Friends of Zainab Secondary Scholarship

The Public Education Foundation’s Friends of Zainab Secondary Scholarships help support refugee students through the critical years of their High School Certificate.

The scholarship was established in 2002 by Dorothy Hoddinott AO, the Principal of Holroyd High School in Sydney’s South West. In its first year, the scholarship enabled a young refugee, Zainab Kaabi, to complete her schooling and enter university.

There are two scholarships for secondary students:

  • Senior Secondary Scholarship – Year 10: For students currently enrolled in Year 10 in 2025. An annual bursary of $1,000 will be provided for each of Years 11 and 12.
  • Senior Secondary Scholarship – Year 11: For students currently enrolled in Year 11 in 2025. A one-off payment of $1,000 will be provided for Year 12.

Scholarship funds can be used for educational expenses such as:

  • Laptop, iPad or similar device
  • Study-related software
  • Uniforms and school shoes (including sports clothing)
  • Stationery and textbooks
  • Incidental fees (e.g. textbook hire, subject-related costs)
  • Printer
  • Internet connection for study at home
  • School excursions and camps
  • Costs related to work experience for VET subjects
  • Study furniture (e.g. desk, chair, lamp)
  • Face-to-face or online tutoring

If a student leaves public school before the end of Year 12, the scholarship will lapse. Please note – the scholarship may be withdrawn if attendance drops below an acceptable level at any point during the scholarship period. Any unspent funds must be returned to the Foundation.

Before applying, please read the scholarship terms and conditions.

Basic Eligibility

  • Refugee background
  • Enrolled at an Australian public school
  • Currently in Year 10 or 11 (in 2025)
  • Australian citizen or permanent resident

Note: Students who have applied for protection but do not yet have permanent residency or citizenship may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Selection Criteria

  • Experiencing personal or socioeconomic disadvantage
  • Positive attitude towards schooling
  • Demonstrated academic progress and motivation to continue to tertiary education
  • Participation in school life
  • Community contribution and/or extracurricular involvement

Selection Process

A selection panel comprising Public Education Foundation representatives and independent experts will assess applications against the selection criteria. Recommendations will be approved by the Foundation’s Board. Successful applicants will be notified in December 2025.

How to Apply

Apply via our online portal at PEF-Apply. All sections, including the Principal’s Supporting Statement, must be completed before submission.

Application Requirements

  • Personal and family details
  • Proof of residence status (VEVO check, visa, or citizenship certificate – IMMICARDs are not accepted)
  • Parent/guardian contact information
  • School details and a point of contact at the school
  • Background information including language spoken at home, caregiver, education level of household, etc.
  • A 400-word statement addressing selection criteria
  • A 150-word outline of post-school plans
  • A 250-word summary explaining subject selection or work experience relevance
  • A 150-word description of how scholarship funds will be used
  • Most recent school report (all pages)
  • Reference from someone who knows the applicant well (e.g. teacher, coach, employer)
  • Principal’s supporting statement (initiated by the applicant via the online portal)

Note for Principals: Your statement plays a key role and must go beyond verifying enrolment. Generic or copy/pasted statements will disadvantage the applicant.

Submitting Your Application

Applications close at 5:00pm on Friday, 19 September 2025.

Further Information

Contact the Public Education Foundation at 02 7814 2806 or email scholarships@publiceducationfoundation.org.au.