Current Grants

University of New South Wales

The University of New South Wales (UNSW) is one of Australia's leading universities. The Faculty of Medicine is the nation's largest and most diverse medical faculty and has a close affiliation with a number of Australia's finest hospitals, research institutes and health care organisations.

The Balnaves Foundation has committed $1.41 million over the next nine years to fund nine scholarships for Indigenous students to study medicine. Each scholarship is $25,000 for every year of their six year degree. The grant also includes funding for two annual prizes. One is for academic performance and extra-curricular activities related to Indigenous Health. The other prize is for the best 'Independent Learning Project’ based on Indigenous health.  All medical students must complete an Independent Learning Project on a topic of their choice.

 UNSW aims to produce high quality Indigenous medical graduates who are committed to improving the state of Indigenous health, mentoring medical undergraduates and acting as role models in their communities. The Balnaves Foundation strongly feels that with health conditions in some Indigenous communities at third world levels, and currently only 140 Indigenous medical practitioners, there is an urgent need for more Indigenous doctors. UNSW currently has 27 Indigenous students studying medicine. The Balnaves Foundation provides these scholarships as it recognises that one of the main difficulties Indigenous students face is financial, with many having disadvantaged backgrounds and financial responsibilities above and beyond that of non-Indigenous students.

Neil Balnaves is a member of the Advisory Council and Dean's Circle of the UNSW Faculty of Medicine. In 2010 he was recognised for his service to the faculty with an Honorary Doctorate.

For more information on the Faculty of Medicine at UNSW please visit www.med.unsw.edu.au