Amuthan Memorial Indigenous Scholarship

The Amuthan Memorial Indigenous Scholarship is open for you to apply if you:

• Identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander in descent; and
• I am a commencing student in the year the scholarship is to be awarded; and
• Are studying any of these Bachelor degrees:
  o Bachelor of Engineering
  o Bachelor of Information Technology
  o Bachelor of Technology and Innovation
  o Bachelor of Science
  o Bachelor of Advanced Science
  o Bachelor of Pharmacy
  o Plus any dual degree combination which includes one of the above.
• Are enrolled full-time (min 9 credit points per study period) at the Cairns, Nguma-bada or Bebegu Yumba Townsville campus.

The value of the scholarship shall be $5,000 per year for the minimum duration of degree (up to $25,000) paid in equal instalments after census date of study period one and study period two. Please allow up to 6 weeks after census date for payment.

Applications must be submitted on the official application form no later than the date set by the Selection Committee for the year in which the award is to be made. Applicants must submit with the official form, where appropriate:

• A copy of your academic record from any other academic institution, including secondary school; and
• A written statement of no more than 500 words outlining:
  1. Your motivation to complete your tertiary studies.
  2. What initiatives you have taken in your community? Volunteer work. Leadership opportunities.
  3. The impact receiving this scholarship would have on your studies.
• Resume outlining work experiences and/or extra-curricular activities.

Applications submitted without the relevant documentation will not be considered.
The applicant authorises the Selection Committee to make such enquires as to the applicant's good character and suitability to receive the scholarship, which includes authorization for the Selection Committee to examine the applicant's academic record and seek opinions from relevant members of the academic staff of this University or any other academic institution.

Your application is checked for completeness and eligibility, and you will receive an email confirmation it has been received. After the closing date it will be individually assessed and put forward to a selection committee who will rank your application against others who have applied. Applicants may be required to attend an interview as part of the selection process.

Introduction

Mr. Anna Sundarum established this scholarship in honour of his late son, Amuthan Annamalai, a Year 6 medical student at James Cook University who passed away in 2013.

Amuthan was passionate about enabling Indigenous Australians to access tertiary education and Mr Sundarum hopes this scholarship will go a small way towards boosting participation of Indigenous students in non-traditional study areas of science, engineering, IT and pharmacy.

This scholarship is subject to the provisions of the James Cook University Coursework Scholarships, Bursaries and Grants Policy

Value and payment of the scholarship

The value of the scholarship shall be $5,000 per year for the minimum duration of degree (up to $25,000) paid in equal instalments after census date of study period one and study period two. Please allow up to 6 weeks after census date for payment.

Eligibility Criteria

The Amuthan Memorial Indigenous Scholarship is open for you to apply if you:

• Identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander in descent; and
• I am a commencing student in the year the scholarship is to be awarded; and
• Are studying any of these Bachelor degrees:
  o Bachelor of Engineering
  o Bachelor of Information Technology
  o Bachelor of Technology and Innovation
  o Bachelor of Science
  o Bachelor of Advanced Science
  o Bachelor of Pharmacy
  o Plus any dual degree combination which includes one of the above.
• Are enrolled full-time (min 9 credit points per study period) at the Cairns, Nguma-bada or Bebegu Yumba Townsville campus.

Selection Criteria

The Selection Criteria are:

1. Demonstrated high degree of motivation to complete tertiary studies.
2. Community contributions and character of the candidate for the award.
3. Financial need and impact the award will have on capacity to complete studies.
4. Academic merit.
5. Any other criteria that the Selection Committee deems appropriate.

Application Procedures

Applications must be submitted on the official application form no later than the date set by the Selection Committee for the year in which the award is to be made. Applicants must submit with the official form, where appropriate:

• A copy of your academic record from any other academic institution, including secondary school; and
• A written statement of no more than 500 words outlining:
  1. Your motivation to complete your tertiary studies.
  2. What initiatives you have taken in your community? Volunteer work. Leadership opportunities.
  3. The impact receiving this scholarship would have on your studies.
• Resume outlining work experiences and/or extra-curricular activities.

Applications submitted without the relevant documentation will not be considered.

The applicant authorises the Selection Committee to make such enquiries as to the applicant’s good character and suitability to receive the scholarship, which includes authorisation for the Selection Committee to examine the applicant’s academic record and seek opinions from relevant members of the academic staff of this University or any other academic institution.

Selection Process

The award of the scholarship will be made in the absolute discretion of the Selection Committee, which shall comprise:

• Head, Indigenous Student Services (CHAIR), or nominee,
• Other members as suggested by Chair.
• **OR a pool of appropriate JCU representatives

The Selection committee will be responsible for shortlisting and/or interviewing of candidates.

The Selection Committee will determine all matters relating to the selection of the grant awardee.

Ongoing Eligibility

• The recipient must maintain a course GPA of 4.0 or above.
• The recipient must be enrolled full time.
• Where the recipient fails to meet these requirements, they must submit a statement of reasons, which the selection committee will review and decide if the student will continue to receive the scholarship. The selection committee have absolute discretion when making a verdict and do not need to consult the donor for approval.

Conditions of the Scholarship

• At the end of each academic year, a written report must be submitted to the scholarships office, the template will be sent to you.
• The recipient may not defer their start date.
• The recipient may take a leave of absence from their studies for up to two semesters. Students should notify the Scholarship Office if they intend to take a break so their scholarship can be put on hold. Official approval is required for some degrees.

A student may lodge a request for review of decision in accordance with the provisions of the Student Appeals Policy.

Administration of the Scholarship

The scholarship shall be administered by the scholarships office, on behalf of the Selection Committee.

The funds of the scholarship shall be held in an account in the name of the University and shall be administered by the officer of the University charged with administering the grant.

Please refer to Glossary of Terms.