UNIVERSITY students have less than a week left to apply for the 2023 AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship, with applications closing on Friday, January 13 2023. 

 In partnership with a range of industry sponsors, the AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship is an initiative to support the next generation of leaders that will drive the future prosperity of Australian rural industries and communities.

The sponsors of the AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship Program include Australian Eggs, Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA), Dairy Australia, Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), Hort Innovation, Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC), FMC Australasia, AgriProve, Kalyx and the AgriFutures Thoroughbred Horses, Rice, Honeybee and Pollination, Agrifood Innovation and Emerging Industries Programs.

The scholarship provides students with a $10,000 bursary over the final two years of their undergraduate degree, and opportunities to build leadership skills and collaborate across rural industries.

Scholars also attend an annual four-day professional development workshop and complete two weeks of industry work placement.

Throughout their time in the program, they are exposed to a range of industry networks, including opportunities to attend industry events, gaining vital skills and insights across traditional and emerging areas of Australian agriculture. 

AgriFutures Australia managing director, John Harvey, says that in order to build prosperous and sustainable rural industries, it is important to attract and retain a skilled and passionate workforce, including future leaders.

“Building the capacity, knowledge and skills of Australia’s future workforce is vital to the growth of Australian agriculture and a priority right across our rural industries,” he said.

“This scholarship provides students with a platform for networking, forward thinking and idea creation needed to forge a career in the industry.”

The Horizon Scholarship offering has been broadened to include STEM degrees with relevant majors that align to agriculture.

This shift recognises the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to support the future prosperity of rural industries.

“The AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship attracts students who are diverse, passionate and progressive, with the capability to be future leaders of the Australian agricultural workforce,” Mr Harvey said.

“Providing these students with the opportunity to come together in the same room creates a platform for collaboration which is invaluable for both the scholars and rural industries more broadly.

“I thank all of the industry sponsors who make this possible and share our commitment to developing our future leaders.”

To be eligible for the 2023 AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship, students must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, be studying an undergraduate degree at an Australian university and be entering the final two years of their degree this year.

Eligible degrees include but are not limited to traditional agriculture degrees such as rural science, animal science and agribusiness, along with Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths (STEM) degrees with major studies and subject selections relevant to, and aligned with, agriculture.

Students who are passionate about the future of Australian agriculture are encouraged to apply.

Scholarship recipients will be selected on the basis of their commitment to a career in agriculture, as well as their leadership potential and tertiary academic record to date.

Applications close Friday, January 13 at 5pm.

Shortlisted applicants will be required to participate in a telephone interview in February, and scholarship recipients will be announced in April.

For more information and to apply visit www.agrifutures.com.au/horizon