Education Information
Beginning Of Term 4:
Scholarships to support students
Applications are open for a range of scholarships to support students in Grade 4 to Year 12.
Please use our template content to share this information with parents and carers and encourage eligible students to apply.
Grade 4 to Year 12 student scholarships
We manage a range of scholarships for students on behalf of various trusts.
Scholarships support students and families with the cost of education and further study at primary, secondary and tertiary level.
Students who complete Grade 4 to Year 11 in 2024, and students enrolled in Year 12 in 2024 who plan to do tertiary studies in 2025, can apply for department-managed scholarships.
We will evaluate applicants for these scholarships on their:
participation in school activities
community involvement
academic achievement.
Scholarships are either one-off payments or cover the duration of the student’s course or annual study.
Many scholarships also have specific eligibility criteria. Applications close on Saturday 1 February 2025.
For more information and for a list of scholarships, refer to the 2025 Student scholarships for Grade 4 – Year 12 fact sheet.
Policy, guidance and resources
Our Policy and Advisory Library includes all related policy information, guidance and resources under the relevant menu tabs:
Find out more
For more information on scholarships and how to apply, refer to Student scholarships.
For enquiries about scholarships for Grade 4 to Year 12 students, contact the Student Scholarships team by email: studentscholarships@education.vic.gov.au
Protecting against mosquito-borne diseases
How to protect against mosquito-borne diseases
To help protect against bites, students and staff can:
cover up as much as possible with long, loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing
use mosquito repellent that contains picaridin or DEET on all exposed skin
limit outdoor activity if lots of mosquitoes are active.
Where possible, schools can also reduce the risk of mosquito bites by:
removing any stagnant water to reduce mosquito breeding
sealing any rainwater tanks or water-storage devices
preventing mosquitoes from entering school buildings by:
repairing holes in flyscreens
using knockdown sprays or electronic zappers
cleaning guttering and storm water pits
if camping, ensuring tents are properly fitted with mosquito netting.
When you notice a lot of mosquito activity, close windows and doors that do not have flyscreens, and use air purifiers. When the mosquito activity is reduced, consider re-opening doors and windows.
Staff or students who are worried about their health should visit their doctor or phone NURSE-ON-CALL: 1300 606 024 (available 24 hours).
Free Japanese encephalitis vaccines
Japanese encephalitis virus is spread to humans through bites from infected mosquitoes and can cause a rare but potentially serious infection of the brain.
Free Japanese encephalitis vaccines are available to protect Victorians at higher risk of the virus.
The Victorian Department of Health encourages eligible people who live or work in high-risk local government areas to get vaccinated.
For more information, including what is considered a high-risk area and eligibility for a free vaccine, refer to the Department of Health’s Japanese encephalitis webpage.
Policy, guidance and resources
Our Policy and Advisory Library includes all related policy information, guidance and resources under the relevant menu tabs:
Outdoor Activities and Working Outdoors
Find out more
For more information on protecting against mosquito-borne diseases, refer to Mosquitoes can carry diseases – Better Health Channel, including posters, social media and resources translated into several languages.
Better Health Channel also has information about mosquito-borne diseases known in Victoria, including Japanese encephalitis, Murray Valley encephalitis and Ross River virus.
For further enquiries, contact the Wellbeing, Health and Engagement Division by email: health.advice@education.vic.gov.au
New Student Activity Locator
The department’s new and improved Student Activity Locator (SAL) is ready for schools to use.
Schools must record excursions, camps and other activities held offsite or outside of school hours in the new SAL, at least 5 business days before the activity takes place. This ensures that in case of an emergency, the school, department and emergency services know where students are, and the best emergency contacts for them.
The new SAL is easier to use and provides more accurate location data. It also allows users to add recurring activities, which can improve data accuracy and save time.
Using the new SAL
Principals, assistant principals, campus principals, administration officers and business managers will have automatic access to the new SAL.
Please check your school’s records for upcoming events and ensure that all supporting documentation is attached so the department can help you in an emergency. If it is not, please re-attach this documentation. This is important as attached documents are unable to be migrated from the old SAL into the new system.
Draft activities will be migrated to the new system but marked as ‘cancelled’. This record will still be available to edit. Make sure you change the status to ‘registered’ if the activity is going ahead.
Any school staff member can request an account to access the SAL. To do so, they need to submit a Service Request, select SAL from the dropdown menu and include their school’s name.
For help to access the SAL, refer to the SAL user guide in the Guidance tab of the Excursions policy.
Policy, guidance and resources
Our Policy and Advisory Library includes all related policy information, guidance and resources under the relevant menu tabs:
Excursions: guidance: Student Activity Locator
Emergency and Critical Incident Management Planning
Find out more
For more information, refer to the Student Activity Locator, which includes guides to help you use the system.
You can also view instructional SAL videos on how to:
use the student activities list.
For further enquiries, contact the Emergency Management team by email: emergency.management@education.vic.gov.au