Rare scholarship offers fully funded pathway into specialist inclusive education

A new scholarship is offering an early childhood teacher the rare opportunity to complete a fully funded master’s degree while being paid to develop specialist skills supporting children with disability and developmental delay.

The Dr Coral Kemp Scholarship, established by Specialist Teaching and Research (STaR) in partnership with the Institute of Special Educators (InSpEd) and the University of Newcastle, will support an early childhood teacher to become a specialist in inclusive education.

While scholarships are available to support teachers undertaking further study, opportunities combining full postgraduate tuition, paid specialist employment, professional mentoring and a pathway into a specialist role are uncommon.

STaR is a not-for-profit specialist education organisation that has worked with people with disability, families and educators for more than two decades. In early childhood, its Special Educators work with children, families and early childhood services to help children with developmental concerns, delay or disability participate, engage and learn alongside their peers.

The successful applicant will have the full tuition cost of the University of Newcastle’s Master of Special and Inclusive Education (Early Childhood) covered over two years.

They will also be offered paid employment for two to three days a week with STaR’s Early Childhood Specialist Education team while they study, gaining practical experience and mentoring from experienced Special Educators.

Dr Carl Leonard, Chair, Global Engagement – School of Education at the University of Newcastle, said the scholarship was a strong example of university and industry working together to develop specialist expertise.

“This scholarship reflects the very best of university-industry partnership, giving an early childhood educator the opportunity to gain advanced specialist expertise while making a real difference for children and families from day one,” Dr Leonard said.

STaR CEO Melissa North said the scholarship would help build much-needed specialist capability in inclusive early childhood education.

“This is a unique opportunity for an early childhood teacher to develop specialist expertise while continuing to earn and work in the field and to put that learning into practice in real early childhood settings,” Ms North said.

The scholarship honours Dr Coral Kemp OAM, STaR’s Founding Director and a leading specialist in the education and inclusion of young children with disability.

Dr Kemp has spent more than 30 years working across mainstream and special education, early childhood intervention, research and tertiary education. She founded STaR in 2001 and has published more than 90 research papers.

“This is an amazing opportunity to complete a master’s degree with a specialisation in early childhood intervention while working within a team of highly qualified and experienced specialists,” Dr Kemp said.

“The STaR Early Years Program promotes current evidence-based practice, including a family-centred approach and capacity building via onsite coaching and mentoring. Again, what an opportunity!”

The scholarship is open to Australian citizens and permanent residents who hold an ACECQA-recognised early childhood teaching qualification, have relevant professional experience and are eligible for admission to the University of Newcastle’s Master of Special and Inclusive Education.

Applications close at 5pm on Thursday, 22 October 2026.

For more information and applications, visit: www.star.org.au/dr-coral-kemp-scholarship