Complete guide · 2026 application cycle
Australian private school scholarships — everything that matters
Ten scholarship types, application windows, eligibility, typical % tuition remission + ACER testing dates. Built from how the Australian independent school sector actually runs.
Key takeaways
- 10 scholarship types are offered across Australian private schools — Academic, Music, Sport, All-rounder, Indigenous, Year 7 entry, Year 11, Bursary, Faith-based, STEM.
- Most academic + music + all-rounder applications close between February and May for the following year's entry. Bursaries are year-round.
- ACER's Co-operative Scholarship Testing Program (CSTP) is accepted by 120+ Australian independent schools — sit once, apply to many.
- Scholarship value ranges from 25% remission (most competitive) to 100% tuition + boarding (Indigenous + major academic). Sibling + multi-year discounts often stack.
10 scholarship types
Academic Scholarship
25–100% tuition remission
Eligibility: Top decile NAPLAN / school-based academic testing (often ACER) + interview
Apply year: Year 5 for Year 7 entry; Year 8 for Year 9 entry; Year 10 for Year 11 entry
Window: Feb–May of the year before entry
Sitting fee: $200–250 (ACER) or school-set
Most competitive category. Schools often offer ~5–10 academic scholarships per year level. Testing is via ACER's Cooperative Scholarship Testing Program (CSTP) — schools either run their own or accept ACER results.
Music Scholarship
20–100% tuition remission, sometimes plus instrument loan
Eligibility: Audition + portfolio. Typically AMEB Grade 6+ on primary instrument for senior school entry.
Apply year: Same as academic
Window: Feb–April (audition usually March/April)
Sitting fee: $0–150
Less competitive than academic per slot but requires high-level performance. Strings + brass + percussion easier than piano + voice. Look at school orchestra repertoire — programs at Geelong Grammar, MGS, Sydney Grammar, Brisbane Grammar are conservatorium-tier.
Sport / Sporting Scholarship
20–75% tuition remission
Eligibility: Demonstrated state / national level competition. Some schools (Geelong Grammar, Knox, Newington) recruit specifically for rowing, rugby, AFL.
Apply year: Year 5–10 (early identification common in rowing + rugby)
Window: Year-round (varies)
Sitting fee: $0
Increasingly common at boarding schools wanting to build sports teams. ATAR + academic baseline still apply. Some schools (Sydney Grammar, MGS) deliberately do not offer sport scholarships.
All-rounder / General Excellence Scholarship
20–50% tuition remission
Eligibility: Strong academic + 1+ extra (sport, music, leadership, debating)
Apply year: Year 5–10
Window: Feb–May
Sitting fee: $200
Best fit if your child is "very good at three things" rather than world-class at one. Particularly common at Knox, Cranbrook, Geelong Grammar, Methodist Ladies' College.
Indigenous Scholarship
50–100% tuition + boarding, often plus pastoral support stipend
Eligibility: Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent + community endorsement
Apply year: Year 5–8
Window: Year-round (often by application + interview)
Sitting fee: $0
Substantial number of schools offer dedicated Indigenous scholarships (typically 2–6 per school per year). The Aboriginal Independent Schools Foundation + the GO Foundation are key pathways. Boarding included at most regional + city schools.
Year 7 Entry Scholarship
50–100% tuition remission
Eligibility: Year 6 testing (ACER CSTP common). Sometimes called "Major Scholarship".
Apply year: Year 6 (October–November of Year 5)
Window: Apply Sept–Nov of Year 5
Sitting fee: $200
The most common entry point. Sit ACER's Selective Secondary School Test for Year 7 to be considered at multiple schools with one sitting.
Year 11 / VCE / HSC Scholarship
25–100% tuition remission for senior years
Eligibility: Year 10 NAPLAN, school reports, sometimes Year 9/10 academic testing.
Apply year: Year 10 (Feb–May)
Window: Often 2nd round when there are still places
Sitting fee: $200
Schools needing senior cohort top-ups. Useful entry point for top-performing public school students wanting a VCE/HSC scholarship before final exams.
Bursary (means-tested)
Variable (need-based)
Eligibility: Demonstrated financial hardship + academic baseline
Apply year: Any year
Window: Year-round
Sitting fee: $0
Less competitive than open scholarships but requires financial disclosure. Many schools have a confidential bursary scheme that's not advertised — ask Admissions directly.
Diocesan / Faith-based Scholarship
25–75% tuition
Eligibility: Practising family of the school's faith, often parish endorsement
Apply year: Year 6–10
Window: Aligned with academic scholarship window
Sitting fee: Usually $0
Common at Anglican + Catholic schools — often requires parish reference, particularly for Catholic systemic-adjacent independent Catholic schools.
STEM / Innovation Scholarship
25–50%
Eligibility: Top-tier science / maths / coding aptitude, often portfolio + interview
Apply year: Year 6+
Window: Feb–May
Sitting fee: $200
A relatively new category — emerging at schools wanting to build a STEM cohort (think Knox, Bialik, MGS, Brisbane Grammar). Programming experience + competition records help.
Testing
ACER scholarship tests
Most independents use ACER's standardised tests for academic scholarship assessment. Sit once + apply to many.
| Test | Timing | Schools accepting |
|---|---|---|
| Year 7 Co-operative Scholarship Test (CSTP) — Year 7 entry | Test sat in Sept–Oct of Year 5 for Year 7 the following year | 120+ Australian independents accept |
| Year 9 CSTP — Year 9 entry | Test sat in Feb–April of Year 8 | 80+ schools |
| Selective High School Placement Test (SHSPT) | NSW selective government schools only — Year 6 in March | Government selective stream only |
Where to find each school's scholarship details
Specific scholarship offerings (number of slots, exact application close dates, value cap, testing requirements) are published on each school's own "Scholarships" or "Admissions" page. Most independents publish updates in January for the testing window opening in February.
Each school's provider page on this site links directly to the school's website + admissions page. A per-school aggregated scholarship database (every named scholarship, deadline + value across our 215 schools) is on our 2026 release roadmap.
Important: scholarship applications close several weeks before main enrolment applications. If you're considering 3–5 schools, plot all closing dates in October of the year before you intend to sit, and book ACER testing immediately to lock in your slot.