The Destination Australia Program funds eligible tertiary education providers to offer scholarships to domestic and international students to study and live in regional Australia. The Destination Australia Program:
- Supports regional and remote Australian tertiary education providers by promoting activities that contribute to growth and sustainability
- Offers students from Australia and overseas the opportunity to undertake high quality education, training and research, and to experience life in regional and remote Australia
- Ensures regions share in the social, cultural and economic benefits that international students bring.
- The Destination Australia Program defines a regional location as any area outside of Major Cities of Australia, in line with the Australian Bureau of Statistics office.
The 2024 round of the program offers scholarship funding of up to $15,000 per student, per year, for domestic and international students commencing their studies in 2024. Additional objectives for 2024 include:
- Helping to fix areas of skills shortages and fill future skills needs by prioritising domestic and international students studying courses that are aligned with the Australian Government’s National Skills Priority List
- Providing scholarships for domestic students from underrepresented groups such as low-socioeconomic status (low-SES), those who are first in family to tertiary study, those living with a disability and First Nations people; to enable them to access education in regional Australia.
Successful applicants receive $15,000 per year of full time study to assist them with all costs associated with studying on campus in the location.
The scholarships are paid directly to recipients at a value of $7,500 per semester.
It is a requirement of the program that applicants are assessed as meeting the Destination Australia Program objectives. A panel will assess applicants against four questions relating to:
- Eligibility requirements
- Commitment to learning and employment
- Evidence of your commitment to full time, on campus study
- Evidence of your commitment to completing your qualification with TasTAFE
Relevant Education Managers (or their nominated representative) will be involved in this process and will be responsible for ensuring that the applicant meets all course entry requirements and can be accommodated in the relevant course.
Scholarships are for students commencing in 2024 courses.