Applications for the STEM Student Competition Sponsorship Program within the Research Attraction and Acceleration Program are currently on hold as part of the sector-wide Comprehensive Expenditure Review being coordinated by NSW Treasury. The program is one of several that will remain on hold until the government makes decisions for the 2023-24 Budget.
The Office of the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer (OCSE) offers grants to teams of university students attending science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) research competitions.
Grants are awarded following a competitive assessment process. The assessment panel includes staff from the Office of the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer as well as an independent from the broader NSW public sector.
If you are interested in joining the mailing list for future funding announcements and opportunities, please contact raap.grants@chiefscientist.nsw.gov.au
Key Dates
| to be advised | 2024 round opens |
| to be advised | 2024 round closes |
| to be advised | Applicants notified of outcome |
Guidelines and Application
STEM Student Competition Sponsorship Program Guidelines
STEM Student Competition Sponsorship Program Online Application Form
Tips for applicants
- The application form should not exceed the specified word limit
- Focus on why the conference is important, and how it would benefit New South Wales
- Include an accurate budget with appropriate detail
- highlight why sponsorship is needed, and how grant monies would be spent
Contact
For further information about the program or to register for updates, please contact:
Juliet Ono 02 9228 5763
raap.grants@chiefscientist.nsw.gov.au
Previous Program Highlights
In June 2019, The University of Sydney's USYD Rocketry Team sent 10 students to compete in the third Spaceport America Cup, held near Las Cruces, New Mexico.
The team entered the 10,000-foot (3048-metre) Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Motor category, competing against over 50 other teams.
Sponsorship from the 2019 SESCSP went towards critical components for Silvereye, the team's rocket.
Silvereye achieved a successful flight. All systems operated nominally as designed, with the rocket reaching an altitude of 10,027 feet, less than 30 feet (nine metres) from the target altitude, and only 12 feet (3.7 metres) away from the design prediction of 10,039 feet from simulation beforehand.
Subsequently, the rocket was successfully recovered using the onboard tracking telemetry system.
The USYD Rocketry Team placed first in the 10,000 feet COTS category, receiving the highest score not only in the 2019 competition, but in the history of the Spaceport America Cup. The team demonstrated the excellence and ingenuity of Australian student engineers in Australia’s first venture in this international arena.