Canstar Blue Future of Comparison Scholarship

The Canstar Blue Future of Comparison Scholarship 2022 is now closed and all applicants notified. Thank you for your interest.

 

The Canstar Blue Future of Comparison Scholarship is an initiative to help students studying at Australian universities or TAFEs get a head start on their future careers, with a $5,000 prize, plus career coaching^ money can’t buy.

Canstar Blue cares about helping Australian consumers make better-informed purchase decisions on products and services. That’s why we’re offering a scholarship to a student who’s as passionate about these areas as we are. The successful applicant will get a helping hand towards their uni costs, plus invaluable career guidance.

 


Canstar Blue Scholarship details

An eligible Australian university or TAFE student will receive:

A cash prize totalling AU$5,000 toward the cost of their studies

A two-hour career, CV and interview coaching session.

Simply tell us in 800 words or less, excluding references, your answer to the question below.

 

‘The cost of electricity, petrol and grocery shopping is rising in Australia, and supply issues are impacting availability of products ranging from cars to lettuce. How can a consumer-focused website/app better help Australians navigate these changes to ensure they are making the best purchase decisions for themselves and/or their family?’

 

Please include footnotes and a bibliography for your sources. No word limit applies for referencing. We’ll announce the winner in January 2023.

 


How do I apply?

You can apply online to enter the Canstar Blue Future of Comparison Scholarship. Alternatively, download the submission form below and complete all fields. Send the form and your completed essay to us at scholarships@canstar.com.au with the subject line: Canstar Blue Scholarship Submission {– your name}.

 

Who can apply?

To be eligible, applicants must be:

  • enrolled as a student at an accredited Australian university or TAFE (it doesn’t matter what course you are studying)
  • a permanent resident or citizen of Australia
  • over 18 years of age

Woman-sitting-on-grass-reading-note-book

Scholarship timeline

July to October 2022: Applications open

October 31: Final day to submit your entry

November 2022: Shortlisting of applications

December 2022: Final judging

January 2023: Winner announced.

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What are the judges looking for?

 

For the Canstar Blue Future of Comparison Scholarship, our judges will be looking for an application that stands out from the rest. We’d like you to:

 

  • demonstrate an understanding of consumer trends in Australia
  • consider the needs and pain points of Australian consumers when making purchase decisions, and the type of information they would require
  • use relevant domestic and/or international examples
  • show creativity and the ability to write in a clear, compelling, original and engaging way.

^Terms and conditions apply.


Did you know? 

Canstar is offering a separate Future of Finance Scholarship at the same time as the Future of Comparison Scholarship. This means that if you’re eligible, you can apply for both scholarships to give yourself two chances to win $5,000. You must submit an entirely original essay application for each scholarship. Terms and conditions apply. 

 

Discover the Canstar Future of Finance Scholarship

 


Canstar Blue Scholarship FAQs

Eligible Applications

Applicants must be studying at an accredited Australian university or TAFE. Accredited Australian universities and TAFEs are searchable on https://training.gov.au/, a joint initiative of the Australian and state and territory governments.
Applicants must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident studying at an accredited Australian university or TAFE.
You must be enrolled at an accredited university or TAFE in Australia both at the time of entry and when the scholarship is awarded in January 2023 to apply. You also need to be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
Full- and part-time students at accredited Australian universities and TAFEs are eligible. You also need to be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
Only applications received by Canstar by 11:59pm AEST on October 31, 2022, will be considered.
Only essays of up to 800 words (excluding references) will be considered. Essays longer than that will be excluded from the judging. As long as your essay answers the question in a thorough and compelling way, you won’t be penalised for submitting an essay of less than 800 words (excluding references).
Please use the Chicago 17th A notes and bibliography (the Notes system) format of referencing. Footnotes require you to mark the in-text citation with a superscript number and provide a reference citation within the footnote. Organise your bibliography alphabetically by author surname. The University of Sydney and the University of Melbourne have more information about the notes system of referencing.

 

Winning Submissions

A panel of Canstar Blue senior managers and executives will use a blind review process to decide which application answers the question posed on the application form in the most compelling way. Only original, unpublished compositions of 800 words or less (excluding references) will be considered.
All applicants will be informed by email about the outcome of their application after a winner is selected in January 2023
The successful applicant can put the prize money towards the cost of their university or TAFE studies. This could cover expenses such as tuition fees, accommodation and travel expenses, books and other learning materials.
No, our judges will assess eligible applications solely on the basis of the essay provided.

 

Canstar and Canstar Blue Scholarships

The Canstar Blue Future of Comparison Scholarship will give a successful applicant $5,000^ towards their university students, plus career coaching. The judges will look for an applicant who has demonstrated their understanding of consumer trends in Australia and considered the needs, pain points and information required by Australian consumers when making a purchase decision.

 

The Canstar Future of Finance Scholarship will give a successful applicant $5,000 to put towards their university students, plus career coaching. The judges will be looking for applicants who have demonstrated their understanding of finance in Australia and considered the needs of Australian consumers and their money.

While eligible applicants can apply for both scholarships, the Canstar Future of Finance Scholarship winner will be decided first. This winner will not be eligible for the Canstar Blue Future of Comparison Scholarship, even if they have submitted a separate application.
You can decide to apply for the Canstar Future of Finance Scholarship, the Canstar Blue Future of Comparison Scholarship or both. Any application needs to be entirely original for each scholarship, including the essay you submit and the response. Use the different application forms on both the Canstar and Canstar Blue websites, and follow the separate submission instructions.
If you have any questions about the scholarship, please contact Canstar Blue before you submit your application via scholarships@canstar.com.au.

1. Acceptance of these terms and conditions

Information on how to apply for the 2022 Canstar Blue Future of Comparison Scholarship (Scholarship) forms part of these terms and conditions. Submission of an application for the Scholarship is deemed acceptance of these terms and conditions and Canstar Blue’s privacy policy at https://www.canstarblue.com.au/privacy-policy/.

Canstar Blue reserves the right to vary these terms and conditions at any time without notice before the closing date of Monday 31 October 2022.

2. Overview

Canstar Blue offers a scholarship to support Australian citizens and permanent residents in undertaking their tertiary studies at an accredited Australian university or TAFE institute. Canstar Blue will award the eligible student who we feel best demonstrates an understanding of a trending consumer product or service and its implications for Australian consumers.

If you are currently enrolled at an accredited university or TAFE in Australia, you are eligible to apply for the Scholarship. Accredited Australian universities and TAFEs are searchable on https://training.gov.au/, a joint initiative of the Australian and state and territory governments. 

3. Details

One award under the Scholarship valued at AU$5,000 will be granted by the Scholarship Committee (see point 6) to a scholarship winner (if any) who has met the eligibility criteria and is judged to have written the best Essay answer. The award granted is to assist the scholarship winner with the cost of tuition and study.

As part of the Scholarship prize, the scholarship winner will also receive a single two-hour career coaching session with a nominated Canstar Blue representative, which includes a critical review of the scholarship winner’s CV, a mock interview, and an interview coaching session.

The non-monetary portions of the prize may be delivered to the scholarship winner in person at Canstar Blue’s Brisbane office, or using Skype, Zoom, Google Hangouts or any other form of video conferencing software at a time that is determined by Canstar Blue. The manner of delivery of the non-monetary portions of the prize is at Canstar Blue’s absolute discretion and depends upon where the scholarship winner is located.

4. Eligibility

To be eligible for the Scholarship, each Applicant must:

  • be over the age of 18 at the time of application;
  • be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia;
  • have been accepted into, or be enrolled full-time or part-time in an undergraduate or postgraduate degree at an Australian university or TAFE, or both, at the time of entry and awarding of scholarship; and
  • submit an application and Essay answer to scholarships@canstar.com.au by the closing date for applications.

Additionally, an Applicant is ineligible if:

  • they are an employee of any company in the Canstar group, or if they are an immediate family member (spouse/partner, children, parents) of an employee of any company in the Canstar group; or
  • they have previously been awarded a scholarship from any company in the Canstar group.

5. Applications

a) Application forms (the 2022 Canstar Blue Scholarship application form) are available on the Canstar Blue website.  All applications must include a fully completed application form signed by the Applicant and an Essay answer written by the Applicant.

b) Applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 AEST, Monday 31 October 2022 via email to scholarships@canstar.com.au.

c) Only one application is permitted per Applicant.

d) The Essay answer must be submitted in Word format, Google Doc format or PDF and must not be more than 800 words in length, excluding appropriate referencing using the Chicago-style notes and bibliography system.

e) The Essay answer must be in English, and may include one diagram.

f) The Essay answer must be the Applicant’s original work and may not be plagiarised from the works of others. 

g) The Essay answer must not have been previously published or submitted for publication.

h) The Essay answer must not infringe another’s intellectual property rights or moral rights.

i) To facilitate the blind review process, the Essay answer must not include any information that might identify the Applicant.  Instead, that information is to be supplied in the application form, which is to be submitted with the Essay answer.

j) Please do not contact Canstar Blue with regard to your scholarship application once lodged. All Applicants will be contacted upon determination of the scholarship winner in January 2023. Canstar Blue will not provide individual feedback on why an application was unsuccessful.

k) Canstar Blue may contact Applicants to clarify anything in their application. Any contact is not indicative of an Applicant’s standing in the selection process, and in no way indicates whether or not that Applicant has been selected as the scholarship winner.

l) Incomplete applications will not be considered. Any personal details provided incorrectly on the application form may be deemed by Canstar Blue as an invalid submission. Canstar Blue reserves the right to utilise a plagiarism checker tool to ensure that the Essay submitted by an Applicant is the Applicant’s original, unpublished work. Canstar Blue may, at its complete discretion, not consider an application that it considers contains work that is not entirely the Applicant’s. 

Canstar Blue’s privacy policy at https://www.canstarblue.com.au/privacy-policy/ applies to the personal information provided by Applicants.

6. Selection criteria and conditions

Canstar Blue has appointed a Scholarship Committee comprising of nominated representatives of Canstar Blue (Scholarship Committee) to review each application and make the final decision on the award of the 2022 scholarship (including whether or not to award a scholarship). Entries will be reviewed on a blind basis by the Scholarship Committee.

The Scholarship Committee will judge applications on the basis of relative merit with reference to the following criteria:

  • Demonstrated understanding of consumer trends in Australia.
  • Consideration of the needs and pain points of Australian consumers when making purchase decisions, and the type of information they would require.
  • Use of relevant domestic and/or international examples.
  • Creativity and ability to write in a clear, compelling, original and engaging way.

By submitting an application, the Applicant declares that the Essay is the Applicant’s original work, not copied or derived from any other works or material, has not been published prior to the scholarship submission, and does not infringe the intellectual property rights or moral rights of any third party.

By submitting an application, the Applicant assigns to Canstar Blue the copyright in the Essay answer, and irrevocably consents to Canstar Blue using and publishing the Essay answer (including on the Canstar Blue website) and to using any information in the Essay answer to improve or change any Canstar Blue product or service (including the Canstar Blue website).

By submitting an application, the Applicant irrevocably consents to Canstar Blue using the Applicant’s name, image and educational institution name in marketing material and publicity in relation to this scholarship.

Canstar Blue reserves the right, in its absolute discretion, to not award any scholarship if there are no eligible Applicants. The decision of the Scholarship Committee is final.

The Scholarship will be granted following any Applicant verification that Canstar Blue requires, in its absolute discretion.

The 2022 Canstar Blue Future of Comparison Scholarship will be announced and awarded in January 2023.

The scholarship winner will be notified via the email address provided on the application form within one week of the Scholarship Committee determining the scholarship winner.

Results may be published on Canstar Blue’s website or any other publication. Canstar Blue reserves the right to reproduce in any newspaper, magazine, film, website or other medium, personal details, information and images relating to the Scholarship awarded to the scholarship winner. 

Each Applicant must, until 31 December 2023:

  • refrain from conducting themselves in such a manner that Canstar Blue, in its discretion, considers prejudicial to the reputation of Canstar Blue;
  • engage with Canstar Blue’s representatives from time to time as deemed mutually suitable, to report on Scholarship related activities;
  • participate in marketing and media activities as required.

7. Amount

The scholarship amount will be paid to the scholarship winner in two equal instalments. The first will be upon the award of the scholarship and the second payment will be in July 2023, provided that the Applicant makes good progress in their studies and subject to these terms and conditions. The payment dates will be determined by Canstar Blue at Canstar Blue’s absolute discretion, and will be communicated to the scholarship winner in a timely manner.

The scholarship winner will have to provide bank details to receive the monetary element of the prize.

Payment of the first instalment is, at all times, conditional upon the scholarship winner providing Canstar Blue with:

  • written confirmation from the relevant university of the scholarship winner’s enrolment;
  • evidence of Australian citizenship or permanent residency.

Payment of the second instalment is, at all times, conditional upon the scholarship winner continuing to comply with the expectations described in clause 6 above.

The scholarship winner may forfeit any unpaid instalment of the scholarship amount if they change their course of study or if Canstar Blue reasonably considers that their conduct is not consistent with the objectives of the scholarship or clause 6 above.

8. Breach

In the event that the scholarship winner fails to comply with any of the requirements set out in these Terms and Conditions, in addition to all other rights available to it, Canstar Blue may, in its absolute discretion, require the scholarship winner to repay, in part or in total, monies paid to the scholarship winner by Canstar Blue in connection with the award of the Scholarship.

Who is Canstar Blue?

Canstar Blue is one of Australia’s best-known and respected comparison websites. For the past 11 years, we’ve been helping Aussies make better-informed decisions on purchasing more than 300 products and services categories. We all like to ask our friends and family about a product or brand before buying, and with Canstar Blue, it’s like asking thousands of people for their opinions before you part with your cash.

 

Canstar Blue is passionate about delivering content and services that help consumers make better purchase decisions. By offering a scholarship to a university student who’s as passionate about helping everyday Australians, we aim to help them achieve their goals too. The successful applicant will not only get a helping hand towards covering their uni costs – they’ll also receive invaluable career guidance to help set them apart when the time comes to make their next career move.
Canstar offers two scholarships: the Canstar Future of Finance Scholarship and the Canstar Blue Future of Comparison Scholarship (this scholarship). Both scholarships are open to applications from eligible students at Australian universities and TAFEs, with different questions, selection criteria, judging panels and terms and conditions that apply. You must submit a fully original essay application for each scholarship if you decide to apply for both scholarships. In 2022, applications for both the Canstar Scholarship and the Canstar Blue Scholarship close at 11:59pm AEST October 31, 2022.

As featured on

^Please read the full Canstar Blue Scholarship terms and conditions.

*Source: Canstar Group research, conducted by Qualtrics Dec/Jan 2021/22. n=1075