Applications now open for Playford Trust 2026 Scholarships
The Playford Trust is offering up to 70 university scholarships for 2026 – with values ranging from $4000 to $10,000 a year.
They are available to applicants from current first year through to PhD – and across the following priority areas:
- Advanced manufacturing and new technologies
- Water, energy and climate change
- Agriculture, aquaculture and food production
- Space and defence technologies
- Resources, energy and sustainability
- Health sciences and enabling technologies
Much of the Playford Trust support – funded in partnership with major companies, industry organisations and businesses – also provides opportunities for work
experience, industry networking and, ultimately, jobs.
Scholarships like these are considered prestigious. Not only do they provide valuable financial support and help reduce HECS debts, but they also significantly enhance a CV, open doors early on, and impress potential employers – and others – throughout careers.
All scholarships and awards – collectively worth close to $700,000 – are listed below. Each of the scholarship titles below links directly to the web page explaining the offering and, in turn, linking to the online application form. The vast majority, but not all, are available for study at Flinders.
Students wishing to apply for more than one can do so, provided they meet all relevant criteria. Applications can be completed in stages.
For scholarships offering summer vacation work placement, we recommend beginning your application as early as possible – and completing as much as you can this year. This allows the Trust to give your name to the partners early.
Applications close 16 January 2026.
First year
Playford Trust/St Mark’s College Residential STEM Scholarships | 2 @ $8000 x 1 year |
Undergraduates commencing their residency at St Mark’s and studying science, engineering,
mathematics or technology
Rural and regional
Playford Trust/Aquinas College Residential STEM Scholarship | 1 @ $8000 x 1 year |
Undergraduates commencing their residency at Aquinas and studying science, engineering,
mathematics or technology
Playford Trust/Lincoln College Residential STEM Scholarship | 1 @ $8000 x 1 year |
Undergraduates commencing their residency at Lincoln and studying science, engineering,
mathematics or technology
Playford Trust/St Ann’s College Residential Scholarships | 3 @ $10,000 x 1 year |
Undergraduates commencing or continuing their residency at St Ann’s College, North Adelaide,
and studying in one of the Trust’s priority areas
Playford Trust Rural & Regional STEM Scholarships | 6 @ $5000 x 1 year | First-year
undergraduates studying science, engineering, mathematics or technology | Home base in rural
or regional South Australia
Playford Trust/ Commonwealth Hill Trust Rural STEM scholarships | 4 x $5000 x 1 year | Firstyear students from rural and regional South Australia who intend to study science, engineering, mathematics or technology (STEM) subjects, with an interest in the areas of primary production
and supporting technologies/sciences | Work placement opportunity
Second year and Third year
Playford Trust/Show Society Foundation “Excellence in Agriculture/Horticulture” Scholarships | 3 @ $5000 x 1 year | Second-year or third-year student studying a science related degree in areas of importance to the agricultural industry
Playford Trust/Capral Aluminium Scholarship | 1 @ $10,000 x 1 year | Third-year student
studying mechanical, mechatronic, metallurgical, chemical or electrical engineering | Work
placement opportunity
Third year, Fourth year, final year and Honours
Playford Trust/Codan Scholarship in Electronic Engineering or Signal Processing | 1 @ $10,000
x 1 year | Third-year, fourth-year or Honours student studying electronic engineering, signal
processing or physics, and having an interest in sensing systems | Work placement opportunity
Playford Trust Resources Sector Engineering Scholarships | up to 10 @ $10,000 x 1 year|
Third-year and fourth-year students studying in any core engineering discipline and specialising
in mining or energy resources | Supported by BHP, Hillgrove Resources, Iluka Resources, Peak
Iron Mines, Santos, the Government of South Australia and SACOME |Work placement
opportunities
Playford Trust/CEEC International Minerals Efficiency ESG Scholarship | 1 @ $10,000 x 1 year
| Honours or Fourth Year student studying science, geoscience, mining engineering, chemical
engineering (minerals processing), civil, mechanical, or electrical engineering or environmental
engineering
Playford Trust/Peak Iron Mines Scholarship | 2 @ $10,000 (Honours or fourth year) or 1 @
$10,000 (Honours or fourth year) and 2 @ $5000 (First, second or third year) | Students in
mining engineering, geology, geoscience, or environmental sciences | Work placement
opportunities
Playford Trust Honours Scholarships | 14 @ $7000 x 1 year | Honours students studying in one
of the Trust’s priority areas | 6 scholarships supported by Flinders University
Playford Trust/Aurecon Scholarship | 1 @ $10,000 x 1 year | Final-year student studying
electrical engineering or civil and business/commerce (or similar second degree), or fourth year
in electrical or civil engineering | Work placement opportunity
Playford Trust/AusIMM Minerals Industry Scholarships | up to 3 @ $9000 x 1 year | Honours
or fourth-year student studying geoscience, mining engineering, chemical engineering or
environmental engineering
Playford Trust/BHP Minerals Industry Honours Scholarship | 1 @ $10,000 x 1 year | Honours
student studying geoscience, mining engineering or chemical engineering | Work placement
opportunity
Playford Trust/Coopers Brewery Honours Scholarship | 1 @ $10,000 x 1 year | Honours
student studying agricultural science and related sustainability practices | Work placement
opportunity
Playford Trust/GSA Scholarship in Earth Sciences | 2 @ $4000 x 1 year | Honours student or
equivalent studying earth sciences
Playford Trust/Seeley International Scholarship | 1 @ $10,000 x 1 year | Honours or Masters
student studying electrical, electronic or mechanical engineering, artificial intelligence (or
computer science, majoring in artificial intelligence), information technology or other relevant
discipline | Work placement opportunity
Playford Trust/The Hon Sir Eric Neal Engineering Scholarship | 1 @ $10,000 x 1 year | Honours
or fourth-year student studying an engineering degree at Flinders University in one of the Trust’s priority areas
Playford Trust/WSP Engineering Scholarship | 1 @ $10,000 x 1 year | Honours or fourth-year
student studying civil, structural, mechanical or electrical engineering or environmental studies | Work placement opportunity
PhD
Playford Trust PhD Scholarships | 4 @ $26,250 over 3.5 years | Students undertaking a PhD in
one of the Trust’s priority areas.