Scholarships and Awards

Playford Trust scholarships and awards aim to help students make the most of their studies, achieve their potential and contribute to South Australia’s knowledge, skills and research base. Click here to find out how some of our past scholars have benefited.

Our priority areas include:-

Advanced manufacturing and new technologies | Water, energy and climate change | Agriculture, aquaculture and food production | Space and defence technologies | Health sciences and enabling technologies |Resources, energy and sustainability 

Now Open – UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS

Applications for up to 70 University scholarships are now open and close at 5pm on Friday 17 January 2025.

Search here for all scholarships and awards

The Andy Thomas Space Foundation / Playford Trust Scholarships – 1st Year

Aurecon / Playford Trust Electrical or Civil Engineering Scholarship – Final Year or 4th Year

AusIMM / Playford Trust Minerals Industry Scholarships

BHP / Playford Trust Honours Scholarship

Capral Aluminium / Playford Trust Scholarship – 3rd or 4th year in mechanical, electrical or mechatronic engineering

CEEC International / Playford Trust Minerals Efficiency ESG Scholarships

Codan / Playford Trust Electronic Engineering or Signal Processing Scholarship – 3rd, 4th Year or Honours

Coopers Brewery / Playford Trust Honours Scholarship – barley breeding science or yeast fermentation

GSA / Playford Trust Honours (or equivalent) Scholarships in Earth Sciences

Lincoln College / Playford Trust Residential Scholarship – 1st Year

Peak Iron Mines / Playford Trust Scholarships – Honours or 1st, 2nd or 3rd Year mining engineering, geology, geoscience, or environmental sciences

Playford Trust Honours Scholarships

Playford Trust Resources Sector Engineering Scholarships – 1st Year

PhD Scholarships – Playford Trust PhD Scholarships (2), Family of Donald Laidlaw AO PhD Scholarship (1), Lang Family Foundation PhD Scholarship (1)

Playford Trust Rural and Regional STEM Scholarships – 1st Year

Playford Trust / TAFE SA Awards

Show Society Foundation / Playford Trust ‘Excellence in Agriculture/Horticulture’ Scholarship

St Ann’s College / Playford Trust Residential Scholarships – 1st Year or continuing

St Mark’s College / Playford Trust Residential Scholarships – 1st Year

The Hon Sir Eric Neal AC CVO Engineering Scholarship – Fourth Year or Honours

WSP / Playford Trust Scholarship – 4th Year or Honours civil, structural, mechanical, electrical engineering or environmental studies

Application Guidelines

  • You must apply through the Online Playford Trust Scholarships and Awards Platform.
  • Create an individual user ID and password to access the platform and submit your application.
  • You can save and edit your application as you go for later completion and submission. If necessary, you can also edit your application after you submit it, up to the closing date.
  • You may apply for more than one scholarship or award, provided you meet the selection criteria. However, the Playford Trust will only award a single scholarship or award to any one applicant.

University Scholarships

  • You will need to upload your transcript, or for first-year scholarship applicants, your Record of Achievement and your Tertiary Entrance Statement.
  • As part of the application process, it is essential that the Trust receives your academic reference before the closing date for applications.
  • Once you have submitted your application, we will contact your referee asking for a statement. Your academic referee must be your current supervisor or a senior academic, such as the dean of school or senior lecturer. If applying for a first-year scholarship, a suitable referee would be your school principal, an assistant principal, or a relevant senior member of staff. They will be required to provide supporting comments about your achievements, character and leadership potential.
  • You will be prompted to contact the academic referee you are nominating before you submit your application. Make sure you let them know, in advance, to expect an email from the Playford Trust. Also suggest they check their junk mail.

TAFE SA Awards

  • It is essential that we receive your referee contact details, but references will only be sought for finalists.

We look forward to receiving your application.

You can access our online application platform by clicking on the image below.