Regional Students Encouraged to Apply for Scholarship

24 July 2024

The 2025 Charles Allan Seymour (C.A.S.) Hawker residential scholarships, valued at up to $75,000 over three years, open on Monday 18 November 2024 and close on Monday 6 January 2025. The C.A.S. Hawker Scholarship is one of the most generous privately funded scholarships available to undergraduate and postgraduate students in Australia.

The ongoing challenge for the C.A.S. Hawker and other university scholarships is to stimulate students to apply.

Since 1990, the Trustees have awarded more than six million dollars to 139 young Australians, including a significant number from regional areas. The most recent recipients were awarded scholarships from an Australia-wide field of just 81 applicants.

Most successful applicants are entering their first year of tertiary studies. Selection is based on personal qualities as well as academic ability.

“At a time when tertiary education costs are increasing, the C.A.S. Hawker and other scholarships offer real financial assistance, particularly for regional students. I’d strongly encourage regional students to apply for a 2025 scholarship,” Trustee Chair and Hawker family member Mr. Andrew Hawker said.

Mrs. Lilias Needham established the Charles Hawker Scholarship in memory of her brother Charles Allan Seymour Hawker.

Each year the C.A.S. Hawker Scholarship Trustees offer a number of scholarships to capable students of principle and character who are committed to Australia’s future. The scholarship perpetuates the memory and commemorates the achievements of one of Australia’s most respected pastoral pioneers and politicians.

“Charles Hawker was a most remarkable person. He had a lasting impact on Australian politics. Members of the federal house during his time as the Minister for Commerce in the Lyon’s Government in the 1930s had enormous respect for him. He was a great Australian who offered his best through his commitment to this country.

The values of loyalty, integrity and caring for their communities are some of the values I hope the new scholars take with them into their studies,” Mr. Andrew Hawker said.

Born on 16 May 1894 at Bungaree homestead near Clare in South Australia, Charles Hawker was educated at Geelong Church of England Grammar School and Trinity College, Cambridge. Student, soldier, pastoralist and statesman Charles Allan Seymour Hawker died in the Kyeema air disaster on October 25^th, 1938.

Undergraduate and postgraduate Hawker Scholars can attend a range of educational institutions including the Australian National, Adelaide, Flinders, South Australia and New England Universities and Marcus Oldham College.

Successful scholars reside at Burgmann College at the ANU, St Mark’s College in Adelaide, Marcus Oldham College at Geelong and Robb College at the University of New England.

Postgraduate Charles Hawker Scholars are also able to follow in Charles Hawker’s footsteps by studying at the University of Cambridge UK and residing at Trinity College.

“C.A.S. Hawker was a truly remarkable man and a great Australian. This scholarship is a fitting tribute to his memory,” Andrew Hawker said

Applications for the 2025 Charles Hawker Scholarships open on 18 November and close on 6 January 2025.

An Online Application, FAQs and information about Charles Hawker and the scholarship named in his memory, can be found on the website www.hawkerscholarship.org

Her Excellency, the Governor of South Australia has been approached to present the 2025 Scholarships at Government House in Adelaide in May next year.