2025 - Charlie Perkins Scholarships to study at Oxford or Cambridge

Status: Opening

Applications open: 1/10/2024
Applications close: 31/01/2025

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About this scholarship
Description/Applicant information

Disclaimer - This Charlie Perkins Scholarships to study at Oxford or Cambridge is made available and administered by Aurora Education Foundation and is not affiliated with Curtin. You should contact Aurora Education Foundation for up to date information about the Charlie Perkins Scholarship, and to apply.

The Charlie Perkins Scholarship is directed towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants who have the potential to become leaders in their field of study and in their communities.

These postgraduate scholarships were launched in 2009 in memory of Aboriginal leader and activist Dr Charlie Perkins - the first Indigenous Australian man to graduate from university. In 2009, with the assistance of the University of Oxford, the Charlie Perkins Trust established annual Charlie Perkins Scholarships to support two talented Indigenous Australians each year to undertake postgraduate study at the University of Oxford from 2010. 
In 2011, with support from the Cambridge Commonwealth, European & International Trust, the Scholarships also became available for study at the University of Cambridge. 

The Charlie Perkins Scholarship Trust is administered by the Aurora Education Foundation. A panel of prominent Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, together with a representative of the British Government and from Cambridge Australia Scholarships, select the Charlie Perkins Scholars each year.

 

Student type

• Current Students

Faculty

• Centre for Aboriginal Studies
• Faculty of Business and Law
• Faculty of Health Sciences
• Faculty of Humanities
• Faculty of Science & Engineering
  • Science courses
  • Engineering courses
  • Western Australian School of Mines (WASM)

Course type

• Postgraduate coursework

Specifically for

• Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander Students

Citizenship

• Australian Citizen

Scholarship base

• Merit Based

Value

The value of each Perkins Scholarship will vary depending on the scholarship-holder’s course of study. It will cover up to three years full university and college fees, travel costs and an annual stipend for living expenses. For the 2021- 22 academic year the stipend is £16,500.

Scholarship Details
Eligible courses

There are a number of deadlines for applying to study at the University of Oxford, depending on the course you choose. We strongly advise you check the Oxford website before you begin your application.
The deadline for students who wish to apply for study at the University of Cambridge can vary depending on where your interview takes place. Please check the website with plenty of time to prepare your application.   Please also ensure you apply before the deadline for Cambridge Graduate Funding opportunities.

Eligibility criteria

You must apply directly to the university prior to applying for this Scholarship. Each course and university has its own deadlines which you must be aware of (please refer to the Charlie Perkins Trust website ). Please ensure you read all the information below and contact the Scholarships Manager if you have any questions about the application process. 

Applicants must:

• have tertiary qualifications
• be accepted into any graduate degree program offered at the University of Oxford  or the University of Cambridge  (this will require a First Class Honours degree, upper Second Class Honours degree or equivalent) or have an application under consideration at Oxford or Cambridge Admissions Office
  
• be of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent
• identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
• Be accepted as such by the community in which they live or have lived
• Provide a written statement confirming their Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander heritage. Applicants must also provide a signed document (including common seal if available) as confirmation from the Aboriginal Heritage Association, Aboriginal Corporation or Land Council of the country of their ancestors

 

Course Application Deadline:

There are a number of deadlines for applying to study at the University of Oxford, depending on the course you choose. We strongly advise you check the Oxford website before you begin your application. The deadline for students who wish to apply for study at the University of Cambridge can vary depending on where your interview takes place. Please check the website with plenty of time to prepare your application.

Application process

When to apply
Before applying, interested candidates should check the university websites to clarify exact entry requirements for their chosen course/s. The Trust encourages candidates to consider applying to both universities to increase their chances of being accepted into their program of interest.
Applications for the 2025 Charlie Perkins Scholarships are expected to open on 1 October 2024. Applications will close 31 January 2025 (AEST).
 

Applications are accepted online via the Aurora Education Foundation website .
Please complete an online application form above. You will need the following documents:

Your personal statement should address the following:

Why you want to study your chosen course, how you identify with the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community in which you live/have lived and past contributions you have made within your community and ways in which understanding your chosen course will benefit the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community (and wider community) following the completion of your course.

A current curriculum vitae (CV);

Academic transcripts: official transcripts of your university results (including mid-year if possible);

Offer letter – offer letter or proof of application to selected institution. This will need to be sent directly to [email protected];

Confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Descent: through a signed statement, including a common seal. 

Budget;

A high resolution headshot;

Four references: 2 Academic and/or Professional, 1 Personal and 1 Community – for more explanation on this please see the “further information”  tab in the Aurora Education Foundation website .

Enrolment Requirements

NA

Enquiries

If you intend to apply for a Charlie Perkins Scholarship, please visit the Charlie Perkins Scholarship - Aurora Education Foundation website.

Further Information

For more information and to apply, please visit Charlie Perkins Scholarships to study at Oxford or Cambridge website.

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