SUT Perth Scholarships 2026: $5,000 Awards for Offshore, Ocean and Underwater Technology Students
The Society for Underwater Technology Perth Branch offers up to four 2026 scholarships, including three named $5,000 awards, to full-time students in Australia or New Zealand preparing for careers in offshore, ocean or underwater technology.
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SUT Perth Scholarships 2026: $5,000 Awards for Offshore, Ocean and Underwater Technology Students
The Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) Perth Branch is accepting applications for its 2026 scholarship round from students preparing for careers connected to offshore and ocean technology. The official SUT page says applications and the required academic record must be submitted by 12 August 2026, so this is a same-day deadline opportunity for eligible students who can complete the form and supporting material promptly.
The scheme offers up to four scholarships. Three named awards are listed at $5,000 each: the SUT Excellence Scholarship, the Marine Renewable Energy Scholarship, and the Digital Automation in Engineering Scholarship. The page also lists a Chris Lawlor Scholarship for the most outstanding winner among those three scholarships, but it does not publish a separate cash amount for that award. Each named scholarship includes one free attendance at an SUT short course. Winners also receive networking opportunities and access to that professional-development benefit.
This is a targeted student award rather than a general academic scholarship. SUT is looking for applicants who can show a genuine interest in building a career in the industry through their work to date and their future plans. Relevant areas include underwater technology, marine and ocean science, underwater robotics, renewable energy, offshore and subsea infrastructure, metocean, and related engineering or scientific work. The strongest application will connect the student’s studies and practical evidence to one of those fields instead of relying on broad claims about liking the ocean.
Key details
| Detail | What the official SUT page confirms |
|---|---|
| Opportunity | Society for Underwater Technology Perth Branch Scholarships 2026 |
| Number available | Up to four scholarships |
| Named cash awards | $5,000 each for SUT Excellence, Marine Renewable Energy, and Digital Automation in Engineering |
| Additional award | Chris Lawlor Scholarship for the most outstanding winner among the three named scholarships; amount not stated |
| Added benefit | One free SUT short-course attendance for each named scholarship |
| Deadline | 12 August 2026; the academic record must also be received by this date |
| Study location | An Australian tertiary institution in Australia or New Zealand |
| Study status | Full-time undergraduate student in the final two years, or postgraduate student enrolled in Semester 1 of 2027 |
| Undergraduate timing | Permission to proceed to the last or second-last year of the degree in 2027 |
| Postgraduate background | A first degree in a relevant engineering or science subject |
| Employment condition | Full-time employees are not eligible; part-time employment is acceptable |
| Payment timing | Cash component paid 50% in February 2027 and 50% in June 2027 |
| Application route | SUT Perth application link on the official scholarship page |
| Official source | SUT Scholarships |
The official page uses a dollar sign without spelling out a currency in the scholarship descriptions. Because the awards are administered by the SUT Perth Branch, applicants should confirm the currency and any payment conditions with the branch if that information is not clear in the application form.
What the scholarship offers
The direct financial benefit is a $5,000 scholarship for each of the three named awards. SUT states that the cash component is paid in two instalments: 50% in February 2027 and the remaining 50% in June 2027. That schedule matters for budgeting. It means the award is not necessarily money available immediately when a student receives a result, and an applicant should not use it to cover an urgent 2026 bill unless SUT confirms another arrangement.
The award is also designed to help students enter the industry. The page describes the scholarships as targeted financial support to help exceptional students complete their studies and start their careers. Winners receive networking opportunities and one free attendance at an SUT short course. Those extras are relevant to students who want to meet engineers, researchers, employers, and other professionals in the offshore and subsea community.
The four listed scholarship paths reflect different kinds of contribution. The SUT Excellence Scholarship is for an outstanding candidate in subsea engineering, marine science, or underwater technology. The Marine Renewable Energy Scholarship is for an applicant who shows potential to contribute to marine renewable energy through study, research, or career ambitions. The Digital Automation in Engineering Scholarship is for someone who has used programming to complement, automate, or improve subsea analysis and design work and wants to work in the subsea industry.
The Chris Lawlor Scholarship is described as an award for the most outstanding winner among the three named scholarships. It should not be treated as a fourth independently priced award unless SUT confirms that interpretation. A candidate can make a strong case for one of the named categories and still be considered for the overall distinction through the same selection process.
Who can apply
The SUT page sets a specific study and timing test. Applicants must be studying full time and either be in the final two years of an undergraduate degree or be engaged in postgraduate study in Semester 1 of the following year at an Australian tertiary institution in Australia or New Zealand. For the 2026 round, undergraduate applicants should have permission to proceed to the last or second-last year of their degree course in 2027.
Postgraduate applicants should have a first degree in a relevant engineering or science subject and be enrolled in postgraduate study related to offshore engineering, marine science, or underwater technology. The page does not describe the award as open to every postgraduate discipline. An applicant whose course title is less obviously connected should explain the relevant component clearly and contact SUT if the connection is uncertain.
The scholarship is intended for people who can remain students during the relevant period. Applicants must not be working full time in the first half of 2027. Full-time employment makes an applicant ineligible, while part-time employment is acceptable. This condition should be checked against the applicant’s expected work arrangement, not just their status on the day the form is submitted.
The page invites applicants from many backgrounds connected to offshore or ocean technology. It specifically names underwater technology, marine and ocean science, underwater robotics, renewable energy, offshore and subsea infrastructure, and metocean. That list is broad enough to include applicants whose work combines engineering, programming, physical science, environmental research, and applied technology, but the application still needs to show a credible route into the industry.
Choosing the strongest award category
Applicants should select the category that matches their evidence rather than the category with the most attractive label. For the SUT Excellence Scholarship, academic results, technical work, research experience, and a coherent career direction in subsea engineering, marine science, or underwater technology can establish fit. A high grade average alone is less persuasive if the application does not show why the student intends to work in the field.
The Marine Renewable Energy Scholarship calls for a contribution to marine renewable energy through studies, research, or career ambitions. A useful application might explain a particular technology, engineering problem, environmental constraint, or deployment question that the student is studying. The argument should distinguish a genuine marine-energy interest from a generic statement about renewable energy.
The Digital Automation in Engineering Scholarship is particularly evidence-driven. SUT asks for initiative in applying programming skills to complement, automate, and improve subsea analysis and design work. The applicant should describe what was automated, why the change mattered, what they personally built or tested, and what improved. The evidence could come from a research project, design assignment, internship, student team, or other substantial work, but it should be specific enough for a reviewer to understand the contribution.
Students who fit more than one category should decide which story is strongest and make the overlap easy to understand. For example, a student using code to optimise a marine-energy design can lead with the measurable automation contribution while explaining the renewable-energy application. Do not submit three disconnected mini-applications. Build one coherent account of your skills and goals, then show why the selected category is the clearest expression of that account.
How selection works
SUT says selection is based on the information in the application form, academic transcripts, and an interview for shortlisted candidates. The primary measure is how well applicants demonstrate passion for pursuing a career in the industry through their work to date and their aspirations for the future. This wording suggests that the panel will look for both evidence of past action and a believable plan for what comes next.
That does not mean an applicant must already have a long professional history. Students can use course projects, research, technical prototypes, fieldwork, coding, design work, volunteering, student society activity, or relevant employment as evidence. The important point is to explain the action and its relationship to offshore, ocean, or underwater technology. “Worked on a robotics project” is a starting point; “developed the control script for a student underwater vehicle, tested it against three failure cases, and learned that sensor noise was the main limit” gives a reviewer something concrete to assess.
Shortlisted applicants should be prepared to discuss the same evidence in an interview. Reviewers may want to know what the student actually did, which decisions they made, what they learned, and how the experience shaped their career direction. Prepare concise explanations for the main project, the selected scholarship category, and the way the award would support study in 2027.
SUT says applicants will be informed of the assessment outcome before the end of October 2026. That is the published decision window; it is not a promise of a particular notification date. Keep contact details current and monitor the email account used for the application.
Application process and required materials
The official scholarship page provides an “check the official source” link and asks applicants to register their expression of interest by email with Fiona at the listed contact address. Start from the SUT page so that you are using the current application route. The page does not publish a long checklist of application fields, so read the form itself carefully and retain a copy of every answer before submitting.
An academic statement of record is expressly required and must be received by 12 August 2026. Request it from the university early enough to avoid an administrative delay. A screenshot of an unofficial grade portal may not satisfy the requirement if SUT expects a formal statement, so confirm the acceptable format in the form or with the scholarship contact. The safest file is a current transcript or statement issued by the institution, clearly showing the student’s name and programme.
Prepare a short evidence bank before opening the form. Include the name and purpose of two or three relevant projects, your specific contribution, any result or improvement, the technical or scientific skills used, and the next step you want to take in the industry. Then adapt that material to the selected scholarship. Do not assume the panel will infer your role from a project title or a list of course names.
If you are shortlisted, be ready to attend an interview and explain your work without relying on slides or unexplained specialist language. SUT is assessing future industry potential as well as academic performance. A clear explanation of a difficult project is often more useful than a dense list of software packages or technical keywords.
Deadline-day preparation
Because the deadline is 12 August 2026, an applicant who is eligible should prioritise completeness over cosmetic editing. Confirm the following before submission:
- The application form is submitted through the official SUT Perth route.
- The academic statement of record has been sent and is addressed to the correct contact or uploaded in the required place.
- The selected category matches the evidence in the application.
- The degree status and expected 2027 study position are accurate.
- The applicant is enrolled full time and will not be working full time in the first half of 2027.
- Contact information is current and the email account is monitored.
The SUT page says both the application and academic record must be received by the deadline. Do not treat the transcript as a document that can be sent later unless SUT confirms that exception in writing. Save the completed form, transcript, and submission confirmation in one folder. If the page or application form does not make the currency or the Chris Lawlor award value clear, email SUT rather than making a financial assumption.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most serious mistake is missing the same-day deadline or submitting without the required academic record. A second is ignoring the full-time study and employment conditions. A student may be eligible academically but become ineligible through a full-time job in early 2027.
Another weak approach is describing the field too broadly. SUT is not asking only whether an applicant cares about sustainability or the sea. It wants evidence of a route into offshore, ocean, marine, subsea, or underwater technology. Name the application area and show what you have done in it.
Applicants should also avoid claiming a guaranteed fourth $5,000 award. The official page lists three named scholarships at $5,000 and a Chris Lawlor Scholarship for the overall outstanding winner, but does not give a separate amount for the latter. Use the published figures exactly and ask SUT about any missing detail.
Finally, do not submit a generic statement to every category. The Digital Automation award needs evidence of programming applied to subsea analysis or design. The Marine Renewable Energy award needs a convincing connection to that sector. The Excellence award needs a strong overall case in the named fields. Tailoring is part of demonstrating fit.
Frequently asked questions
Is the SUT Perth scholarship still open?
The official page says applications are open and must be submitted by 12 August 2026. The academic statement of record must also be received by that date. Since this is the listed closing date, submit as early as possible and contact SUT immediately if the form is unavailable.
How much money is available?
The SUT Excellence, Marine Renewable Energy, and Digital Automation in Engineering Scholarships are each listed at $5,000. The page also lists the Chris Lawlor Scholarship for the most outstanding winner among the three, but does not state a separate amount.
Can a student in New Zealand apply?
Yes, if the student is enrolled full time at an Australian tertiary institution in Australia or New Zealand and meets the other study, course, and employment conditions. The page does not say that every discipline is eligible; the course needs a connection to the relevant industry areas.
Does the award cover tuition?
The page describes a cash scholarship and a free SUT short-course attendance. It does not say that the award is a full tuition waiver or that it covers all study costs. Ask SUT or read the award terms for the permitted use of the cash.
When is the money paid?
SUT says the cash component is paid 50% in February 2027 and 50% in June 2027. Confirm the exact currency and any conditions with the Perth Branch before relying on the instalments in a personal budget.
Where can applicants ask questions?
The official SUT Perth scholarship page lists Fiona as the contact for more information and provides the application link. Use that page for the current contact details and application instructions.
Official links and next steps
Read the Society for Underwater Technology Perth Scholarships page before submitting. It contains the eligibility rules, three named award descriptions, payment timing, closing date, terms, and application route. If you need clarification about the currency, the Chris Lawlor Scholarship, transcript delivery, or a borderline course connection, ask SUT directly through the contact shown on the official page.
For an eligible student, the immediate action is simple: choose the best-fitting scholarship category, complete the form, obtain the academic statement, and confirm that both items reach SUT by 12 August 2026. The longer-term value is not limited to the cash. A well-matched applicant can also gain a professional network, a short-course place, and a clearer bridge from university study into the offshore and ocean technology sector.