Student Opportunity Fund

1. Individual educational opportunities

This fund provides support for student access to "beyond the classroom" educational experiences. This includes academic, leadership or other extracurricular activities such as internships, work experience, volunteer work, conferences, clinical placements, informal study abroad, courses/study and academic competitions. 

This category may also include individual applications from members of a study group or team that is not a BUSA affiliated club. 

Educational Experience Requests are encouraged to demonstrate:

• Unique and outstanding activities

• Benefits to the individuals involved and helps enrich their Bond student experience

• Orientation toward academic or professional development

• Direct relationship to the individual's declared major, field of study or current program

• Support of a Bond faculty member

• A detailed budget to support the activity

• Attempts for additional and/or alternative funding

• Clarity of goals and thoroughness of planning

• Adherence to University policies, regulations and established procedures

• Other University funding is not available for the activity

• Student invitation or selection is based on merit

Who can apply for these funds? 

Bond University students currently enrolled in a Bond University undergraduate degree, postgraduate degree or Bond University College diploma, for activities to be undertaken while they are enrolled at the University. 

Bond Medical Program Students

Funding will be considered for Medical students who undertake extracurricular, volunteer, or career-development activities instead. 

Funding will not be granted for Medical placements within core-curriculum activities, as they are not considered in anyway to be external or an additional opportunity. 

2. Group co-curricular opportunities

This fund provides monetary support to unique and outstanding activities, events or projects planned by and for Bond students. 

Programs should promote a greater sense of community at Bond; enrich the Bond Student Experience or reflect a commitment to the cause. This fund is designed to encourage increased interaction outside the classroom. 

Funding requests are encouraged to demonstrate:

• Club activities designed to enrich the student experience in a significant way

• Club activities that contribute to the community in a significant way

• A unique opportunity or experience for its participants

• Promotion of an issue/cause relevant to Bond students

• Promote a broad view of cultural experiences and knowledge

• An opportunity for students to gain valuable leadership experience and knowledge

• Encouragement of collaborative events planned by and for Bond students fostering intellectual exchange or advance knowledge, such as: visiting speakers, forums on topics of general interest and student publications.

• Involvement of a significant number of Bond students in planning and participating in the activity

• A detailed budget to support the activity

• Clarity of goals and thoroughness of planning

• Attempts for alternative fund raising demonstrated

• Adherence to University policies, regulations and established procedures

Who can apply for these funds? 

Bond University Student Association affiliated clubs and societies.

3. Faculty Study Tours

This fund provides support to Faculty approved study tours where a group of students and academic(s) undertake a unique and educational experience overseas.

Faculty leads will be responsible for the distribution of the funding to approved students on the study tours.  This category may support current study tours from the Faculty of Society & Design and the Bond Business School. 

Study Tours are encouraged to demonstrate:

• Unique and outstanding activities in an overseas location

• Benefits to the students involved and helps enrich their Bond student experience

• Orientation toward academic or professional development

• Direct relationship to the students’ declared major, field of study or current program

• Support the strategic initiatives of the Faculty

• A detailed budget to support the activity including other funding options

• Clarity of goals and thoroughness of planning

• Adherence to University policies, regulations and established procedures

• Students are selected through a competitive and merit-based process

Who can apply for these funds? 

Lead educators within Bond University faculties and schools.

Funds will not be awarded for:

• Activities that have already taken place (no retrospective applications will be accepted)

• Applications that are late, incomplete or fail to meet application requirements

• The purchase of alcohol for an event or activity

• Bond University course fees and academic program expenses (including enrolment fees, textbooks and laptops)

• Living expenses not related to the specific project or activity outlined in the application (this includes maintaining a rental property) 

• Food associated with travel

• Additional expenses associated with travel (this will include fees for a passport or renewing a passport)

• Groceries and personal items (eg. toiletries and souvenirs)

• Purchase, repair or replacement equipment

• Activities designed to support student businesses generating personal income

• A continuing commitment to an activity (grants are a one-off payment)

• International Exchange semesters

• New Colombo Plan scholarship funded exchanges and internships

• Higher Degree Research (HDR) students may only apply for the fund for activities excluding any activity related to the students PhD candidature. Examples of activities relating to PhD candidature include conference attendance, presentation costs and thesis editing. 

At the end of the activity, recipients are required to contact the Career Development Centre to request the Grant Payment Form and Completion Report.  Suitable/readable paid tax invoices associated with the activity must be provided along with the Grant Payment Form and Completion Report.

Transport expenses via car expenses will be paid in mileage – the CDC will provide appropriate documentation to log the mileage.

Approved funds will be paid into the nominated account, or in the case of group applications, into the association/faculty account. 

Payment runs are in the following weeks of the semester:

• Friday Week 1

• Friday Week 4

• Friday Week 8

• Friday Week 12

Completed forms and receipts received after the deadlines will be processed in the next payment run.

Any outstanding debts or charges on a student account will automatically be deducted from the grant. 

Funds are non-transferrable and cannot be used for any purpose other than what has been approved; only approved items provided in the budget in the application will be reimbursed. 

Contact the Career Development Centre if the funding is no longer required or circumstances have changed.  Funding is not re-allocated to another applicant (or non-applicant) as all decisions made by the Committee are based on applications received and are final.

Grants not claimed during the semester for which they are awarded will be forfeited.

Applications are reviewed and considered by a committee made up of representatives from each Faculty and Senior Management. Applications and activities are assessed based on competencies aligned to the University’s graduate outcomes and the below criteria.

Applications should address the following criteria (max 500 words):

Sub-par or applications with limited effort will not be considered for funding.

Applications where false or misleading information was provided will not be considered for funding.

The SOF Committee’s decision is final and there is no appeal process for unsuccessful applicants.