Scholarships & Bursaries

The Friends’ School offers needs-based Refugee or Humanitarian Entrant Bursary opportunities for new students entering the School in Years 7–12.

Term: Tenable throughout the student’s enrolment time
Entry Level: a new student entering Years 7-12 in 2026
Value: Friends’ School bursaries are based on financial need and assistance varies depending on the individual family circumstances

Applications closed: 12pm, Friday 5 September 2025 but we encourage you to apply early as bursaries may be awarded before the closing date

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants are required to be a new enrolment to the School
• Be able to provide references or letters of support from community organisations, case workers, or teachers
• Hold a visa or official documentation that confirms their refugee or humanitarian status (e.g., subclass 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 866, or TPV/SHEV)
• Aged 12-17 years
• Residing in Tasmania or have plans to relocate with appropriate guardianship and accommodation in place
• Demonstrate capacity and commitment to participate successfully in the academic and co-curricular life of the School
• Be from a family experiencing financial hardship or lacking the resources to afford an Independent school education without significant assistance 

Application Process

1. Enquiry

Applicants are welcome to contact the School for support through this process or  alternatively progress directly to stage 2 below.

2. Formal Bursary Application – Applicants will be asked to provide: 

• Evidence of Refugee/Humanitarian status (Visa & passport/birth certificate)
• School reports and academic records 
• Personal statement (student and/or family) outlining educational aspirations
• Completed Fee assistance forms 
• References or support letters from community organisations, case workers, or teachers

3. Application for Enrolment

Shortlisted applicants must complete an online Application for Enrolment form prior to the interview.

4. Interview

The interview will work as an opportunity to assess the student’s readiness, motivation, and suitability for Friends’. Shortlisted applicants and their parent(s)/guardian(s) will attend an interview with relevant school staff, such as: the Principal or Deputy Principal, Head of School and/o Deputy Heads.

5. Offer and Acceptance

Successful applicants will receive a Letter of Offer outlining the bursary terms and enrolment conditions. A signed Acceptance of Offer must be returned within the timeframe specified.

Additional Notes

Bursaries are reviewed annually and may be continued into Year 12, subject to satisfactory progress, attendance, and the family making a regular contribution to the fees agreed upon. Students and their families are expected to uphold the values and responsibilities of the School community. 

If you have any queries or would like to discuss, please don’t hesitate to contact the Enrolments Office on either enrol.office@friends.tas.edu.au or +61 3 6210 2286.

A Music Scholarship provides a 25% reduction in tuition fees only. All scholarships are tenable throughout the student’s enrolment time. Additional financial assistance may be available for families that demonstrate a financial need in order to attend The Friends’ School.

Music Scholarships are offered to students who demonstrate outstanding musicianship and the ability to make an ongoing, strong and varied contribution to the musical life of the School.

Students who are offered a Music Scholarship commencing into Year 7 are required to agree to the terms and conditions outlined in the Secondary School Music Scholarship Agreement. Students who are offered a Senior School Music Scholarship entering Years 9-11 are required to agree to the terms and conditions outlined in the Senior School Music Scholarship Agreement. Students who are offered a Music Scholarship commencing into Year 11 are required to agree to the terms and conditions outlined in the Years 11 & 12 Music Scholarship Agreement. Please ensure you have read and understood the terms and conditions of the scholarship before applying.

Applications closed: 12.30pm Friday 1 August 2025

If you have any queries or would like to discuss, please contact the Enrolments Office on either enrol.office@friends.tas.edu.au or +61 3 6210 2286.

Visit The Mather Endowment Trust for more information about the history of the Trust and its benefactors.

Selection Criteria

Students are selected based upon their demonstrated desire to learn and their involvement in their current school and community.  Students entering Year 7 to 12 may be considered for assistance through the Mather Endowment Trust.

Students are required to:

• Demonstrate a high degree of “Academic Commitment” to a selection panel. Academic commitment may be demonstrated through consistent school records with accompanying comments from teachers that the student is completing all of the required work to his or her ability.
• Produce an item of work that they have completed at school. This work should be offered as a good demonstration of their abilities.
• Complete an essay focusing on how they have contributed to their current community and how they see that contribution in the future.
• Produce a document that demonstrates their involvement in co-curricular activities at their current school
• Demonstrate involvement in co-curricular activities at their current school or in their local community, including service to the community.
• Provide the name and email address for a current or recent past teacher who could address questions about the type of student and person the applicant is through completing a questionnaire for The Friends’ School.

Students would need to be interviewed by the relevant Head of School and Principal.

If you have any queries or would like to discuss, please don’t hesitate to contact the Enrolments Office on either enrol.office@friends.tas.edu.au or +61 3 6210 2286.

The Friends’ Fellowship is a two-to-three year bursary, available for a new student entering in Year 10 or 11 in 2026.  Applications for this bursary are now open for new students entering in 2026.

Established in 2018, and funded entirely by community donations during annual giving, The Friends’ Fellowship provides financial assistance to families who can least afford a Friends’ education, and who will benefit greatly from attending the School. The value of the Bursary depends on funds raised. Recipients do not sit an exam, rather they demonstrate their commitment to academic achievement, service, community and the values of the School through an online application, interview and references from teachers and community members.

Term: Two-to-three years
Entry Level: a new student entering Year 10 or 11 in 2026. Applicants must be an Australian Citizen.
Value: up to 75% of school fees. Friends’ School bursaries are based on financial need and assistance varies depending on the individual family circumstances.

There is no examination for bursaries but families will be expected to make available a range of financial information to allow assessment of their application. Applications are assessed by the Fees Assistance Committee of the Board of Governors and all details are held in confidence.

If you have any queries or would like to discuss, please don’t hesitate to contact the Enrolments Office on either enrol.office@friends.tas.edu.au or +61 3 6210 2286.

This is a bursary available for a student from Years 7 to 12 from a rural area.

The Frances Parsons Bursary was created following the receipt of a bequest from Frances Parson’s estate in 2015. Frances had a passion for the education of women, particularly from rural areas, although the bursary is available to all rural students.

This bursary will be awarded to either an existing or prospective Friends’ School student entering into Years 7 – 12 from a rural area and will provide up to 50% of boarding costs for the tenure of the student’s enrolment.

Friends’ School bursaries are based on financial need and assistance varies depending on the individual family circumstances.

If you have any queries or would like to discuss, please don’t hesitate to contact the Enrolments Office on either enrol.office@friends.tas.edu.au or +61 3 6210 2286.

A Merit Scholarship provides a 25% reduction in tuition fees only. All scholarships are tenable throughout the student’s enrolment time. Additional financial assistance may be available for families that demonstrate a financial need in order to attend The Friends’ School.

These scholarships are offered to students who demonstrate they have strong abilities across a range of the key areas of learning.

Examination papers are written by a team of Friends’ teachers, who represent a broad range of learning areas. A variety of questions invite students to present written responses intended to demonstrate both the breadth and depth of their academic proficiency. We seek students who are academically well-rounded and who also embody the values reflected in our Purpose and Concerns.

Candidates who are successful and shortlisted following the examination paper will be invited to an interview with our scholarship panel. During this process, the panel will seek information on how the student might contribute to The Friends’ School beyond their academic capabilities.

Students who are offered a Merit Scholarship commencing into Year 7 are required to agree to the terms and conditions outlined in the Secondary School Merit Scholarship Agreement. Students who are offered a Merit Scholarship commencing into Year 11 are required to agree to the terms and conditions outlined in the Year 11 & 12 Merit Scholarship Agreement. Please ensure you have read and understood the terms and conditions of the scholarship before applying.

If you have any queries or would like to discuss, please contact the Enrolments Office on either enrol.office@friends.tas.edu.au or +61 3 6210 2286.

A Boarding Scholarship provides a 25% reduction to tuition and boarding fees. All scholarships are tenable throughout the student’s enrolment time. Additional financial assistance may be available for families that demonstrate a financial need in order to attend The Friends’ School.

Applications for Boarding Scholarships are invited from students who would otherwise be unable to attend the School because of their remote residential location or other circumstances related to their residential arrangements.

Candidates who are successful and shortlisted following the examination paper will be invited to an interview with our scholarship panel.

Shortlisted boarding candidates will need to demonstrate a willingness to participate in school life and be a positive member of our Walker House residential community.

Students who are offered a Boarding Scholarship commencing into Year 7 are required to agree to the terms and conditions outlined in the Secondary School Boarding Scholarship Agreement. Students who are offered a Boarding Scholarship commencing into Year 11 are required to agree to the terms and conditions outlined in the Years 11 & 12 Boarding Scholarship Agreement. Please ensure you have read and understood the terms and conditions of the scholarship before applying.

If you have any queries or would like to discuss, please contact the Enrolments Office on either enrol.office@friends.tas.edu.au or +61 3 6210 2286.

Shortly after the First World War, a group of Friends’ alumni set up a trust fund to support a student moving into Year 11, whose family had been adversely affected by war.  This worthy cause has been modified over the years, extending the support to students who simply have an alumni connection in their extended family and omitting “War” from the title.

There is one grant of $4,000 for a Year 10 student continuing to Year 11 at The Friends’ School. The grant is paid in Term 1. Students with an alumni connection in the previous generation (such as parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts) are encouraged to apply.

The application form outlines the areas on which students will be evaluated. We are looking for a student who is academically sound, an active participant in the life of the School and strong in service. 

A panel of Trustees and the Head of Senior School will shortlist the applicants and then conduct interviews.

Applications for the Old Scholars’ Memorial Grant closed on Monday 28 October at 4pm. For more information please contact Adam Chambers at achambers@friends.tas.edu.au

Applicants will be contacted about the scholarship exam and/or music audition closer to the audition and exam dates. All Merit and Boarding Scholarship applicants are required to sit an exam on Saturday 1 March 2025. Music Scholarship applicants will be shortlisted to audition. Applicants will be notified on Monday 4 August 2025 if they have been shortlisted so that an individual audition time can be arranged. Music Scholarship auditions will be held on Friday 8 August 2025. We suggest families make tentative arrangements with an accompanist (if required) prior to knowing if their child has been shortlisted.

Those that have completed a merit or boarding scholarship application received an email outlining all the details of the exam. See below.

All scholarship papers and audition results will be reviewed by the School and further information from applicants may be sought.

Shortlisted Merit and Boarding applicants will be interviewed by the Principal and respective Head of School. Music applicants will be interviewed by the selection panel during their audition. Successful applicants will be awarded scholarships.

For any enquiries or to discuss with the School, please contact our Enrolments Office on either 6210 2286 or enrol.office@friends.tas.edu.au