Welcome
The Roberta Sykes Indigenous Education Foundation partners with the Aurora Education Foundation to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to undertake postgraduate study abroad.

This support falls under two broad categories: Scholarships to study full time postgraduate programs at recognised overseas universities and Bursaries to study Short Executive Programs at leading overseas academic institutions.

To be a Roberta Sykes Scholar, one must reflect the strong community and activist roots of the foundation Roberta herself set up in the 1970s.  We are not just looking for outstanding Indigenous scholars who will be role models for Indigenous communities.  Our Scholars will have a mission to return to Australia from their overseas studies with a commitment to 'give back' to their community.  We have no fixed ideas on what 'giving back' looks like, what courses are going to better advance the interests of Indigenous communities, or whether this is better done in the public or private sector on return.  We are open to imaginative, novel and ambitious ideas.  We have support students to study in education, environmental, law, arts, history, health, architecture and scientific courses.

Since the first Roberta Sykes Scholarship was awarded in 2011, 37 Scholars have been accepted into full-time studies at prestigious universities across the world.  To date, 29 have graduated.  

Chevening Awards in Australia

The Foundation, in partnership with the Chevening  programme offers a limited amount of scholarships to the UK for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander scholars.

​Chevening Scholarships in Australia are awarded to outstanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who demonstrate the potential to become leaders, decision-makers, and opinion-formers, to pursue postgraduate study at universities in the United Kingdom, including the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. 

The Chevening scholarship programme provides a unique opportunity to develop professionally and academically, network extensively, experience UK culture, and build lasting positive relationships with the UK. A Chevening Scholarship offers the opportunity to become part of the highly regarded and influential Chevening global network.   

To become an Australian Chevening Scholarship recipient, the applicant has to be a successful Roberta Sykes or Charlie Perkins scholar.  The Roberta Sykes and Charlie Perkins scholarships are only open to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants. 

Congratulations to 2021 Stanner Award winner Sarah Bourke
Presented every two years by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), the Stanner Award is for the best academic manuscript written by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander author.  The winner receives $5000 in prize money, a glass sculpture by artist Jenni Kemarre Martiniello, and mentoring and editorial support to prepare the manuscript for publication by Aboriginal Studies Press.  Roberta Sykes alumni Sarah Bourke was one of four finalists for this award.

2021 Chief Executive Women & Roberta Sykes Scholarships to Harvard Kennedy School announced

The Roberta Sykes Foundation in partnership with Chief Executive Women is delighted to announce the recipients of the 2021 CEW & Roberta Sykes Indigenous Education Foundation Scholarships - Deanella Mack, Indigenous Cultural Capability Leader, EY Australia and Katrina Johnson, Managing Director, Cartymara Consulting. 

During NAIDOC Week 2021 as we come together to celebrate the rich history, diverse cultures and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the oldest continuing cultures on the planet.  
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Deanella and Katrina will attend Harvard Kennedy School’s ‘Public Narrative: Leadership, Storytelling and Action’. Deanella, said the course will allow her to “impact the Indigenous space where we can bring our cultures together”. Katrina, hopes the course will “build my capability within the academic space and business sector to spark action through a powerful narrative”.  

2020 Roberta Sykes Scholars announced

Jordan Cory (left) and Gemma Tierney (right).
The Roberta Sykes Indigenous Education Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2020 Roberta Sykes Scholarships, a scheme assisting Indigenous Australians to pursue postgraduate study at leading overseas universities. 
This year's scholars are Jordan Cory and Gemma Tierney. 
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