2025 Community Bank BDCU Health & Wellbeing Scholarship Program (CEF)(O)

The 2025 Community Bank BDCU Health & Wellbeing Scholarship Program aims to assist Health Care workers and Allied Heath Professionals from the Southern Highlands and Tablelands who are undertaking activities to develop their professional skills.

Community Bank BDCU seeks to provide greater opportunity to live and work in our local regions with a specific focus on the health and wellbeing of our community. Our annual Health & Wellbeing Scholarship aims to support healthcare and allied health workers to continue their professional development while living and working in our regions.

The Scholarship program supports the following study related expenses – accommodation costs, course costs, study-related materials/equipment, textbooks, tutoring and /or education related travel (within Australia).

Key general qualification criteria:

• You are an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
• You reside in or are permanently employed in the Wingecarribee, Wollondilly, Upper Lachlan or Goulburn/Mulwaree catchments.
• You can demonstrate leadership both within, and outside, your workplace.
• You can demonstrate the challenging circumstances (financial, geographical or social) hindering your ability to participate in further education and/or professional development.
• You are a committed to completing specific training or attending professional development opportunities directly related to your professional goals.

Scholarship Eligibility

Qualification criteria:

• You must be aged over 25 as at 31 January 2025.
• You must be currently employed in a recognised health profession or allied health profession* (see list below).
• You must show commitment to completing or attending specific training and development related to your current profession.
• As part of your application you’ll need to provide a letter of support from your employer and confirmation of your commitment to professional development.
• The Scholarship must be utilised within 18 months of payment.
• You must have a Community Bank BDCU bank account for the scholarship to be paid into.

Professional Development can include undertaking training and courses recognised by governing health bodies, attendance at professional conferences, and participation in health-related research and studies.

*Eligible Health and Allied Health professions include:

• Audiologist
• Aged Care
• Dietitian
• Diabetes Educator
• Chiropractor
• Counsellor
• Exercise Physiologist
• Medical Doctor – General Practitioner or Specialist
• Mental Health and Counselling service
• Nursing – Enrolled and Registered
• Occupational Therapist (including music and art therapists)
• Optometrist
• Osteopath
• Pathology service
• Physiotherapy
• Podiatrist
• Psychologist
• Radiology
• Rehabilitation Counsellor
• Speech Pathologist
• Social Workers

This list is not exhaustive. If you are a qualified or licenced allied health care professional and your profession is not listed above, please provide information in your application to confirm your qualifications.

View guidelines here

The scholarship award value is up to $5,000 year for 1 year for each successful recipient. Subject to the criteria set out above.

Scholarships will be awarded on the recommendation of a selection committee and will be based on how an applicant addresses the qualification criteria.

For further information please contact the Community Bank BDCU

The Scholarship Selection Committee reserves the right, at its discretion, not to award this scholarship in any given year.

Community Bank Branch Scholarships are funded from management accounts of the Community Enterprise Charitable Fund ABN 12 102 649 968 (the Fund), The Bendigo Centre, Bendigo VIC 3550. Sandhurst Trustees Limited ABN 16 004 030 737 AFSL 237906, a subsidiary of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited ABN 11 068 049 178, AFSL 237879, is the trustee of the Fund. 

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Before you begin:

Welcome to the Bendigo Bank online grant application service, powered by SmartyGrants. For queries about the guidelines, deadlines, or questions in the form, please email us at foundation@bendigobank.com.au and quote your submission number. If you need more help using this form, download the Help Guide for Applicants or check out Applicant Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

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Once you have submitted your application, no further editing or uploading of support materials is possible. When you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email with a copy of your submitted application attached. This will be sent to the email you used to register. If you do not receive a confirmation of submission email then you should presume that your submission has NOT been submitted. Hint: check the email hasn't landed in your spam/junk email folder.

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