Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre

Rural and Regional Enterprise Scholarships (RRES)

The Rural and Regional Enterprise Scholarships (RRES) program has now concluded. We remain committed to supporting prior scholarship recipients as they progress through their educational journeys.

The Rural and Regional Enterprise Scholarships (RRES) Program ​

The Rural and Regional Enterprise Scholarships (RRES) Program

 Since its introduction in 2016, the RRES Program has helped Australians in regional and remote areas access higher education, offering life-changing opportunities for students pursuing qualifications from Certificate IV to PhD level. While no further rounds are planned, previous recipients will continue to receive the support they need to complete their studies. Facilitating this program has been a rewarding experience for our staff and we continue to remain available to support prior scholarship recipients.

If you have any questions about the Regional Scholarships, call us on 1800 290 979 or email us.

Scholarship Recipient Portal

Welcome back to the portal. Since 2016, the Rural and Regional Enterprise Scholarships (RRES) program has helped Australians in regional and remote areas access higher education. As a current recipient, you will continue to receive the support you are eligable for in order to complete your studies. While no new rounds are planned, the program’s support for students like you, pursuing qualifications from Certificate IV to PhD level, has been significant and deeply rewarding for us to support.

The Rural and Regional Enterprise Scholarships (RRES) Program now closed

Applications for Round 6 of the Rural and Regional Enterprise Scholarships (RRES) Program have now closed, marking the program’s conclusion.

Over 5000 students received scholarship funding since the program’s first round which commenced in late 2017. 

Scholarship recipients received up to $18,000 each (e.g. for a full-time, four-year qualification). Shorter, part-time qualifications were paid on a pro-rata basis. An extra $500 was also available to support an internship.

Please note: Creative Arts Scholarships were available in 2021 only.

For more information, please refer to the Department of Education.

Current scholarship recipients

previous recipient information

Scholarship recipients

Successful applicants of either the RRES Program and Creative Arts Scholarship are required to enter into a legally binding Scholarship Agreement with QTAC.

If there are unreasonable delays in finalising a Scholarship Agreement, the Scholarship offer may be withdrawn and the Scholarship may be awarded to a different applicant.

Scholarship recipients must provide evidence of enrolment in their Eligible Course of Study, and up to date evidence of financial need, before the first scholarship payment will be paid.

Applicants who applied under Financial Need Category 2 (expecting to receive an eligible Centrelink benefit on commencing their Eligible Course of Study) must provide evidence of applying for an eligible Centrelink benefit in order to accept their offer. No Scholarship payments will be made until the Scholarship Recipient provides evidence of receiving an eligible Centrelink benefit.

Scholarship recipients should not make financial commitments in reliance on being awarded a Scholarship Agreement until a Scholarship Agreement has been executed by QTAC.

Standard terms and conditions for the Scholarship Agreement apply and cannot be changed. A schedule may be used to outline the specific requirements of Scholarship Recipients, such as completion of an Eligible Course of Study and a requirement to participate in reporting and evaluation processes.

Scholarship Recipients must continue to demonstrate financial need, by satisfying one of the Financial Need categories for the duration of their scholarship program.

The Scholarship Agreement states the maximum Scholarship amount to be paid and the timeframe over which it will be paid, reflecting the value of study assistance corresponding to the course length and mode of study. The Scholarship Agreement also specifies whether internship payments will apply.

If a successful applicant fails to meet the obligations of the Scholarship Agreement, QTAC may terminate the Scholarship Agreement. The Scholarship Recipient will have to return any unspent Scholarship funds.

Scholarship recipients are required to provide the following each semester: 

evidence of the Scholarship Recipient’s continued enrolment in their Eligible Course of Study
units completed to date, including academic achievement (for example, number of units passed)
evidence of continued financial need

If a Scholarship Recipient ceases undertaking their Eligible Course of Study, they must notify the Scholarship Support Organisation immediately.

If a Scholarship Recipient ceases receiving, or receives a different Centrelink benefit, they must notify QTAC immediately.

Scholarship recipients must make adequate progress in their Eligible Course of Study.

Adequate progress in a Scholarship Recipient’s Eligible Course of Study is defined as passing 50 per cent or more of units of study attempted.

QTAC may take remedial action in instances of underperformance, including mediation with the Scholarship Recipient which may include the Eligible Provider or Internship Host Organisation.

Remedial action is considered on a case by case basis and takes into consideration the Scholarship Recipient’s:

study record to date in their Scholarship Program
individual circumstances at the time
actions to remedy their performance.

Before an Internship can be recognised as part of the Scholarship Recipient’s program, and the $500 payment made, the Scholarship Recipient is required to provide additional information to QTAC.

For students undertaking work integrated learning, this includes information such as the course outline and evidence that the student is enrolled in the corresponding unit.

For students organising their own internship, this includes confirmation from the Internship Host Organisation of the supervisor details, internship learning goals, commencement and end dates, and workplace induction for the Internship placement.

Changes to the Scholarship Agreement can only be made with the approval of QTAC and are only permitted if all eligibility criteria remain satisfied.

 

Scholarship funding is paid to scholarship recipients by QTAC.

 

Study assistance payment

Once a Scholarship Agreement has been executed, QTAC will make the first study assistance payment no less than four weeks after the Scholarship Recipient commences study.

Subsequent study assistance payments will be made in equal instalments for the duration of the Scholarship, no less than four weeks after the commencement of each semester and upon receipt of the successful recipient’s evidence of continued enrolment for the upcoming semester, results from the previous semester and evidence of continued financial need. 

Internship payment

Scholarship Recipients receive a one-off payment of $500 once the required information has been received, to allow for recognition of the internship as part of the Scholarship Program.

Where the internship is not a pre-existing arrangement through the Scholarship Recipient’s Eligible Course of Study, the Internship Host Organisation also receives a one-off payment of $500 once the recipient starts the internship.

 

Scholarship Recipients are permitted to receive support or financial assistance from other sources while participating in the Program, provided they continue to fulfil the program’s ongoing financial need requirement. This may include, but is not limited to, income from employers, assistance from other Government programs and scholarships from education and training providers.

The exception to this is that Scholarship Recipients of the Rural and Regional Enterprise Scholarships or the Creative Arts Scholarship cannot also be in receipt of scholarship funds from the Commonwealth Scholarships Program for South Australia.

Scholarship recipients should note that:

Study assistance provided to full-time students is exempt from income tax as per Section 51.10, 2.1A of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cth).
Study assistance provided to part-time students is considered assessable income and is not income tax exempt.
Any payment made to the Scholarship Recipient by the Internship Host Organisation is considered assessable income and is not income tax exempt.

Merit or equity-based scholarships awarded to enable a student to study at an educational institution are treated as exempt income for social security purposes as per Section 8(8) (zjd) of the Social Security Act 1991 (Cth), to the extent that the payment does not exceed the person’s threshold amount for that year. The value of this threshold amount is $7904 in 2017, and is indexed each year.

FAQ

Scholarship FAQ

Previous applicant requirements

previous applicant information

Applicant criteria (no new applications or further rounds anticipated)

How to apply

You will be required to submit documentary evidence of the following:

Australian citizenship, permanent humanitarian visa, or New Zealand citizenship
Residence in regional or remote Australia
Financial need

Notification of application outcomes

You will be advised of the outcomes of your application in writing. If you are unsuccessful, you may not be notified before scholarship agreements have been executed with successful applicants.

If you are unsuccessful, you may ask us for feedback on your application.

If you are unsuccessful for one round, you may submit a new application in a future scholarship round. 

Internships

If you undertake an internship relevant to your eligible course of study, you will receive a once off payment of $500. This applies to both recipients of the RRES Program and Creative Arts Scholarships.

Internships must be undertaken for a minimum of 5 business days.

You must undertake the internship during or after your eligible course of study, and must complete the internship within three months of completing your studies, or of scholarship funding ending (whichever occurs first).

Internships must be undertaken in Australia.

If the Internship is not part of your Eligible Course of Study or arranged by your educational institution:

You will be responsible for finding an Internship Host Organisation and arranging your Internship placement;
the Internship Host Organisation must establish an agreement with us; and
the Internship Host Organisation is able to receive the one-off $500 payment to assist with the costs of administering the Internship; and
Eligible scholarship recipients will receive a one-off payment of $500 payment
Eligible internship payments will be made at the completion of the internship.

 If the Scholarship Program includes an Internship in the form of work-integrated learning, such as clinical or practical work placements:

Eligible Scholarship Recipients will be eligible to receive a one-off of $500 payment;
the Internship Host Organisation is not eligible to receive the one-off $500 payment.

Scholarship Recipients applying for an Internship payment will need to provide relevant evidence (such as an Internship Agreement or contract with the host organisation).

 Recipients undertaking an apprenticeship are not eligible for an Internship payment.

Selection Criteria 

Applications for the RRES Program and the Creative Arts Scholarships are assessed on the following selection criteria:

 
Criterion 1: Financial need
 
You must provide evidence to demonstrate your financial need.
 
You are considered to be experiencing financial need if you satisfy any one of the following four conditions listed in the table below. The documents which can be used as evidence of financial need are listed for each category.
 
Applications without the required evidence are not considered.
 
If your application is successful, you must continue to demonstrate financial need, by satisfying one of the conditions below, for the duration of your scholarship program.
 
Financial need
Category Evidence
1. A person currently receiving an eligible Centrelink benefit. A copy of Centrelink letter or current Income Statement showing receipt of any one of the following benefits:
 
  • ABSTUDY Living Allowance
  • Austudy
  • Carer Payment
  • Disability Support Pension
  • Low Income Healthcare Card
  • Job Seeker Payment
  • Parenting Payment Single
  • Parenting Payment Partnered
  • Special Benefit
  • Youth Allowance
  • Farm Household Allowance
  • Family Tax Benefit A
 
Please note: If you are using a Low Income Healthcare Card as evidence, you must provide a copy of the card (both sides) showing your full details and card expiry date. If you are providing a Centerlink Income Statement, it must have been issued within three months prior to the submission of your application.
 
2. A person expecting to receive an eligible Centrelink benefit on commencing their eligible course of study. You must indicate on your application form the Centrelink benefit or concession card that you have applied for. The benefit or concession card must be on the above Financial Hardship Category 1 list.
 
Please note: You must provide evidence of your application for an eligible Centrelink benefit or concession card listed under Financial Need Category 1 to accept your scholarship offer.
No scholarship payments are made until you provide evidence of receiving an eligible Centrelink benefit or concession card. If you expect to receive Youth Allowance or Austudy, note that Centrelink applications for these payments can be made up to 13 weeks before starting the course; you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to avoid any delays in receiving your Centrelink payments. If you are facing extreme financial need, you should contact the Department of Human Services to request that your Centelink application be prioritised.
 
3. A Dependent whose parent or guardian is in receipt of: For 3 a) a copy of a Centrelink Healthcare Card showing the names of the parent or guardian and the dependent (both sides of the card); OR a) A Health Care Card with the student’s name on it; For 3 b) both OR a copy of a Centrelink letter or current Income Statement showing receipt by the parent/guardian of any one of the benefits in Financial Need Category 1 AND evidence that the applicant is under the age of 22, together with a statement confirming that they meet the definition of ‘dependent’ as published by the Department of Human Services. b) A payment listed in Financial Need Category 1.
 
4. A person whose income documents demonstrate financial hardship. Financial Hardship is assessed based on your total gross household income. The information you need to provide depends on your personal circumstances and should include:
 
  • A copy of your pay slips for the last eight weeks.
  • If applicable, a copy of your partners pay slips for the last eight weeks.
  • If you are under 22 you will need to provide a statement confirming whether you meet the definition of dependent or independent.  If you are financially supported by your parents or guardians, along with any income you earn, provide evidence of your parents or guardians gross income which includes a copy of their pay slips for the past 8 weeks.
 
Please note: a Notice of Assessment as issued by the ATO does not show your gross income and cannot be used to assess your financial hardship under this category. If your current circumstances are substantially affected by natural disasters such as drought or bushfire and are different from the previous year, please supply additional supporting information which will be taken into account.
 
Criterion 2: Capability
 
You must provide a written statement (maximum 300 words) that describes an achievement that you are proud of. This can include:
 
  • a past educational achievement, and/or
  • a work achievement, and/or
  • other achievement that helps to demonstrate your ability to undertake your Eligible Course of Study.
 
Please note that educational and/or work achievements need not specifically relate to the Eligible Course of Study.
Eligibility

You must meet all the eligibility criteria to be considered.

Applicant eligibility criteria

To be eligible for a scholarship applicants must:

  • Be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, holder of a permanent humanitarian visa
  • Have commenced the first year of their Eligible Course of Study in 2022 or;
  • Have commenced the first year of their Eligible Course Study in Semester 1 of 2023 or;
  • Be about to commence the first year of their Eligible Course of Study in Semester 2 or Trimester 3 of 2023.
  • Have your permanent home address in a regional or remote area as defined by the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS). 
  • Must not have relocated to a major city more than 3 months prior to commencing their chosen course of study. 

Eligible courses of study

Eligible courses of study are those that meet the requirements below.

 

Eligible providers
You must propose and undertake your course of study at an eligible provider.

An eligible provider is either a:

  • registered training organisation (RTO) registered with the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), or in Victoria the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA), or in Western Australia the Western Australian Training Accreditation Council (WA TAC), or
  • higher education provider registered with the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA).

The Department of Education advises us of higher education or training providers for which issues of financial viability, quality or unethical behaviour have been identified and may, at its discretion, require that a higher education or training provider not be considered an eligible provider for the purpose of the program. 

Accredited courses
The course of study must be accredited, and the eligible provider must be accredited to deliver the qualification.

If you are applying for the Creative Arts Scholarship, the chosen course of study must also fall within the Creative Arts Field of Education (Category 10), Please refer to the Australian Bureau Statistics website for further information.

Level of Study
RRES Program

The course of study must be classified at one of the following Australian Quality Framework (AQF) levels:

  • Level 4 – Certificate IV
  • Level 5 – Diploma
  • Level 6 – Advanced
  • Diploma or Associate Degree
  • Level 7 – Bachelor Degree
  • Level 8 – Bachelor
  • Honours Degree,
  • Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma
  • Level 9 – Master Degree
  • Level 10 – Doctoral Degree (PhD).

Please Note: Tertiary Preparation Program and Pathway courses are not considered as eligible courses.

Creative Arts Scholarships

If you are applying for the Creative Arts Scholarship the course of study must be classified at one of the following Australian Quality Framework (AQF) levels:

  • Level 7 – Bachelor Degree
  • Level 8 – Bachelor Honours Degree

 

Commencement periods
All new applicants for the RRES Program must have commenced their first year of their study in 2022 or 2023 in order to be considered.

Scholarships cannot be deferred.

 

Mode of study
You can study on a full-time or part-time basis. A full-time study load is as defined by the eligible provider of the eligible course of study. Part-time scholarships are reduced proportionally per semester. Visit the Benefits page for more information.

You may change from full-time to part-time study, or vice versa.

The mode of study may be face-to-face or online, but must be undertaken in Australia, unless we grant a special exemption (for example, to allow for a student exchange experience).

Study must be delivered in English, unless we grant a special exemption (for example, to allow for a student exchange experience).

 

Rural Residence Eligibility
For your permanent home address to be considered as being in a regional or remote area, it must be located within a remote geographic region as defined by the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) and classified as:

  • Remoteness Area 2 (RA2)
  • Remoteness Area 3 (RA3)
  • Remoteness Area 4 (RA4); or
  • Remoteness Area 5 (RA5)

 

To check if your home address is in an eligible regional or remote area:

  1. Visit http://www.doctorconnect.gov.au/internet/otd/publishing.nsf/Content/locator
  2. In the “Search the Map” section enter your full permanent home address
  3. Choose the “ASGS Remoteness Area (2016)” check box under the “Australia Bureau of Statistics remoteness classifications” section.
  4. Check which classification area your permanent address is located in on the interactive map. (You can zoom in on your location).
  5. To be eligible for RRESP you must be located within a RA 2 – 5 classification.

 

If you need assistance with determining your rural classification, please contact us.

The Scholarship payments will assist the Scholarship Recipient with the financial costs of attending their institution and undertaking their Eligible Course of Study

The Rural and Regional Enterprise Scholarships Program and Creative Arts Scholarships provide:

  • funding up to $18,000, based on course length and type of study or training
  • a further $500 to support an Internship

The tables below outline the different levels of scholarship payments by mode of study:

Full-time study

6 months$2,250$500$500$2,750
1 year$4,500$500$500$5,000
2 years$9,000$500$500$9,500
3 years$13,500$500$500$14,000
4 years$18,000$500$500$18,500

 

 

Note: The above amounts are represented as gross figures.

Part-time study

1 year$2,250$500$500$2,750
2 years$4,500$500$500$5,000
3 years$6,750$500$500$7,250
4 years$9,000$500$500$9,500
5 years$11,250$500$500$11,750
6 years$13,500$500$500$14,000
7 years$15,750$500$500$16,250
8 years$18,000$500$500$18,500

Note: The above amounts are represented as gross figures.

Contact us

If you are interested in talking to us about your Scholarship, contact us

Call: 1800 290 979

Or use our contact page to email us.

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