The JCU Access Fund could be the answer if money problems stand between you and a higher education at James Cook University (JCU). Your financial circumstances are taken into consideration when awarding these scholarships and bursaries.
The JCU Access Fund consists of three awards as below, you only need to submit one application which will be assessed for all awards you may be eligible for.
Fund | Student type | Value | Duration |
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JCU Access Scholarship | Undergraduate, first year, full time | $5,000 | 1 year |
JCU Access Bursary | Undergraduate, first year, full time | $2,000 | 1 year |
JCU Support Grant | Undergraduate, second year only, full time | $1,000 | 1 year |
#### Application Open Date | #### Round 2, 3 June 2023 |
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#### Application Close Date | #### Round 2, 31 July 2023 |
If all the below statements describe you and your current situation, you can apply for the JCU Access Fund:
Years of study is not determined by your course; it is determined by your actual time studied at JCU regardless of which course you are enrolled in.
JCU Access Fund is not open to International Students.
You can only receive an Access Fund Scholarship or Bursary once as a first year student and the Access Fund Grant once as a second year student.
How to applyJust follow these 5 easy steps to put in an application:
Step 1 | Check that you are eligible to apply |
Step 2 | Read the conditions and the Rules of the Scholarship below and make sure you understand what they mean |
Step 3 | Log in to eStudent and go to the My Scholarship Applications Tab. Follow the eStudent Application instructions for further help to get to the Application or contact scholarships for further assistance. |
Step 4 | Answer the questions, and if indicated to do so, upload supporting documentation to verify your circumstances. See Examples of Supporting documentation to help you with what documents may be needed. You can also access Centrelink Self Service for your centrelink evidence. Your application will not be assessed until you upload the required documents. If you have any difficult uploading the documents you can email them direct to [email protected]. Please make sure you include your full name and Student ID on all correspondence. |
Step 5 | Save and submit your application. |
The Scholarships Office will assess your application and contact you to either confirm your application is complete/verified, or if not, they may request further information from you.
If you have any difficulty or need further assistance then please contact the Scholarships Office.
When payments are madeIf you are a successful recipient in round 1 and you remain eligible after census date, you will receive payment to your nominated bank account as below:
If you are a successful recipient in round 2 and you remain eligible after census date, you will receive payment to your nominated bank account as below:
JCU Access Scholarship and JCU Access Bursary Approximately 6 weeks after census date of Study Period 1 for round 1 or Study Period 2 for round 2.
JCU Support Grant Approximately 6 weeks after census date of Study Period 1 for round 1 or Study Period 2 for round 2
All payments are made by direct deposit to your bank account.
What happens now?Possible outcomes:
Email acknowledgement | You will receive an email within 20 days of submitting your application. |
eStudent status is Verified | You have provided all the information that is needed. |
eStudent status is Incomplete | You will receive an email asking for the relevant information. |
Applications Closed | After the closing date all verified applications are scored and ranked. |
Application still incomplete after the close date | Your application will not be assessed. If you are still eligible, you can re- apply for the next round. |
Outcome Successful | You will receive an email offer with the appropriate acceptance forms. |
Outcome Unsuccessful | You will receive an email with further support information. |
If you are unsure of any step in the process please contact [email protected]
eStudent StatusUnder My Scholarship Applications tab in your eStudent account you will find the status of your application:
Incomplete | You have not either completed the questions or uploaded the required documentation. |
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Withdrawn | Your application is ineligible and therefore has been withdrawn by the scholarships office, or you have chosen to withdraw your application |
Cancelled | A duplicate application is in the system |
Unassessed | You have submitted your application but the Scholarships office have not yet assessed it. |
Verified | Your application has been assessed by the scholarships office and will be submitted, along with all others, to the selection committee after the scholarship close date |
If you meet the scholarship eligibility criteria it doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be awarded a scholarship. There are a limited number of Scholarships and there are often more applicants than scholarships.
Applicants are ranked against eligibility criteria and then scholarships are awarded to applicants who best meet that eligibility criteria. If you’re unsuccessful it doesn’t mean that you’re not in need; rather, it means that there are other applicants who’ve been assessed as being in greater need. You may still be eligible to re-apply in the future.
Scholarship Rules That apply to:For the purpose of this document the JCU Access Scholarships, JCU Access Bursaries and JCU Support Grants will be collectively referred to as the JCU Access Fund. A payment under this program will be referred to as an award. The JCU Access Fund has been established to assist JCU first and second year undergraduate students from low socio-economic backgrounds with study related costs.
The JCU Access Fund is funded from a number of sources, including JCU, the Commonwealth Government’s Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program, and by donations from members of the community.
This scholarship is subject to the provisions of the James Cook University Coursework Scholarships, Bursaries and Grants Policy.
Nature of the JCU Access FundThe JCU Access Scholarship
The JCU Access Bursary
The JCU Support Grant
To be eligible for an award under the JCU Access Fund, an applicant must:
1 Have or will complete Semester 1 or currently in Semester 2 for the first time at JCU and no previous study load in the last 5 years at JCU. 2 Have completed 2 Semesters and are currently in their 3rd or 4th Semester (2nd year)
Application ProceduresApplications must be submitted via eStudent no later than the advertised closing date of the relevant Round.
Applicants must attach to the official form, where appropriate:
Applications submitted without the relevant documentation will not be considered.
The applicant authorises the Selection Committee to make such enquiries as to the applicant’s suitability to receive the award, which includes authorisation for the Selection Committee to examine the applicant’s academic record.
Selection ProcessThe selection criteria and ranking methodology shall be determined each year by the Selection Committee, which shall comprise:
At any meeting of the Committee three members shall form a quorum.
The Committee or its Chairperson may invite other University staff members and persons external to the University, as required for the purposes of the Committee, to attend meetings as advisors.
In establishing the selection criteria and ranking methodology, the Selection Committee will afford consideration to the following criteria:
The Committee shall nominate a suitably qualified person as the Evaluation Officer to undertake the ranking of applications in accordance with the agreed methodology.
An applicant will not be selected for an award under the JCU Access Fund unless the University is satisfied that the applicant meets the eligibility criteria.
When assessing exceptional circumstances relating to part-time study, the decision that an applicant cannot study full-time due to exceptional circumstances will be made by the Evaluation Officer; and for the purposes of ongoing eligibility by the Manager, Student Finance & Scholarships. Factors such as disability, significant carer responsibilities, the unique circumstances of Indigenous students and course constraints outside a student’s control will be taken into account in determining ability to study full-time.
Where the number of eligible applications exceeds the awards available, applications will be ranked using the methodology determined by the Selection Committee, and awards will be allocated in order of rank.
Where applications are ranked equally on the basis of personal and financial circumstances, academic merit will be used as the final determinant.
The Selection Committee, in accordance with agreed ranking methodology, will determine and ratify the recipients of awards of the JCU Access Fund.
Conditions of the JCU Access FundPayment will not be made for an award if the recipient does not confirm acceptance by Census date l for Study Period 1 or census date for Study Period 2.
An award may be terminated by the Manager, Student Finance and Scholarships if the recipient:
The Fund shall be administered by the Scholarships Office, Student Services, on behalf of the Selection Committee.
The funds shall be held in an account in the name of the University and shall be administered by the officer of the University charged with administering the program.
Appeal ProcessA student may request a review of any decision made pursuant to this policy by lodging the request in writing with the Manager, Student Finance & Examinations, within 14 days of the date of notification.
If not satisfied with the outcome of the review a student may then lodge an appeal under the JCU Student Review and Appeals Policy.
1 The census dates for Study Period 1 and Study Period 2 2 The year of enrolment relates to the period of time that the student has been enrolled, regardless of the year level of subjects within the course.
Useful LinksExamples of Supporting Documentation
eStudent Application instructions
Centrelink for Students: