RSL Scholarships & Awards
RSL Australia provides scholarships for children and grandchildren of Australian veterans. RSL Australia also provides scholarships for students in regions in which our veterans fought, as a sign of a continuing tangible recognition of the friendship, support and mutual regard developed during times of conflict. This allows us to continue to give back to the people of those regions as a symbol of gratitude for the support that they gave our veterans while they were stationed there. RSL also provides annual awards and prizes.
“I am forever grateful to the RSL for giving both my children wings to fly and financial security for myself.”
- Wendy Lennon, ex-RAN.
Wendy’s two children received RSL Grants and the RSL assisted Wendy to secure her pension entitlements.
RSL Scholarships & Reg Saunders Scholarship
Applications for the 2025 RSL Scholarships and the Reg Saunders Scholarship are now closed.
Applications for the 2026 RSL Scholarships and the RSL Reg Saunders Scholarship will be accepted between 18 August and 31 October 2025. Scholarships are administrated by our partner, Australian Veterans’ Children Assistance Trust (AVCAT). To be eligible, applicants must be:
Enrolled, or planning to enrol, in a full-time course for one or more academic year’s duration at a university, TAFE, or RTO in 2025
The child, stepchild, foster child, or grandchild of an Australian ex-serving veteran
An Australian citizen or permanent resident
In receipt of, or eligible to receive in 2025, a means-tested Commonwealth educational payment – Youth Allowance, ABSTUDY, Austudy or Veterans' Children Education Scheme (VCES), or Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Education and Training Scheme (MRCAETS).
The Reg Saunders Scholarship is for Aboriginal and /or Torres Strait Islander student.
RSL Scholarships
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RSL Scholarships
The RSL awards scholarships each year to children and grandchildren of veterans in necessitous and deserving circumstances to assist them when they undertake tertiary education in Australia. The Scholarships ($5,000 each per year) continue for up to three years. The Scholarships can be applied for through, and are administered by AVCAT.
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Reg Saunders Scholarship
Captain Reginald Walter Saunders was a very well-respected soldier and leader and was the first identifiable Aboriginal to be commissioned as an officer in the Australian Army. The RSL continues to pay tribute to his service with a scholarship in his name. Two $5,000 scholarships are awarded to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island students who plan to use their skills or profession for the benefit of their community. The Scholarships can be applied for through, and are administered by AVCAT.
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RSL New Guinea Campaign Tertiary Scholarship
The RSL New Guinea Campaign Tertiary Scholarship is administered through the Port Moresby RSL Sub-Branch and provides $6,500 per year for 3 years (subject to satisfactory yearly academic results) for a student in Papua New Guinea.
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Kapyong (Gapyeong) Scholarships
To honour our Korean Veterans and to recognise the part that Australian service personnel played in the Korean War, the RSL established a grant for students attending the Gapyeong High School and Middle School in Korea. These scholarships are provided through the Jubilee Commemorative Fund of the RSL and are administered in Korea through the Defence Attaché in the Australian Embassy, Seoul.
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Medical Student Exchange
Three grants are made yearly from the Jubilee Commemorative Fund to support the exchange of medical students to PNG and Fiji through the Sydney Medical School–Northern at the Royal North Shore Hospital, and to Vietnam through the Hoc Mai Exchange Program.
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RSL & 6th Division Australian/Hellenic Educational Memorial Scholarship
To recognise the gratitude of 6th Division soldiers for the sacrifices made by Cretans on their behalf during World War II the RSL Foundations supports two scholarships to Cretan students to undertake tertiary studies.
RSL Awards & Prizes
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The RSL Sword for Service - ADFA
The RSL Sword for Service is presented for outstanding achievement in Leadership and Officer Development by a 3rd Class Officer Cadet/ Midshipman of the Australian Defence Force Academy.
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The National RSL Prize - RMC Duntroon
The National RSL Prize is presented to the 2nd Class Cadet of the Royal Military College of Australia, who has attained the best results in all assessed subjects.
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HMAS Watson RSL Sword
The RSL Sword is presented biennially for outstanding achievement to the Dux of the June Warfare Application Course [JWAC]. RSL Australia have been providing the RSL Sword since 1980. The RSL Sword represents a tangible symbol of the partnership between current and ex-serving members of the Australian Defence Force.
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ANZAC of the Year Awards
The ANZAC of the Year Awards are made to recognise the efforts and achievements of up to seven Australians who have given service to their fellow Australians and to the community in a positive, selfless and compassionate manner.
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ANZAC Peace Prize
The ANZAC Peace Prize is awarded by the RSL to recognise an outstanding effort by an Australian citizen who has promoted the concept of international understanding and who, in so doing, has made a contribution to world peace.
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RSL Awards
RSL Awards recognise members and others who have made tremendous contributions to the League through selfless hours of voluntary service.
Awards include Meritorious Service Medal, Life Membership, Certificate of Merit & Gold Badge, 50/60/75 Year Membership Certificates, Women’s Auxiliary Life Membership, Certificate of Appreciation, Sub-branch Anniversary Certificates.
State Branches nominate members for these awards, which are administered through the national office and approved by the National Board.