W T Mollison Scholarship in Modern Languages

About

The W T Mollison Scholarship in Modern Languages is available for third year, Honours, and graduate students who have completed Honours, to support the study and knowledge of modern languages in the Faculty of Arts.

Applications open

11 May 2026

Applications close

6 July 2026

Benefits

Up to $30,000 is available and several awards may be offered from this amount. Award payments will be made as a single lump-sum.

Applicants awarded a W T Mollison Scholarship for study in Italy will also be awarded the Omero Schiassi Prize, an additional award supporting overseas study in Italian language and culture.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this scholarship, you must:

• be a third year student studying a modern language in the Faculty of Arts; or,
• be enrolled, enrolling in or have completed Honours in the study of a modern language; or,
• have completed Honours in a modern language at the Faculty of Arts and be undertaking graduate study in a modern language; and,
• intend to undertake overseas travel to the relevant country of your modern language.

Selection criteria

The scholarship will be awarded to the applicants who make the most compelling case for support by demonstrating:

• the relevance of overseas travel to their intended study or research;
• the quality and feasibility of the proposed program of study or research of a modern language overseas;
• academic merit; and,
• the skills, experience and aptitude required to carry out the proposed project as evidenced by the application.

Conditions

Recipients are required to:

• accept the award online within 21 days;
• submit the relevant travel documents; and,
• submit a final report.

Outcome

Applicants are advised of the outcome via email within 8-10 weeks.

Application process

Eligible applicants must complete the online application form, including:

• details of your proposed program of study or research overseas;
• a summary of your proposed study or research program of modern languages overseas;
• a 300-500 word statement outlining how the scholarship would positively impact your life and assist with your studies, and how pursuing study and research overseas is important to your academic work;
• an indicative budget;
• at least one academic reference;
• a current statement of results; and,
• any other information to support the application that may assist the committee in making its decision.

Apply

Enquiries

artsawards-info@unimelb.edu.au

About the donors

William Thomas Mollison was a pastoralist who arrived in Australia from England in 1838 and he held public office on the Legislative Council from 1853 to 1864. Before returning to England, Mollison left a gift in his will to the University of Melbourne in 1884 establishing the W T Mollison Scholarships with the purpose of encouraging the study of modern languages.

Recipient feedback

Deborah Zhang

The W T Mollison Scholarship in Modern Languages has relieved a significant financial burden and enabled me to study abroad in Beijing, China. Learning Mandarin at one of China's top universities, whilst concurrently working in Australia-China relations and developing my 'Asia literacy' has granted me with an increasingly global perspective of education, and emphasised the importance of modern languages in facilitating open and effective communication.

The information listed here is subject to change without notice. Information describing the number and value of scholarships awarded is indicative.