For third year Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) students, who can demonstrate circumstances which impact their study; worth $10,000.
Applications are now closed
This scholarship provides up to $10,000 for one year.
One scholarship available.
To be eligible for this scholarship you must:
- be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, an Australian permanent resident or a permanent humanitarian visa holder
- be enrolling full-time in your third year of the Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) (BP220) in Semester 1 and 2 2027
- have completed between 192 and 216 credit points by end of Semester 2 2026
- be able to demonstrate circumstance(s) that impact your ability to study, or be from an RMIT priority group, including:
- live with a disability, long-term medical condition, or identify as neurodivergent
- have experienced or currently experiencing significant personal or life difficulties
- have relocated/will be relocating from interstate or a rural or regional area to Melbourne to study at RMIT (check eligibility using the Regional Adjustment Calculator)
- are experiencing financial hardship, for example if you:
- receive a Centrelink/Department of Veterans' Affairs low-income support payment, or
- hold a low-income Centrelink Health Care Card
- are an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- are an early school leaver, mature-age student, or you entered university via a TAFE pathway
- are a current or former refugee
- are from a low socioeconomic (low SES) background
- have recently completed secondary schooling at a SNAP (School Network Access Program) school
Preference will be given to students who:
- have an interest in writing news as a social good
- are experiencing financial hardship
The online application form will be made available here when applications open.
Supporting documentation
Depending on your circumstances, you will need to provide different types of evidence and material to support your scholarship application. Applications without supporting documents will not be considered.
Please visit Supporting Your Application for more information.
Application questions
If you are shortlisted for the scholarship, you will be contacted to answer further application questions. Please check the email address you nominate in your scholarship application form at least twice per week. It is expected that the online application will take approximately thirty minutes to complete. The questions are listed below to allow you time to prepare your answers in advance.
- Why did you choose to study the Bachelor of Communication (Journalism)?
- Please describe why you think journalism is important for democracy?
- What are your career plans after you finish your studies at RMIT?
- How will your RMIT program help you prepare for this future career?
- How would receiving a scholarship support you to continue and complete your studies at RMIT?
Find out more about applying for scholarships.
Applications will open in August 2026, and the scholarship will first be awarded for Semester 1 2027.
Applications are expected to close in October 2026 (exact date to be confirmed).
View the Coursework Scholarships Office’s terms and conditions (PDF, 698KB).
Lelia Kelly Long, my mother, was born in country Victoria in 1912. She lost her mother at the age of twelve, and her father passed away when she was nineteen. Although she never worked as a journalist, she always dreamed of becoming one - a dream limited by circumstance, as the family was not wealthy, and she needed to work as a secretary after she left school. Despite this, Lelia’s love of books, words, and “the news” was unwavering, and she shared that passion with me and my sister.
It was her unfulfilled wish, along with the encouragement I received from my English teachers at a school in Northcote, that inspired me to pursue journalism. I began my cadetship at the Herald in the 1970s and spent the next 25 years in print news, a career I loved deeply.
Times can be tough. In honour of my mother, I want to support a student who might otherwise struggle to complete their RMIT course or may not be able to afford to follow their dream of bringing important news to Australians.
- Angela Long
Find out how to contact the Coursework Scholarships Office.
Notice to applicants
The scholarship application process is highly competitive with a limited number of scholarships available. Unfortunately, not all eligible applicants will receive one.
Only successful candidates will be notified via email to their RMIT student account.
For information about other financial assistance available to RMIT students, please speak to one of our Student Welfare Advisors.
