RMIT Welcome and Sam & Nina Narodowski Asylum Seeker Scholarships 2027: Tuition, Fees and Living Support

RMIT Welcome and Sam & Nina Narodowski Asylum Seeker Scholarships 2027: Tuition, Fees and Living Support

RMIT University is accepting applications for its 2027 RMIT Welcome Scholarship and the Sam and Nina Narodowski Asylum Seeker Scholarship. Together, these awards are intended for people seeking asylum who want to study a vocational or undergraduate program at RMIT in Melbourne. The package can cover program tuition fees and Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF), and some eligible programs also carry a study or living allowance.

The opportunity is open now and the closing time is 11:59pm on Wednesday 9 December 2026. It is a particularly useful option for applicants who are already comparing RMIT courses for Semester 1 2027, because the scholarship process is tied to program choice, visa evidence, financial circumstances, and later enrolment milestones. The award is competitive and the university says the number of places may change; eligibility alone does not guarantee an offer.

RMIT’s current page lists indicative 2027 award values, but it also says that scholarship types and values for 2027 are yet to be confirmed. Treat the figures below as the university’s published planning information, not as a guaranteed cash award. The strongest application will make a clear case for the applicant’s study plan and financial need while supplying the evidence RMIT asks for.

Key details

What the scholarships offer

The scholarships respond to the financial barriers faced by people from asylum seeker backgrounds. RMIT describes the combined package as full program tuition fees and SSAF paid each semester and/or a living allowance for the duration of the program. The practical value therefore depends on the program, scholarship type, and final award terms. Material fees required by a program and fines are not included.

The university’s 2027 table currently identifies three tuition-fee waiver scholarships for bachelor’s programs, with one place associated with each of the College of Business and Law, College of STEM, and College of Design and Social Context. The same table lists a study or living allowance of A$15,000 for those bachelor pathways, while noting that the final 2027 values still need to be confirmed. A separate College of Vocational Education place is listed with A$15,000 and A$5,000 figures across its eligible associate-degree and diploma pathways. Nine further vocational-education places are listed with an A$5,000 figure for eligible Certificate IV, diploma, advanced diploma, or associate-degree programs, and the page lists A$2,500 for the Certificate IV in Tertiary Preparation.

These numbers should help applicants decide whether to investigate the opportunity, but they should not be used as a personal budget until RMIT confirms the specific award. RMIT also says the scholarship’s study or living allowance is paid fortnightly. There are limited places, and the university warns that a packaged program offer does not extend the scholarship across every program in the package.

Who can apply

The visa requirement is central. Applicants must hold one of the visa statuses listed by RMIT: a Temporary Protection Visa (V785), Safe Haven Enterprise Visa (SHEV), Humanitarian Stay Visa (449), Temporary Humanitarian Concern Visa (786), or a current bridging visa linked to a humanitarian, protection, or refugee visa application. Bridging visa applicants need additional documentation confirming the substantive visa application.

Applicants must reside in Australia and be commencing or continuing full-time study in Semester 1 2027 at an RMIT Melbourne campus. The listed campuses are Melbourne CBD, Brunswick, and Bundoora. Eligible study includes Certificate IV, diploma, advanced diploma, associate degree, and bachelor’s programs, subject to the program exclusions published by RMIT.

For a commencing student, RMIT requires an offer for the eligible program by 23 December 2026 and acceptance of that offer by 5 January 2027. A continuing student must be re-enrolled full-time in the existing program for Semester 1 2027 by 22 December 2026. Those dates are later than the scholarship application deadline, so a person who applies in December must still have a plan for completing the relevant RMIT admissions steps.

The page also requires applicants to demonstrate financial hardship. RMIT says its assessment is based primarily on financial need, while also considering information such as disability, long-term medical or neurodiverse conditions that affected study, and extenuating circumstances such as caring responsibilities. Applicants who cannot study full-time may be considered for part-time study only in limited circumstances; simply working or having failed courses is not listed as an approved reason.

Programs that are excluded

The scholarship is not a general award for every RMIT course. RMIT specifically excludes one-year bachelor honours programs, aviation programs that include flight or pilot training, the Advanced Diploma of Engineering in Aeronautical, Mechanical or Civil Engineering Design, the Advanced Diploma of Professional Screenwriting, the Diploma of Business, and the Diploma of Fashion Styling.

This list makes course checking an early task rather than a final formality. A student may meet the visa and financial criteria but still be ineligible because the chosen program is excluded. Confirm the program name, campus, study load, and Semester 1 2027 availability through RMIT before drafting the scholarship application. If a course is packaged with another qualification, ask how the scholarship would apply; RMIT says the scholarship normally applies only to the first program in a package.

How to apply

The application is completed online through RMIT’s Coursework Scholarships Office form linked from the official opportunity page. Partial applications will not be assessed. The form is expected to take about 30 minutes, but the preparation can take much longer because several documents must be current and complete.

RMIT lists one main application question in its public guidance: what are your plans after completing the program and what career path do you intend to pursue? A concise answer should connect the chosen RMIT program to a realistic next step. It should say what the applicant hopes to do, what skills or qualification the program provides, and why financial support would make that path more attainable. Avoid turning the answer into a general life story that never reaches the study and career plan.

Submit the form before the deadline, not merely start it. The closing time is 11:59pm on 9 December 2026, and RMIT says late applications will not be accepted. Save a copy of the final responses and list of uploads for your records. If the form gives a confirmation screen or email, retain it.

Documents to prepare

The first required evidence is immigration documentation. RMIT asks for a copy of the Visa Grant Notice or a VEVO Notice. A VEVO notice must be valid within one month of the scholarship submission date. The current visa must include study rights and, where the program includes a work placement, work rights as well. A person applying on a bridging visa must also provide the official evidence that links the bridging visa to the substantive humanitarian, protection, or refugee application.

The second category is financial evidence. Applicants receiving Centrelink support should provide a Centrelink statement showing Special Benefit or Status Resolution Support Services Payment, dated within the previous three months and displaying the applicant’s full name. Other applicants can provide financial documents showing their own position or the position of the people who support them financially. RMIT lists the 2025–2026 Australian Taxation Office Notice of Assessment or the three most recent payslips for the applicant and each financial supporter.

The third category is a recommendation letter. RMIT accepts a letter from a community organisation with specialist services for people seeking asylum or refugees that can confirm the applicant’s membership or involvement. It also accepts a letter from a current or former teacher, or another person who knows the applicant well, who can discuss academic and personal strengths and the social or emotional support available through family, friends, or the community.

Check names, dates, visa conditions, and legibility before uploading. A document that proves the right fact but is out of date may not help. Keep private copies securely, and share only what the form requests. If a document is genuinely unavailable, contact RMIT’s scholarship or student support team before the deadline rather than substituting an unrelated file without explanation.

How selection is likely to work

RMIT says the information supplied in the application will be assessed and ranked. Results in previous programs may also be used for continuing students, and some programs have their own quotas. The university emphasizes that there may be more eligible students than available places, so the process is competitive even when an applicant satisfies every published condition.

The most useful application is evidence-led. Explain the financial barrier in concrete terms and show how the award would affect the ability to enrol, remain enrolled, or complete the program. Then connect the selected course to a career direction. The answer does not need grand promises. It needs a credible next step, supported by the applicant’s experience, interests, preparation, or community context.

A preparation plan for the 2027 deadline

Start by confirming the course. Write down the exact RMIT program, campus, start semester, study load, and whether it appears in the scholarship’s eligible categories. Then check the course admissions page and begin the RMIT application process early enough to meet the later offer and acceptance dates.

Finally, draft the career response in plain language and check that it answers the actual question: the program, the skills it will provide, the work or further study you hope to pursue, and the barrier the scholarship would remove. Keep the claims accurate and do not promise outcomes RMIT cannot guarantee.

Common mistakes to avoid

The most serious mistake is applying for an excluded program or a course outside the Melbourne-campus and Semester 1 2027 rules. The second is waiting until after 9 December to finish the form. RMIT does not accept late applications, and visa, financial, and recommendation documents can take time to obtain.

Applicants should also avoid uploading weak or outdated evidence. A VEVO notice outside the required validity window, a financial statement with no name, or a recommendation from someone who cannot explain the applicant’s circumstances can create avoidable uncertainty. A scholarship offer does not follow automatically from a course offer: places are limited and RMIT may use program quotas.

What happens after an offer

The scholarship cannot be deferred in the first semester and generally cannot be transferred from the program named in the offer. Continuing payments depend on satisfactory academic performance. RMIT must be told about visa changes, and government fee assistance can affect the tuition component. Part-time continuation is limited to approved circumstances such as disability or medical conditions; if approved, the allowance is paid at half rate and is taxable.

Frequently asked questions

Can a person who is not yet enrolled apply?

Yes, the published criteria include commencing students. A commencing applicant must later have an eligible RMIT program offer by 23 December 2026 and accept it by 5 January 2027. Apply for the course as early as possible rather than treating the scholarship form as a substitute for admission.

Are all awards worth A$15,000?

No. RMIT’s current 2027 table lists different study or living allowance figures by program and scholarship type, including A$15,000, A$5,000, and A$2,500. It also says the scholarship types and values for 2027 are yet to be confirmed. Confirm the final amount in the award communication.

Does the scholarship cover material fees?

No. RMIT says material fees required for the program and fines are not included. Budget for those costs and ask the relevant school or student support service whether other assistance is available.

What if the applicant holds a bridging visa?

A current bridging visa can qualify when it is linked to a humanitarian, protection, or refugee visa application. The applicant must provide official documentation confirming the substantive application, and the current visa must meet RMIT’s study-rights requirements.

Where can applicants ask questions?

Start with the RMIT scholarship page and the Coursework Scholarships Office or Equity and Diversity contacts linked from it. For course admission, visa, or enrolment questions, use the relevant RMIT student service before the scholarship deadline so that a course issue does not become an application issue.

Official links and next step

Read the RMIT Welcome and Sam & Nina Narodowski Asylum Seeker Scholarships page for the live eligibility rules, program exclusions, award table, application form, supporting-document instructions, terms, and contact links. The page is the controlling source because it can be updated as RMIT confirms the 2027 scholarship types and values.

The immediate next step is to check the intended RMIT program against the exclusions, confirm the visa and residence position, and request the financial and recommendation evidence. Then submit a complete online application before 11:59pm on 9 December 2026. Keep the later course-offer and enrolment dates in the same calendar: 22 December for continuing re-enrolment, 23 December for a commencing offer, and 5 January 2027 for a commencing student’s acceptance.