Not every education opportunity linked to Australia's military heritage is a financial scholarship. For school-aged students - primary and secondary - there's a parallel set of programs focused on learning, research, creativity, and commemoration. Some come with significant prizes. One sends eight students to overseas battlefields for ANZAC Day. Another is backed by a $910,000 government grant.
None of them require you to be a descendant of a veteran. Any student in any Australian school can participate.
This guide covers five national programs that connect students with Australia's wartime history. They aren't about money. They're about understanding where we came from, and why it matters.
Important: These aren't financial scholarships
Before we go further - these programs are different from the scholarship and bursary programs covered elsewhere in our scholarships directory. They don't provide ongoing financial support for tertiary study. They're educational programs, competitions, and awards for primary and secondary school students.
If you're looking for financial scholarships for descendants of veterans, see our guides to the Gallipoli Scholarship Fund, AVCAT Sponsored Scholarships, or our complete application guide.
If you're a teacher, parent, or student interested in military history education, read on.
Simpson Prize
Who: Year 9 and 10 students across Australia What: A national civics-based research competition focused on the service of Australians in WWI and WWII Prize: Eight winners (one per state and territory) participate in a three-day program in Canberra and travel to overseas battlefields for ANZAC Day No veteran descendant requirement Website: simpsonprize.org
The Simpson Prize is the premier school-level military history competition in Australia. Supported by RSL Australia, the Department of Veterans' Affairs, and the Australian War Memorial, it asks students to engage deeply with the experience of Australians in wartime through essay or audio-visual submissions.
How it works
Each year, the Simpson Prize sets a specific question or theme related to Australian service in WWI and WWII. Students respond through a written essay or an audio-visual entry. Submissions are judged at state and territory level, with one winner selected from each jurisdiction.
What winners receive
The eight national winners aren't given a cheque. They're given an experience.
Winners participate in a three-day program in Canberra that includes visits to the Australian War Memorial, briefings on Australian military history, and meetings with historians and veterans. They then travel to overseas battlefields - typically Gallipoli, the Western Front, or the Kokoda Track - to attend ANZAC Day commemorations.
For a Year 9 or 10 student, standing at Lone Pine or walking the Kokoda Track on ANZAC Day is a formative experience. It's the kind of thing that shapes how a young person understands service, sacrifice, and national identity.
The government investment
The Simpson Prize is backed by a $910,000 Australian Government grant, administered through the Department of Education. This is a significant public investment in military history education at the school level.
Why it matters for families with military heritage
The Simpson Prize doesn't require a veteran connection to enter. Any Year 9 or 10 student can participate. For students who are descendants of veterans, the competition offers an opportunity to research and present their own family's military history in a structured, academically rigorous format.
A decoded service record from Decode My Digger can provide primary source material for a Simpson Prize entry. The plain-language breakdown of a veteran's service - dates, postings, units, battles - gives a student concrete, factual material to build their research around. At $59, it turns a family archive into an accessible research document.
National History Challenge - Australia's Wartime Experiences Category
Who: Primary and secondary school students across Australia What: A national history competition with a wartime-specific category 2026 theme: "Voices" 2026 entries close: 28 August 2026 No veteran descendant requirement Website: anzacportal.dva.gov.au/classroom/national-history-competition
The National History Challenge (NHC) is broader than the Simpson Prize - it covers all of Australian history, not just military. Each year it sets a theme. In 2026, the theme is "Voices".
The wartime experiences category
Within the NHC, there's a specific category for Australia's wartime experiences. Students who enter this category focus their project on how the annual theme connects to Australia's military history. For 2026, "Voices" could encompass the voices of soldiers in their letters home, the voices of families left behind, the voices of communities affected by war, or the voices that were silenced or overlooked.
Entry formats
The NHC accepts a wide range of entry formats:
- Written essays
- Audio-visual projects
- Websites
- Exhibitions
- Performances
This flexibility means students can play to their strengths. A student who is a strong writer can submit an essay. A student who is better with video can create a documentary. A creative student can build an exhibition.
Deadline
Entries for the 2026 National History Challenge close on 28 August 2026. This is the only program in this guide with a specific upcoming deadline.
Family history as source material
Like the Simpson Prize, the NHC rewards original research. Students with military heritage in their family have a built-in source of primary material. A family service record, letters, photographs, or a decoded service history can provide the factual foundation for a compelling entry.
ANZAC Day Schools' Awards
Who: Primary and secondary schools across Australia What: A school-based commemoration program No veteran descendant requirement Website: anzacportal.dva.gov.au
The ANZAC Day Schools' Awards recognise schools that demonstrate outstanding commitment to ANZAC Day commemoration and education about Australia's military history. This is a school-level award rather than an individual student competition.
How it works
Schools are recognised for their ANZAC Day activities - assemblies, ceremonies, community engagement, research projects, and other educational initiatives. The awards encourage schools to integrate military history education into their broader curriculum and community engagement.
Why it's included here
While this isn't a student competition with individual prizes, it creates opportunities within schools. Students involved in their school's ANZAC Day program gain experience in research, public speaking, event organisation, and community engagement. For schools in areas with strong military connections, these programs can be a significant part of the school calendar.
RSL and Schools Remember ANZAC
Who: Primary and secondary school students in NSW What: A long-running education program connecting students with local RSL sub-branches Duration: Running for over 70 years No veteran descendant requirement
RSL and Schools Remember ANZAC is an RSL NSW program that has been running for more than 70 years. It connects primary and secondary school students with their local RSL sub-branch to learn about Australia's military history through direct engagement with the veteran community.
How it works
Schools partner with their local RSL sub-branch. Students participate in activities that may include:
- Visits to RSL sub-branches and memorials
- Meetings with veterans and their families
- Research projects on local military history
- Participation in ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day activities
- Creative responses to military heritage themes
Why 70+ years matters
The longevity of this program is notable. It's been running since the 1950s, spanning the era when WWII veterans were still active in their sub-branches, through the Vietnam era, and into the present. The program has adapted over decades to reflect the changing nature of Australia's military history and the evolving composition of the veteran community.
NSW-specific
This program is currently NSW-based, run by RSL NSW. Students outside NSW should check with their state RSL branch for equivalent programs.
RSL Queensland - Draw to Remember
Who: Primary school students What: A creative learning program for Remembrance Day Scope: Being rolled out nationally No veteran descendant requirement
RSL Queensland's Draw to Remember is a creative program for primary school students. It asks young children to reflect on Remembrance Day through drawing and creative expression.
How it works
The program provides schools with educational resources about Remembrance Day, then invites primary school students to create artwork reflecting on what they have learned. The focus is on age-appropriate engagement with concepts of service, remembrance, and gratitude.
National rollout
Draw to Remember was developed by RSL Queensland and is being rolled out nationally. If your school is outside Queensland, it may become available in your state. Contact your state RSL branch to check.
Why it matters
Military history education typically focuses on older students - Year 9 and 10 for the Simpson Prize, primary and secondary for the NHC. Draw to Remember fills a gap at the younger end, engaging primary school children in age-appropriate ways. Starting early matters. A child who begins thinking about service and remembrance in primary school carries that understanding through their entire education.
Quick reference
| Program | Year level | Type | Scope | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simpson Prize | Year 9-10 | Essay/AV competition | National | Varies by year |
| National History Challenge | Primary-secondary | Multi-format competition | National | 28 Aug 2026 |
| ANZAC Day Schools' Awards | Primary-secondary | School-level award | National | Varies |
| RSL and Schools Remember ANZAC | Primary-secondary | Education program | NSW | Ongoing |
| RSL Queensland Draw to Remember | Primary | Creative program | National (rolling out) | Varies |
For families with military heritage
None of these programs require a veteran connection. Any student can participate. For students who are descendants of veterans, they offer something additional: a structured, supported way to engage with their own family's military history.
A student entering the Simpson Prize or the National History Challenge can use their family's service records as primary source material. A decoded service record from Decode My Digger turns a dense military document into a readable, research-ready resource for $59. It gives a student concrete facts - dates, places, units, engagements - to anchor their entry in historical reality.
If the student's family is also eligible for financial scholarships, these school-level programs and the tertiary-level scholarships serve different stages of the same educational journey. A student who enters the Simpson Prize in Year 10 and then applies for the Gallipoli Scholarship Fund or AVCAT in their first year of university is building a coherent story of engagement with military heritage.
Next steps
- Check the quick reference table to identify which programs suit your student's year level
- For the Simpson Prize and NHC, start early - strong entries require research time
- If you have family service records, consider getting them decoded as source material for entries
- For financial scholarships (tertiary level), see our complete application guide and searchable scholarships database
Data sourced from the Simpson Prize, Department of Veterans' Affairs ANZAC Portal, RSL NSW, and RSL Queensland. Last verified 8 June 2026. Verify program details, entry dates, and requirements directly with each provider.