Aspiring Elite scholarships are awarded to emerging elite student athletes. They benefit students who are experiencing disadvantages that impact their educational and sporting development.

Scholarships are available to six students (minimum two female), targeting new students, with at least 70% coming from the western suburbs of Melbourne.

Our sport scholarships and elite athlete support program assist outstanding VU athletes to balance their studies with the demands of elite-level sport. They help emerging student athletes in their aim to perform at the elite sporting level.

Applications for the Aspiring Elite scholarships are currently closed. The scholarship is being reviewed for 2022.

Australia's Leading Sports University - The Athlete's University - Transcript

Value & benefits of aspiring athlete scholarships

Financial value

The scholarships are valued at up to $500 in cash support.

Sport-related services, grants & memberships

Benefits include sport-related grants, memberships and services:

International athlete travel grants

Eligible student athletes may apply for a grant to offset travel costs at major international events at any time throughout the year. Major international events are limited to:

  • Olympic Games
  • Commonwealth Games
  • World Student Games
  • World Championships.

Applications for these are open all year. However, grants are subject to the availability of funds.

Todd Hodgett, VU elite athlete, Paralympics champion

Eligibility for Aspiring Elite Athlete scholarships

Eligible VU students

To be eligible, students should be in one of these elite-sport categories:

  • national aged squad member of Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) equivalent
  • state squad aged or open member of Victoria Institute of Sport (VIS) equivalent
  • top 10 national ranking age or open competition for individual sports in the year of application
  • finalist at age or open competition.

Students should also be:

  • involved in a non-professional sport as recognised by Victoria University Sport
  • a currently enrolled student, or commenced and deferred, or taken intermission for the purposes of international representation.

Equity groups

Equity groups may include:

  • Indigenous Australian decent
  • non-English speaking background
  • challenging family circumstances
  • financially disadvantaged
  • regional or remote origin
  • disability or medical condition.

Ongoing eligibility

In general, scholarship recipients are required to:

  • maintain a successful academic record
  • maintain their elite athlete status in terms of training, competition and recognition by sporting bodies
  • represent VU at inter-university competitions (if applicable)
  • participate and or assist VU in their respective sport/discipline (if applicable)
  • promote and support Victoria University.

Practise your sport while you study at VU

Contact us

Applications for the Aspiring Elite scholarships are currently closed. The scholarship is being reviewed for 2022.

For queries, please contact Scott Cashmere.

Phone: +61 9919 4433
Email: scott.cashmere@vu.edu.au