The Ngala Kwop Biddi Brighter Futures Scholarship is the first of its kind in WA and aims to provide exceptional young individuals with opportunities to continue their positive contributions to our world.
The scholarship seeks to acknowledge and support students who have demonstrated proactive and impactful leadership, advocacy and active engagement in endeavours that have led to positive outcomes aligned with one of the University’s three strategic themes: Sustainability, First Nations; and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
Valued at $12,000, this scholarship is available to any domestic undergraduate student and is awarded as a cash payment in semester instalments throughout their degree, which can extend up to four years. In addition, recipients will have access to further leadership and development mentoring throughout their academic journey, further enhancing their personal growth.
All secondary schools will have the opportunity to nominate a Year 12 student who meets the eligibility criteria and will be commencing their studies in the following year's Semester 1.
Nominations will be accepted between May and September each year. Information on the nomination process and application requirements are contained in the FAQs below.
Murdoch University is thrilled to offer this scholarship program and looks forward to empowering exceptional young individuals who are dedicated to creating a better world for all.
Please email us for further information.
The application will require a supporting statement from each School on School Letterhead, as well as completed statement from the nominated student. Download the Student Statement Form (DOCX) 224KB.
Frequently asked questions
Each Secondary School can nominate one Year 12 student who has exhibited leadership and made a positive impact in one of the three categories below, via activity in their School or community:
Category A: Sustainability
Category A: Sustainability: Awarded to incoming students who by their own actions and / or activities are increasing awareness and inspiring others to embrace:
- Clean technologies
- Eliminate Waste
- Live sustainably
- Protect the environment
Examples of activities and programs where students may have demonstrated leadership and a significant contribution to Sustainability, via their School or Community group (eg: Rotary) could include, but not be limited to:
- Leading School / Community Gardens
- Leading Wildlife Rescue and / or Wildlife Protection
- Leading Tree planting / Habitat Regeneration
- Acting on Clothing Waste and other Recycling initiatives
- Acting as a Champion for Waste Avoidance
- Leading Fauna Surveys
- Leading Clean-Up campaigns / operations
Category B: First Nations
Awarded to incoming First Nations students who display leadership within their school or community.
Examples of demonstrable and positive leadership could include, but not be limited to:
- Leading / delivering activities in their school / community.
Category C: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Awarded to incoming students, whose advocacy and / or activity are not only inclusive of people from underrepresented, diverse or marginalised backgrounds, but encourage, support and normalise inclusion within their school or community. The nominee should themselves be a representative of an underrepresented group*, who is leading and advocating for change, but their inclusion work could be focused on an underrepresented group they are not part of.
*e.g. students with a disability, students of colour, young women interested in STEM, LSES, LGBTIQA+, Culturally & Linguistically Diverse, refugee background, remotely located.
Examples of demonstrable and positive leadership could include, but not be limited to:
- Creation of or adaptation of activities / events to be more inclusive of students with a disability
- Leading fund and / or awareness raising to better support and /or include students from any marginalised group backgrounds (eg: ethnic, LGBTQIA+, LSES, victims of violence / crime, refugee, remoteness)
- Leading student support groups eg: Pride Groups.
- Promoting gender equity
- Initiating safe / accessible spaces in their School or community
- Mobilising peers to participate in positive change action for the benefit of underrepresented or marginalised groups
- Leading activities that grow tolerance and acceptance of diversity
- Leading activity that addresses and lessens stereotypes
- The nominee must have demonstrated impactful leadership in one of the three Scholarship categories (see FAQ above).
- Be a student with good academic endeavour and attendance record.
- They must be a domestic student (an Australian Citizen, New Zealand Citizen, Permanent Resident, or on a Humanitarian Visa).
- They must be on a pathway to gain a selection rank suitable for entry into a Murdoch University course. The minimum selection rank of 70 can be met by a raw or adjusted ATAR of 70, CertIV, IB score of 24, successful completion of a University enabling program, IBPLC (no less than 3 x level 4 and 2 x level 3) or an approved Experienced Based Entry or Creative Media Portfolio ) and they must meet English Language Competency (ELC) requirements. For most domestic students, ELC can be achieved by having completed Yr11 and Yr12 in Australia. Alternatively, a grade of 50+ in an ATAR English, or a score of 140+ in the written English component of the STAT.
- They must have a Murdoch course listed as a preference on TISC (first to sixth).
A link to the online nomination portal is above at the ‘Apply Now’ button.
The nominator (Principal or delegate) will need to gather the following details and documents from the nominee (student) prior to application:
- TISC Number
- Course of interest at Murdoch University
- Student’s personal email address for correspondence
- A completed Student Statement Form (downloadable word doc) from the student (saved as a PDF for upload) outlining the activity they have undertaken, their motivation for doing so, and the impact it has had.
The following details and documents will be required from the nominator:
- School 4 digit code
- Nominator’s contact details
- Statement signed by the Principal or delegate on School letterhead, and saved as a PDF, regarding the leadership and impact of the nominee’s activity.
The online application process will take around 10 minutes to complete.
Nominations will open on 1st May 2024 and ‘on time’ applications are requested by Monday 30th September 2024. If more time is required, please let us know by emailing brighterfutureschol@murdoch.edu.au. The portal will remain open for late nominations.
If eligibility is met, then the student will receive a Scholarship offer, and the School will also be advised of the outcome. The student will be presented with a Scholarship Certificate toward the end of Yr12.
The student will need to receive and accept an offer into a Murdoch University course to receive the Scholarship payments. The payment of Scholarship instalments to the student will commence, after census (which is week 5 each Semester) as long as they are enrolled in a full time load (3 or 4 units) and maintain a pass average.
- For students completing a three-year degree, payment will be made in the following instalments: $4,000 per annum at $2000 per Semester.
- For students completing a four-year degree, payment will be made in the following instalments: $3,000 per annum at $1500 per Semester.
- No payment will be made for a fifth year of study.
If the nominee has attained a selection rank of 70+, but has fallen short of the selection rank for courses requiring 80, 90 or higher, then there will be related undergraduate pathway courses that they can commence, with a view to transferring on the basis of strong results on completion of their first year eg: commencing Criminology, to transfer to Law. The student will still receive their Scholarship payment.
Yes. The Scholarship is deferable for up to two Semesters, by request and in accordance with the Terms and Conditions.
Please see BFS Terms and Conditions.
