Youth Development Scholarships - 2026

The Youth Development Scholarships program provides $1,000 for study expenses like laptops, textbooks, or uniforms. It helps young people in social housing or out-of-home care achieve their education goals.

Please note the following application deadlines:

• Applications for all high school students will open at 9:00am, 13 October 2025 and close 5:00pm, 13 February 2026.
• Applications for Returning tertiary students will open at 9:00am, 13 October 2025 and close 5:00pm, 6 March 2026.

You are eligible to apply if you are:

Studying in Year 10, 11 or 12 in NSW at one of the following in 2026:

• NSW high school
• equivalent at a TAFE college
• home schooling
• doing a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship.

You must also be either a social housing client or living in out-of-home care, this can include:

• living in public housing, including Aboriginal housing
• being on the NSW Housing Register (wait list)
• receiving a private rental subsidy from DCJ (not Centrelink)
• living in community housing/Aboriginal community housing
• living in housing provided by a Local Aboriginal Land Council
• living in supported, crisis or temporary accommodation
• living in statutory, supported or voluntary out-of-home care.

What the scholarship be used for:

The scholarship funds must be used for educational or support related costs to help you complete the school year.

Examples of items or services which can be purchased with the scholarship include (but not limited to):

Primary support

• Uniform, shoes and specialist clothing (including apron, sports equipment, safety shoes etc.)
• Course costs, subject/elective fees
• Materials/equipment for elective (e.g. music, art, food technology, hospital, science
  Equipment etc.)
• Tutoring
• School organised excursions, study camps, school sporting activities
• Textbooks, workbooks, study guides
• Stationery (notebooks, folders, pens etc.)
• Technology (e.g. laptop, personal computer, tablet, printer, scanner etc.)

Secondary support

• Internet
• Furniture (e.g. study desk, chair, footrest etc.)
• Transport costs (e.g. Opal card, driving lessons, fuel voucher etc.)
• Health and wellbeing costs (e.g. glasses, mobility aids, speech therapy and devices,
  counselling etc.)
• Social inclusion (e.g. formal attire, formal ticket)
• Training and employment (e.g. CV writing, interview skills, clothing for work etc.)