Scholarships available for students living in social housing or out-of-home care

Applications are now open for the Youth Development Scholarships Program in New South Wales, supporting students living in social housing or out-of-home care and studying in high-school, TAFE, or university in 2025.

The scholarships program may be of  interest to those living in NSW who support students in this cohort, including those who are teaching or providing support in the vocational education and training (VET) space for students studying early childhood education and care (ECEC). 

The Youth Development Scholarships Program is now in its ninth year and has helped thousands of students with funding to go towards school-related expenses, such as laptops, textbooks, uniforms and internet access.

There are 1,500 scholarships available in 2025 with successful applicants receiving $1000 to assist with study costs.

Over the past nine years, 7,610 scholarships have been awarded to support young social housing residents and those in out-of-home care with their studies.

The next round of Youth Development Scholarships will be open for applications from 21 October, with the program available to those who are:

• living in social housing or on the housing register,
• receiving private rental assistance, or;
• those living in crisis or supported accommodation or out-of-home care.

Eligible students studying in years 10, 11 and 12 or TAFE equivalent and returning tertiary students (TAFE, university, and apprenticeship/traineeship) are urged to apply for the $1000 scholarships.

There are two types of applicants in the program, new students who have never received a scholarship and returning students who received a scholarship between 2017 to 2024 and are continuing with their education and are still a social housing client.

More information on how to apply can be found on dcjnsw.info/scholarships.