Celebrating Our 2024 Scholarship Recipients
This year the Harding Miller Education Foundation held awards ceremonies in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney. We welcomed 229 new scholars to the scholarship program in 2024, marking our largest intake of scholars yet. This brings the total number of current scholars to 704 nationally. Our awards events were held between March and May with our Perth event to be held in July.
We began our awards season welcoming scholars from across Victoria at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on 26 March. Then came the Brisbane awards ceremony where we welcomed scholars from Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory at the State Library of Queensland on 22 April. We held our Sydney awards event, welcoming scholars from across New South Wales, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory at the Sofitel Darling Harbour on 6 May.
Each of the events included an expo, where scholars learnt about each other and met HMEF alumnae, public speaking workshops, afternoon tea with coaches and a reception with families, school representatives, donors and supporters. Our scholars took part in fabulous public speaking workshops provided by Playwave in Sydney and Brisbane and NIDA in Melbourne. The day culminated in the evening awards ceremony where scholars were presented with their certificates.
We were so excited to have amazing keynote speakers in Summer Howarth, Nicola Hazell and Mariam Mohammed. We were also treated to wonderful performances by The Arts Unit and The Australian Girls Choir. This year we were delighted to have a HMEF alumna speak at each event. Makayla Witte, Hannah Daley and Gwen Rumbel gave inspiring alumna addresses in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney respectively. Many of our alumnae also volunteered at the awards events, helping throughout the day and evening.
HMEF Awards Nights are not simply events to celebrate the achievements of wonderful scholars from across Australia, but they are also an opportunity for scholars to gain insights and build networks with peers and people from different backgrounds.
We would love to see more girls being a part of this event and the scholarship program next year. HMEF scholarships are the most generous scholarships available to public school students in Australia and provide the tools and resources for scholars to reach their academic potential. Each scholarship is valued at $20,000 over four years from Year 9 to Year 12 and include a laptop, broadband, IT support, personal tutoring, prepaid card for school essentials, online homework help, a personal coach/mentor and extensive enrichment opportunities that build pathways to tertiary education and fulfilling careers.
Scholarship applications for 2025 will open on 15th July and close on 18th September 2024. Students must apply when they are in Year 8 as the scholarship starts when they commence Year 9. If you are interested in learning more, please contact 1300 103 896 or watch this video that briefly explains the application process.
Cara Varian selected as finalist of NSW Premier’s Women of the Year
In the spirit of International Women’s Day, the Harding Miller Education Foundation would like to proudly celebrate the achievement of Cara Varian, our founding Managing Director and leader for 9 years, who has been selected as one of 5 finalists in the NSW Women of the Year Awards. Cara is now serving as the Executive Chairperson of the Harding Miller Education Foundation and has started her new position as CEO of NSW Council of Social Service.
Cara has led the Harding Miller Education Foundation with passion, integrity, innovation, and fierce intelligence. Her exceptional leadership and steadfast commitment to empowering women have left an enduring impact on numerous lives. As we celebrate International Women’s Day, honouring the achievements and contributions of Australian women, Cara’s leadership stands out as she inspires those around her to achieve greatness and tirelessly challenges inequity.
As a finalist for the NSW Premier’s Women of Excellence award, Cara’s recognition is a testament to her tireless efforts to effect change. We are proud to highlight Cara’s significant role in shaping a narrative of empowerment and progress for young women across Australia.
The NSW Women of the Year Awards recipients will be revealed at a ceremony on Thursday 7 March, and we are sending our sincere best wishes to Cara.
HMEF celebrates its scholars at awards events in four cities
On Monday, 26th June 2023, the Harding Miller Education Foundation held the Sydney Awards Night at the Sofitel Hotel Wentworth. It was the foundation’s biggest event this year, with over 300 people in attendance. On the day of the event, the scholars participated in a series of expos and workshops. For the Sydney event this year, HMEF invited Playwave and Ernst & Young to host a workshop about Public Speaking and Women in Leadership respectively. The scholars then had the opportunity to meet their coaches and donors during the evening reception. The day concluded with the awards ceremony during which 75 Year 9 scholars were presented with their certificates and 35 Year 12 scholars received gifts.
Earlier in the year, HMEF held awards nights in Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane. HMEF Awards Night are an annual event to welcome the new Year 9 scholars to the Harding Miller Scholarship Program and celebrate their achievements. In 2023, we celebrated 201 new scholars from all states and territories of Australia, which brings the total number of our current scholars to 608 nationally. In addition to the new Year 9 scholars, for the Awards Night this year, we invited Year 11 and 12 girls who did not get the chance to celebrate their achievement during the first year of the program due to the pandemic.
The first awards ceremony in Perth was held on the 3rd of April at the University Club of Western Australia, attended by 31 scholars from across Western Australia. We invited scholars from Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and Australian Capital Territory for the next awards night in Melbourne. On the 8th of April, 72 scholars attended the Melbourne event at the State Library Victoria. The celebration in Melbourne was followed by the Brisbane Awards Night on the 22nd of May, which brought together all Queensland-based scholars to the State Library of Queensland. Wrapping up the series of events was the Sydney Awards Night which was attended by a total of 110 scholars from New South Wales and 2 scholars from the Northern Territory.
HMEF Awards Nights are not simply events to celebrate the achievements of wonderful scholars from across Australia, but they are also an opportunity for scholars to gain insights and build networks with peers and people from different backgrounds.
We would love to see more girls being a part of this event and the scholarship program next year. HMEF scholarships are the most generous scholarships available to public school students in Australia and provide the tools and resources for scholars to reach their academic potential. Each scholarship is valued at $20,000 over four years from Year 9 to Year 12 and include a laptop, broadband, IT support, personal tutoring, prepaid card for school essentials, online homework help, a personal coach/mentor and extensive enrichment opportunities that build pathways to tertiary education and fulfilling careers.
Scholarship applications for 2024 will open on 13th July and close on 14th September 2023. Students must apply when they are in Year 8 as the scholarship starts when they commence Year 9. If you are interested in learning more, please contact 1300 103 896 or watch this video that briefly explains the application process.
Kim Harding awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia
A huge congratulations to our co-founder, Kim Harding, newly minted OAM for service to the community through charitable organisations. Her work at the Harding Miller Education Foundation is phenomenal and sits amongst her other philanthropic interests including marine conservation, homelessness, the prevention of domestic violence and the arts.
At the Harding Miller Education Foundation big hearts and hard work are the uniform, and Kim leads by example. Her energy is endless. Her passion and her compassion are unrivalled. She aims big and loves large and the foundation’s achievements are due to this incredible combination of traits being drawn together with a great focus on the achievement of education equity for Australian girls. Her passion and leadership have inspired other donors to contribute and hundreds of volunteers to work with us.
This significant recognition through the award of Medal of the Order of Australia coincides with the Foundation awarding our thousandth scholarship. That means that we have distributed more than $20,000,000 of scholarships to high-potential Australian girls who don’t currently have the resources that they need to achieve their full potential.
Each scholarship is a multi-layered four-year support system that can be personalised to meet the individual needs of each recipient. The scholarship includes personal tutoring, a high-quality laptop, mobile data, remote IT helpdesk support, study skills training, online homework help, access to books and book vouchers, and a pre-paid expense card to cover education expenses. The scholarship recipients also have access to a range of online and in-person experience to broaden their view of their career prospects and give them the knowledge and confidence that they need to achieve those careers. We call this our enrichment program, and we partner with Australian universities, businesses, and inspiring individuals to deliver a broad and exciting range of options for the students each year. Every scholarship recipient is also partnered with a personal coach who assists them to navigate the scholarship opportunities and supports them to make the most of their educational opportunities in and out of school.
The long-term payoff of the investment of the founders as well as our other donors, volunteers and supporters is not yet visible but as the number of graduating classes grows so do the stories of the life-changing impact. A thousand scholarships means a thousand stories… so far.
Kim, with her co-founder Irene, have directly funded the administration and operational costs of the foundation since its inception in 2015. In addition, they have also personally supported more than 600 scholarships across the eight years.
Kim received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2023 King’s Birthday Honours List.
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Enrichment Activity Highlight
HoustonKemp Economists
On the 13th of July we travelled to Sydney city with 3 of our scholars to visit the office of HoustonKemp Economists.
HoustonKemp is a new enrichment partner of Harding Miller and were keen to host a small group of students and introduce them to the wide and varied world of economics.
The enrichment day started with a workshop run by two staff members who explained the purpose of their work, how economics can be used to solve diverse and interesting problems and provide data to support clients to make good decisions. We learnt about the cost of supermarket products in New Zealand and the various factors which impact these costs to the consumer and the suppliers.
A highlight of the day was when we joined all the staff for their fortnightly team lunch, where there was a lively discussion about the economics of the energy transition in Australia. After lunch, they also tried their hand at identifying trends in a dataset and creating some very colourful charts with a small group of staff.
The energy, warmth and enthusiasm from the staff created a stimulating enrichment experience for our scholars and certainly changed the perception of economics. Being able to see and learn how economics solves real problems and can be applied in various industries certainly inspired the girls who attended on the day.
Australia’s Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
On the 30th of June we travelled to the Lucas Heights campus of Australia’s Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation for an onsite visit to the Lucas Heights Nuclear Reactor and Laboratories with 16 scholars to learn about the work done in various fields of science within the large facility. Scholars were invited to share lunch with a selection of female scientists who all had specialities within physics.
There was a tour of the facility, where we learnt that ANSTO is located on federal land and therefore we were technically leaving NSW. Due to the security requirements and restrictions of the site, we were not allowed any digital or photography devices on our tour.
As we progressed through the facility, we were met along the way by female scientists who gave a brief outline of their work and related their knowledge to real life examples. They were also able to link their knowledge and qualification to relevant aspects of the science curriculum.
The hosted lunch with a small group of woman scientists meant this casual meeting allowed the students to ask questions and chat informally. Each student was presented with a periodic table to take home, as this had been a great discussion tool while having lunch.
The final part of the program for the day was a Q & A panel discussion and the scholar’s gained information about Graduate programs and an insight into university life and degree choices.
The overwhelming feedback was positive and how this was a fantastic learning experience into the complexity of physics and how many various opportunities there are in science, and for woman.
HMEF has now been able to experience two enrichment days with ANSTO, Melbourne and Sydney and we can see the benefit of real-life application for STEM and the study of science.
Open Applications
We start to accept applications for 2024 scholarships in July 2023. The application period runs during Term 3 every year and closes in September.
During this time, the team at the Foundation connect with public schools around Australia via email marketing and social media to share the details, criteria and application information. For the first time last year, we held a webinar for Principals and school contacts. We had over 80 register for this event. Each year we target different States and Territories and/or different regions where application submissions are low or non-existent. We send a pack of information and follow up with calls and email communications to connect to these schools (largely in low socio or regional areas). Last year we targeted areas of WA, VIC, TAS and selective schools in NSW. We also work with third parties to grow awareness of the scholarship program, promoting the scholarships through the various Secondary Principal Associations, the Smith Family, State Education Departments and other not-for-profit organisations.
Our key message focused on finding students who meet ALL three of the criteria to ensure applicants were suitable for the Harding Miller Scholarships. Each year we assemble panels of principals, education experts, HMEF representatives and independent professionals to review all applications. Judging will be done in October with our moderation and board review done in November. Applicants for scholarships commencing the following year will be notified in early December.
Video for this article: https://youtu.be/k1xmdz7zm2M
NAIDOC WEEK 3 JULY – 10 JULY – ‘GET UP! STAND UP! SHOW UP!’
It is National NAIDOC Week from 3 July – 10 July. NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The 2022 theme is ‘Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!’ The theme calls for genuine commitment from all of us to Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! We can do so by supporting institutional, structural, collaborative and cooperative reforms. It is also time to celebrate the many who have driven and led change in our communities over generations.
HMEF encourages all staff, students and our supporters to be champions of change and to celebrate the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We recognise the history and culture of the oldest living cultures on earth. Today, the Harding Miller Education Foundation supports 82 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls through our scholarships, and we have supported more than 130 First Nation students since we started in 2016. The scholarships are worth more than $20,000 and assist the students from Year 9 to Year 12 by providing resources and personalised support to help them overcome barriers and make the most of their scholarship and their education. These scholarships are provided to students who have high academic potential and are delivered so that the students can remain at their local public school, in their family home and with their community.
The week is a great opportunity to participate in a range of activities and to support your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait community. Check out your school website or local council for events. In addition, local community events to celebrate NAIDOC week can also be found on the NAIDOC events website – www.naidoc.org.au/local-events/local-naidoc-week-events
Scholarship Update
In 2021, the Foundation received over 550 applications from motivated girls in need of a scholarship. It has been a very rigorous and difficult task to select the scholarship recipients due to the high number of outstanding applications. Thank you to the judges who were part of this process.
We received applications from students in more than 200 schools located in every state and territory in Australia except the ACT. Of the new students awarded a scholarship:
• 19% are first nations girls
• 31% of the scholarships are based in rural and regional Australia
• 8% have experienced or are experiencing out of home care (foster care)
• 10% of the new girls have a refugee background from a total of 43% of the students who come from a family with non-English speaking background.
Thanks to the generosity of the donors, we are in a position to award 160 new scholarships. That means in 2022 the Harding Miller Education Scholarship Program welcomed the largest group of new students to the program bringing the total scholarship program to more than 510 students, which is a record for us.
All scholarship packs were sent out by early 2022. Each year we are adding options and resources for the students to enable them to further customise their scholarship to support them in the way that meets their needs and helps them achieve their ambitions.
In 2021, we added additional online and in person enrichment activities to the calendar, published a Year 10 subject selection guide, introduced career profiling for Year 11 students and provided a new membership to Study Work Grow career resource to all year groups. It is also the second year accessing Study Skills, JobJump and our HMEF APP. Pascal Press have also donated $60 or $100 vouchers to all of the students for the 2nd consecutive year. These tools are added to our existing scholarship offering which includes a high quality laptop, data, remote IT support, tutoring, a prepaid card for school expenses, online homework help and, very importantly, support from a volunteer personal coach.
Last year also saw some active involvement from our Alumni, including the launch of ARK (Anti-Racism Kit) by Sabina Patawaran who was one of our 2020 graduates from Riverside Girls High School in Sydney. It is a toolkit of strategies and information to help high school students understand racism and combat it within their communities. It is also aimed at creating change within their schools.
We recently held our Scholarship Award ceremonies for our Year 9 scholars. These award ceremonies were held in Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane. We had some inspiring keynote speakers, the scholars took part in exciting events and workshops and they all met new friends.
Cara Varian, Executive Director of Harding Miller Education Foundation, gave a motivating speech emphasising the importance of scholars making the most of all the opportunities they are offered through their scholarship and encouraging them to create their own peer network by staying in touch and supporting each other.
We are very proud of all our scholars and look forward to supporting them on their journey with the Foundation.
Scholarships & Financial Aid For Regional & Remote Students
Sometimes it seems as if the biggest hurdle separating you from your goals is your finances. At the Harding Miller Education Foundation, we understand that there are many issues that girls face when it comes to getting a good education, even more so for those who are experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage. The goal of the Harding Miller Education Foundation is to support young female students in achieving their full potential. Since 2016, we are proud to have awarded more than 600 scholarships to highly motivated female scholars all across Australia.
If you live in a regional or remote area in Australia, read on to discover what kind of help is available to support you in accomplishing your education goals, including applying for the Harding Miller Education Foundation Scholarship.
Why you should apply for a rural and regional scholarship in Australia
While Australia is a huge country, we have a relatively small population. The majority of the country’s capital cities are located on the coast, and that is where all the major education centres tend to be. This can create barriers to pursuing education for Australians living in rural areas. This is especially true for students living in remote and regional areas who need to travel long distances in order to continue their studies. If you live in a remote area in Australia and are looking for ways to facilitate your education, consider applying for a rural and regional scholarship.
The Harding Miller Education Foundation Scholarship
The Harding Miller Education Foundation is a charity in Australia that offers scholarships to girls who are experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage. Our scholarships are available to female students who are living anywhere in Australia, including regional and remote areas.
Coming from a low socioeconomic background can make accessing education difficult. For example, some households may find it difficult to afford the necessary equipment for their child to succeed at school, such as laptops. On top of this, parents who live in rural areas may find it difficult to afford the cost of their child’s commute every day if they are travelling a long distance. All of these challenges can become a significant barrier to children’s education. Helping female students who are facing these challenges is why the Harding Miller Education Foundation was first established.
To be eligible to apply for a Harding Miller Education Scholarship, you must:
- Be a female student who attends a public high school in Australia.
- Currently be in year 8, going into year 9 in the upcoming year.
- Be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident.
- Be able to demonstrate high academic results or the potential to achieve high results.
- Show that you are looking to continue on to tertiary education.
- Be experiencing low socioeconomic circumstances.
The Harding Miller Education Scholarship includes important necessities such as:
- A high-quality laptop
- High-speed internet
- Remote IT support
- $2,500 worth of online, face-to-face tutoring
- Online homework help
- Prepaid expense cards for items such as uniforms, textbooks and school excursions
The Rural and Regional Enterprise Scholarship Program
The Rural and Regional Enterprise Scholarship Program, also referred to as RETS, is a program announced in 2016 by the Australian Government to improve access and opportunities for Australians living in rural and regional areas. The goal of the RETS program is to assist undergraduate, postgraduate and vocational education (VET) students in reaching their education goals. Eligible students may receive up to $18,000 when enrolled in a full-time, four-year qualification.
Relocation Scholarships for remote and regional students
If you are receiving Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY and currently live in a remote or regional area but need to move elsewhere to complete your studies, you could apply for a relocation scholarship. This is a type of rural and regional scholarship, and like the Rural and Regional Enterprise Scholarship Program, it is an Australian Government initiative. The payment that you receive from the Relocation Scholarship will depend on your circumstances. However, if your usual place of residence (family home) is in a regional or remote area, you could get up to $4,626 in the first year that you spend studying away from home. This amount will decrease slightly each year.
Regional and remote scholarships from higher education institutions
Many universities and colleges have their own scholarships that they offer, and many of these are geared towards assisting regional and remote students. If there is a particular institution that you are interested in studying at, and you live in a remote area, then it’s worthwhile taking a look at what kind of scholarships they offer.
Fare allowance for regional students
If you do not want to apply for a regional and remote scholarship, or you are not eligible to apply, there are other ways you can still achieve your education goals while taking some of the financial pressure off. Another option for regional students who may be struggling financially is to apply for a government-funded fare allowance. This is available for regional students of all ages who find it difficult to afford their daily commuting fares.
Tertiary Access Payment
The Tertiary Access Payment is funded by the Australian Government. It is specifically designed to assist regional students who are moving from a remote area to be closer to their chosen educational institution. It is aimed at students who have already completed year 12 and have moved on to tertiary studies.
Apply for a Harding Miller Education Foundation Scholarship
You can apply for a Harding Miller Education Scholarship through our website. The process is straightforward; however, it’s essential that you make sure you are eligible to apply first.
If you have any questions about our scholarship, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. We would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have and to help you decide if applying for a Harding Miller Education Scholarship is the right choice for you.
How To Apply For Scholarships
The Harding Miller Education Foundation is an Australian charity that offers scholarships to girls experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage. Our mission is to create a positive social impact by lifting educational outcomes of high potential Australian girls currently experiencing hardship. We believe that by supporting female scholars, we are investing in the future of Australia. “When women are educated, their countries become stronger and more prosperous” Michelle Obaba.
Girls and young women face many challenges in getting an education that boys and men do not. Just some of the barriers faced by girls include pregnancy, domestic and care responsibilities, and outdated perceptions that educating girls is not as valuable an investment as educating boys. However, there is indisputable evidence that educating women results in stronger economies, reduced poverty for children and families and that it can have a real impact in reducing the gender pay gap that exists in Australia.
What the Harding Miller Education Scholarship involves
A scholarship from Harding Miller is designed to support a female scholar over a four-year period. During that time, these students will be provided with a dedicated, personal coach who is able to support and guide them through the program.
Because the girls we support come from low socioeconomic backgrounds, we believe it is important to provide them with the right learning tools they need to succeed in their education. For example, in some households, it may be difficult for parents to afford a laptop or even school uniforms for their children. This can place significant barriers to education. For that reason, the Harding Miller Education Scholarship includes such essential items as:
- A high-quality laptop in the first year
- High-speed internet
- Remote IT support
- $2,500 worth of online face-to-face tutoring
- Online homework help
- Prepaid expense cards for items such as uniforms, textbooks and school excursions.
Eligibility criteria for a Harding Miller Education Scholarship
If you are wondering how to apply for a scholarship in Australia, there are some eligibility criteria you must meet.
To be eligible to apply for a Harding Miller Education Scholarship, you must meet the following criteria:
- You must be a female student who attends a public high school in Australia
- You must currently be in year 8, going into year 9 in the upcoming year
- You must be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident
- You should be able to demonstrate high academic results or the potential to achieve high results
- You must show that you are looking to continue on to tertiary education
- You must be experiencing low socioeconomic circumstances.
If you believe that you meet these criteria, then we encourage you to apply for a Harding Miller Education Scholarship.
If you do not meet the eligibility criteria, we do not recommend that you apply for the Harding Miller Education Scholarship. However, don’t lose heart — there are other scholarships that exist outside of our Foundation. There may be a different scholarship available that is more suited to your circumstances and your needs. For example, if you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident but are wondering ‘how can I get a scholarship to study in Australia?’, then there are a number of government scholarships that you could look into.
How to apply for a scholarship in Australia
Applying for a Harding Miller Education Scholarship is simple and straightforward. Applications are open every year during Term 3. Once you have ascertained that you meet the eligibility criteria, you can begin the application process.
After registering an account with the Harding Miller Education Foundation, you can begin the application process and submit your application online. You must ensure that you submit the following documents with your application:
- Two school reports (year 7 semester 2 and year 8 semester 1)
- Your NAPLAN report
- Signed parental/guardian consent
- A reference from your principal
Once you have these documents, you will be able to submit your application for the scholarship.
Making your application stand out
Because we receive so many applications, it is very important to know that we award scholarships to girls who can prove that they are absolutely committed to making the most of a four-year scholarship.
You can only apply once for the Harding Miller Education Scholarship. With this in mind, it is important that you make your application stand out from the crowd and include as much information and supporting documentation as possible.
Our number one tip for how to get a scholarship is to make your application as detailed as possible and to ensure you include all the necessary information. This will ensure that you cover every aspect of the selection criteria, and nothing is left out.
Part of the eligibility criteria is showing that you are committed to continuing onto higher education. This is something that is highly regarded during the selection process. You could demonstrate your motivation to continue tertiary education in a number of ways, including your personal participation in extracurricular activities, school events and volunteering activities.
The selection process also involves assessing an applicant’s academic potential. If you are able to provide a record of strong academic performance in previous years and can demonstrate that our scholarship can help you gain high academic results in the future, your application is more likely to be considered by the Harding Miller Education Foundation. In addition, letters of recommendation from your teachers as well as your high school principal will provide further evidence of your commitment, performance and potential.
Apply for a Harding Miller Education Foundation Scholarship
The Harding Miller Education Foundation was established to support female students in achieving their full potential. Our program enables young girls from disadvantaged backgrounds to build a solid educational future that can help them open up pathways to higher education. Since 2016, we are proud to have awarded more than 600 scholarships across Australia.
You can apply for a Harding Miller Education Scholarship through our website. The process is straightforward, however, you should make sure that you are definitely eligible to apply first.
If you have any questions about our scholarship, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. We would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have and to help you decide if applying for a Harding Miller Education Scholarship is the right pathway for you.
