Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF) Scholarship

Ipswich Girls’ Grammar School (IGGS) is an Educational Partner of the AIEF and offers a limited number of scholarships under the AIEF Scholarship Program. The AIEF Scholarship Program provides scholarships that enable Indigenous students in financial need to attend leading Australian schools and universities. 

AIEF Scholarships facilitate choice by removing the financial barriers that may prevent Indigenous students who want to pursue their education with IGGS from doing so. 

AIEF Scholarship holders are expected to participate actively in all aspects of an all-round education and support others at IGGS. Selection is based on the applicant meeting AIEF Scholarship eligibility criteria, together with criteria determined by the School. 

Selection Criteria

To be eligible for an AIEF Scholarship a student needs to be/have: 

• An Indigenous Australian. 
• Eligible for and in receipt of ABSTUDY.
• Accepted for enrolment as a boarder at an AIEF Partner School. 
• Not receiving any other scholarship. 
• Enthusiastic about attending school. 
• Likely to successfully complete Year 12. 
• In financial need. 
• Parents/family that have demonstrated support and encouragement for the enrolment and the scholarship. 
• Parents/family that have committed to making a financial contribution to the expenses. 
• ATO Notice of Assessment. 
• A completed AIEF Application form (click here).

Additional criteria, as determined by IGGS

• Completion of the ACER Scholarship Examination.
• By accepting the Scholarship award, students and parents or legal guardians, consent to the use of the scholarship recipient’s name, image and profile to be used for the purposes of marketing and promotion of the School’s scholarship programme. This may include for the purposes of publication in School newsletters, external newspapers, magazines and websites (including the School’s website) and social media. Such publication will go beyond the School community and may extend for a period of time beyond the duration of the scholarship recipient’s education at the School.
• The student must:
  • Maintain a consistent level of academic performance (reviewed each semester).
  • Contribute to the curricular and co-curricular activities of the School (reviewed annually).
  • Exhibit behaviour of the highest calibre.
  • Comply with the School’s high expectations regarding attitudes, uniform, and use of technology (reviewed each semester).
  • Maintain consistent attendance of 90% or higher.
  • Scholars are expected to demonstrate leadership and be role models of the School and within the wider community.
• The student’s family must:
  • Pay the balance of any account within four weeks of each term’s commencement.
  • Provide in writing to the Board of Trustees an explanation about any delay in settling an account and a request to arrange alternative payment options.
  • Be positive role-models and actively involved within the School and wider community.
  • Parents of scholarship recipients are encouraged to actively support the School’s P&F Association and volunteer to assist in events and activities when possible.

Each scholarship is granted on the understanding that the Board of Trustees has the right to withdraw the scholarship if the aforementioned conditions are not met. Scholarships are contingent on the full disclosure of all information pertinent to a student’s education. Withholding relevant information may result in a scholarship being withdrawn. Potential withdrawal of a scholarship will be discussed with the family prior to the end of a school term. IGGS has excellent pastoral care, counselling, learning support resources and programs to help all students maintain high personal and performance standards. Withdrawal of a scholarship is not executed without due consideration of any mitigating circumstances should any of the above conditions provide cause for concern.

How to Apply

• Submit an online Scholarship application.
• Scholarship applicants for the 2026 school year must sit the ACER Scholarship Test at Ipswich Girls’ Grammar School on Saturday 22 February 2025. Register here https://scholarships.acer.org/intro/2675
• For applicants residing outside the Brisbane and Ipswich metropolitan areas, it may be possible to complete the Scholarship Examination locally at another ACER exam location. There may be an additional fee for this service.
• Completed AIEF Scholarship Application Form.
• Completed Ipswich Girls’ Grammar School Application for Enrolment (Application fee of $110 may be deferred until outcome of application is known).
• All applicants are required to prepare a portfolio.
• For AIEF Scholarships, the applicant’s portfolio should include the following:
  • The student’s name, current school and scholarship categories applying for.
  • A list of achievements, positions or roles they have held at school (such as Class Captain, Debating team, Excellence awards).
  • Demonstration of participation in a range of aspects of school life, such as the Arts, Sports, or Service Activities.
  • Birth certificate (external applicants only).
  • A copy of the student’s School reports for the last two years (external applicants only).
  • A copy of the student’s most recent NAPLAN results (external applicants only).
  • Details of expulsions or suspensions (if applicable).
  • Specialist reports (if applicable).
  • Medical reports (if applicable).
  • Court orders (if applicable).

Portfolios must be submitted by the online Scholarship Application Form.

• Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview.

For further information please contact the Director of Enrolments and Community Relations at [email protected].

Conditions

If successful, the AIEF Scholarship awarded to the applicant will be for the payment of the difference between ABSTUDY Funding, the Parent Contribution and any other external funding (ie Under 16 Boarding Supplement) of the School tuition and boarding fees each year, from the year of commencement, and extending to the end of Year 12. This scholarship does not include the enrolment application fee ($110), incidental expenses (such as pharmacy) and individual tuition for co-curricular activities which may be taken in addition to the established curriculum subjects.

• In order to maintain the AIEF Scholarship, the student and their family must:
• Be eligible for and receive ABSTUDY.
• Demonstrate enthusiasm and intend to complete school through to Year 12.
• Comply with the School’s high expectations regarding attitudes, behaviour, uniform, and use of technology (reviewed each semester).
• Not bring discredit to the School in any way (immediate cancellation).
• Make the compulsory contribution to their child’s education expenses according to AIEF’s Scale of Parent Contribution.
• Support the scholarship conditions and keep information confidential.
• Each year, provide copies of ATO Notices of Assessment from the previous financial year.
• Provide in writing to the School an explanation about any delay in settling an account and a request to arrange alternative payment options.

AIEF Non-Payment: If a student on an AIEF Scholarship is withdrawn before the end of each current year, the AIEF will not pay on the final School invoice for terms attended. All school terms attended by an AIEF Scholarship recipient in an incomplete year, will be paid for, in full, by their family less any external funding which would be applied to the account eg ABSTUDY.