The FPA is now proudly administering a scholarship program of over $1.5m, on behalf of generous donors and grant schemes, to provide wider access to these education opportunities.
FPA Scholarship recipients
Women in Finance and Economics Open Category Scholarship
We would like to congratulate our current recipients for the Open Category Scholarship Program, supported by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Office for Women.
Patricia Gregory
Breeanna Walsh
Mariam Talabani
Recipients receive up to $11,000 towards any activity of their choice relating to Accounting, Economics, Finance, Financial Planning, Banking, or Mortgage Broking, including a travel bursary up to $1,000. Applications are open now and are reviewed every week, with all disbursements within 14 days of receipt submission. Close 20 November 2022. Apply now!
CFP® Scholarships for Women in Economics and Finance
We are delighted to announce the recipients of the CFP® Scholarships for Women in Economics and Finance, which are presented in partnership with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Office for Women.
Jessica Dean
Kimberley Harrison
Tracey Nuttall
Thi Thanh Ngoc “Emmy” Pham
Rui Shi AFP®
Danielle Strauss
Tamara Ward
Wenzhe Wu
Recipients receive up to $3,570 towards enrolment in the CFP® Certification Program CFP C unit plus FPA Allied Professional membership (for new members only) and first year of CFP® membership.
FPA Scholarships into the CFP® Certification Program
We also congratulate the recipients of the CFP® Certification Program scholarships, supported by the FPA, which were open to male and female financial planners, paraplanners and those in their Professional Year.
CFP® Scholarships for financial planner AFP® members
Jayden Allison AFP®
Riordan Butler AFP®
Aaron Duncobe AFP®
Benjamin Neal AFP®
CFP® Scholarships for Paraplanners
Francis Filler
CFP® Scholarships for those in their Professional Year
Caleb Ludlow
CFP® Scholarships for financial planners on the FAR
Sahil Bhuller AFP®
Patricia Gregory
Recipients receive up to $3,570 towards enrolment in the CFP® Certification Program CFP C unit plus FPA Allied Professional membership (for new members only) and first year of CFP® membership.
FPA Scholarships currently open
FPA Scholarships for women
Scholarship:
Open to:
Women
Supported by:
Eligibility:
• Be commencing in one of the following programs for 2022:
o Bachelor of Commerce (Finance, Economics or Accounting)
o Master of Applied Finance
o MBA (Applied Finance)
o Master of Professional Accounting
o Master of Health Economics
• Be female.
• Demonstrate that you are in financial need, either by your scholarship equity assessment or a Statutory Declaration.
• Be intending to upskill or refresh skills in finance and economics to help you enter, re-enter, and achieve leadership roles in the industry (reference this in your personal statement).
• Be an Australian citizen or Australian Permanent Resident.
Must identify as female and be an Australian citizen/Permanent Resident who is intending to enrol (and subsequently enrols) in one of the following courses at the TAFE NSW Ultimo, St George or Meadowbank or Granville campuses: Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping Certificate IV in Financial Services Diploma of Applied Commerce Diploma of Business Bachelor of Applied Commerce Bachelor of Business Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning.
Women in Finance and Economics (WFE) Open Category Scholarship Program
Open to:
Women
Supported by:
Eligibility:
• Must identify as a female.
• Must be an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident.
• Intend to upskill or refresh skills to help enter, re-enter, and achieve leadership roles in finance and economics industries.
• Able to demonstrate any financial hardship or disadvantages, including but not limited to:
o Re-entering the workforce
o Low socio-economic status
o Mature age (50+) or young (18-35)
o Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
o New migrant
o Living in rural and remote areas.
Value
The total scholarship amount per recipient is up to $11,000 (excl. GST)*
*$10,000 excl. GST for programs/events + $1,000 excl. GST for related travel expenses
Types of Programs/ Events
The Open Category expenses MUST be related to Accounting, Economics, Finance, Financial Planning, Banking, or Mortgage Broking.
All scholarship funds can only use for any of the following expenses:
(a) Tuition fee for program courses or career development programs run by higher education providers, registered training organisations or professional member associations.
(b) Registration/ticket fees for professional conferences.
(c) Mentoring costs for programs run by professional associations or women’s networks.
(d) Costs related for internship/work experience programs.
(e) Others outside of (a) to (d) will be subject to approval against the scholarships purpose and relevance to the above fields.
Open:
1 May 2022 – 30 November 2022
Applications are reviewed every week, with all disbursements within 14 days of receipt submission.
Universities across the country will be offering scholarships through their application portals. Sign up to receive alerts as the various universities open their applications and check this page for links to open applications.
Other providers
The FPA is managing applications for several providers, such as other associations and work placement organisations. Sign up to receive alerts as applications for scholarships via other providers open.
Our generous sponsors and donors
Prime Minister and Cabinet Office for Women Expanding on the Australian Government Women’s Leadership and Development Program (WLDP), the Prime Minister and Cabinet Office for Women have awarded a $1.5m grant to the FPA to administer scholarships that encourage and assist women, particularly from disadvantaged backgrounds, to enter, re-enter and achieve leadership roles across the financial services sector. The aim of these scholarships is to help create a talent pool and pipeline for diversity in business leadership for the future.
Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) The FPA is Australia’s leading professional association for financial planners, the Financial Planning Association (FPA) represents the interests of the public and over 13,000 members.
Futurity Investment Group Futurity Investment Group are an independent and mutually structured financial institution and Australia’s leading issuer of tax-effective, life-event Education Bonds. With total assets of $1.18 billion, our financial strength and capital reserves enable us to meet our long-term commitments to members through all investment cycles. Since our inception in 1974, more than 557,000 children have received education benefits and $3.35 billion paid to our members and their education beneficiaries. Futurity is an APRA regulated and supervised financial institution.
FAQs
Are all of the Scholarships for women?
Most of the funding that has been provided for the scholarships program has come from the Women’s Leadership and Development Program (WLDP) and therefore most of the scholarships are targeted at supporting women. However, other generous sponsors have contributed to the scholarships program and there are some scholarships that are open to both men and women.
What are the eligibility criteria?
The eligibility criteria vary for each scholarship. A brief description is provided on this page. Each application will detail more of the requirements.
When do scholarships open and close?
Each of the providers open and close scholarships at different times of the year. Sign up to receive alerts when new rounds open.
Who receives the scholarship money?
The scholarships which are funded by the Women’s Leadership and Development Program (WLDP) must be paid direct to an educational institution, or an organisation. Payments can only be made directly to recipients in limited circumstances (for example where travel bursaries are awarded).
Scholarships which are funded by other sponsors are subject to the terms and conditions of each sponsor. In most cases the funds are applied directly to the tuition or membership fees related to each scholarship.
Sign up for email updates on the FPA Scholarships Program
Closed scholarships
University of Canberra: Women in Finance and Economics Scholarship
Scholarship:
University of Canberra: Women in Finance and Economics Scholarship
Open to:
Women
Supported by:
Eligibility:
Must identify as female and be commencing study in the first year Undergraduate Finance degree at the University of Canberra 2022. Must be able to demonstrate one or more sources of disadvantage/ hardship.
• Australian Citizen or a Permanent Resident of Australia
• Be a female student commencing an eligible undergraduate UniSA Business program in Study Period 2 2022
• Students must be starting a program/degree in the fields of Finance or Economics for the first time
• Students must be enrolled full-time for the duration of the scholarship
• Submission of written statement
Eligible programs:
• DBCF Bachelor of Business (Finance)
• DBRF Bachelor of Business (Financial Planning)
• DBIB Bachelor of Business (Economics, Finance and Trade)
Evidence of financial or educational disadvantage (including, but not limited to the below) will be a key selection criteria:
• Financial need including but not limited to: Centrelink payments, childcare fees, carer responsibilities or other
• Re-entering the workforce
• Low socio-economic status
• Mature age (50 years of age plus) or young age (between 16 and 35 years old)
• Residing in a rural or remote area
• Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander descent
• New Migrant
To be eligible, you must:
• Identify as a woman
• Be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or holder of a permanent humanitarian visa
• Be commencing Kaplan Professional’s Master of Applied Finance or Master of Financial Planning
Applicants will be considered based on their ability to demonstrate one or more sources of disadvantage, including but not limited to:
• Financial need
• Low socio-economic status
• Re-entering the workforce
• Mature or young age
• Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
• New migrant
• Residing in a rural or remote area
Must identify as female students commencing an Undergraduate/ Postgraduate program in Finance/ Accounting/ Business/ Law/ Economics. Must be able to demonstrate one or more sources of disadvantage/ hardship.
Griffith University: Women in Finance and Economics Scholarship
Open to:
Women
Supported by:
Eligibility:
Applicants must
• be an Australian Citizen or Australian Permanent Resident
• be female
• be a Griffith University undergraduate student enrolled in Bachelor of Applied Financial Advice (completed min. 120CP) in Trimester 2 2021, or a current or commencing postgraduate Griffith University student in one of the following degrees:
o Graduate Certificate in Financial Planning
o Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning
o Master of Financial Planning
o Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting
o Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting
o Master of Professional Accounting
o Graduate Certificate in Finance
o Graduate Diploma of Finance
o Master of Finance
o Griffith Business School Honours program with a topic related to Financial Planning, Finance, or Accounting
• have achieved a minimum GPA 4 (current/continuing students only).
Assessment is made on the basis of applicants meeting one or more of the following categories:
• financial hardship
• home environment and responsibilities
• English language difficulty
• regional location
Deakin University: Women in Finance and Economics Scholarship
Open to:
Women
Supported by:
Eligibility:
• be an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident
• be female
• be a commencing student in Trimester 2 2022 and enrolled in one of the following degrees at Deakin University:
o Master of Financial Planning (M769)
o Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning (M669)
• be able to demonstrate intersecting sources of disadvantage, including but not limited to:
o Financial need including but not limited to: Centrelink payments, childcare fees, carer responsibilities or other
o Re-entering the workforce
o Low socio-economic status
o Mature age (50 years of age plus) or young age (between 16 and 35 years old)
o Residing in a rural or remote area
o Indigenous Australian (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander only)
o New migrant.
Value:
Up to $10,500 per recipient
Open:
Open 16 June 2022. Closes 5 pm Thursday 14 July 2022.
• Must identify as a female.
• Must be an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident.
• Must intend to upskill or refresh their skills in finance and economics to help them enter, re-enter and achieve leadership roles in these industries.
• Must intend to undertake one of the following activities: formal education/ career development programs/ internship opportunities/ other work experience programs.
• Able to demonstrate any financial hardship or disadvantages, including but not limited to:
- Are re-entering the workforce
- Have low socio economic status
- Are mature age or young
- Are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
- Are new migrants
- Are living in rural and remote areas.
Value
The cost of one(1) Registration Ticket to attend the SMSFA Association Technical Summit 2022 Conference:
Date: 27 & 28 July 2022
Venue: Royal Pines Resort, Gold Coast
Must identify as female students commencing a Bachelor of Business or a Bachelor of Economics in 2022. Applicants must be intending to/or interested in pursuing a major in Finance, Accounting/ Business/ Economics.
Value
$5,000 in HECS fees (each recipient)
Open:
Applications for this scholarship are now open and applications close on 30 June 2022.
Must identify as female students and be a student commencing in any of the following Undergraduate/ Postgraduate programs:
• Bachelor of Commerce (Finance major)
• Bachelor of Commerce (Finance and Financial Planning Double Major)
• Master of Commerce (Finance Stream)
• Master of Finance
Must be able to demonstrate one or more sources of disadvantage/ hardship.
Value
The Women in Finance and Economics Scholarship will provide the following support for the duration of an eligible course:
Cost of student contribution fees or
Travel bursaries subject to approval by the Financial Planning and Association (FPA) for travel related to financial services internships for up to one year*
*Successful applicants who wish to pursue travel related to financial services internships can contact the Scholarships Office for arrangement
Swinburne University Women in Finance and Economics Scholarship
Open to:
Women
Supported by:
Eligibility:
Must identify as a female and be a commencing Swinburne student in Semester 1, 2022, enrolled part-time or full-time in an eligible on-campus or online course. Must be able to demonstrate one or more sources of disadvantage.
Value
Undergraduate - $10,000
Postgraduate - $15,000
Alternatively, the funds can be applied as a travel bursary (approved by the FPA) for travel related to financial services internships.
Must identify as female and must be commencing either full-time or part-time enrolment in Autumn session in the Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning or the Master of Financial Planning. Must be able to demonstrate one or more sources of disadvantage/ hardship.
Must identify as female and be a student commencing in a Undergraduate/ Postgraduate program (Business, Financial Planning, Finance, Economics or Accounting). Must be able to demonstrate one or more sources of disadvantage/ hardship.
Western Sydney University: Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning
Open to:
Women
Supported by:
Eligibility:
Must identify as female and be commencing study in the first year of the Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning. Demonstrate financial or other hardship as assessed by the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).
Value:
Payment of semester one, 2022 course fees - paid directly. Plus funds available to cover travel or conference costs paid to students on proof of expenses.
CFP® Scholarships for those in their Professional Year
Scholarship:
CFP® Scholarships for those in their Professional Year
Open to:
Men and women
Supported by:
Eligibility:
Anyone eligible for the CFP® Certification Program who is doing their Professional year can apply. Contribution to the community and the financial planning profession will be taken into consideration when awarding these scholarships.
Value:
Up to $3,570 towards enrolment in the CFPC unit plus FPA Allied Professional membership (for new members) and first year of CFP® membership.
Applications are now closed
CQU Women in Finance and Economics Scholarship
Scholarship:
CQU Women in Finance and Economics Scholarship
Open to:
Women
Supported by:
Eligibility:
Must identify as a female and be a student commencing an eligible CQUniversity School of Business and Law degree program. Must be able to demonstrate one or more sources of disadvantage.
University of Canberra: Women in Finance and Economics Scholarship
Scholarship:
University of Canberra: Women in Finance and Economics Scholarship
Open to:
Women
Supported by:
Eligibility:
Must identify as female and be commencing study in the first year of the Bachelor of Commerce (Finance and Banking) or Bachelor of Commerce (Financial Planning). Must be able to demonstrate one or more sources of disadvantage/ hardship.
Anyone eligible for the CFP® Certification Program who is working as a paraplanner can apply. Contribution to the community and the financial planning profession will be taken into consideration when awarding these scholarships.
Value:
Up to $3,570 towards enrolment in the CFPC unit plus FPA Allied Professional membership (for new members) and first year of CFP® membership.
Applications have now closed
CFP® Scholarships for financial planners on the FAR
Scholarship:
CFP® Scholarships for Financial Planners on the FAR
Open to:
Men and women
Supported by:
Eligibility:
Anyone eligible for the CFP® Certification Program who is on the Financial Adviser Register can apply. Contribution to the community and the financial planning profession will be taken into consideration when awarding these scholarships.
Value:
Up to $3,570 towards enrolment in the CFPC unit plus FPA Associate membership (for new members) and first year of CFP® membership.
Applications have now closed
CFP® Scholarships for financial planner AFP® members
Scholarship:
CFP® Scholarships for Financial Planner AFP® members
Open to:
Men and women
Supported by:
Eligibility:
Anyone eligible for the CFP® Certification Program who is a Financial Planner AFP® member of the FPA can apply. Contribution to the community and the financial planning profession will be taken into consideration when awarding these scholarships.
Value:
Up to $3,570 towards enrolment in the CFPC unit and first year of CFP® membership.
Applications have now closed
Futurity Investment Group
Scholarship:
Futurity Investment Group: Advancing Women in Financial Planning Scholarship
Open to:
Women
Supported by:
Eligibility:
Must identify as a female, be a financial planner and have recently registered on the Financial Advisers Registry (FAR), within 24 months or less.
The selection process will take into account how this scholarship will help advance the financial planner’s career.
Value:
$5,000 Futurity Education Bonds will be established by the FPA in the name of the successful applicants to use toward their ongoing educational journey at any Institution within Australia. Additionally, upon establishment of the Bonds, Futurity will pay the FPA membership for one year for the relevant Bond Owners.
Applications are now closed
CA ANZ Mentor Exchange Program
Scholarship:
CA ANZ Mentor Exchange Program
Open to:
Women
Supported by:
Eligibility:
Be a female full CA ANZ member; AND be an Australian citizen or Permanent Resident
Must identify as a female and be a domestic Australian citizen or permanent resident.
Open to members and non-members of the FPA.
Value:
A contribution of $20,000 to the costs of a practice running a professional year placement. Payments will be made to the practice where the successful applicants will undertake their Professional Year.
Must identify as female who is commencing an eligible SSA or SSAud with SMSFA.
Successful applicants must meet one or more of the following:
Young (16 to 34 years old)
Mature (50+ years old)
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
In a rural or remote* area
Re-entering the workforce or changing career
Low socio-economic status
A new migrant
* For the government definitions of rural and remote click here click here.
Value:
$1,980
Applications are now closed
Griffith University
Griffith University will award scholarships to 25 eligible female students who will be enrolling and commencing their studies in the following degrees in 2021:
Graduate Certificate; Graduate Diploma; or Master of Financial Planning.
Graduate Certificate; Graduate Diploma or Master of Finance.
Graduate Certificate; Graduate Diploma or Master of Professional Accounting.
Bachelor of Applied Financial Advice.
Tuition fee payments totalling $3,400 for each recipient will be made as a single payment in Term 2 2021.
Applications closed 4pm Friday 6 August 2021. For more information about eligibility and to apply visit Griffith University.
Western Sydney University
Scholarship:
Western Sydney University: Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning
Open to:
Women
Supported by:
Eligibility:
Must identify as female and be commencing study in the first year of the Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning. Demonstrate financial or other hardship as assessed by the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).
Value:
The successful applicant will receive $29,920 per year for one year, plus up to $5,100 to cover travel costs.
Applications have now closed
Scholarship:
Western Sydney University: Master of Financial Planning
Open to:
Women
Supported by:
Eligibility:
Must identify as female and be commencing study in the first year of the Master of Financial Planning. Demonstrate financial or other hardship as assessed by the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).
Value:
The successful applicant will receive $45,880 per year for one year, plus up to $5,100 to cover travel costs.
Applications are now closed
RMIT
Scholarship:
RMIT University: Women in Finance and Economics Scholarship
