Excellence, Diversity and Equity Bachelor Scholarships
Applications close November 14th, 2024
Student artwork by Olha Hyshchak
Scholarship Overview
GameChanger Academy's Scholarships for Excellence, Diversity, and Equity are an investment in the next wave of creative professionals. These Bachelor-level scholarships recognise outstanding talent, promote diverse voices, and support equitable access to education in the fields of animation, visual effects, game development, and digital art.
A bachelor-level scholarship designed for aspiring artists in Victoria, recipients access expert-led practical training to master their chosen discipline while developing essential theoretical, interpersonal, and industry-relevant skills.
What is it? This accredited Bachelor-level scholarship teaches students the tools and techniques of their chosen discipline from the ground up and prepares them for the industry.
How long does it take? 2 years (6 trimesters) full-time.
Who would benefit from enrolling? This program is for creatives passionate about a career in film and games but who may lack the necessary skills, experience, or financial resources to pursue their ambitions.
Why do it? Along with practical training to build their technical and creative skillset, students will also develop vital theoretical and interpersonal skills and build an understanding of industry expectations and processes. They’ll also receive industry-specific career support and graduate with a polished portfolio, so they’re ready to hit the ground running upon graduation.
Each year, the top 24 Victorian-based Bachelor’s students (including both scholarship holders and fee-paying students) will be selected to complete their capstone trimester at GameChanger, benefiting from one-on-one mentoring by leading industry experts and immersive studio-simulated learning.
Course value: $59,976 (fully covered by VicScreen and Game Changer Academy).
First offering: January 2025
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Excellence, Diversity, and Equity Scholarship, applicants must:
- Meet CGSI’s Bachelor entry requirements
- Prove Victorian residency status
- Be either an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- Agree to the terms and conditions outlined in the scholarship offer
- Be commencing students
- Be 18 years of age or over at commencement of studies
- Demonstrate previous experience of, or interest in, digital technologies and/or the visual arts.
Diversity and Inclusivity
As an institute that celebrates excellence, diversity and inclusivity, our goal is to create a cohort of students representative of all abilities and backgrounds. Applicants are encouraged to use the checklist below to identify the communities, abilities or identities relevant to their personal circumstances (if applicable). This is, however, not a requirement.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- First in family (to attend university)
- People living with a disability
- Neurodiverse people
- People facing financial hardship
- People living in rural/remote communities
- Cultural minority groups
- Other underrepresented groups within the VFX, games or animation sectors
- Academic achievement
- Creative excellence
How to apply
To apply for this scholarship, you must be able to provide the following:
- Resume
- Proof of eligibility for entry to CGSI’s Bachelor program
- Proof of Victorian residency (official documentation which states the applicant’s name and a Victorian residential address, e.g., driver's license, rates notice, bank statements, etc).
- A 3-5 minute video response or a 300 - 500 word application letter, which outlines the following:
- Details of the applicant’s previous experience of, or interest in, digital technologies and/or the visual arts.
- Any personal or professional circumstances that would support the application
- The major the applicant is interested in studying and why
- A statement outlining the applicant’s future career aspirations.
- Additional documentation that outlines:
- Evidence to support the personal circumstances identified above
- The email address of two referees (for example, a previous teacher or employer). Referees will only be contacted if the applicant has been shortlisted. They will be contacted via a web form.
- An optional portfolio. The portfolio is a requirement for Concept Art and Creative Excellence applicants.
Shortlisted applicants may also be required to participate in an interview.
Criteria
- Ability to demonstrate via the provision of supporting documentation eligibility to be considered for one or more of the personal circumstances categories outlined above.
- The 3-5 minute video response or 300 - 500 word application letter offers a clear description of previous experience and/or interest in digital technologies/visual arts. It provides a convincing case for the likely success of the applicant within the selected degree and major.
- The statement outlining future career aspirations is aligned with the curriculum intent of the course.
CGSI Tuition Scholarships are awarded subject to the following terms and conditions:
- All Tuition Scholarship applicants must abide by the advertised eligibility requirements and must provide supporting documentation as proof of eligibility. They must also provide additional documentation (as requested) for each advertised Tuition Scholarship. A failure to provide the requested supporting evidence and documentation may result in an application being disallowed.
- Tuition Scholarships only apply to the course or program for which they have been awarded and are non-transferable. Should a Tuition Scholarship holder wish to make alternative arrangements (for example, a change to their major or area of specialisation), such requests will need to be approved by the relevant Faculty Dean;
- Recipients of all CGSI Tuition Scholarships for accredited courses must be full time students (40 Credit Points in each trimester as per the specific requirements of each course), unless alternative arrangements have been approved by the relevant Faculty Dean or Executive Dean;
- Recipients of Tuition Scholarships for non-accredited courses must commit to full time study as per the requirements of the relevant program;
- Tuition Scholarship recipients must not be holders of another CGSI or other higher education provider scholarship within the same period of time;
- Full and Completion Tuition Scholarships must be taken within the specified study period/s and may only be deferred in exceptional circumstances;
- Where a request for exceptional circumstances is submitted, supporting documentation must be provided and will be subject to approval by the relevant Faculty Dean. If approved, the total deferment period cannot exceed two trimesters. This applies to both Full and Completion Tuition Scholarship holders within accredited courses;
- For Tuition Scholarship holders who are participating in non-accredited programs and courses, deferrals are not permitted, except in exceptional circumstances. Where a request for exceptional circumstances is submitted, supporting documentation must be provided and will be subject to approval by the relevant Faculty Dean;
- All Tuition Scholarship holders must maintain high levels of attendance and meaningful and ongoing engagement with the Scholarship course and its staff;
- Full Scholarship holders in the accredited courses must maintain satisfactory academic standards across all subjects of study. Receiving a fail grade in any accredited subject may result in a review or termination of the Full Tuition Scholarship;
- Completion Scholarship holders in the accredited programs must maintain a grade point average (GPA) of 5 or higher across the study periods prior to the commencement of the Scholarship; receiving a fail grade in any accredited subject prior to commencement of the Completion Scholarship may result in review or termination;
- Where a Full Tuition Scholarship for a non-accredited course has been terminated or revoked, the student may be required to reimburse the Institute for the costs associated with their tuition;
- Where a Full Tuition Scholarship for an accredited course has been terminated or revoked; the student may be required to reimburse the Institute for the costs associated with any subject that the student has enrolled and:
(a) the subject is not completed; or
(b) the student withdraws from the subject post census data,
and no special circumstances exist;
- The Institute is not obliged to award Scholarships if it is determined that there are no/insufficient suitable applicants;
- The Institute reserves the right to offer additional Scholarships at any time and according to eligibility criteria developed by a panel that includes senior members of both the academic and administrative teams at CG Spectrum Institute.