Written by Bachelor of International Relations / Bachelor of Laws student (CRICOS 093916G), current Vice Chancellor’s scholar and Fairholme College graduate, Alissa Woods.
The Bond University Vice Chancellor’s Elite Scholarship is one of the most unique, rewarding and prestigious scholarship opportunities available to Year 12 students. While full tuition payment is an obvious perk, there are so many other lesser-known benefits that can have a huge impact on your university experience and life down the track.
What is the Vice Chancellor’s Elite Scholarship?
Bond’s unique ‘VC scholarship’ is a full-fee scholarship offered to high-achieving Australian high school students. It covers a broad range of degree areas, including approved combined, or ‘double’, degrees. However, a full-fee scholarship really is only the beginning of what the scholarship entails! As well as looking (really) great on a resume, the scholarship gives students access to a range of professionals, scholarship alumni, and like-minded and passionate fellow students, and sets students up for an exceptional time at university.
Thinking of applying for the Vice Chancellor’s Elite Scholarship? Here’s a breakdown of what’s to gain if you are awarded this undeniably exciting, rewarding scholarship.
The VC Mentoring program
A huge part of being a Vice Chancellor’s scholar is the VC Mentoring Program, which is in a realm of its own in terms of setting students up for success. In the program, VC scholars work with the program’s Engagement Manager to hand-pick a distinguished industry leader who will act as their mentor. It goes without saying that this provides unique networking opportunities, which are of ever-increasing importance in the current career landscape – it’s the perfect chance to get ahead before entering the workforce.
VC mentors often provide personal guidance to their scholars, based on extensive experience in their chosen industry, as well as acting as sounding boards for their ideas and career aspirations. My relationship with my mentor has helped me determine which areas of law I would like to specialise in, has shared brilliant stories (and delicious lunches), and has helped me network with other industry professionals.
After realising that my mentor’s area of legal practice probably isn’t for me (although I was a little late in coming to that realisation!), they helped me to establish contact with another industry professional, who I now chat with on a regular basis. Through this ‘bonus mentor’ I secured a clerkship with a law firm. So, even if you realise – like I did – that you mightn’t want to follow in your mentor’s footsteps, they’ll be able to lean on the ‘domino effect’ of Bondy networks and help you find someone whose trajectory is more aligned with your goals. In my opinion, this makes the experience even more valuable.
Rumour has it that VC mentees have even spent Christmas dinners and gone on work trips overseas with their mentors in the past. I’m yet to verify this fact, but it makes for a great story – and just proves how supportive and interconnected our little community is!
The VC scholars
The Vice Chancellor’s Elite Scholarship program, as mentioned, is quite prestigious. This means that the scholars are a small and tight-knit family who spend a lot of time together (by choice!) and tend to have some shared interests. When I first heard more about the program and learned I’d received a scholarship, I was immediately glad to know I’d have a handful of friends when I started uni. Us VC scholars get up to all sorts of things together, including dinners outside of uni, and special Bond events designed to help us get to know each other and navigate the program and university life. Just ask our Vice Chancellor – our end-of-year VC event is a highlight in every VC scholar’s calendar!
Older VC scholars, including current students and alumni who’ve already graduated, also act as mentors in their own ways to the younger scholars, and this tradition has been alive since the very beginning of the program. I’m still in regular contact with many scholars who have since graduated, and always make sure to catch up with them whenever we happen to be in the same city.
The process of applying for the Vice Chancellor’s Elite Scholarship may seem a little daunting at first, but Bond staff are there to help every step of the way – and the learnings gained during this process are so worthwhile. The benefits of this scholarship have really given myself and my fellow scholars the chance to thrive at university and beyond as we develop our careers, as well as to build important and fulfilling connections along the way.
Join the Bond community
Applications for the Vice Chancellor’s Elite Scholarship are now open and close 1 August, 2024. Learn more about this scholarship and other Bond scholarship offerings now.