Step 1:
Students must complete an online application form. Application forms can be completed and submitted via www.nafea.org.au once the scholarship round has opened.
Applications must include:
- The placement details (including dates and agency). This can be a confirmed placement or a proposed placement
- University placement administrator details
- An estimate of the student’s out-of-pocket costs for the placement (these are costs that will be incurred as a direct result of the rural placement and are additional to your everyday living expenses).
- Declaration of other sources of funding or grants that have been applied for or awarded in support of the proposed rural placement
- Brief statement detailing how a scholarship will positively impact your placement experience
- How the WIL placement will assist personal aspirations
- How the placement will help to develop professional skills, particularly, what additional skills and understanding will be obtained from undertaking a rural placement?
- Brief statement detailing any extra-curricular activities undertaken including any community support or volunteering activities
- Why the student has elected to undertake a WIL placement (if the placement is not compulsory)
Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants will be sent an automated acknowledgement receipt when applications are received. Applications must be submitted to, and received by NAFEA, by Midnight (AEST) on the advertised closing date.
Students who have been assessed as being in financial hardship by their university support services can provide confirmation of this via the application form to be considered by the NAFEA SPSC.
Preference will be given to applications from students:
- who do not have access to other forms of funding
- with significant out-of-pocket costs
- undertaking placements in remote/rural areas.
NAFEA scholarships are only awarded to individual students once. Candidates who have been successful previously are not-eligible to re-apply. Any unsuccessful applicant for the scholarship is entitled to reapply for the scholarship in the following round and will be assessed against the program guidelines and criteria that are in effect on the date the re-application is received by NAFEA.
The NAFEA SPSC will assess and rank all applications, liaise with applicants institutional WIL areas and provide a recommended shortlist to the NAFEA Management Committee. The NAFEA Management Committee will have final approval of the shortlisted applications.
Step 2:
All shortlisted applicants will be required to provide:
- Confirmation in writing from their institution’s WIL/Field Experience Officer of the placement details (incl. dates and allocated agency)
- A personal reference (ideally from an Academic staff member of the student’s discipline)
- Travel budget and supporting documents for their out-of-pocket costs
The NAFEA SPSC will assess and rank the shortlisted applicants and where necessary seeking advice from the applicants’ institutions to make a final recommendation of successful applicants and funding amounts to the NAFEA Management Committee.
Successful applicants will be given a conditional offer. Students who do not receive a conditional offer may receive an offer at a later date if funding becomes available from a student declining, withdrawing or not meeting the eligibility criteria of their conditional offer, this will be at the discretion of the NAFEA SPSC.
Step 3:
A conditional offer is provisionally awarded to an applicant based on the information provided in the application form. Students will need to complete the scholarship acceptance form and attach confirmation of the placement prior to receiving funds.
Disclaimer: All decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into. NAFEA does not accept appeals to its decisions.
