Apply now or nominate for an ITSA Study Grant

ITSA Study Grants are now available for students of TAFE NSW who live or study in the Illawarra, Shoalhaven, South East or Tablelands regions. They offer financial support to help students meet study-related expenses.

Grants of up to $2,500 are available for students studying fully accredited qualifications, and up to $1,000 for students studying skill sets or non-accredited courses.

The 2026 ITSA Study Grants invite students to design their own study grant. Applications may request funds to help meet study expenses such as:

• Computer
• Internet data
• Transport
• PPE/uniforms
• Trade equipment
• Block release travel/accommodation
• Work placement travel/accommodation
• Course fees
• Other

Students must apply for an ITSA Study Grant themselves. They must also provide the name and contact details of a TAFE NSW employee from Learning & Teaching or a student support area as a referee to endorse their application. Both the student and referee responses must be completed by the closing date, Sunday, 15 February 2026, for the application to be considered.

To apply, select the Apply now button below and follow these instructions:

• Select ‘ITSA Study Grant 2026’from the Scholarship drop-down menu.
• Complete all required questions to submit your application. This will trigger an automated request to your designated referee. You must enter the correct email address for your referee to receive this request.

Applications for the Semester 1, 2026 ITSA Study Grants close 11:59 pm (AEDT) Sunday, 15 February 2026.

Funds for this scholarship were endowed to TAFE NSW by the Illawarra TAFE Student Association (ITSA) to benefit TAFE NSW students who live or study across the former Illawarra TAFE regions. ITSA and its predecessor the Wollongong College Union provided student services across the Illawarra, Shoalhaven, South East and Southern Tablelands regions from 1975 to 2023.

To be eligible for an ITSA Study Grant you must meet all of the following criteria:

• Be enrolled and studying at TAFE NSW in Semester 1, 2026
• Study or live within the Illawarra, Shoalhaven, South East or Tablelands regions
• Be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, humanitarian visa holder or New Zealand citizen
• Be committed and motivated to successfully complete your course and gain employment after finishing your studies
• Be able to demonstrate that you are experiencing financial hardship
• Nominate a referee to endorse your application (TAFE NSW employees in Learning & Teaching or student support roles). Endorsements must be received by the closing date
• Have permission from a parent or legal guardian if you are aged under 18 years. Please contact ITSAgrants@tafensw.edu.au if your parent or a legal guardian are not available so that we can explore options to enable you to apply.

For more details, check out the 2026 ITSA Study Grants Terms and Conditions.

Have a question about the ITSA Study Grants? Email us at ITSAgrants@tafensw.edu.au.

Please remember that TAFE NSW offers multiple support services to students, including free counselling services. We understand that sharing your personal or financial circumstances may be emotionally challenging, so please don’t hesitate to access these services if you need support.

You can arrange an appointment with a counsellor by phoning 131 601 and selecting option 5, then option 2. You can also use this option to access disability services or referral to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander student support services.

Learn more about the resources available to you on the Student Services homepage.

Every year TAFE NSW awards hundreds of scholarships and study grants. To find the one that's right for you, go to the TAFE NSW Scholarships homepage.