Students from all backgrounds have the chance to be part of the St Mark’s community.
Financial assistance options include scholarships, grants, prizes and bursaries to a total value of over $500,000 for new and existing students at the College each year.
St Mark’s College seeks to encourage the pursuit of academic excellence, the development of good character and a commitment to service in all its students, and to ensure that, as far as possible, financial need is not a barrier to gaining the benefits of an all-round collegiate education at St Mark’s.
A generous financial assistance program recognises excellence in all its forms with over $500,000 available each year to distribute to students through scholarships, grants, prizes and bursaries.
Through the generosity of benefactors, usually more than 50 per cent of St Mark’s students receive some form of financial assistance to help them attend or continue at the College.
Applicants are encouraged to discuss their need for financial assistance with staff on application.
Criteria for awards vary. In general, awards are ordinarily made to new and returning students on the basis of academic excellence, financial need, and service to the College and the wider community.
Any student who would like to attend St Mark’s but think they cannot afford the fees is invited to discuss their options with the College.
For 2025, new students who have been offered and accepted a place at the College are eligible to apply for scholarships.
The 2025 new student scholarship round is now open, and will close at 11.59pm on Monday 13 January 2025.
All new students are welcome to apply for scholarships in this round, including students commencing mid-year.
New students will be emailed a link to the online scholarship application form. Those wishing to apply for scholarships are asked to complete the application form and provide supporting documents. The scholarship panel will review your application and consider you for all scholarships and bursaries for which you may be eligible.
If eligible you may also choose to apply for the A. Simpson & Sons Scholarship, the Craig Family Scholarship, or the Robin Ashwin Scholarship, which have additional application requirements. Details on how to apply for these scholarships are included on the scholarships application page which is emailed to new students. Applications for these three scholarships close at 9am on Tuesday 17 December 2024.
The full list of Scholarships, Prizes and Bursaries can be found here.
Answers to some Frequently Asked Questions can be found here.
A. Simpson & Sons Scholarship
The A. Simpson & Sons Scholarship was created in 2022 through a generous endowment by Mr Antony Simpson, Honorary Fellow of the College and Governor of the St Mark's College Foundation.
The Scholarship is awarded annually by the College on the basis of excellence in intellect, character, leadership, and service, and to give the recipient(s) of the Scholarship the opportunity to attend the College. The following factors are taken into account in the selection of Simpson Scholars:
• Assessment of excellence in intellect, which will include consideration of academic potential and motivation (as well as achievement to date) and be open to “late bloomers”.
• Assessment of excellence in character, as reflected in behaviour and motivation, which will include an expectation that the Scholar will show thoughtfulness to others, including an aptitude for bringing others together for the benefit of all, a consistent work ethic, and character in the face of adversity.
• Assessment of excellence in leadership, which will include an expectation that the Scholar will contribute to their community, be it within their school or the College or the community generally.
• Assessment of excellence in leadership will also include consideration of the extent to which candidates for the Scholarship are innovative and show an ability to think outside established precedents.
• Assessment of excellence in service.
• In the awarding of the Scholarship, no particular regard is to be paid to sporting achievement, contribution or ability.
• Assessment of the Scholar’s financial circumstances such that, without the benefit of the Scholarship, the applicant would be unable to attend the College.
Where there is more than one excellent candidate based on the above criteria, the award may be shared by up to two Scholars. In 2025 an award or awards totalling up to $20,000 may be made if suitable candidates are selected. In determining the monetary value of the award, the College will take into account the degree of financial need of the Scholar/s.
The A. Simpson & Sons Scholarship is open both to new and to returning students of the College, regardless of gender, and to students studying in any discipline.
It is awarded for a single year (subject to the Scholar remaining in residence for that year) and may be awarded to an individual more than once, on the basis of the selection criteria set out above.
The names of the A. Simpson & Sons Scholars are recorded on an honour board in the Junior Common Room.
Applications for the 2025 A. Simpson & Sons Scholarship close at 9am on Tuesday 17 December 2024. Interviews for the A. Simpson & Sons Scholarship will be held in January 2025. Details of how new students coming to St Mark’s can apply for this scholarship are under “Application Process” and the FAQs above.
Craig Family Scholarship
The Craig Family Scholarship is awarded to a rural student of good character and academic merit who is in financial need and has demonstrated resilience in facing and overcoming hardship of some kind. It is open to students of any discipline.
One Scholarship will be awarded annually to a new or returning student who is or will be studying at Adelaide University (or a successor institution), to enable and support them to be at St Mark’s. At the discretion of the College, the major part of the award will be used to assist in payment of College fees, and part provided to the Scholar as a direct payment to assist with other living costs (ordinarily, the Scholarship will cover 50% of the St Mark’s residential fee, with a further 50% of that amount paid to the Scholar). It is awarded for a single year (subject to the Scholar remaining in residence for that year). Previous recipients of the Scholarship are eligible to apply in subsequent scholarship rounds.
The Craig Family Scholarship was created in 2024 through a generous endowment by the family of Dr Robert J. Craig OAM (St Mark’s 1954-58) in honour of Dr Craig, and also in recognition of the crucial role that scholarships played in creating opportunities for him. It is their wish to provide these same opportunities for future generations of students.
In 2025 the Scholarship will have a value of $18,000 and is open to any student of the University of Adelaide who meets the membership requirements for St Mark’s College.
Applications for the 2025 Craig Family Scholarship close at 9am on Tuesday 17 December 2024. Details of how new students coming to St Mark’s can apply for this scholarship are under “Application Process” and the FAQs above.
Robin Ashwin Scholarship
The Robin Ashwin Scholarship is for an excellent student whose studies have a strong international focus, and who is in financial need. The strong international focus could be, but does not need to be, in the study of international relations or international politics; it could be in any relevant field or fields of study, such as, for example, health, economics, history, law, or other fields.
The Scholarship was created in 2020 through the generosity of the family of the late Charles Robin Ashwin (1930-2019), former Master of the College (1991-99). It is intended for the Scholarship (which may be shared) to be awarded each year in which there is a suitable recipient. The Robin Ashwin Scholarship is open both to new and to returning students of the College, regardless of gender.
Applications for the 2025 Robin Ashwin Scholarship close at 9am on Tuesday 17 December 2024. Details of how new students coming to St Mark’s can apply for this scholarship are under “Application Process” and the FAQs above.
C.A.S. Hawker Scholarships are one of the most prestigious and generous privately funded scholarships available to undergraduate and postgraduate students in Australia and are administered by the Hawker Trustees. Each residential scholarship is valued at up to $75,000 over three years. Selection is largely based on personal qualities and demonstrated leadership as well as academic ability. The scholarships are available to all Australian students. The majority have been awarded to students entering their first year of university studies. St Mark’s College is proud to have been the home of 49 Hawker Scholars since the scholarship’s creation .
The Hawker Scholarships are given in memory of Charles Allan Seymour Hawker MP, a scholar, soldier, pastoralist and significant political leader, who was one of the founders of the College and served on the College Council until his death in an aeroplane crash in 1938. His portrait hangs in Downer House at St Mark’s, and one of the College’s buildings is named in memory of him.
The Hawker Scholarships were endowed by Charles Hawker’s sister, Lilias Needham. She was also a generous benefactor of St Mark’s College, but insisted on no public recognition of her generosity during her lifetime. A prestigious prize, the Lilias Needham Medal for Service, is given in her memory at St Mark’s for selfless service.
Information about the Hawker Scholarships, including an online application form, is available at www.hawkerscholarship.org. Interested applicants should apply for this scholarship directly via the Hawker Scholarship website.
Applications for the 2025 C.A.S. Hawker Scholarships open on Monday 18 November 2024 and will close at 5pm on Monday 6 January 2025.
Playford Trust St Mark’s College Residential STEM Scholarships
In partnership with the Playford Trust, St Mark’s College is offering two scholarships for high-achieving and motivated South Australian students who are ready to commence an undergraduate degree in science, engineering, mathematics, or technology at any of the South Australian public universities.
It is the hope of the Playford Trust and St Mark’s College that these scholarships will help students overcome the practical and financial disadvantages associated with living away from home while at university. As such, each scholarship recipient will receive $8,000 to go towards their College fees for one year.
Applications for the Playford Trust St Mark’s College Residential STEM Scholarships are administered by the Playford Trust. The Playford Trust will consider nominations from students who have accepted an offer of a place at St Mark’s College for the relevant year, and also those who are recommended for selection by St Mark’s College. To apply, a student must be an Australian citizen or holder of a permanent resident visa and a resident of South Australia. They must also be intending to spend a significant part of their career in South Australia or be likely to contribute to the State’s knowledge, skills, and research base.
Scholarships will be awarded primarily based on academic merit. Consideration will also be given to applicants’ financial need, personal character, and community contributions. Preference will be given to students who display leadership potential.
Applications for this Scholarship must be made directly via the Playford Trust’s website. Applications are now open and close at 5pm on Friday 17 January 2025.
The Playford Trust also offers a number of other scholarships for students from South Australia. We strongly encourage students to apply for all scholarships for which they may be eligible. Full details about the Playford Trust’s other scholarships are provided on their website.
Ivan Shearer Scholarship
A generous bequest from the late Professor Ivan Shearer AM (1938-2019) enables St Mark’s to provide significant scholarships for members of the College who go on to study at either Oxford or Cambridge (subject to certain terms). A call for applications for the 2025-26 UK academic year may be found here.
External Scholarships and Other Financial Support
Students are encouraged to apply for university and external scholarships to support their studies. You can find out more about the relevant university scholarship programs here:
Other external sources of financial support and useful information include:
- Centrelink (e.g. Youth Allowance, Rent Assistance, ABSTUDY Residential Costs Option): servicesaustralia.gov.au/centrelink
- Tertiary Access Payment: servicesaustralia.gov.au/tertiary-access-payment
- Country Education Foundation Scholarships Guide: cef.org.au/scholarships-guide/
- Wyndham Richardson Scholarship Fund: wyndhamrichardson.org
- Playford Trust: playfordtrust.com.au/scholarships-and-awards/
- Bendigo Bank Scholarships: bendigobank.com.au/community/scholarships/
- W. Stevens Trust (regional SA): ppsa.org.au/scholarships/
- Stand Like Stone Foundation (Limestone Coast): standlikestone.com.au/
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