At Sancta Sophia College, we value community, inclusion, academic endeavour, and ethical leadership. We also value diversity and equity of access. For this reason, our scholarship program prioritises students who cannot otherwise afford to live and study in Sydney.
While financial need must be present for a scholarship to be considered, other factors are important. We look for leadership attributes, academic achievement, and the capacity to contribute to the religious, cultural, and sporting elements of College life and beyond. Some scholarships also consider additional criteria such as place of residence (for example, some scholarships preference students from regional, rural, or remote areas), enrolment at the University of Sydney, or enrolment in particular areas of study.
Every prospective student is given the opportunity to apply for scholarships when completing their application for residency at Sancta (when their application is submitted prior to the scholarship due date). The College Scholarships Committee will assess the information provided in a student’s scholarship application to determine eligibility for individual scholarships within our scholarship program. This means you do not need to apply for individual scholarships: from the information you provide, the Committee will know which scholarships you are eligible to be considered for.
Our scholarships are funded by generous donors, including Sancta alumni and community members. We are very grateful for their ongoing support, which makes our scholarship program possible.
Our scholarships & bursaries
The following is the list of scholarships offered by Sancta Sophia College, through the generosity of our donors. We have also included details of partner scholarships in which a scholarship application is required by an external partner such as the University of Sydney.
Scholarships are generally bestowed for up to three years, subject to annual review. Annual reviews require recipients to demonstrate they are meeting scholarship conditions. Due to the continuing nature of scholarships, not every scholarship listed below will be bestowed in 2027.
Sancta reserves the right to not allocate a particular scholarship for any reason, and to adjust selection criteria in accordance with the wishes of donors.
Archbishop of Sydney Scholarship
This scholarship is offered to a commencing Catholic female undergraduate student who is undertaking a bachelor’s degree at the University of Sydney. As well as demonstrating financial need, the successful applicant will have received (or be on track to receive) excellent results in the HSC (or equivalent) and be able to demonstrate a strong and continuing commitment to the Catholic faith. The recipient of the Archbishop’s Scholarship receives full (100%) remission of fees. This scholarship is newly offered once every three years.
Gadigal Scholarships
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students intending to study at the University of Sydney may apply for a Gadigal Scholarship. Applications for Gadigal Scholarships must be made through the University of Sydney. Gadigal Scholarship recipients receive full (100%) remission of fees, funded jointly by the University of Sydney and Sancta Sophia College. Gadigal scholarships are usually offered every year. Learn more about Gadigal Scholarships.
JT Clark Rural Student Scholarship
This scholarship is for a commencing female undergraduate from regional, rural, or remote Australia, studying at the University of Sydney. As well as financial need, the recipient will demonstrate a commitment to College life. This scholarship recipient will be eligible for 50% remission of fees. This scholarship is newly offered every three years.
Sr Mary Shanahan RSCJ Scholarship
The Sr Mary Shanahan RSCJ Scholarship offers $10,000 in fee relief per annum. This scholarship will be bestowed on the basis of demonstrated financial need, as well as a demonstrated commitment to studies, contribution to community life, and engagement in spiritual life within the College. This scholarship is newly offered every two to three years.
Sancta Sophia College Access Scholarships
For the 2027 academic year, Sancta will award up to five Access Scholarships, each valued at $10,000 in fee relief per annum. These scholarships will be bestowed on the basis of financial need and other factors such as commitment to the religious life of the College, academic achievement, leadership attributes, cultural and/or sporting contributions. Access Scholarships are offered every year.
Sancta Sophia College Rural Medicine Scholarship
The Rural Medicine Scholarship offers $10,000 in fee relief per annum to a student from a regional, rural, or remote area, undertaking postgraduate studies in medicine. This scholarship will be bestowed on the basis of financial need and other factors such as commitment to the religious life of the College, academic achievement, leadership attributes, cultural and/or sporting contributions. One Rural Medicine Scholarship is offered each year.
Dr Susan Kelly Scholarship
This scholarship is offered to a female student from a regional, rural, or remote area, studying in the field of science, technology, engineering, or medicine. As well as financial need, the successful recipient will demonstrate academic capacity and commitment to life in College. This scholarship offers $10,000 fee remission per annum and is offered once every three years.
Country Education Foundation of Australia (CEF) and Sancta Sophia College Scholarship
Sancta’s partnership with CEF represents a significant addition to our 100-year history of empowering women and reflects our commitment to supporting educational access and personal development for regional and rural women.
This scholarship is newly offered annually to one eligible undergraduate woman, covering 50% of the annual accommodation fees at Sancta for up to three years. The value of the scholarship is applied in equal 50% instalments each semester, directly credited to the recipient’s College fee account. Based on the College’s 2025 fees, the value of the scholarship is approximately $45,000 over three years.
Any female student who receives a grant from a local CEF foundation and has applied for a place at Sancta in undergraduate accommodation in 2027 will be eligible for the Sancta-CEF Scholarship. Learn more about how to apply for the Sancta-CEF Scholarship.
John Lane Mullins Scholarship
As well as financial need, the recipient of this scholarship will be studying in the Arts or Social Sciences, with an interest in literature, fine arts, music, politics, or history. The recipient of the scholarship will also demonstrate commitment to the Catholic faith and liturgical activities of the College. The recipient will receive $6,000 remission of fees per annum.
Pamela Suttor Scholarship
This scholarship is offered to a student from a regional, rural, or remote area, studying Law at the University of Sydney. As well as financial need, the successful recipient will demonstrate the capacity to make a genuine contribution to the College through participation and involvement. The recipient of this scholarship will receive $15,000 remission of fees per annum for up to three years.
Joint University of Sydney and Sancta Sophia College Sporting Scholarships
Designed to support high-performing athletes within our community, these scholarships complement the University of Sydney Sport (SUS) Elite Athlete Program. Sancta matches the sports scholarship provided by SUS, offering additional support per year in fee relief. Students interested in these scholarships must apply through SUS and meet the necessary criteria to be considered for Sancta’s matching contribution.
Financial need explained
Filling the gap
Sancta makes decisions regarding financial need scholarships and bursaries with the goal of helping eligible students fill the gap in fees that can’t be met by a combination of:
- Contributions from their parent/caregivers.
- Student income from casual or part-time employment.
- Other expected income such as university-based scholarships or sponsorships.
- Government financial assistance such as Youth Allowance, Austudy, or overseas student loans.
In determining financial need, we ask applicants to provide information regarding:
- Parent/caregiver occupation and income (and any legal or business matters related to income).
- Expected income from other scholarships or sponsorships.
- Expected government financial assistance (if any).
- Expected weekly casual or part-time work hours/income.
- Expected weekly university contact hours (we estimate this by referring to guides on expected full-time contact and study hours for your enrolled degree).
- Siblings in the family aged under 22 years, or other dependents.
Essential criteria for financial need
- Must provide copies of parent/caregivers’ most recent government-issued income tax assessments.
- In cases where a student is financially independent of their family, they must provide a statutory declaration indicating their independence, as well as their own personal income tax assessment and financial information.
Applying and key information
The scholarship application form integrated into the residential application to Sancta. As you progress through your residency application, you will have the opportunity to complete the scholarship application section.
Please ensure that your scholarship and residency application is comprehensive and includes all necessary supporting documentation, as incomplete applications will not be considered.
Applicants must have received and accepted a residency offer to be eligible for a scholarship.
Unless otherwise specified in the scholarship offer letter or in official communication from Sancta, students may not hold more than one Sancta Sophia College Scholarship concurrently. If a recipient is awarded more than one scholarship from the College, the lower-value scholarship may be withdrawn.
If you have any questions or scholarship enquiries, please contact Sancta’s Dean of Admissions.
It is highly recommended that applicants submit their application and lodge all documentation well before the closing date, due to high demand for a place at Sancta.
Key dates for undergraduate applicants
Scholarship applications for undergraduate applicants opened on Wednesday 1 April 2026 and close on Friday 31 July 2026. Undergraduate applicants wishing to be considered for a scholarship in 2027 must have submitted their residential and scholarship application by this close date.
Undergraduate applicants will be notified of their scholarship application outcome via email from Tuesday 13 October 2026.
Key dates for postgraduate applicants
Scholarship applications for postgraduate applicants opened on Sunday 1 August 2026 and close on Monday 30 November 2026. Postgraduate applicants wishing to be considered for a scholarship in 2027 should submit their residential and scholarship application by this close date.
Postgraduate applicants will be notified of their scholarship application outcome via email from Tuesday 15 December 2026.
