The Public Education Foundation's Friends of Zainab Tertiary Scholarship is for refugee students currently in Year 12 in 2025 intending to enter university or TAFE in 2026 – and gives an annual bursary of up to $2,000 for a maximum of two years of full-time study via TAFE or a public university.
The scholarship was established in 2002 by Dorothy Hoddinott AO, the Principal of Holroyd High School in Sydney's South-West. In its first year the scholarship enabled a young refugee, Zainab Kaabi, to complete her schooling and enter university.
The scholarship is to cover educational expenses such as:
- Uniforms and equipment
- Stationery and books
- Laptop, software etc.
- Face-to-face tutoring or online tutoring
If a student leaves TAFE or university before completion of the course, the scholarship will lapse. Any unspent monies at the end of the scholarship period must be refunded to the Public Education Foundation scholarship fund.
Before applying for this scholarship, please ensure that you read the scholarship terms and conditions available on our website.
Basic Eligibility
- A Refugee Attends an Australian Public School
- Currently in Year 12
- Australian citizen or permanent resident
Note: Students who have applied for protection but do not currently have either permanent residence or Australian Citizenship will be considered on a case-by-case basis
- Commitment to studying a TAFE course or University degree as a full-time student in 2025
Selection Criteria
To be considered for this scholarship the applicant should demonstrate the following criteria:
- Experiencing personal or socioeconomic disadvantage
- Evidence of earlier education disadvantage prior to arriving in Australia
- Strongly articulated commitment to their chosen career path and appropriateness of current subjects studied and/or work experience towards their goal
- Has made academic progress at school
- A positive attitude towards schooling, including high attendance
- Demonstrate they participate in school life
- Demonstrate they contribute to the community and/or in extracurricular activities
Friends of Zainab Tertiary Scholarship (Year 12)
The Public Education Foundation's Friends of Zainab Tertiary Scholarship is for refugee students currently in Year 12 in 2025 intending to enter university or TAFE in 2026 – and gives an annual bursary of up to $2,000 for a maximum of two years of full-time study via TAFE or a public university.
The scholarship was established in 2002 by Dorothy Hoddinott AO, the Principal of Holroyd High School in Sydney's South-West. In its first year the scholarship enabled a young refugee, Zainab Kaabi, to complete her schooling and enter university.
The scholarship is to cover educational expenses such as:
- Uniforms and equipment
- Stationery and books
- Laptop, software etc.
- Face-to-face tutoring or online tutoring
If a student leaves TAFE or university before completion of the course, the scholarship will lapse. Any unspent monies at the end of the scholarship period must be refunded to the Public Education Foundation scholarship fund.
Before applying for this scholarship, please ensure that you read the scholarship terms and conditions available on our website.
Basic Eligibility
- A Refugee Attends an Australian Public School
- Currently in Year 12
- Australian citizen or permanent resident
Note: Students who have applied for protection but do not currently have either permanent residence or Australian Citizenship will be considered on a case-by-case basis
- Commitment to studying a TAFE course or University degree as a full-time student in 2025
Selection Criteria
To be considered for this scholarship the applicant should demonstrate the following criteria:
- Experiencing personal or socioeconomic disadvantage
- Evidence of earlier education disadvantage prior to arriving in Australia
- Strongly articulated commitment to their chosen career path and appropriateness of current subjects studied and/or work experience towards their goal
- Has made academic progress at school
- A positive attitude towards schooling, including high attendance
- Demonstrate they participate in school life
- Demonstrate they contribute to the community and/or in extracurricular activities