Financial Assistance
ABSTUDY Residential Costs Option
Indigenous students living at Ormond College may be eligible for ABSTUDY Residential Costs Option (RCO), managed by Centrelink. ABSTUDY RCO will cover all accommodation and meal costs in full for eligible Indigenous students, as well as provide a reduced fortnightly payment – whether Undergraduate or Graduate. There are College related expenses that are not covered by ABSTUDY (for example, social events organised by the Ormond College Students Club) so Indigenous students will be responsible for these non-compulsory charges.
ABSTUDY RCO is an award under the ABSTUDY scheme which requires a separate application form than the one completed for ABSTUDY Living Allowance. To apply for ABSTUDY RCO you will need a Tax File Number, Centrelink Number and Proof of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent, amongst other documents. We recommend compiling these documents and beginning your ABSTUDY RCO claim well before 30 November 2020 (see next subheading for more information on this deadline). Contact Centrelink at 1800 132 317 to start this process.
University of Melbourne’s Indigenous Accommodation Grant
The University of Melbourne can assist Indigenous students who are not eligible for ABSTUDY RCO to pay for their College fees. Indigenous students are welcome to submit an Indigenous Accommodation Grant application by 30 November 2020 – there are 20 grants available for 2021. This scholarship provides a contribution of $10,000 if you live at Ormond College for a full year. The scholarship will be paid directly to Ormond College, but other accommodation providers and colleges are also part of this arrangement.
In order to apply for the Indigenous Accommodation Grant, you will need proof that you have recently applied for ABSTUDY RCO and that your application was deemed unsuccessful by Centrelink. This is why we encourage you to apply for ABSTUDY RCO well before 30 November 2020. You will be able to submit proof after 30 November 2020 in case there are delays with Centrelink, but you must ensure you submit your application form by that date as no extensions will be granted by the University.
Ormond College Financial Assistance
Furthermore, Indigenous students who are not eligible for ABSTUDY RCO may be eligible to receive Financial Assistance support from Ormond College by taking into account the student’s possible contribution towards accommodation fees. Applicants will be assessed on financial need by filling out the relevant Financial Assistance Application Form on the links below:
If you are unsure of your funding options, please contact us for a confidential discussion.