Mary Jane Lewis Scholarships for Young Women (Australia)

Deadline: 23-Dec-2026

The Mary Jane Lewis Scholarships Foundation provides equity- and merit-based scholarships to young women from low-income backgrounds pursuing tertiary education at public institutions in Victoria, Australia. Each successful applicant receives $10,000 per year for three years, providing up to $30,000 to help reduce financial barriers to higher education. The Mary Jane Lewis Scholarships Foundation supports young women who have the academic potential to pursue tertiary education but may face financial barriers because of their household circumstances. The scholarship program aims to promote educational equity by ensuring that financial hardship does not prevent talented students from accessing higher education. Scholarships combine academic merit with demonstrated financial need and are available for eligible students studying at most public tertiary educational institutions in Victoria.

Each successful applicant receives:

The funding is intended to support students throughout their tertiary studies and reduce the impact of financial hardship on their education. The scholarship is specifically intended for young women who meet the program’s education, residency, financial-need, and school attendance requirements.

Applicants must generally:

Applicants must have attended a Victorian Government School for at least five consecutive years. The requirement applies to the period leading up to the student’s application and is an important part of the scholarship’s eligibility criteria. Students should be able to provide information confirming their required school attendance. Financial need is a central component of the scholarship. Applicants must undergo an assessment of personal and parental income to demonstrate their financial circumstances. Applicants must also provide evidence that their parent or guardian receives an eligible government allowance or benefit.

Acceptable evidence may include:

These documents help demonstrate that the applicant’s household meets the program’s financial-need requirements. The Mary Jane Lewis Scholarships are awarded using a combination of academic achievement and financial need. Applicants should therefore demonstrate their academic performance while also providing complete and accurate information about their financial circumstances. The scholarship is designed to support students who show academic potential but may experience financial barriers to continuing their education. Scholarship recipients can use the funding to pursue tertiary education at most public tertiary educational institutions in Victoria. Students should confirm that their intended institution meets the program’s eligibility requirements before applying. Financial hardship can create significant barriers for students transitioning from secondary school to tertiary education. The Mary Jane Lewis Scholarships Foundation addresses this issue by combining financial assistance with merit-based selection. The three-year scholarship of up to $30,000 can help eligible young women continue their studies without financial circumstances becoming the primary barrier to higher education. Applicants should prepare evidence supporting both their academic background and financial circumstances.

Important information may include:

Applicants should make sure all submitted information is accurate and current. Applicants can strengthen their application by clearly addressing both sides of the scholarship’s selection criteria.

Before applying, applicants should:

The Mary Jane Lewis Scholarship is an equity- and merit-based scholarship supporting young women from low-income backgrounds who want to pursue tertiary education at eligible public institutions in Victoria. Each successful applicant receives $10,000 per year for three years, providing up to $30,000 in total. Eligible applicants are young women who are Australian permanent residents, are completing Year 12 in the application year, meet the Victorian Government School attendance requirement, demonstrate financial need, and meet the academic criteria. Yes. Financial need is an important part of the scholarship selection process. Applicants must complete a personal and parental income assessment. Applicants can provide evidence such as a Low Income Health Care Card, Centrelink Statement of Benefits, or Family Tax Benefit Statement showing that their parent or guardian receives an eligible government benefit. Yes. The program specifically targets students who are completing Year 12 in the year of application. Yes. Eligibility is limited to permanent residents of Australia, subject to the other scholarship requirements. The scholarship supports study at most public tertiary educational institutions in Victoria, subject to the program’s eligibility requirements. No. Selection combines academic achievement and demonstrated financial need. Applicants therefore need to satisfy both aspects of the scholarship criteria. The program aims to address educational inequality by helping talented young women from low-income backgrounds overcome financial barriers to tertiary education. The Mary Jane Lewis Scholarships provide up to $30,000 over three years to eligible young women pursuing tertiary education in Victoria. By combining academic merit with financial-need assessment, the program aims to expand access to higher education for students whose family financial circumstances could otherwise limit their educational opportunities. For more information, visit Mary Jane Lewis Scholarships Foundation.