Most people who look into the Gallipoli Scholarship Fund see the headline figure: $8,000 for descendants of veterans in their first year of tertiary study. What they often miss is that behind that main scholarship sits a network of 17 named bursaries, each funded by a different sponsor and each targeting a different type of student.
One is for women studying engineering. Another is for Indigenous Australians with multi-year funding. Several are for students in specific parts of NSW. One comes with a potential internship at a Big Four professional services firm.
The best part: you don't apply separately for any of them. The standard Gallipoli Scholarship Fund application covers everything. When you submit your GSF application, the fund automatically considers you for every named bursary that matches your profile - your location, your course of study, your background, and your circumstances.
This guide profiles every named bursary in the GSF as of June 2026, so you know exactly which ones you might qualify for before you apply.
How named bursaries work within the GSF
All 17 named bursaries sit within the Gallipoli Scholarship Fund's standard application process. You don't choose a bursary or nominate for a specific one. The GSF reviews your application and matches you to every bursary whose criteria you meet.
Every named bursary is worth $8,000 - the same as the main GSF scholarship. Some offer multi-year funding (up to $24,000 over three years), which is unusual for the GSF given that the main scholarship covers first year only.
To be considered for any named bursary, you must first meet the standard GSF eligibility criteria:
- Direct descendant of an Australian or New Zealand veteran (any conflict, WWI to present)
- Under 25 years old
- Australian citizen
- First year of tertiary study (degree, diploma, or advanced diploma)
- Necessitous circumstances
If you meet those baseline requirements, the named bursaries add additional criteria on top - study field, location, background, or a combination.
For the full GSF eligibility breakdown and application tips, see our Gallipoli Scholarship Fund complete guide.
The full directory
National bursaries (no state restriction)
These bursaries are open to eligible applicants from any state or territory.
ADF Bursary
Focus: Academic excellence Value: $8,000 Duration: 1 year Details: Three bursaries per year over six years. Targets students who demonstrate strong academic performance in their first year of tertiary study. University study only.
Ataturk Scholarship
Focus: General (necessitous circumstances) Value: $8,000 Duration: 1 year Details: Sponsored by Australian business people of Turkish heritage. Open to all eligible GSF applicants with no additional course or location restrictions. A meaningful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Turkey, forged at Gallipoli.
Calleo Indigenous Bursary
Focus: Indigenous Australians Value: $8,000 per year Duration: Up to 3 years (total value up to $24,000) Details: Specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descendants of veterans. This is one of the few GSF bursaries with multi-year funding - a minimum of one scholar for three years. In 2026, six scholars are being supported. Covers university and TAFE/VET study.
If you're an Indigenous descendant of a veteran, this bursary is significant. Multi-year funding provides stability that single-year awards can't. You may also be eligible for the Captain Reg Saunders Scholarships through AVCAT, and the Aspen Medical Foundation Bursary (below) if you're studying a health-related field.
Aspen Medical Foundation Bursary
Focus: Health-related study, with priority for First Nations and Pacific Islander applicants Value: $8,000 Duration: 1 year Details: For students enrolled in health-related courses - medicine, nursing, allied health, public health, and related fields. First Nations and Pacific Islander applicants are prioritised. Covers university and TAFE/VET study.
CEA Technologies Bursary
Focus: Women in engineering (sovereign capability) Value: $8,000 Duration: 1 year Details: For women studying engineering in fields relevant to sovereign capability - defence engineering, electronic engineering, systems engineering, and related disciplines. University study only. CEA Technologies is a Canberra-based defence electronics manufacturer.
EY Internship Bursary
Focus: Business, economics, or finance Value: $8,000 per year Duration: Up to 3 years (total value up to $24,000) Details: For students enrolled in business, economics, or finance courses. May include an internship opportunity with EY (formerly Ernst & Young). One of the few GSF bursaries with multi-year funding, extending to second and third year. University study only.
This is one of the highest-value bursaries in the GSF network. $24,000 over three years, with the potential for a professional services internship, is a substantial career advantage.
Lockheed Martin Australia Bursary
Focus: STEM Value: $8,000 Duration: 1 year Details: For students enrolled in STEM-related courses (science, technology, engineering, mathematics). University study only. Lockheed Martin is a major defence and aerospace contractor.
Vonwiller Foundation Bursary
Focus: Education, science/technology, or healthcare Value: $8,000 Duration: 1 year Details: For students in education, science, technology, or healthcare courses. University study only. Broader than the CEA or Lockheed Martin bursaries in its course scope - it covers the teaching and health professions as well as STEM.
Arthur Fittock Bursary
Focus: General (necessitous circumstances) Value: $8,000 Duration: 1 year Details: Named for Major General Arthur Fittock AO (Retired), the inaugural Chair of the Gallipoli Scholarship Fund. Open to all eligible GSF applicants with no additional course or location restrictions. Covers university and TAFE/VET study.
NSW-specific bursaries
These bursaries have a geographic restriction - you must be from, or studying in, New South Wales. NSW has the largest concentration of named bursaries in the GSF, funded primarily by RSL sub-branches across Greater Sydney.
RSL NSW Bursary
Focus: NSW-based students Value: $8,000 Duration: 1 year Availability: 4 bursaries per year Details: For students from or studying in NSW. Four awards per year makes this one of the most accessible NSW-specific bursaries. Covers university and TAFE/VET study.
Merrylands RSL Bursary
Focus: Greater Western Sydney or regional NSW students in Sydney Value: $8,000 Duration: 1 year Details: For students from Greater Western Sydney, or regional students attending a Sydney-based university or TAFE. Covers university and TAFE/VET study.
If you're from Parramatta, Blacktown, Penrith, Liverpool, Campbelltown, or surrounding areas, this bursary is targeted at you. Regional students who have moved to Sydney for study also qualify.
Castle Hill RSL Group Bursary
Focus: NSW-based students Value: $8,000 Duration: 1 year Details: Funded by the Castle Hill RSL Group. Necessitous circumstances. Covers university and TAFE/VET study.
Earlwood Bardwell Park RSL Bursary
Focus: NSW-based students Value: $8,000 Duration: 1 year Details: Funded by the Earlwood Bardwell Park RSL. Necessitous circumstances. Covers university and TAFE/VET study.
Fairfield RSL Club Bursary
Focus: NSW-based students Value: $8,000 Duration: 1 year Details: Funded by the Fairfield RSL Club. Necessitous circumstances. Covers university and TAFE/VET study.
Gallipoli Memorial Club Bursary
Focus: NSW-based students Value: $8,000 Duration: 1 year Details: Funded by the Gallipoli Memorial Club. Necessitous circumstances. Covers university and TAFE/VET study.
Hornsby RSL Club Bursary
Focus: NSW-based students (preference) Value: $8,000 Duration: 1 year Details: Funded by the Hornsby RSL Club. Preference given to students from or studying in NSW. Covers university and TAFE/VET study.
Ingleburn RSL Bursary
Focus: NSW-based students Value: $8,000 Duration: 1 year Details: Funded by the Ingleburn RSL. Necessitous circumstances. Covers university and TAFE/VET study.
Quick reference: Which bursaries match your profile?
Use this table to quickly identify which named bursaries you might qualify for based on your study field and location. Remember - you don't need to apply separately. The GSF application covers all of them.
| If you're... | Bursaries to note |
|---|---|
| Studying STEM | Lockheed Martin, CEA Technologies (women only), Vonwiller Foundation |
| Studying business/economics/finance | EY Internship (multi-year, possible internship) |
| Studying health/medicine/nursing | Aspen Medical Foundation, Vonwiller Foundation |
| Studying education/teaching | Vonwiller Foundation |
| A woman studying engineering | CEA Technologies |
| Indigenous Australian | Calleo Indigenous (multi-year), Aspen Medical Foundation (health, prioritised) |
| First Nations or Pacific Islander | Aspen Medical Foundation (health, prioritised) |
| Based in NSW | RSL NSW (4 per year), plus Castle Hill, Earlwood Bardwell Park, Fairfield, Gallipoli Memorial Club, Hornsby, Ingleburn |
| From Greater Western Sydney | Merrylands RSL |
| A regional student studying in Sydney | Merrylands RSL |
| Strong academic record | ADF Bursary |
| No specific study/location focus | Ataturk Scholarship, Arthur Fittock |
Multi-year bursaries
Most GSF bursaries are first-year only. These two exceptions offer funding across multiple years:
| Bursary | Duration | Total value |
|---|---|---|
| Calleo Indigenous Bursary | Up to 3 years | Up to $24,000 |
| EY Internship Bursary | Up to 3 years | Up to $24,000 |
Multi-year funding is rare in the GSF. If you qualify for either of these, the sustained support across your degree is significant.
How named bursaries interact with AVCAT
The GSF and AVCAT are completely separate organisations with separate applications. You can apply to both.
If you're an Indigenous descendant of a veteran, for example, you could apply to:
- The GSF main scholarship (including automatic consideration for the Calleo Indigenous Bursary) - apply January to February
- AVCAT Sponsored Scholarships (including automatic consideration for the Captain Reg Saunders Scholarships) - apply August to October
The application windows don't overlap. Apply to both.
Strengthening your application for named bursaries
The GSF application is the same form regardless of which bursaries you're targeting. There's no separate section for named bursaries. The fund matches you based on the information you provide. This means the detail in your application matters.
If you're studying a specific field (STEM, engineering, health, business), make sure your course of study is clearly stated. Name the degree or diploma, the institution, and the field. "Bachelor of Engineering (Civil)" is more useful to assessors than "engineering degree."
If you're from a specific region, include your home address and the address of your study institution. For the Merrylands RSL Bursary, for instance, the fund needs to see that you're from Greater Western Sydney or that you're a regional student attending a Sydney institution.
If you're Indigenous, identify this clearly in your application. The Calleo Indigenous Bursary and the Aspen Medical Foundation Bursary both prioritise Indigenous applicants.
For all bursaries, your evidence of veteran service is the foundation. A decoded service record from Decode My Digger translates the veteran's record into plain language - service dates, postings, units, and conflicts are all clearly laid out. At $59, it gives you a professional document that supports your eligibility across every bursary you're considered for.
Next steps
- Check which bursaries match your profile using the quick reference table above
- Review the full GSF eligibility criteria and application process
- Get your service records decoded for clear evidence of veteran service
- Apply at gallipolischolarship.com.au/apply when applications open on 1 January
- Also apply to AVCAT in August for additional scholarship opportunities
For the full picture of every scholarship available to veteran descendants, see our complete application guide and searchable scholarships database.
Data sourced from the Gallipoli Scholarship Fund. Named bursary details at gallipolischolarship.com.au/bursarys. Last verified 8 June 2026. The bursary directory may change from year to year as sponsors join or adjust their funding. Verify all details directly with the GSF before applying.