John and Eric Smyth Travelling Scholarship (Alumni)

Key scholarship details

Application status

Opening soon

Applications open

28 Sep 2026

Applications close

6 Dec 2026

Benefit amount

$1,000 - $100,000

Eligible study level

Graduate coursework, Graduate research

Eligible student type

Domestic and international students

Eligible study stage

Current study, Alumni

Benefit duration

One-off

Summary

The John and Eric Smyth Travelling Scholarship was established with a gift from John Smyth and is offered to graduates of the University of Melbourne who can enrich the teaching profession and the work of the Faculty of Education by study overseas.

About the donor

Benefits

This award provides a travel allowance of $1,000 to $5,000 for one or two-week study programs or up to $100,000 for study programs for up to two years.

Eligibility and selection criteria

Eligibility

To be considered for this award, you must:

Be under 30 years of age at the time of submitting their application
Be planning to undertake a period of study or research overseas in the field of education

and

Have completed any degree or teaching qualification at the University of Melbourne
Be able to demonstrate skill as a teacher or lecturer, and an ability to conduct research in the field of education

Have completed the Master of Education (or its successor) at the University of Melbourne.

Selection criteria

The award is offered to the applicant(s) ranked highest by the selection panel based on their potential to enrich the teaching profession and the work of the Faculty of Education application as demonstrated by their application.

Conditions

The recipient must:

Commence the overseas study or research in the year the scholarship is awarded
Return to Australasia within three years of the end of the scholarship and hold a position in the field of education for a minimum of two years
Present and submit a report to Faculty of Education on the overseas study or research, if no formal study at an overseas university is undertaken

Note: John Smyth stated in his Will that he wishes the winner to remember John Smyth and his son Eric Smyth throughout their career, and, once they have established themselves, to contribute back to the John and Eric Smyth travelling fund and so perpetuate the spirit which originated the fund.

Application

How to apply

You must submit an application and include:

Personal statement addressing the benefits of the proposed overseas study or research to your teaching career and the Faculty of Education and how knowledge gained will be utilised on return to Australia to benefit the education system.
Details about the proposed overseas study or research including an itinerary and budget
Curriculum vitae
Academic statements for prior study
Details of two referees.

When will I know the outcome?

Outcome available by start of February at the latest.

Submit an application

Recipient feedback

As someone who grew up in a low-income household, the sheer amount of financial freedom the scholarship has provided is life changing. This is the first time in my life that I have been able to study without working full time concurrently, which has allowed me to solely focus on getting my academic pursuits to a higher standard.

Rhiannon Simpson

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.

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