To apply for the Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars program, you must be in Year 10 and attend school in Victoria or the border regions of New South Wales or South Australia.
To be considered, you must be endorsed by your school. School endorsements for the Class of 2026 are open from 5 September to 25 October.
Key dates for Class of 2026 applications
-
Monday
15 July 2024 -
Applications open for current Year 10 students
Current Year 10 students are encouraged to speak with their year-level coordinator, careers adviser or principal to prepare their application and school endorsement
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Friday
30 August 2024 -
Student applications close
Student applications to be submitted by 11.59pm on this day
-
Thursday
5 September 2024 -
School endorsements open
Principals and/or careers advisers endorse up to 5 selected students
-
Friday
25 October 2024 -
School endorsements close
School endorsements need to be submitted by 11.59pm on this day
-
Wednesday
13 November 2024 -
Notification of outcomes
Schools and students notified of application outcomes
-
N/A
January 2025 -
Welcome event for Class of 2026
Successful applicants welcomed into the program
Eligibility and conditions
To be eligible to apply for the Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars program, students must be in Year 10 at a high school in Victoria or select schools on the SA and NSW border region.
The selection panel will consider:
- Your school’s statement of endorsement
- Your leadership potential – you must be able to demonstrate evidence of leadership, active citizenship and community involvement
- Your academic performance – you should be in the top 5 per cent of students in your year level at your school.
Eligibility for guaranteed entry into an undergraduate degree
The University of Melbourne guarantees eligible domestic Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars entry into selected Melbourne undergraduate programs in the year following Year 12 provided they satisfy all prerequisites for their preferred course and achieve these ATARs or notional ATARs.
2024 guaranteed Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars (KLDYS) ATARs^
| Undergraduate course | Domestic KLDYS graduates | Domestic KLDYS graduates (under-represented school)* |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Agriculture | 70.00 | 67.00 |
| Bachelor of Arts | 86.00 | 83.00 |
| Bachelor of Biomedicine~ | 95.00 | 90.00 |
| Bachelor of Commerce | 91.00 | 88.00 |
| Bachelor of Design | 86.00 | 83.00 |
| Bachelor of Science | 86.00 | 83.00 |
^ Not all undergraduate courses set guaranteed ATARs – some because selection is based on a range of criteria, and others because of the small number of places in the course.
* Domestic Young Scholars who have undertaken Year 12 at an Access Melbourne under-represented school in the year prior to entry will be eligible for selection at the guaranteed ATAR listed above.
~ The Bachelor of Biomedicine reserves the right to limit the number of offers made under the KLDYS guarantee, if the course is at risk of exceeding its allocation of Commonwealth Supported Places.
Conditions
- Applicants must meet the entry requirements for their preferred course, including satisfying prerequisites and any additional course requirements.
- The guaranteed Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars ATARs are not applicable to the Melbourne Chancellor’s Scholarship or to our Graduate Degree Packages.
- The selection guarantee is only available to eligible domestic Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars. International Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars are subject to the international undergraduate guaranteed entry requirements
- Eligible Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars must have completed the VCE, SACE, HSC or the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma in a Victorian secondary school or an approved border New South Wales or South Australian secondary school.
- Young Scholars must enrol at the University of Melbourne immediately in the year following Year 12, or be granted an approved deferral by the University.
- The Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars guaranteed ATARs are available for mid-year entry in the year following Year 12 studies as long as no further study – at either secondary or tertiary level – has been undertaken in the interim.
- The normal University of Melbourne deferral policy applies.
- To be eligible for the Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars guaranteed ATARs, Young Scholars must not have undertaken previous study at tertiary level (excluding TAFE and Higher Education Studies undertaken as part of a Year 12 program).
- A quota may apply for the Bachelor of Biomedicine at faculty discretion.
Eligibility for relocation allowance
Young Scholars from regional Victoria and border areas of New South Wales and South Australia can receive a $2,500 relocation allowance to assist with the costs of settling into Melbourne. They must complete the VCE, SACE, HSC or the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma in a Victorian or approved border New South Wales or South Australian secondary school.
A Young Scholar’s permanent home address postcode must be interstate or within one of the Victorian Government's designated rural council areas at the time of applying for and enrolling into a University of Melbourne undergraduate course. Visit the Victorian Government's website and type in your postcode to see if you’re eligible.
Conditions
- Young Scholars must receive a University of Melbourne undergraduate course offer for entry in the year following Year 12 and either enrol immediately or be granted an approved deferral by the University. The relocation allowance benefit is available for mid-year undergraduate entry in the year following Year 12 as long as no further study – at either secondary or tertiary level – has been undertaken in the interim.
- The relocation allowance will be paid to eligible students after the next Census Date following their enrolment and commencement in their Melbourne undergraduate studies
- Young Scholars on an approved deferral from a University of Melbourne undergraduate course will be awarded the relocation allowance at the next Census Date after their enrolment and commencement in their Melbourne undergraduate studies.
Eligibility for Melbourne Global Scholars Award
Young Scholars can receive a Melbourne Global Scholars Award in the second or third year of undergraduate study at the University of Melbourne to enable them to participate in an approved international mobility program for credit or to meet a hurdle requirement in their Melbourne undergraduate degree.
Funding options for study overseas
Conditions
- Young Scholars must receive a University of Melbourne undergraduate course offer for entry in the year following Year 12 and either enrol immediately or be granted an approved deferral by the University. Students who commence study at mid-year in the year following Year 12 as long as no further study – at either secondary or tertiary level – has been undertaken in the interim.