Marie Olive Armstrong Scholarship for Indigenous Students

The Marie Olive Armstrong Scholarship provides financial support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students undertaking studies in the fields of music, visual art, performance, dance, creative writing or poetry at the University of Sydney. This scholarship is valued at $8,000 per year and is tenable for the published full-time duration of the recipient's degree (single or combined) up to a maximum total duration of 5 years full-time study or part-time equivalent. The scholarship was established in 2021 in honor of Marie Olive Armstrong, a passionate advocate for the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 1986 for service to the community. Marie had a deep commitment to equality, particularly regarding Aboriginal Australians, and this scholarship seeks to make a better future by empowering Indigenous Australians through the arts. Applicants must have an unconditional offer of admission or be currently enrolled in a coursework degree at the University of Sydney, be studying in eligible fields at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music or Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, and demonstrate financial disadvantage. Preference is given to applicants who identify as female and belong to rural, regional, or remote geographical areas. The scholarship is awarded based on financial disadvantage, a personal statement describing how the scholarship will assist in studies, and a personal reflection on the applicant's academic journey and the arts as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person.