Playford Trust University Scholarships
Overview
Title
Playford Trust University Scholarships
College
Not College specific
Opening date
27-08-2025
Closing date
16-01-2026
Scholarship value
Vary from $4,000 to $10,000
Scholarship duration
Vary
Payment term
Student type
Regional or rural or remote, Domestic students, STEM students
Level of Study
Undergraduate, Honours, Postgrad Coursework, Higher Degrees Research
Description
The Playford Trust and its partners are offering scholarships for first year students through to PhD candidates. A specific category assists rural students moving to Adelaide to study.
The focus is on supporting and encouraging students looking to build careers in areas that are considered priorities for South Australia’s growth and prosperity. These include:
- Advanced manufacturing and new technologies
- Water, energy and climate change
- Agriculture, aquaculture and food production
- Space and defence technologies
- Resources, energy and sustainability
- Health sciences and enabling technologies
Importantly, Playford Trust scholarships and awards offer more than just valuable financial support. They significantly enhance a CV, open doors early on, and impress potential employers.
Eligibility
Playford Trust 2026 Scholarships
Rural and regional
Playford Trust/Commonwealth Hill Trust Rural STEM scholarships | 4 x $5000 x 1 year | First-year students from rural and regional South Australia who intend to study science, engineering, mathematics or technology (STEM) subjects, with an interest in the areas of primary production and supporting technologies/sciences | Work placement opportunity
Playford Trust Rural & Regional STEM Scholarships | 6 @ $5000 x 1 year | First-year undergraduates studying science, engineering, mathematics or technology | Home base in rural or regional South Australia
Residential
Playford Trust/Aquinas College Residential STEM Scholarship | 1 @ $8000 x 1 year | Undergraduates commencing their residency at Aquinas and studying science, engineering, mathematics or technology
Playford Trust/Lincoln College Residential STEM Scholarship | 1 @ $8000 x 1 year | Undergraduates commencing their residency at Lincoln and studying science, engineering, mathematics or technology
Playford Trust/St Ann's College Residential Scholarships | 3 @ $10,000 x 1 year | Undergraduates commencing and/or continuing their residency at St Ann’s and studying in one of the Trust’s priority areas
Playford Trust/St Mark's College Residential STEM Scholarships | 2 @ $8000 x 1 year | Undergraduates commencing their residency at St Mark’s and studying science, engineering, mathematics or technology
2nd year and 3rd year
Playford Trust/Show Society Foundation “Excellence in Agriculture/Horticulture” Scholarships | 3 @ $5000 x 1 year | Second-year or third-year student studying a science related degree in areas of importance to the agricultural industry
Playford Trust/Capral Aluminium Scholarship | 1 @ $10,000 x 1 year | Third-year student studying mechanical, mechatronic, metallurgical, chemical or electrical engineering | Work placement opportunity
3rd year, 4th year, final year, Honours or Masters
Playford Trust/Codan Scholarship in Electronic Engineering or Signal Processing | 1 @ $10,000 x 1 year | Third-year, fourth-year or Honours student studying electronic engineering, signal processing or physics, and having an interest in sensing systems | Work placement opportunity
Playford Trust Resources Sector Engineering Scholarships | up to 10 @ $10,000 x 1 year | Third-year and fourth-year students studying in any core engineering discipline and specialising in mining or energy resources | Supported by BHP, Hillgrove Resources, Iluka Resources, Peak Iron Mines, Santos, the Government of South Australia and SACOME |Work placement opportunities
Playford Trust/CEEC International Minerals Efficiency ESG Scholarship | 1 @ $10,000 x 1 year | Honours or Fourth Year student studying science, geoscience, mining engineering, chemical engineering (minerals processing), civil, mechanical, or electrical engineering or environmental engineering
Playford Trust/Peak Iron Mines Scholarship | 2 @ $10,000 (Honours or fourth year) or 1 @ $10,000 (Honours or fourth year) and 2 @ $5000 (First, second or third year) | Students in mining engineering, geology, geoscience, or environmental sciences | Work placement opportunities
Playford Trust Honours Scholarships | 14 @ $7000 x 1 year | Honours students studying in one of the Trust’s priority areas | 6 scholarships supported by Flinders University
Playford Trust/Aurecon Scholarship | 1 @ $10,000 x 1 year | Final-year student studying electrical engineering or civil and business/commerce (or similar second degree), or fourth year in electrical or civil engineering | Work placement opportunity
Playford Trust/AusIMM Minerals Industry Scholarships | up to 3 @ $9000 x 1 year | Honours or fourth-year student studying geoscience, mining engineering, chemical engineering or environmental engineering
Playford Trust/BHP Minerals Industry Honours Scholarship | 1 @ $10,000 x 1 year | Honours student studying geoscience, mining engineering or chemical engineering | Work placement opportunity
Playford Trust/Coopers Brewery Honours Scholarship | 1 @ $10,000 x 1 year | Honours student studying agricultural science and related sustainability practices or Honours student in the field of barley breeding science or yeast fermentation studying at the Waite Research Institute | Work placement opportunity
Playford Trust/GSA Scholarship in Earth Sciences | 2 @ $4000 x 1 year | Honours student or equivalent studying earth sciences
Playford Trust/Seeley International Scholarship | 1 @ $10,000 x 1 year | Honours or Masters student studying electrical, electronic or mechanical engineering, artificial intelligence (or computer science, majoring in artificial intelligence), information technology or other relevant discipline | Work placement opportunity
Playford Trust/The Hon Sir Eric Neal Engineering Scholarship | 1 @ $10,000 x 1 year | Honours or fourth-year student studying an engineering degree at Flinders University in one of the Trust’s priority areas
Playford Trust/WSP Engineering Scholarship | 1 @ $10,000 x 1 year | Honours or fourth-year student studying civil, structural, mechanical or electrical engineering or environmental studies | Work placement opportunity
PhD
Playford Trust PhD Scholarships | 4 @ $26,250 over 3.5 years | Students undertaking a PhD in one of the Trust’s priority areas
Application information
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.
For further information on these scholarships opportunities, please visit https://playfordtrust.scholarshipsplatform.com/
