Deadline: 28 February 2025
The NWS Government’s Supporting Young Scientists Equity and Access Program supports a diverse sector of NSW high school students who wish to further their education in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics).
Aims
- The Program aims to maximize STEM education opportunities for NSW high school students who are:
- experiencing financial hardship
- from a low socio-economic background
- from regional or remote locations
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
- living with a disability
- from any other backgrounds that might need support.
Funding Information
- Total funding for (Round 2): $ 50,000.
- Individual grant amounts: $ 2,500 to $ 5,000.
- Team grant amounts: $ 10,000.
Eligible Costs
- Funds must be spent in the following ways:
- for STEM-related competitions, either essential research or construction components of the entry project, entry fees or reasonable travel and accommodation expenses
- for STEM-related events, either essential research or construction components of the event project, entry fees or reasonable travel and accommodation expenses
- or attendance at relevant academic courses, tuition fees, or reasonable travel and accommodation expenses
Ineligible Costs
- The grant cannot be used for the following activities:
- costs incurred in the preparation of a grant application or related documentation
- wages
- activities which are permanent in nature
- activities requiring ongoing funding from the NSW Government
- infrastructure, capital or the purchase of significant assets (including the creation of digital assets or software)
- activities that will not be delivered prior to the end of the grant funding period
Eligible Activities
- For a grant Activity to be eligible it must be a:
- STEM-related competition
- STEM-related event
- STEM-related academic course
- The intended eligible Activity must fall into at least one of the following STEM-related areas:
- mathematical, information and computing sciences
- physical, chemical and earth sciences
- engineering, environmental sciences and energy innovation
- biological and biotechnological sciences
Expected Outcomes
- The intended outcomes of the Program are to:
- provide opportunities for a diverse sector of students to develop essential skills such as teamwork, collaboration, creativity, communication, and technical science and engineering knowledge.
- help students to explore their potential, expand their perspectives and future ambitions.
- build participation from students under-represented in STEM education and related industries.
- Align with policies and initiatives, such as the Australian Government’s draft recommendations, to advance a resilient and diverse STEM workforce in NSW that meets future innovation needs and broader global technological change.
Eligibility Criteria
- For student teams, composition must reflect diversity, equity and inclusion which includes participants who identify with at least one of the following groups:
- experiencing financial hardship
- from remote or regional areas
- from a low socio-economic background
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
- living with a disability
- from any other background that might need support.
- Applicants must be:
- a relevant teacher or Principal at a NSW high school applying on behalf of a secondary school student or group of secondary school students or
- a relevant teacher, Principal or agent of a NSW high school or other NSW educational institution or association, in their capacity as organiser of a student team or group, which involves secondary school student entries from more than one NSW high school.
- The applicant must:
- have an Australian Business Number (ABN) or
- be one of the following entities:
- a secondary school that is registered with the relevant authority
- a registered charity or incorporated not-for-profit organisation
- an entity incorporated in Australia
- be able to enter into a grant agreement in your own right or through an affiliated entity
Ineligibility Criteria
- You are not eligible to apply for the Program if you are:
- insolvent
- an individual
- a partnership
- an unincorporated association
- a trust
- coordinating the Activity for which you are applying, except when it is for a school excursion where the school itself is the applicant.
For more information, visit NWS Government.
