protected] to advise your return to studies and check your status.
Deferring
If you are offered a place in a course and are approved to defer your commencement, your scholarship offer will lapse.
You will need to re-apply for a scholarship prior to commencing your studies. It is suggested that you only complete the application form for a scholarship if you intend to study in the upcoming semester.
Withdrawing
If you withdraw from (discontinue) your course, your scholarship offer will lapse.
Enrolling into a higher course at VU
Graduate diploma or above
If you received a VU Access scholarship for your undergraduate degree and you continue your enrolment into a graduate diploma or higher, you will have to submit a new application and be assessed against the criteria.
Honours
You can keep your VU Access, Commonwealth Accommodation or Commonwealth Education Cost scholarship during the honours year if you have not exceeded the maximum number of eight payments and you still meet the ongoing eligibility criteria of low-income and full-time enrolment.
Transferring to another course at VU
In most circumstances your scholarship will continue if you transfer into another course.
To check how any changes to your enrolment will impact on your scholarship, please contact us:
- phone +61 3 9919 6100
- email [email protected].
Transferring to another institution
Your VU scholarship cannot be transferred to another University or VE/TAFE.
It is only valid for your studies at Victoria University.
The same principle applies if you are transferring into VU from another institution – you will need to apply for a new VU Access scholarship.
Contact us
For more information on scholarship payments and ongoing eligibility, contact the Scholarships team:
Phone: +61 3 9919 6100
Email: [email protected]
