Applications Now Open for AIS Athlete Education Scholarships
By Ian Rogers
Athletes planning to pursue higher education in 2025 can now apply for financial support through the Australian Institute of Sport’s (AIS) Athlete Education Scholarship program.
Offered in partnership with the John and Myriam Wylie Foundation, the program provides grants of up to $5,000 per athlete to assist with study-related expenses beyond their sporting commitments.
Aligned with Australian sport’s vision to “win well,” the scholarship helps ease the financial challenges of balancing education and high-performance sport. It also supports athletes in broadening their career opportunities and preparing for life beyond competition.
Since its launch in 2020, the AIS and the John and Myriam Wylie Foundation have awarded more than $473,000 in scholarships to over 160 student-athletes, including 47 recipients from 19 different sports last year alone.
Among them is Australian 50m breaststroke record holder Grayson Bell, who expressed his gratitude for the scholarship, which enabled him to pursue both his swimming career and his passion for software engineering.
“Balancing academics with the demands of training and competition as an athlete is challenging and the AIS scholarship has significantly eased that burden,” Bell said.
“It’s given me the freedom to focus on my athletic goals while ensuring I can continue to achieve my academic pursuits.
“It’s not just an investment in my education and athletic career, it’s an investment in my goals.”
Fellow 2024 Scholarship recipient and wheelchair rugby player Damien Mortaud is also thankful for the support that helped him finish a Certificate IV in Residential Drafting which he hopes will lead to a career making Australia more accessible for people living with a disability.
“I was absolutely honoured to receive the AIS Athlete Education Scholarship. It was instrumental to me finishing my studies and getting me ready to pursue my passion outside of my sport,” Mortaud said.
The AIS Athlete Education Scholarship is open to categorised athletes who are intending to enrol, currently enrolled, or part way through a course or unit of study from an educational institution that is part of the Elite Sport Education Network (ESEN).
For more information or to apply, visit the AIS Athlete Education Scholarship webpage.
Applications close at 2:00pm AEDT Friday 14 March 2025.
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