FAQs

What is the selection criteria?

CEFA is not focused on your academic success. We base our decision on the following criteria:

  • That you have a realistic goal
  • That you have shown commitment to achieving your goals in the past
  • That you need some financial assistance to be able to achieve your goal
  • That you are 21 years of age or younger
  • That you have lived or attended school within a local education foundation community (see map in Education Foundations)

Is it only for students who have completed Year 12?

No, we are here to help young people as they transition out of high school. We take applications from people who are leaving after Year 10, 11 or 12 and often even students who have deferred university offers. Applicants must be under or including 21 years of age at the time of their application.
 

When do applications close?

Most of our local Education Foundations call for applications some time between October and January; however, each community has a different closing date and some may make mid-year grants.

To find out the specific closing date of your local Education Foundation, refer to the application form or speak with your local Education Foundation contact person. This information is available on each local Foundation's webpage.
 

Are grants a once-off or can I apply again in the future?

Each of our communities are different; some take applications only once, while others will take applications for people in their second, third or fourth year of study or training. To find out what your local Education Foundation offers, speak with your local Education Foundation contact person.
 

Do recipients receive cash grants?

No, CEFA’s local Education Foundations don’t give cash. Rather they pay the goods and services providers associated with you achieving your goal. This could mean paying the university bookshop for text books, paying the TAFE college for your course fees, or buying a fuel card so you can attend classes or practical workshops that may take place some distance away. Successful applicants can also be reimbursed for a pre-agreed expense such as a set of knives for an apprentice butcher or scissors for an apprentice hairdresser.
 

Can I still apply if I have deferred?

Each of our local Education Foundations has a different policy about deferrals that reflects the needs of their local community. Most do take applications from people who have deferred study by one or two years, but generally no longer than that. If you are successful in receiving a grant, and you then defer your studies that year, your grant will no longer be valid, though you are encouraged to reapply the following year, when you plan to return to study. To find out what your local Education Foundation offers, speak with the local Education Foundation contact person.

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