Access to Higher Education Equity Scholarship

The Higher Education Equity Scholarship supports domestic students enrolling in Higher Education courses by providing financial assistance to help overcome barriers to learning. This scholarship is designed to assist students from disadvantaged or equity backgrounds, supporting their continued participation and success in Higher Education.

Successful applicants will receive a reimbursement equivalent to 25% of their 2026 tuition fees, helping to reduce financial barriers and support continued participation in Higher Education.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Higher Education Equity Scholarship, applicants must:

• be an Australian citizen or permanent resident (domestic student)
• be enrolling in a Bachelor degree at Melbourne Polytechnic in 2026.

Additional Conditions:

• Scholarship recipients will receive a reimbursement equivalent to 25% of their tuition fees for their enrolled study load (whether part-time or full-time).
• Students commencing their studies in Semester 2, 2026 will receive one payment only.
• Students who have already received the VET to Bachelor Equity Scholarship are not eligible for the Access to Higher Education Equity Scholarship. 

Selection Criteria

Applications are reviewed and assessed based on the following:

• Which Melbourne Polytechnic course are you planning to enrol in for 2026? 
• Do you consider your current circumstances to meet one or more of the following equity criteria?
  • Low socioeconomic status (Low SES)
  • First Nations background
  • First in family to attend higher education
  • Living with a disability
  • Non-English-speaking background
  • Other (please specify)
• Supporting Documents – you will be required to upload a supporting document for each of the equity criteria you select.

Scholarship Structure

Total Value: 25% of 2026 tuition fees for 2026 enrolled study load (whether part-time or full-time), paid as a direct EFT to the successful applicant in two equal instalments.

• Instalment 1: Payable after the first five weeks of Semester 1, 2026
• Instalment 2: Payable after the first five weeks of Semester 2, 2026

Note payment amount will be calculated based on enrolment study load at week five of each semester. Payment amount will vary depending on tuition fees for the enrolled course.

How to apply

1. Check your eligibility
2. Go to our scholarship application portal
3. Log in to the Good Grants portal (current Melbourne Polytechnic students: click “Login via SAML” and enter your student email and password; others: use “Log in or register” and follow the prompts to create an account).
4. Select the Access to Higher Education Equity Scholarship and complete the online application
5. Complete the application

Contact higheredscholarships@melbournepolytechnic.edu.au if you have any questions or require additional information.