Charlie Perkins Scholarships

The Charlie Perkins Scholarships were launched in 2009 in memory of leader and activist Dr Charlie Perkins - the first Aboriginal man to graduate from university. With the assistance of the University of Oxford, the Charlie Perkins Trust established the scholarships to support two talented Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Australians each year to undertake postgraduate study at the University of Oxford. In 2011, with support from the Cambridge Commonwealth, European & International Trust, the Scholarships also became available for study at the University of Cambridge.

Applications open

1 Oct 2023

Applications closed

31 Jan 2024

Application type

Application required
How to apply

Benefit type

General allowance
Full benefit details

Citizenship requirements

Australian / domestic student

Total value

100% fee remission and $25,000 - $75,000

Applicable study areas

All study areas

Number of scholarships awarded

3

  • "I cannot speak highly enough of the Charlie Perkins Scholarship. It changed my life. There were so many benefits from doing my D.Phil. in Population Health at the University of Oxford. It was home to the World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for the Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, and I spent my days working with some of the brightest minds in the world in my field of study. I could tap into a global network of alumni, as well as the conveyor belt of amazing guest speakers visiting Oxford. Two-thirds of graduates were also from abroad, so I became more worldly, and I returned to Australia more ambitious with my personal goals. What’s more, it was just so amazing to be another student, an “Aussie” studying abroad, there on my own merit, without anyone second-guessing my worth because of my Aboriginality. In community, it can sometimes feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders with all the expectation – not to mention community politics – and it was just so nourishing for my mind and soul to study abroad with such an incredible group of people. The Charlie Perkins Scholarship is one of the best things to happen in Indigenous Australian education in the last decade."
    - Dr Kyle Turner
  • Eligibility & selection criteria

    Eligibility

    To be eligible for this scholarship, you must:

    • Have tertiary qualifications.
    • Be accepted into any graduate degree program offered at the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge (this will usually require a First Class Honours degree, upper Second Class Honours degree or equivalent) or have an application under consideration at Oxford or Cambridge Admissions Office.
    • Be of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent.
    • Identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
    • Be accepted as such by the community in which they live or have lived. Applicants must provide a written statement confirming their Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander heritage.
    • Provide a signed document (including common seal) as confirmation from the Aboriginal Heritage Association, Aboriginal Corporation or Land Council of the country of their ancestors.

    Refer to the Charlie Perkins Scholarship website for further details.

    Selection criteria

    A panel of prominent Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, together with a representative of the British Government and Cambridge Australia Scholarships, select the Charlie Perkins Scholars each year.

  • Application process

    You must be accepted by the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge in order to be eligible to receive a Charlie Perkins Scholarship. You must therefore apply directly to one or both of the universities prior to applying for the scholarship.

    Once accepted by the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge, the scholarship application form can be accessed through the Charlie Perkins Scholarship website.

    For enquiries, please use the the Charlie Perkins Scholarship Trust's contact form.

What are the benefits?

The value of each Perkins Scholarship will vary, depending on the scholarship-holder's course of study. The scholarship will cover up to three years full university and college fees, travel costs and an annual stipend to cover living expenses.

The information listed here is subject to change without notice. Where we have listed information about jointly run scholarships programs, please also see our partners' websites. Information describing the number and value of scholarships awarded is indicative.