Rosemary Bishop Indigenous Education Scholarship

Creating opportunities for Indigenous children to learn, dream, achieve and succeed

A Rosemary Bishop Indigenous Education Scholarship covers full boarding and tuition costs to attend one of Australia’s leading boarding schools from Year 7 through to Year 12. In addition to gaining a high-quality academic education, Yalari scholars are also exposed to extracurricular sporting, vocational and life experiences that they might otherwise never encounter.

About the Rosemary Bishop Scholarship

Each year, Yalari offers over 50 Indigenous scholarships to children from regional and remote communities who satisfy the selection criteria and are willing to give 100% towards their education.

The Yalari scholarship program supports students holistically during their time at school, with a network of educational, pastoral, personal and cultural support provided by the Yalari team through wellbeing and educational support programs as well as camps and activities organised each year. Working closely alongside our partner schools, we work to make sure Yalari scholars are supported to thrive at their schools.

To be eligible, students must be entering Year 7 and come from a regional or remote community across Australia.

Parent Information Webinar

Interested in learning more about the Rosemary Bishop Indigenous Education Scholarship before applying?
Register for our free webinar on Wednesday the 26th of Febraury.

The story behind the Scholarship

Mrs Rosemary Bishop was a primary school teacher at Murgon State School who was instrumental in securing a scholarship for Yalari’s Founding Director, Waverley Stanley AM to attend Toowoomba Grammar School back in 1979.

Over 40 years on, Yalari scholarships are named in her honour and are awarded annually to children from across Australia to study at one of our 20 partner schools.

Supporting the Rosemary Bishop Indigenous Scholarship

The Rosemary Bishop Indigenous Scholarship exists because people believed in the long-term impact of education and chose to support it.

Gifts to Yalari help Indigenous students access quality secondary schooling, along with the cultural, wellbeing and mentoring support they need to thrive. It is a way of continuing the values behind this scholarship, creating opportunities that extend well beyond one student or one year.

For those who feel connected to this initiative, supporting Yalari is one way to help ensure more young people are given the same chance.

Scholarship FAQs

Who can apply?

The Rosemary Bishop Indigenous Education Scholarship is available to Indigenous children from regional and remote communities and towns throughout Australia who will be entering Year 7. Scholarships are limited to two children per family.

How do I apply?

Applications are now closed.

Applications for 2027 scholarships closed on April 30, 2026. The next application round will open in January 2027 for students beginning in 2028.

Want to be notified when applications reopen? Register your interest here and we’ll email you when the 2028 round opens.

What you’ll need when applications reopen:

A completed Yalari Scholarship Application Pack (ALL questions completed)
A copy of the applicant’s birth certificate
A recent colour heads and shoulders photograph of the applicant
Semester 1 & 2 school reports from Year 5
A copy of the applicant’s Year 5 NAPLAN results
Other attachments e.g court orders (if applicable)

What is selection based on?

The selection of Yalari scholars is based on:

Academic effort in primary school and school references
Primary school attendance rates
Participation in leadership, sport and extracurricular activities at school and in their communities
Family support to attend boarding school
Performance in interviews with Yalari and partner school staff

What is the application process like?

Once applications are received, a selection panel will review the applications and a shortlist of candidates is identified. Shortlisted candidates are interviewed by Yalari staff in their own home with their family. Based on the outcome of this interview, a recommendation will be made for the candidate and a guardian to attend an interview at the selected Yalari partner school. Following the school interview and feedback from the school, Yalari will make a decision about whether a scholarship will be awarded.

The selection of our students is carefully planned to ensure a good fit between students and schools.

What is included in the scholarship and what are the costs?

Parents/Guardians contribute an annual financial amount toward the scholarship, based on ABSTUDY eligibility. Contributions of $600, $2,500, or $5,000 per year are paid directly to Yalari, with invoices issued each term. Flexible payment options are available: please contact our Finance team at [email protected]. Staying up to date with this contribution is a key condition of the scholarship.

1. IT

To support your child’s learning, Yalari covers the necessary laptop or tablet hire and purchase fees. We ask families to help care for these devices; if a device is lost or damaged, the repair or replacement cost will need to be met by parents and families. Please note that these devices remain the property of Yalari and are returned to us when the scholarship ends.

2. Compulsory School Camps

Yalari covers the costs of all compulsory year-level school camps, as well as our own Yalari camps under the Student Development Program. Please keep in mind that optional or non-compulsory camps are not covered by Yalari.

3. Partner School Contribution

We partner with outstanding schools across Australia. Each partner school is carefully chosen because they share Yalari’s vision, purpose, and values, and provide a warm, caring, and supportive environment where our students can thrive. To help make these opportunities possible, our partner schools discount their fees to cover boarding and tuition costs.

4. The Family Contribution (Parents/Guardians)

Providing a scholarship is a shared commitment between Yalari, our partner schools, and families. To support this journey, parents, and families contribute financially towards the scholarship. This contribution ranges between $600 and $5,000 per year, depending on your child’s ABSTUDY eligibility. Based on the amount of ABSTUDY funding received by the school, families will contribute either $600, $2,500, or $5,000 annually directly to Yalari. Invoices are sent out each term. We want to work with you to make this manageable, and we offer a range of flexible payment options and plans. To discuss these or ask any questions, please reach out to our Finance team at [email protected]. Because these contributions are essential to sustaining your child’s scholarship, keeping these payments up-to-date is a key requirement of their ongoing placement.

5. Student Personal Expenses
In addition to the contribution to Yalari, parents and families look after day-to-day personal expenses. These include:

Extra stationery: Any items not included on the school’s annual booklist.
Pocket money: We recommend around $20 per week for Year 7 students, and a little extra for older students.
Healthcare: Medical, dental, and pharmacy costs.
Tech & Personal Care: Mobile phones, credit, and personal toiletries.
Clothing: School shoes, personal clothing, and non-compulsory uniform items.
Grooming: Haircuts.
Social & Leisure: Non-compulsory excursions, weekend boarding house activities, entertainment, and social outings.
Memories: School photographs.
Extra-curriculars: Special sporting gear, musical instruments, or subject-specific equipment.
Travel: Transport for appointments outside of school (such as taxi fares).

We ask families to manage and cover payments for these personal items directly. While we provide extensive support, Yalari cannot cover costs for specialised sports equipment or travel that sits outside the standard school sports program. For example, items like football boots, mouthguards, custom team jerseys, or travel expenses for representative sports matches are met directly by families.