The AVCAT Long Tan Bursaries are DVA-funded support for children and grandchildren of Australian Vietnam veterans, worth $4,000 to $6,000 a year for up to three years - a total of up to $18,000. Thirty-seven bursaries are awarded each year across Australia.
Every application has three components:
- Essential requirements - the eligibility gates, including the exact Vietnam-era service dates.
- Circumstances - the means test, and it's specific rather than open-ended.
- Your Digger's story - the part most applicants underinvest in, and where applications are won.
This is a competitive process. That's not a reason to hold back, it's the reason to build all three components properly. This guide walks through each one, then the application itself.
1. Essential requirements
Two gates - who your veteran is and what you're studying - and no age limit at all.
| Requirement | The rule |
|---|---|
| Descendant of a Vietnam veteran | Child or grandchild of an Australian veteran who served during the Vietnam conflict period: 31 July 1962 to 30 April 1975. Direct grandchildren qualify automatically. Step- and foster grandchildren qualify under the "5-of-10 rule" - having resided with, or been financially supported by, a child of the veteran for at least five of the last ten years. |
| Age | No age limit. |
| Study | Enrolled in or commencing full-time tertiary study at a recognised Australian institution - university (undergraduate or postgraduate), TAFE, or a VET diploma or advanced diploma. |
The Vietnam-era dates are precise. If your ancestor's service fell outside 31 July 1962 to 30 April 1975 - even by a day - the Long Tan Bursaries don't apply, though you may still be eligible for AVCAT Sponsored Scholarships or the Gallipoli Scholarship Fund, both of which cover descendants of veterans from any conflict.
Unlike the GSF, there's no age cut-off here - a 40-year-old grandchild of a Vietnam veteran can apply, provided the other criteria are met.
2. Circumstances
This is the criterion most applicants have questions about. Unlike the Gallipoli Scholarship Fund's broader "necessitous circumstances" test, the Long Tan Bursaries use a specific means test. You must be receiving or eligible for one of the following:
- Youth Allowance - the standard Centrelink payment for young people studying or in an apprenticeship
- ABSTUDY - the education payment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
- Austudy - the Centrelink payment for older students (25 and over)
- VCES (Veterans' Children Education Scheme) - the DVA education scheme for children of veterans who died or were severely injured in service
- MRCAETS (Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Education and Training Scheme) - the equivalent scheme under post-2004 legislation
Don't rule yourself out
If you're already receiving VCES or MRCAETS, you automatically meet this test - and receiving one of those doesn't block you from Long Tan. The programs stack: you can hold a DVA education entitlement and a Long Tan Bursary at the same time. See our guide to DVA education schemes for more detail.
If you're not currently receiving a payment, check your eligibility rather than assuming you don't qualify - the test is about entitlement, not necessarily current receipt.
The worst outcome of applying? A no. The worst outcome of not applying? A guaranteed no.
Will it cut your Centrelink Youth Allowance?
No. Merit and equity scholarships are exempt income up to $10,306 a year (2026, indexed annually) - so a Long Tan Bursary doesn't touch your payment. Source: Services Australia.
3. Digger details and knowledge
This is the purpose behind every Digger scholarship - and the part most applicants underinvest in.
A key purpose of these bursaries is to preserve the memory of Vietnam veterans in younger generations. The assessors are looking for an applicant who fully understands their ancestor's service, can speak to it, and will be a good ambassador for the program.
It's also where the competition is won. Only 37 bursaries are awarded each year. Most applications answer the service question with a single line - "my grandfather served in Vietnam". The applicant who can tell the panel where their Digger served, what they lived through, and why it still matters hands the assessors a story they can't forget. That's the competitive advantage.
The obstacle is the record itself. Military service records are dense, abbreviation-heavy documents - dates in military format, unit names abbreviated, postings coded. Vietnam-era records in particular may be split across Defence and National Archives holdings depending on the individual's service history, which makes them harder to piece together than they first appear. That's where Decode My Digger comes in: it takes the original service record and decodes it into a story told in today's language, anchored to the key events - think Australian Story, for your family's service record. Here's Banjo Paterson's decode as an example.
For your application, a decoded record gives you:
- A Word document and Excel spreadsheet showing exactly when and where the veteran served - including whether their service falls within the 31 July 1962 to 30 April 1975 window
- Readable documentation assessors can review quickly, instead of a raw record they have to decode themselves
- The material for a personal statement with real depth
- The confidence to speak to their service with credibility, respect, and remembrance
At $59 against a bursary worth up to $18,000 over three years, it's the highest-leverage hour of your whole application.
For the full set of statement prompts and openers, see the Gallipoli Scholarship Fund guide - the same questions apply to your Long Tan personal statement.
How to apply
Dates and method
Applications open 18 August (Vietnam Veterans' Day - the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan in 1966) and close 31 October (midnight AEDT) each year. That's roughly ten weeks.
Apply online at avcat.org.au/scholarships. One application covers both Long Tan Bursaries and all AVCAT Sponsored Scholarships. You aren't choosing between them - AVCAT reviews your application and automatically considers you for every scholarship and bursary you're eligible for, Long Tan, RSL-sponsored, and corporate-sponsored alike. See our guides to AVCAT Sponsored Scholarships, RSL and ESO scholarships, and corporate scholarships for the full picture of what's on that one form.
What you'll need
- Proof of Vietnam-era service - documents showing your parent or grandparent served during 31 July 1962 to 30 April 1975. National Archives service records, discharge papers, or medal entitlement records can all serve this purpose.
- Proof of relationship - birth certificates or other documents establishing you're a child or grandchild of the veteran. Step- and foster grandchildren need evidence of the 5-of-10 residency or financial support requirement.
- Evidence of means test eligibility - proof that you're receiving or eligible for Youth Allowance, ABSTUDY, Austudy, VCES, or MRCAETS.
- Academic records - current transcript and confirmation of enrolment or offer letter.
- Personal statement - your circumstances, your goals, and how the bursary would support your education.
When you'll hear back
AVCAT notifies applicants between late February and March of the following year. Apply in August-October 2026 and expect an outcome around February-March 2027.
Long Tan Bursaries vs AVCAT Sponsored Scholarships
| Feature | Long Tan Bursaries | AVCAT Sponsored Scholarships |
|---|---|---|
| Funded by | Australian Government (DVA) | 36+ individual sponsors |
| Value per year | $4,000-$6,000 | $4,000-$6,000 |
| Duration | Up to 3 years | Up to 3 years |
| Total max value | $18,000 | $18,000 |
| Veteran service | Vietnam only (1962-1975) | Operational or 3+ years FT |
| Means test | Youth Allowance/ABSTUDY/Austudy/VCES/MRCAETS | Financial hardship (income and assets) |
| Application form | Same form | Same form |
The good news: you don't need to choose. One application covers both.
Long Tan Bursaries vs the Gallipoli Scholarship Fund
The GSF and AVCAT operate independently. You can - and should - apply to both.
| Feature | Long Tan Bursaries | GSF |
|---|---|---|
| Value | $4,000-$6,000/year, up to $18,000 | $8,000 (one year) |
| Duration | Up to 3 years | First year only |
| Veteran service | Vietnam only | Any conflict, WWI-present |
| Age limit | None | Under 25 |
| Means test | Youth Allowance/ABSTUDY/Austudy/VCES/MRCAETS | Necessitous circumstances |
| Application window | 18 Aug - 31 Oct | 1 Jan - 28 Feb |
A Vietnam veteran descendant under 25 in necessitous circumstances could apply to the GSF in January, receive $8,000 for their first year, then apply to AVCAT in August for $4,000 to $6,000 a year in years two and three. The total across both programs could exceed $26,000.
Can Long Tan Bursaries be combined with other support?
Yes, alongside:
- Gallipoli Scholarship Fund - different program, different application
- Legacy Education Support - contact your local Legacy club. Full guide →
- DVA education schemes (VCES/MRCAETS) - these are government entitlements, not scholarships. Receiving them also qualifies you for the Long Tan means test. Full guide →
- University-specific scholarships - check with your institution
Always check with each provider to confirm their stacking policy, as this may change from year to year.
What if you aren't a Vietnam veteran descendant?
- Gallipoli Scholarship Fund - $8,000, first year, descendants of veterans from any conflict
- AVCAT Sponsored Scholarships - $4,000 to $6,000/year for up to 3 years, operational service or 3+ years FT required
- Legacy Australia Education Support - if a veteran parent/partner has died or been wounded, ill, or injured as a result of service
For the full picture, see our complete application guide and searchable scholarships database.
Next steps
- Confirm your ancestor's Vietnam-era service dates (31 July 1962 to 30 April 1975)
- Check your means test eligibility (Youth Allowance, ABSTUDY, Austudy, VCES, or MRCAETS)
- Get the service record decoded so component 3 is ready before the window opens
- Apply at avcat.org.au/scholarships when applications open on 18 August
- Also apply to the Gallipoli Scholarship Fund when their window opens on 1 January
Data sourced from AVCAT, the Department of Veterans' Affairs, and Services Australia. Last verified 8 June 2026. Verify all dates, values, and eligibility criteria directly with AVCAT at avcat.org.au before applying.