Residential Colleges Narrm Scholars Offer
The Residential Colleges, in collaboration with the University of Melbourne, are excited to offer a new accommodation package which will support regional and remote Narrm Scholars to attend a Residential College from 2025.
Narrm Scholars include those from low socio-economic areas, those receiving Commonwealth income support, Indigenous students, those with a disability, medical condition, or experiencing difficult personal circumstances. Narrm Scholars also receive a generous range of financial support and other benefits from the University of Melbourne.
From 2025, the Narrm Scholarship will include an accommodation allowance for students from regional and remote areas in Australian who are living at a Residential Colleges
Up to 50 accommodation allowances will be on offer in 2025 for commencing Narrm Scholars in a collaboration between the Residential Colleges and the University of Melbourne.
The co-funded accommodation package represents a total value of $20,000 per year. Narrm Scholars will also receive $6,500 per year for living expenses and in the first year of their Melbourne degree a one-off relocation allowance to assist with moving costs. Narrm Scholars will receive this package for the duration of their Residential College stay while undertaking their Melbourne undergraduate course.
Update note: The application submission date for consideration for the Narrm Scholars Accommodation Allowance for 2025 entry was 20 October 2024. Following this date Residential Colleges continue to remain open for new applicants, offering a range of other generous scholarships, bursaries and financial assistance programs to applying students from a range of backgrounds, experiences and areas of study
The Narrm Scholarship
The University of Melbourne Narrm Scholarship Program provides financial, academic and wellbeing support benefits to eligible domestic undergraduate students who are admitted to the University through Access Melbourne, the University’s Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS) in VTAC.
Who is the Residential Colleges Narrm Scholars Offer for?
The Residential Colleges Narrm Scholars Offer is for regional and remote Narrm Scholars. It is in addition to the Narrm Scholarship package offered by the University of Melbourne and is specifically for domestic undergraduate students looking to stay at a Residential Colleges while studying at Melbourne. To be eligible, students must be:
- A domestic undergraduate student
- Awarded a Narrm Scholarship from the University of Melbourne
- From a regional or remote part of Australia
And you either
- Come from a low socioeconomic background or your parents/guardians receive a means tested Commonwealth income support payment or
- Are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent or
- Have experienced difficult circumstances or disability/medical conditions
Should I apply?
Yes! If you live in a regional or remote part of Australia and identify under any of the categories listed above we strongly recommend and encourage you to apply for Access Melbourne in VTAC Special Entry Access Scheme and the Residential Colleges. Importantly, these are separate processes and you have to apply to both.
A great student experience is ready for you at the University of Melbourne while living in one of our ten Residential College communities.
What are the Residential Colleges?
The University has ten Residential Colleges which are academic communities where students live during their Melbourne studies. Living at a Residential College makes the transition to University easier thanks to our dedicated focus on community, connection and growth. Each College has its own unique community spirit and history to explore and offers a supportive and diverse environment that will help Narrm Scholars from regional and remote areas make lifelong friends, build lasting connections, further their academic pursuits and experience unique opportunities.
Explore our ten Residential Colleges and submit your College application by 20 October to be considered for our Narrm Scholars Offer.
Explaining the allowance benefit in detail
For 2025 entry, eligible University of Melbourne Narrm Scholars from regional or remote areas who stay at the Residential Colleges may be able to access each of these three combined financial payment benefits per year:
- $6,500 – University of Melbourne Narrm Scholars Living Allowance to support your living expenses (all Narrm Scholars are eligible for this)
- $10,000 – University of Melbourne Narrm Scholars Accommodation Allowance to fund your accommodation at a residential college (all regional and remote Narrm Scholars are eligible for this)
- $10,000 – Residential College Narrm Scholars Offer to further fund your Residential College stay (up to 50 regional and remote Narrm scholars may be eligible for this)
Combined total for successful Narrm Scholars is a $20,000 reduction in the annual fees for their Residential College experience, plus the annual $6,500 living allowance each year during your undergraduate studies.
In the first year of your Melbourne undergraduate degree the University will also provide a one-off relocation allowance of $3,000 paid shortly after enrolling in your course to assist with your moving costs.
Eligible Narrm Scholars may also be considered for further additional scholarships and awards at their Residential College upon successful selection and entry. This can even further add to the financial assistance available to fund a Residential College experience for Narrm Scholars.
