Students may be surprised who is offering to pay for their study

YOU don’t have to be Einstein to qualify for a scholarship. In fact, there’s a good chance you could get one. You just need to know where to look.

ALMOST everyone qualifies for some kind of scholarship to assist with the financial costs of study — they just need to know where to look.

Hobsons content manager Joanna Schwarz says budding students also do not need to be academically gifted to receive funds to learn.

“There’s actually a lot of scholarships that go unclaimed because people just don’t know to apply for them,’’ she says.

“They think they have to have an ATAR of 99.95 and they have to be academically gifted (to apply) — but (the criteria) is much broader than that.”

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Do the sums ... It’s worth doing some research to find out if you’re eligible for a scholarship. Picture: Supplied

“Whether it’s a tiny, tiny scholarship, like a $500 book bursary, or a full-fee remission scholarship, there’s very likely to be something out there for everyone.

“Any scholarship is better than nothing at all.’’

Hobsons, which publishes education and career resources such as The Good Schools Guide and The Good Universities Guide, lists about 4300 scholarships on its website.

As well as academic merit, scholarships can be awarded to those who have difficulty accessing education, such as people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, those with disabilities, from non-English speaking backgrounds, rural and isolated areas or socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and women studying in non-traditional areas.

Some banks offer scholarships to the children of employees.

The key to successfully applying for a scholarship is to start early, Schwarz says.

Easier than you think ... Students do not need to be academically gifted to receive funds to learn. Picture: Supplied.

“Often the application period for scholarships falls at the same time as exams, so to be prepared, you need to start looking around really early — during the holidays between (finishing) Year 11 and (starting) Year 12 if you’re looking for something to cover your first year of uni,’’ she says.

“If you find a scholarship that is asking for you to show your commitment to the field, that then gives you time to do some work experience or take a certain course.’’

Pinnacle Foundation chairman Sean Linkson says without a scholarship, many students must work multiple jobs that distract them from study or, even worse, abandon their study dreams entirely.

The foundation offers 30 scholarships of up to $5000 a year to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex students.

“We’ve (awarded scholarships to people studying) astrophysics, finance, dentistry, social work — everything and anything and … whether they’ve been A-grade students or C grade,’’ Linkson says.

“These scholarships are targeting a group of very vulnerable students, who have often been ostracised by society and face a lot of hardships just surviving, let alone achieving an education.’’

Start early ... The key to helping obtain a scholarship is to start looking early. Picture: Toby Zerna

Ben Nielsen, 23, was in the third year of a music degree at the University of Adelaide when he successfully applied for a Pinnacle Foundation scholarship that helped him pay for a trumpet as well as textbooks and workshops.

The scholarship also helped Nielsen relocate to NSW to complete a postgraduate journalism degree at the University of Technology Sydney.

“By the time I reached university, I was juggling several part-time jobs, along with the commitments of full-time study, the extra-curricular activities that accompany any kind of performance degree and a healthy home/social life,’’ says Nielsen, who is now a digital producer at ABC Classic FM.

“Without the assistance of Pinnacle, I probably wouldn’t have achieved so much as a student, and now in my actual profession.’’