Playford Trust

24/04/2026

St Ann’s College was thrilled to witness three current students and one Collegian receive Playford Trust scholarships at the ceremony held at Flinders University on Friday, 10th April.

The high-achieving 2026 recipients from St Ann's are STEM students Benjamin Habner, Hayley Twigden and Sophie Wrightson and Collegian Ruby Schwarz.

To read more about their exciting scholarships, fields of study and career trajectories, click the link below:

https://stannscollege.edu.au/2026/04/16/playford-trust-supports-high-achieving-st-anns-students/

15/04/2026

Playford Trust stars take to the stage

There were plenty of stars on stage in Matthew Flinders Theatre on Friday night, but they weren’t drama students.

Flinders University generously hosted the Playford Trust’s annual university awards evening, and we presented a record 55 scholarships – not to mention nine commendation awards.

The recipients, from across the State are tackling STEM-related courses across all levels of study – from first year through to PhDs – at Flinders or Adelaide University

Mr Peter Neal, who presented a scholarship on behalf of his father, the late Sir Eric Neal AC CVO, commented that he “was truly humbled by the amount of ‘smarts’ in the room. It was a night that participants, families and benefactors, could equally share in.”

Our Chair, the Hon Dr Diana Laidlaw AM, summed up the spirit of the evening in her opening remarks. “I think it is worth highlighting that Playford Trust Scholarships and Awards are not just about funding, they are also about belief … a belief that each Playford Trust recipient and their STEM studies matter, and that their future is worth investing in.”

26/03/2026

It’s a record!

The Playford Trust set a record last year – and this year we’ve beaten it by 10.

Fifty-five of the best and brightest students from around South Australia will receive study support scholarships at our annual Awards Night on Friday, April 10.

And an additional 20 will receive theirs at our separate Resources Sector Awards Night in June.

That’s 75 in all – from first year through to PhD – all funded by the Trust and our amazing partners, supporters and donors.

A special thanks to Flinders University, in its 60th year, for staging this event.

Together we’re supporting high-achieving South Australian students working in areas of strategic importance to the State.

Sign up for our next e-news to find out who’s won which prestigious scholarship and be able to read a short biography of each worthy recipient.

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22/02/2026

Not long now - applications for university scholarship have closed and the judges have finished their scoring. The partners have been considering shortlists and the Board are now allocating scholarships. We are letting students know as decisions are made.

Send a message to learn more

06/01/2026

There’s still time to apply for valuable university scholarships!

Applications for more than 70 prestigious Playford Trust scholarships – collectively worth around $750,000 – will close on Friday, January 16.

Valuable study support is available for students at both Flinders and Adelaide University – from first-year scholars all the way through to PhD researchers.

There are opportunities in:

Advanced manufacturing and new technologies | Water, energy and climate change | Agriculture, aquaculture and food production | Space and defence technologies | Health sciences and enabling technologies | Resources, energy and sustainability.

Here’s a taste of what's available…

We're offering residential scholarships for rural and regional students in partnership with the four key colleges – Aquinas, Lincoln, St Ann’s and St Mark’s.

Together with The Andy Thomas Space Foundation, we’ll provide $5000 each to eight first-year students aiming for a career in aerospace.

Our newest partner, Alligator Energy, is funding a $10,000 scholarship for an outstanding student ready to begin third- or fourth-year Chemical Engineering, Geology, Geoscience or Mining Engineering.

Opportunities for work experience and networking are being offered by a number of our partners, including Seeley International, Codan, Peak Iron Mines, Coopers Brewery, Capral Aluminium, WSP, Alligator Energy, Aurecon and more.

Remember, not only does a Playford Trust scholarship provide valuable financial support and help reduce a HECS debt, but it will also significantly enhance a CV, open doors early on, and impress potential employers – and others – throughout careers.

So, check out what’s on offer here and either apply (referees required!) or share the link. Remember, Friday week is the deadline.

Scholarships and AwardsPlayford Trust scholarships and awards aim to help students make the most of their studies, achieve their potential and contribute to South Australia’s knowledge, skills and research base. Click here to find out how some of our past scholars have benefited.Our priority areas...

13/11/2025

Celebrating the 2025 Playford Trust Award winners - https://youtube.com/shorts/bQw82hg_ij4

Congratulations to this year’s TAFE SA Playford Trust Award recipients! Your dedication and hard work have truly paid off. We hope the $3,000 prize helps you...

09/11/2025

Meet the group of aspiring – and inspiring – TAFE students who received prestigious Playford Trust Awards at a special event at TAFESA’s city campus on Thursday night.

They’re the cream of a crop chosen from more than 90 applicants – the highest number in the 26-year history of these awards.

Between them, these stars are studying everything from cyber security, IT and electrical engineering to agriculture, horticulture, ecosystem management and more.

Congratulations to each one of them, and thanks in abundance to the wonderful partners and donors who help the Trust fund these awards.

Here’s who received them – and who helped provide them -https://playfordtrust.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025-TAFE-Award-recipients-list.pdf

05/11/2025

🚀 Calling all Year 12 students who are ready to turn your passion for space into a career? 🌠

The Andy Thomas Space Foundation Venus Program is offering eight $5,000 scholarships to high-achieving Year 12 students planning to study aerospace-related engineering or STEM degrees at Adelaide University in 2026.

This exciting opportunity is brought to you by the Andy Thomas Space Foundation and Playford Trust, together with Adelaide University, supporting students who want to launch their journey into Australia’s growing space and high-tech industries.

🎓 Eligible degrees include:
• Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) (Honours)
• Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) (Honours)
• Bachelor of Software Engineering (Honours),
• Bachelor of Mathematics
• Bachelor of Information Technology
• Bachelor of Science majoring in Space Science and Astrophysics.

🌟 The ideal candidate will show leadership potential and a strong interest in space.

📅 Applications close: Friday 16 January 2026
🔗 Apply now: https://playfordtrust.com.au/project/the-andy-thomas-foundation-playford-trust-space-scholarship/
🔗 Explore aerospace pathways: adelaide.edu.au/majors-specialisations/aero-eng

Empowering tomorrow’s explorers — take your leap into aerospace with this scholarship opportunity.

29/10/2025

New partners - and more university scholarships!

Since releasing the Playford Trust’s university scholarships for 2026, we are thrilled to announce new partnerships and even more scholarships.
• University residential college Aquinas has joined us in offering a first-year residential scholarship for rural and regional students studying STEM subjects in Adelaide.
• The Commonwealth Hill Trust is providing four scholarships of $5000 each to students from rural and regional South Australia entering their first year of university. Applicants with an interest in the various areas of primary production and supporting technologies/sciences are particularly encouraged to apply.
• A new Dean Brown agricultural scholarship will be awarded to an outstanding first-year student from either the metropolitan area, regional or rural South Australia who has enrolled in Agricultural Science, Agribusiness or a comparable discipline at the Adelaide University.
• The Show Society Foundation will now support three second or third-year students studying a science-related degree in subjects contributing to the advancement of agriculture in South Australia.
• A new Resources Engineering Scholarship is being offered to students ready to commence a third or fourth-year Engineering degree in any core engineering discipline, specialising in mining or energy resources at Adelaide University or Flinders University. Ten scholarships valued at $10,000 each are now available. Our partners for 2026 are BHP, Hillgrove Resources, Iluka Resources, Peak Iron Mines, Santos and the South Australian Government through the Department of Energy and Mining.
• Seeley International is offering a $10,000 scholarship for an outstanding student enrolled in Honours or Masters by Research in various engineering disciplines, artificial intelligence or computer science with a focus on innovative air-conditioning.

The Trust has many other funding opportunities on offer. Visit our Scholarships page at www.playfordtrust.com.au to see the full list. Click on **New in 2026** for a quick look at those mentioned above. And please note that applications close Friday, 16th January 2026.

25/09/2025

We acknowledge with sadness the passing of The Honourable Sir Eric Neal AC CVO KStJ who has been a passionate supporter of the Playford Trust in recent years. Sir Eric was honoured yesterday with a State Funeral, a fitting tribute to a man who achieved so much in his 101 years. Mention was made of his encouragement for young people, particularly through education, and that he was proud to support a 5-year scholarship for a student in their fourth year or Honours studying an Engineering degree at Flinders University, where he was Chancellor from 2002 to 2010.

Vale Sir Eric