High school graduates struggling to make ends meet could get a boost for their tertiary studies.
The Bendigo Bank scholarships are now open for Year 12 graduates who are planning on studying during the 2026 academic year.
This program sees more than 70 community bank scholarships supporting local students, along with Bendigo Bank funded scholarships aimed at supporting rural, regional, agricultural and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
The 2025 year saw $1.7 million in support awarded to 348 first-year scholars and 141 continuing scholars.
Since 2006, Bendigo Bank and its Community Bank partners have assisted more than 2,300 students with scholarships valued at over $15 million, supporting their academic, professional and personal growth.
The program is overseen by the Bank’s charitable arm, the Community Enterprise Foundation, with Bendigo Bank’s Directors contributing a portion of the funding of the scholarships funded by the Bank.
The 2026 Bendigo Bank and Community Bank scholarships include:
• Bendigo Bank Regional and Rural Scholarship: 15 university scholarships of $6,500 per student, each year for two years. Up to six TAFE scholarships of $5,000 per student per year for up to two years.
• Bendigo Bank – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scholarship: Four scholarships of $6,500 per student per year for two years for those studying at either university or TAFE.
• Bendigo Bank – Agribusiness Scholarship: Two university scholarships, $6,000 per student, per year for two years, and one TAFE scholarship, $3,000 per year for one year.
• Robert Johanson Bendigo Bank Board Scholarship: $8,000 per year for two years.
• Community Bank Scholarships: Around 70 Community Banks, including Gin Gin, are participating in Bendigo Bank’s scholarship program offering scholarships for university, agricultural colleges, TAFE, and secondary school study.
Bendigo Bank Chair Vicki Carter said the program was an important example of how the Bank delivers on its purpose to feed into the prosperity of its customers and the community.
“Bendigo Bank is proud to continue supporting the scholarship program in conjunction with our Community Bank partners. We understand the challenges some students face in accessing further education, particularly those in our regions who may need to relocate to attend their chosen place of study,” Ms Carter said.
“Bendigo Bank’s scholarship program helps students overcome significant barriers to further education such as travel, accommodation costs and the rising cost of living, which are among several important considerations for students planning the next stage of their education journey.”
Dr. Gaby Bolton is one such person to benefit from these scholarships, with the two-year scholarship she recieved being a game-changer, providing her the support that she needed to undertake her combined Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery degree and following her dream.
Dr. Gaby Bolton’s journey into medicine is deeply personal, beginning in Geelong as a carer for her mother Andrea during her battle with cancer, which inspired her to become a doctor.
Recently named 2025 Australian Medical Association Victoria Junior Doctor of the Year, Gaby gained entry to a demanding medical program at Monash University but faced real financial struggles.
“I’m a doctor, currently training to be an anaesthetist at Monash University which is where my path initially crossed with Bendigo Bank. My VCE was a challenging time both domestically and financially, with my Mum’s breast cancer diagnosis and ongoing treatment throughout year 12, coupled with my parents’ separation mid-way through year 12,” Dr Bolton said.
“My world was thrown apart and the security that was always going to be there to support me through Uni was basically gone. Mum and I looked high and low for different scholarships and successfully applied to the Bendigo Bank program. Sometimes life throws curveballs, and it was just so great Bendigo Bank were there for us.
“Receiving the Bendigo Bank scholarship was definitely one of the beginning points to where I’ve ended up today. I have just been awarded Victoria Junior Doctor of the year, so to anyone that’s considering applying for this scholarship, I would say definitely do it,” Dr Bolton said.
Applications for the 2026 Bendigo Bank scholarships closes Saturday, 31 January 2026.
