| Applications open | Thursday 06 August 2026 |
| Applications close | Sunday 30 August 2026 |
| Total value | $10,000 |
| Duration | 0 |
| Residency | Australian Citizen |
| What best describes me | Current student |
| Level of study | Undergraduate |
| Degree | All |
| College | All |
| Type of scholarship | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander |
The Trevor Nickolls Aboriginal Student Art Grant honours the legacy of renowned Ngarrindjeri artist Trevor Nickolls (1949-2012). It had long been Nickolls’ wish to establish a grant to assist Aboriginal students of art.
Nickolls was born and raised in the suburbs of Adelaide‚ South Australia. He majored in painting at the South Australian School of Art (SASA)‚ a foundational institution of UniSA (now Adelaide University). He continued studies in teaching‚ later in painting at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA).
Nickolls sought to develop a unique style of diverse imagery. While commenting on the colonial experiences of the first peoples of Australia‚ he created the theme: Dreamtime-to-Machinetime in his paintings‚ which‚ despite their dystopian themes and imagery‚ are suffused with the artist’s love of life and sense of humour. For further info see HERE.
In 1990‚ Nickolls and Kimberley painter Rover Thomas became the first Aboriginal artists to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale. And in 2013‚ he was posthumously awarded the prestigious Blake Prize for religious art. Nickolls’ work was groundbreaking and exerted a major influence on successive generations of Aboriginal artists.
Applications are invited from Aboriginal students enrolled full-time or part-time in their second or third year of the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFIAR).
The grant may be used to assist with living and/or education expenses including the cost of art materials.
The term Aboriginal is inclusive of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Value: $10‘000
Payment will be in two instalments:
• $5‘000 (paid after the census date for Study Period 2)
• $5‘000 (paid after the census date for Study Period 5)
Pro-rata payments will apply for part-time recipients.
For more information contact:
Student Assist
StudentAssist@study.adelaideuni.edu.au
Eligibility
To be eligible for the scholarship, the applicants must:
- Be Australian Citizen, Permanent Residents of Australia, Holders of Permanent Humanitarian Visa or New Zealand Citizens
- Identify as Aboriginal
- Be currently enrolled, full-time or part-time in the second or third year of the Bachelor of Fine Arts, and
- Be nearing completion of two full years or 96 units of study (credit can be included), or
- Nearing the end of third year with the intention of going on to further studies in Art at the University.
Selection criteria
Applicants are required to provide a written statement (500-750 words) detailing:
- Your Aboriginal identity, and any connections you wish to share in relation to your family, community or Country.
- Why you chose to study art at university.
- Your current art practice, achievements to date, and aspirations for the future.
- How funds from the grant would be used and how this could enhance your learning, your art practice, and future goals
- Details of any financial hardship or educational disadvantage you would like taken into consideration.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview and asked to provide a portfolio (digital or hard copy) and/or examples of artwork.
The panel’s decision will be based on the written statement, the portfolio and/or artworks presented, and performance in the interview.
Important information
- Priority may be given to students experiencing financial and/or other educational barriers that impact access to study or continued study.
- Towards the end of the Grant period, recipients are to provide a summary statement of how they benefited from the grant.
- Recipients are encouraged to acknowledge the Trevor Nickolls Aboriginal Student Art Grant in any future student exhibitions or publications, though this is optional.
How to apply
Online via myScholarshipsContact us