Bert Evans Apprentice Scholarships
Applications for the 2026 round open in May.
About the scholarships
The Bert Evans Apprentice Scholarships (the scholarships) support NSW apprentices to successfully complete their apprenticeship in their chosen trade.
The scholarships:
- encourage more apprentices to achieve their goals and make a valuable contribution to their local communities
- invest in individual development to support employment outcomes.
Applications are welcome from apprentices in both metropolitan and regional areas, including school-based apprentices.
These scholarships are administered by the NSW Department of Education (the department).
Eligibility
To be eligible, applicants must:
- be a first-year approved apprentice in NSW
- be employed by an employer based in NSW
- be experiencing financial hardship or personal hardship at the time of application
- be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
School-based apprentices are eligible to apply.
Scholarship value
Each scholarship is currently valued at $5,000 per year for up to 3 years, to a maximum of $15,000.
Scholarship holders must remain in an approved apprenticeship and maintain eligibility throughout the life of the scholarship. Continued funding is reviewed annually and may be paused or cancelled if the apprenticeship is suspended or withdrawn.
What your application needs to include
- Proof of income (payslip)
- Other financial evidence (for example, financial commitments, car/personal loans, credit cards, bills, rent, mortgage etc.)
- Employer support letter
- RTO support letter or Training Plan.
Please note: RTO and employer support letters are not required to disclose any financial or personal hardship. The letters are to confirm the apprentice's participation and comment on apprenticeship performance.
Within your application you must confirm that you meet the eligibility criteria. Applicants that do not address the eligibility criteria in full may be excluded at the department's discretion.
After the application is submitted
Submitted applications will be assessed by the department’s assessment panel (the panel), following a selection process:
- All eligible applications will be reviewed for eligibility and to verify information provided by the applicant. This may include contact with the employer, Registered Training Organisation, and/or the applicant.
- Any application that includes incorrect or misleading information will be ineligible and rejected. Successful applications will be decided by the panel and recommended to the Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education for final endorsement.
All applicants will be notified of the outcome in November 2026.
Who was Bert Evans?
The scholarships are named in honour of the late Mr Bert Evans AO, a strong advocate for vocational education and training in New South Wales.
Bert began his career in the manufacturing industry and rose to lead the Metal Trades Industry Association. Throughout his career, he championed apprentices and skills development across the state. Bert was the Patron of the NSW Training Awards and received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Australian Training Awards in 2013.
Contact
For all enquiries, please phone 13 28 11 or contact your local Training Services regional office.
More apprenticeship support
Visit the Support with your apprenticeship or traineeship webpage.