Scholarship applications open for university students interested in Agriculture

The AgriFutures™ Horizon Scholarship, an initiative of AgriFutures Australia (formerly the Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation), in partnership with industry sponsors, provides a $5,000 bursary and professional development opportunities for eligible university students. Applications close 5.00pm AEDT Friday, 23 February 2018.

The AgriFutures™ Horizon Scholarship also offers students annual industry work placements, access to industry leaders, professional development assistance, and opportunities to network and gain knowledge at a range of industry events.

In 2018 there are some small but important changes to the program;

• The scholarship will be awarded for the first two years of the successful student’s degree (previously for the duration of their degree). If a student’s degree is more than three years, they will have opportunity to apply for a second scholarship for the remainder of their degree
• Eligible agricultural-related degrees include Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths (STEM) degrees with major studies and subject selections relevant and aligned to agriculture. Students studying more traditional agriculture degrees such as Rural Science, Animal Science and Agribusiness are also eligible
• In addition to industry scholarships, there are three additional and unique scholarships on offer, available for students in their final two years of study within a banking or financial planning services discipline, with a keen interest in agriculture. This scholarship is the 2018 AgriFutures™ Horizon Scholarship, sponsored by Westpac.

AgriFutures Australia Managing Director John Harvey, says that in order to build prosperous and sustainable rural industries, it is important to focus on the next generation of leaders.

“It is vital to build the skills, capacity, leadership and knowledge of Australia’s future rural leaders. The changes in the program open the door for a larger pool of students to benefit from the program and understand the wide and varied opportunities for a career in agriculture,” said Mr Harvey.

Research suggests there are currently four jobs in agriculture available for every university graduate studying an agriculture-related degree[1]. Through a number of targeted programs including the AgriFutures™ Horizon Scholarship, AgriFutures Australia is committed to supporting the next generation of leaders.

“The AgriFutures™ Horizon Scholarship attracts students who are collaborative, dynamic, passionate and want to be future leaders. Agriculture is a tremendous growth industry in our country, and this scholarship elevates student’s exposure and understanding of rural industries, and provides access to networks and industry knowledge, elevating them above their peers. We look forward to welcoming more of these students into the 2018 program,” Mr Harvey said.
Students must be entering their first year of university to be eligible for the AgriFutures™ Horizon Scholarship, or final two years of study to be eligible for the Westpac sponsored scholarship. All applicants must have commenced their tertiary studies no longer than two years after leaving high school.

The online application form and terms and conditions can be found at agrifutures.com.au/horizon

Applications close at 5.00pm AEDT Friday, 23 February 2018. Shortlisted applicants must be available for a telephone interview in March 2018, and scholarship winners will be announced in May 2018.

2018 AgriFutures™ Horizon Scholarship Apply Now

Current sponsors of the AgriFutures™ Horizon Scholarship: Australian Eggs, Cotton Research and Development Corporation, Dairy Australia, Grains Research and Development Corporation, Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited, McCaughey Memorial Institute, Meat & Livestock Australia, AgriFutures Australia (Rice and Chicken Meat research programs) and Westpac.