Narrm Scholars Offer 2026 entry

Residential Colleges Narrm Scholars Offer

In 2026 the Residential Colleges in collaboration with the University of Melbourne will again offer an accommodation package which will support regional and remote Narrm Scholars to attend a Residential College.

Narrm Scholars include those from low socio-economic areas, those receiving Commonwealth income support, Indigenous students, those with a disability, medical condition, or experiencing difficult personal circumstances. Narrm Scholars also receive a generous range of financial support and other benefits from the University of Melbourne.

For 2026 entry, the Narrm Scholarship will include a limited number of accommodation allowances for students from regional and remote areas in Australian who are living at a Residential College in collaboration with the University of Melbourne.

The co-funded accommodation package represents a total value of $20,000 per year. Regional and remote Narrm Scholars will also receive $6,500 per year for living expenses and in the first year of their Melbourne degree a one-off relocation allowance to assist with moving costs. Narrm Scholars will receive this package for the duration of their Residential College stay while undertaking their Melbourne undergraduate course.

The Narrm Scholarship

The University of Melbourne Narrm Scholarship Program provides financial, academic and wellbeing support benefits to eligible domestic undergraduate students who are admitted to the University through Access Melbourne, the University’s Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS) in VTAC.

 

Who is the Residential Colleges Narrm Scholars Offer for?

The Residential Colleges Narrm Scholars Offer is for regional and remote Narrm Scholars. It is in addition to the Narrm Scholarship package offered by the University of Melbourne and is specifically for domestic undergraduate students looking to stay at a Residential Colleges while studying at Melbourne. To be eligible, students must be:

  1. A domestic undergraduate student
  2. Awarded a Narrm Scholarship from the University of Melbourne
  3. From a regional or remote part of Australia

And you either

  • Come from a low socioeconomic background or your parents/guardians receive a means tested Commonwealth income support payment or
  • Are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent or
  • Have experienced difficult circumstances or disability/medical conditions

 

Should I apply?

Yes! If you live in a regional or remote part of Australia and identify under any of the categories listed above we strongly recommend and encourage you to apply for Access Melbourne in VTAC Special Entry Access Scheme and the Residential Colleges. Importantly, these are separate processes and you have to apply to both.

A great student experience is ready for you at the University of Melbourne while living in one of our ten Residential College communities.

 

What are the Residential Colleges?

The University has ten Residential Colleges which are academic communities where students live during their Melbourne studies. Living at a Residential College makes the transition to University easier thanks to our dedicated focus on community, connection and growth. Each College has its own unique community spirit and history to explore and offers a supportive and diverse environment that will help Narrm Scholars from regional and remote areas make lifelong friends, build lasting connections, further their academic pursuits and experience unique opportunities.

Explore our Residential Colleges and submit your College application by 19 October to be considered for our Narrm Scholars Offer.

 

Explaining the allowance benefit in detail

For 2026 entry, eligible University of Melbourne Narrm Scholars from regional or remote areas who stay at the Residential Colleges may be able to access each of these three combined financial payment benefits per year:

  • $6,500 – University of Melbourne Narrm Scholars Living Allowance to support your living expenses (all Narrm Scholars are eligible for this)
  • $10,000 – University of Melbourne Narrm Scholars Accommodation Allowance to fund your accommodation at a residential college (a limited number of these Allowances are available for regional and remote Narrm Scholars)
  • $10,000 – Residential College Narrm Scholars Offer to further fund your Residential College stay (a limited number of these offers are available for regional and remote Narrm Scholars)

Combined total for successful Narrm Scholars is a $20,000 reduction in the annual fees for their Residential College experience, plus the annual $6,500 living allowance each year during your undergraduate studies.

In the first year of your Melbourne undergraduate degree the University will also provide a one-off relocation allowance of $3,000 paid shortly after enrolling in your course to assist with your moving costs.

Eligible Narrm Scholars may also be considered for further additional scholarships and awards at their Residential College upon successful selection and entry. This can even further add to the financial assistance available to fund a Residential College experience for Narrm Scholars.

 

Number awarded

A limited number of these accommodation allowance packages will be in available in 2026 for commencing Narrm Scholars who live in our Residential Colleges and study at the University of Melbourne.

 

Eligibility and consideration criteria

To be eligible for consideration for the Residential Colleges Narrm Scholars Offers, students will need to:

  • Be an Australian / domestic school leaver commencing in a University of Melbourne undergraduate degree in 2026 and receive a Melbourne course offer in the first available VTAC offer round relevant to their Year 12 curriculum
  • Receive a Narrm Scholarship by the University of Melbourne to commence in 2026 under the published eligibility criteria specific to regional and remote students from specified backgrounds
  • Have submitted an online application for accommodation at the University’s Residential Colleges by 11.59pm (AEST) on 19 October 2025.
  • Be successfully selected into one of the ten Residential Colleges for 2026 entry through our regular College application process and be determined eligible for scholarship / financial assistance through the income and asset means testing process undertaken by the awarding College.

 

How to apply

  • Applicants will need to have applied for admission to the University of Melbourne and submitted a Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS) application in VTAC by 5pm (AEST) on 10 October 2025.
  • In addition, applicants also need to ensure they have submitted an online application for accommodation at the University’s Residential Colleges by 11.59pm (AEST) on 19 October 2025 and have nominated in the application form that they are seeking to apply for financial assistance and are deemed eligible for scholarships assistance by the selecting College.
  • This will then be followed by an interview process and follow up referee details.
  • Applicants will also need to have provided their VTAC ID number to the Residential Colleges by 19 October 2025 which enables the Colleges and the University of Melbourne to jointly determine eligibility.
  • Note that selection and entry into a Residential College is not guaranteed for Narrm Scholars and is subject to our standard application, selection and admission process undertaken by all College applicants.

 

Selection – When will I know the outcome?

Conditional offers for 2026 accommodation at the Residential Colleges will be made by individual Colleges from mid November 2025 onwards. If your first choice of College is not able to make you an offer we will contact you with the option to move your application to another College for consideration.

Offers for the Narrm Scholarship will be made by the University of Melbourne from mid December 2025 onwards.

How are the accommodation allowance allocated?

All eligible regional and remote Narrm Scholars will be assessed based on information provided through your VTAC equity and scholarship (SEAS) application regarding socio-economic status; financial disadvantage; medical, disability or personal circumstances and Indigenous status, to determine successful applicants for the limited number of allowances available. In addition, some individual Residential Colleges will also undertake a local process to determine eligibility for scholarship / financial assistance through income and asset means testing.

 

Conditions

  • A quota will apply on the number of Residential Colleges Narrm Scholars Offer allowances awarded by each individual Residential College, which means that not all eligible Narrm Scholars are guaranteed a $20,000 Accommodation Allowance. However, all regional and remote Narrm Scholars living in a residential college will receive, as a minimum, the $6,500 living allowance from the University of Melbourne.
  • Eligible Narrm Scholars may also be considered for other scholarships and awards at their Residential College upon successful selection and entry.
  • Selection and entry into a Residential College is not guaranteed for Narrm Scholars (see application process above)
  • College applicants will be asked to provide further information following their initial application to determine eligibility for scholarship / financial assistance through local income and asset means testing in each College
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who are in receipt and eligible for the ABSTUDY Residential Costs Option are not eligible for the Residential Colleges Narrm Scholars Offer as the Residential Costs Option already supports the entirety of your College accommodation fees for qualified First Nations students.
  • Eligible Narrm Scholars will need to receive a University of Melbourne undergraduate course offer in the first applicable VTAC offer round where their Year 12 results are available for selection consideration.
  • Awarded Scholars are required to stay in residence at the awarding Residential College each year to receive the $20,000 Accommodation Allowance which will be applied to College residential fees in instalments as a direct fee remission each academic year.
  • The Accommodation Allowance is available for first semester commencing entry 2026, and may be available for mid-year second semester 2026 commencing students depending on availability at the time.
  • Ongoing eligibility: The awarding Residential College may have other specific terms and conditions for the Residential Colleges Narrm Scholars Offer which will be advised in full upon offer. All students residing in the Residential Colleges are expected to comply with the community standards and expectations set by their College.
  • The length of the Residential Colleges Narrm Scholars Offer is for the duration of your stay at the Residential Colleges while undertaking your undergraduate degree up to four years.

 

Further Information

Contact the Residential Colleges to discuss your eligibility

Find out more information about how to apply to the Residential Colleges

For more information and eligibility for the University’s Narrm Scholarship Accommodation Allowance including frequently asked questions 

Find out more information on the University’s Access Melbourne (Special Entry Access Scheme)