Western Chances scholarships are awarded to high achieving and motivated young people in Melbourne’s west and the City of Greater Geelong, who have been recognised by their nominators, teachers and the wider community.
You’re on the way to supporting a young, committed person achieve their dreams. If you work with or teach a young person that meets the eligibility criteria, we encourage you to become a nominator to give them access to financial support that will help them reach their potential. A step-by-step guide follows that will assist you through the application process.
Step 1
Register as a nominator for our scholarship program.
Step 2
Identify Eligible Students.
Learn how to identify potential scholarship recipients, by reading our guide here.
Step 3
Collect supporting documents.
Read the application form and our program guides carefully before submitting an application.
Step 4
Submit an application and help change the life of a young person.
Scholarship round dates can be found below.
Scholarship Rounds
The ‘renewal’ round for recipients who have previously received a Western Chances scholarship has now closed, with outcomes advised in late-July.
The ‘new’ round for recipients who have NOT previously received a Western Chances scholarship will open in late-July 2026, with outcomes advised in late-November.
Please contact the Programs team if you require support.
New Nominators
If you are new to our program, please register here for our schools portal
Existing Nominators
If you are an existing nominator, you will have been provided with a link to the Western Chances scholarship portal. Please contact our team if you require support.
Read our top Frequently Asked Questions below.
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A Western Chances scholarship can support a variety of items including, but not limited to:
Calculators, Computers, devices & software, Educational subscriptions, Headphones (up to $250), Home internet fees (up to $450), Lecture & Study notes, MYKI, Specialist course specific equipment and/or uniform, tools, musical instruments, art materials etc directly relating to education pathway (up to $350), Specialist study programs, Stationery, printing & photocopying (up to $250), Study desk/chair (up to $200 each), Tertiary Application fees, Textbooks, Tutoring, Uniform for logoed items (Up to $200), Year 12 school endorsed graduation/valedictory event (Up to $150), Year 12 specific jacket/top, Year 12 school study camp (Up to $250).Please note, scholarship funds cannot be used towards a scholarship when an applicant’s identified talent or pathway is participating in sport. Funds can only be awarded if an applicant is pursuing an educational pathway such as a VET subject or tertiary course in Sport and Recreation. View our Sport Policy for further information.
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Secondary Students must be nominated by someone who has a professional relationship with the candidate. This person could be a school Principal, teacher, welfare coordinator, career guidance counsellor, music, dance or drama instructor, or a professional from a community or welfare organisation.
Parents, guardians, family, or friends do not qualify as nominators for Western Chances scholarships.
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Renewal scholarships open in early Term 1 for 5 weeks and are awarded and paid in late-July.
New scholarships open in early Term 3 for 5 weeks and are awarded and paid in late-November.
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All applications must be accompanied by supporting documentation that addresses the talents and motivation of each student, as this is used to validate each application.
Supporting documents will be provided in our scholarships portal. -
Application forms are submitted directly to Western Chances.
Secondary students please note that applications must be submitted by a nominator -
If you still have any questions or require assistance with the scholarship process do not hesitate to contact the programs team.