Scholarships are assessed and delivered by the education provider.
Subject to availability of funds, scholarships will be available between 2026 and 2028.
There is a limited number of scholarships available. Applicants should apply early as places may fill quickly (see Key dates for 2026 section).
Note: The ACE Scholarship Program includes multiple intakes per year. Cut-off dates for scholarship applications, course commencement dates and course fees must be confirmed by the applicant directly with the education provider.
Applications will be assessed in order of submission to the education provider. Applications may not be considered if the application is incomplete.
Scholarships of differing values are available depending on the approved course.
| Scholarship funds are granted for: | |
|---|---|
| All scholarships: | the approved course fee; and |
| For some full tertiary and VET qualifications including skillset scholarships: | additional financial support to assist with study and cost of living expenses to enable aspiring and existing ACE teachers to complete the qualification or skillset. (Please note this depends on the course and is not means tested.) |
Course costs will be paid by the Department directly to the education provider to cover course fee (refer Approved courses section).
Note: If the scholarship recipient is enrolling in and is eligible for an approved course that offers Free TAFE, the scholarship amount will be adjusted to cover the financial support component only.
If additional financial support is part of the scholarship, the education provider will allocate and administer these funds and pay them directly to the scholarship recipient. These payments will be made to the scholarship recipient in instalments by the education provider and in accordance with the guidelines and the education providers’ terms and conditions.
4.1 Consequences of non-compliance
Failure to meet and continue to meet conditions of the scholarship may result in withholding of scholarship payments, termination of the scholarship (including the agreement entered into with the education provider) and repayment of some or all of the scholarship.
The Department and/or the education provider may request information from the student relating to the scholarship including to verify eligibility and that the conditions of the scholarship have been and are continuing to be met.
4.2 Release
The Department is not liable to make any payment of scholarship funds directly to a scholarship recipient.
The scholarship recipient fully releases the Department from any claims in relation to this program and these Guidelines including in relation to any eligibility assessment, an award or failure to award a scholarship, provision of the course or any failure to provide the course, the scholarship funds and payments to the recipient, and any consequences of breach of scholarship conditions.
4.3 Tax consideration
Receipt of a scholarship may have taxation implications or implications for Commonwealth benefits (such as Austudy, Family Allowance and Childcare Benefits) and Commonwealth obligations (including Medicare Levy, HECS-HELP and child support).
Scholarship recipients are responsible for obtaining their own financial advice and taxation advice including on the tax treatment of scholarships.
Please note that different tax treatment may apply in individual cases and the payments may not be tax exempt, meaning that you may be required to include scholarship funds in your assessable income (in whole or in part, including course fees paid on your behalf and/or additional financial support). This may depend on a range of circumstances, including whether you study full time or part time.
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