How do I apply?
The Country Education Foundation of Australia sees the application process as a valuable and important first step in your new life after high school. One of the principles of CEFA is that you must do all the leg work associated with applying for support. Parents cannot fill in the application form nor can they attend interviews.
The application process varies a little from region to region but generally it is timed to coincide with the school year. Generally a month or so prior to the closing date, advertisements are placed in the local paper and school newsletters calling for applications.
All local Education Foundations will consider ‘special’ applications submitted mid year. These applications are generally from students leaving high school part way through year 11 or 12 to take up Traineeships or Apprenticeships.
To apply for financial assistance you must live or attend high/secondary school in a community that has a local Education Foundation. You will need to complete an application form. These are available to download from your local Education Foundation page.
Your local Foundation will then appoint an interview panel. Typically the interview panel is drawn from both the Foundation’s committee and the local high school. There are three key criteria that the interview panel is looking for.
- That you have a realistic goal
- That you have showed commitment to achieving your goals
- That you need some financial assistance to be able to achieve your goal
We realise that this may be the first time you've had to go through an interview. So, be assured that the interviews are conducted in a relaxed albeit formal environment and they are designed to help you develop your interview technique.
Successful candidates are not necessarily the applicants with the highest academic marks. In general they will be the applicants who have decided what they would like to do and who can demonstrate in a range of ways that they’re really trying to make that happen.
Successful candidates are formally notified by mail and many foundations will hold a presentation evening where grants are presented.
FAQs
What is the selection criteria?
CEFA is not focused on your academic success. We base our decision on the following three criteria.
- That you have a realistic goal
- That you have showed commitment to achieving your goals
- That you need some financial assistance to be able to achieve your goal
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.
When do applications close?
Most of our local Education Foundations call for applications some time between October and December; however, each community has a different closing date.
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.
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, what local Education Foundations do, is to pay the goods and service 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. To find out what your local Education Foundation offers, speak with the local Education Foundation contact person.
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