Violet Louise Bonner Postgraduate Scholarship for Women 2026

This scholarship was established by Swinburne alumna Kate Brown in memory of her late mother Violet Louise Bonner.

The scholarship supports female postgraduate students to complete their studies in the sciences, particularly where their research aims to translate into innovative products or processes to assist the community.

This scholarship is valued at $5,000 for one year only.

Any postgraduate course offered by Swinburne University of Technology in the following disciplines:

• Science
• Engineering
• Technology

This can include Higher Degree by Research students and online students. 

To be eligible for the Violet Louise Bonner Postgraduate Scholarship for Women, applicants must:

1. Meet the following criteria:
   • identify as female
   • Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, Australian Permanent Resident with Humanitarian visa or New Zealand citizen. 
2. Meet the following enrolment criteria:
   • be a commencing or continuing student in Semester 1, 2026
   • enrolled full-time or part-time in an eligible course (see courses eligible in section above)

3. Submit a personal statement of up to 500 words or 2 minute video, addressing:

   • your passion and commitment to study
   • how this scholarship will help you achieve your educational goals
      
   • Please upload your video to cloud based storage and provide a link in an MS Word or PDF document. The video must be accessible by anyone - provide any passwords if necessary.
      
4. Provide evidence of educational disadvantage, which may fall under the categories listed below. To assist you, we’ve included a link to the VTAC website for further guidance on preparing your evidence.
    

   Personal information and location
   Financial hardship
   Living with a disability or medical condition
   Difficult family and life circumstances

5. Provide evidence of community participation in extra-curricular service to the community and leadership qualities.

6. Provide an Academic transcript of previous study.

7. Provide a written reference from a teacher, community leader, or employer. Note: referees cannot be a family member or friend.

The scholarship is valued at $5,000 for one year only, paid bi-annually.

Applicants should complete an online application form and submit with all supporting documentation by 15 March 2026. 

Incomplete applications will not be considered. For assistance when completing your application, please view the Scholarship Application Help Guide.

Fees and Scholarships Team, Student Administration.
scholarship@swin.edu.au