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ABOUT THE 2024 PROGRAM

Applications for the 2024 NYSF Year 12 Program open soon! You can start preparing your application now.

The NYSF Year 12 Program runs two sessions – one hosted by the Australian National University in Canberra (5-13 January 2024) and one at the University of Queensland in Brisbane (12-20 January 2024). The program is delivered as an immersive residential experience with participants staying at university colleges.

The two January sessions of the NYSF deliver an action-packed program of activities designed to connect young Australians with science and technology pathways.

At the program, participants will:

  • participate in tours of science and technology facilities,
  • learn about cutting-edge research,
  • engage with industry partners and research providers,
  • learn about university and STEM career pathways,
  • mix with other like-minded students from all over Australia, and
  • network with former NYSF participants to further increase understanding of STEM-related study and career experiences.

The NYSF is delivered by youth for youth. Past participants return each year to participate in the Student Staff Leadership Program and help run the program the year after they first attend.

Throughout the program, participants engage with optional activities such as The Great Debate, and the NYSF Talent Show.

Cost

The program fee for the NYSF Year 12 Program in 2024 is $2850.

We encourage students to seek financial support from NYSF’s founding partner, Rotary Australia, by contacting their local Rotary Club. Rotary Clubs are under no obligation to provide financial support to applicants, though many are able to offer some level of funding or assist in fundraising. For students who require further support due to a range of criteria, we can offer NYSF Access and Equity Scholarships with a short application.   

Students will be invoiced for their program fee once they have accepted their place on the program, however fees will not be due until November 2023.

Accommodation and travel

The program fee covers all meals, accommodation, and participation in events during the program.

Participants must make their own way to and from Canberra or Brisbane.

After January

The NYSF Year 12 Program does not end in January. Participants join the NYSF Connect Alumni Network which provides further support and strengthens the network of friends and provides access to new ones.

The value of a Rotary-supported place

Students who choose to work with Rotary to fund their place in the NYSF Year 12 Program often retain contact with the supporting Rotary Club after the program and go on to hone their leadership skills through Rotary youth pathways. Students report back to their supporting Rotary Club by giving a presentation on their NYSF experience while also benefiting from the breadth of advice that Rotarians can provide, including in mentorship of community spirit and leadership goodwill. 

We thank Rotary District Chairs and Rotary Clubs around Australia for their outreach to local schools’ science departments to make them aware of the NYSF opportunity for current year 11 students. Our collaboration with Rotary ensures that the NYSF can reach participants from many backgrounds and from all over Australia.  

 

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HOW TO APPLY (*separate page*)

Applications for the 2024 NYSF Year 12 Program will open soon! 

While you wait, you can start to prepare your application by:

  1. Finding a copy of your most recent school report – you’ll need to upload this as part of your application
  2. Asking a teacher to complete a reference – you can download the template here (PDF) or here (WORD).
  3. Drafting answers to the application questions (you can find the questions below)
  4. If you’ll need financial support to attend the program, reach out to your local Rotary Club to enquire about possible support. You can find your local Club here.

Check your eligibility

Do you love science, technology, engineering, or mathematics? Or do you have the drive to find solutions to problems and fix things?

Are you curious and constantly asking Why? How? Why not?

Do you see yourself working in a science or technology-related field and would like to know more about STEM-related study and career paths?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, apply to attend the NYSF Year 12 Program. To apply, you must be:

  • in Year 11 in the year you apply, to attend the following January
  • an Australian citizen or resident, and/or studying full-time in an Australian school

It's important to note that acceptance into the NYSF Year 12 Program is not based solely on academic results and there are no limits to the number of students who can apply from one school.

We welcome applications from students from underrepresented backgrounds, including, but not limited to:

  • young people from remote or regional areas,
  • young people in out-of-home care,
  • young people from a low socio-economic background,
  • young people with a disability or chronic illness,
  • young people who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, and
  • young people from any other backgrounds that might need support.

Please contact us at nysf@nysf.edu.au if you have any questions about eligibility or barriers to applying.

Prepare your answers to the application questions (max 1,700 characters per question)

About You - Please tell us about yourself - your hobbies, interests, achievements and anything else you think we may like to know about you.

Your Future Plans - What are your plans for after Year 12? Do you plan to attend further education straight away, take a gap year, work, or do something else? If you are thinking about attending further education in the future, what do you think you might study? What career/job do you think you might pursue? If you’re not sure about your future plans at this point, that’s okay! Just write about what currently interests you.

Academic Record - Please comment on your recent academic results - what subjects you are taking, your usual grades, and whether there are any extenuating circumstances which we should be mindful of when interpreting your school reports.

Motivation & Interest - Why do you want to attend the NYSF Year 12 Program?

Extracurricular Activities - Please outline any extracurricular activities you participate in outside of school. If you work or have other commitments that limit your ability to participate in extracurricular activities, such as caring responsibilities, please comment on them here.

Value of Attendance - What do you think you will get out of attending the Program, and what do you think you can add to the Program for other participants?

Rotary Support

Rotary Australia has supported the NYSF for almost 40 years and is a founding partner. Rotary Clubs are keen to hear from NYSF students requiring extra financial support to attend the NYSF Year 12 Program.

If your local Rotary Club is able to provide financial support, we recommend completing a ‘Rotary Financial Support Form’. This will be a record of how much financial support the Club has agreed to provide, for your and the Club’s records. You do not need to submit this form to the NYSF as part of your application, as any financial support is an agreement directly between you and the Rotary Club . You can download a form here [WORD]. As part of your funding you may be required to provide a report or presentation to your Rotary Club.

We encourage you to reach out to a Rotary Club early so you can have the best chance of securing funding.