Applications for Bursaries for Years 7-12 2024 entry have closed.

Applications for Bursaries for Years 7-12 2025 entry will open in October 2023.

Applying for a Bursary is a two-part process with all applicants required to lodge their application with the College and separately register for the ACER Scholarship Test which is held Australia-wide in February each year. A fee applies to sit the ACER test.

Enquiries are welcome to enrol@stritas.qld.edu.au 

About the St Rita’s Bursary Program

Nano Nagle was the founder of the Presentation Sisters, whose courage and hope in providing education to the poor children of the City of Cork was unfailing during the Penal Laws era of the eighteenth century. Along with that of St Rita of Cascia, after whom St Rita’s College is named, Nano Nagle’s mission and vision for the education of women and girls continues to provide guidance to the St Rita’s College community. 

In following in the footsteps of Nano Nagle, a small number of Bursaries are offered by the College. The Nano Nagle Bursary program specifically supports education to girls from families who without financial assistance would not be able to attend St Rita’s and experience the benefits of a St Rita’s College education. When awarding a Bursary, financial need is taken into consideration. The program, therefore, is means tested. 

Applications are open to non-St Rita's College students across the entry Year levels of 7-12 and can be applied in the categories of Academic, Music or Sports performance. 

The College Principal and Bursary Management Committee have stewardship over disbursements made for the programs.

Bursaries are awarded for one or more years and not more than a maximum of six years. A Bursary awarded for a period longer than one year will be subject to annual review by the Principal.

A Bursary may be awarded for 25%-100% remission of tuition fees.

The Bursary amount is not paid by any means to the student or parent/guardian. The monies are applied from St Rita’s College Ltd and credited to the fee account of the student. The College holds the right to revoke a Bursary should information leading to the awarding of a Bursary be found to be false or misleading or the awarded student is found to be in breach of College policies.

Minimum eligibility criteria:

Academic: Evidence of school academic reports for the past three years

Music: Minimum of Grade 5 AMEB held at time of application and audition if shortlisted

Sport: Minimum of State Representation held at time of application

Additionally:

• Registering for by the due date and Sitting of ACER Scholarship Test. Late registrations are not accepted.
• Submission of the St Rita’s College Bursary Application by the due date. Late applications are not accepted.
• Copies of parental/guardian taxation returns; a statement of assets, liabilities, income and expenditure for the previous 12 months; bank statements not more than 12 months in issue and/or government agency payment information submitted with St Rita’s College Bursary Application.
• If shortlisted Student and Family attend an interview with the Principal.
• Student will be enrolled at the College for no less than one year.
• Commitment to the academic and/or cocurricular learning expectations of the College.
• Student is committed to the Catholic faith.
• Commitment to involvement in College life.
• Commitment to the ethos of St Rita’s College.
• Adherence to all aspects of the Student Behaviour Code.
• Student is an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia.

Applying for a Bursary

Applying for a Bursary is a two-part process: All Bursary applicants are required to sit the ACER Scholarship Test as well as submit the St Rita’s College Bursary Application form.

1. All Applicants for the College Bursary program are required to register for the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) Scholarship Test by the due date prescribed at the time and sit the test on the date prescribed at the time. A fee payable to ACER applies to this Test. St Rita’s College does not permit ACER to accept late registrations. 
2. All Applicants are also required to submit by the prescribed time the St Rita’s College Bursary Application Form. This application, at the time of submission, must be accompanied by all required information. St Rita’s College will not accept late applications. Additional material to an already lodged application will not be accepted after the application closing date. 

The ACER Scholarship Test is used by schools across Australia to identify academically able students for the awarding of scholarships and bursaries. The test is issued independently under the ownership of ACER. Schools merely provide the venue for the sitting of the test. The test explores a range of skills such as the ability to interpret, infer, deduce and think critically. The test is not curriculum based and does not test the ability to retrieve learned knowledge. ACER marks the test papers and provides a report back to the school. ACER also provides a copy of the report to parents.

Applicants are shortlisted by the College’s Bursary Committee following the receipt of the ACER Scholarship Test results. This committee includes the College Principal, representatives of the College Board and the College Business Manager. Shortlisted applicants, accompanied by at least one parent, may be required to attend an interview with the College Principal.

A Letter of Offer from the Principal to successful applicants will be sent to families following interview. To confirm acceptance of an Offer, return of the signed Agreement will be required by the due date.

The families of unsuccessful applicants will receive a letter of unsuccessful notification from the Principal.

Applicants are advised to read all material provided on this webpage prior to considering an application.

Sitting of the ACER Scholarship Examination

All applicants for a Scholarship or Bursary at St Rita’s College are required to sit the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) Scholarship Test. A link to the ACER site and registration form is provided at the end of this page.

Registration for the ACER Scholarship Test is separate to that of the College Application form and is done directly through ACER. A registration fee of $150.00 is payable at the time of registering. St Rita’s College does not permit ACER to accept late applications. 

Please refer to specific date information for current round testing at the top of this page.

Scholarship applicants should select the appropriate ACER Scholarship Test Level when completing the online application at this link:

Level 1 For students who will be entering Years 7 or 8.

Level 2 For students who will be entering Years 9 or 10. 

Level 3 For students who will be entering Years 11 or 12.