In 2024, three students pursuing degrees in arts, biomedicine, and occupational therapy were awarded the scholarship.
Francis Gregory Foundation founder June Harvey established the foundation with finance from selling the family farm in Lardner.
“It had been a selection by my grandfather Francis Gregory in 1875, having been in my family for 137 years,” she said.
“It is a way to help students from the farming community, who often miss out on government assistance because their families have too many assets and haven't got a lot of money available.
“In my personal case, I would never have gone to university if it hadn’t been for the secondary studentship scheme at the time.
“We support farming families in Victoria so that students can go to the university of their choice.
“It is open to all university courses, the main criteria is that the biggest part of their family income comes from farming pursuits.”
Since its inception in 2013, the foundation has assisted 21 students.
The scholarship is paid in half-year instalments, subject to satisfactory academic progress, for the duration of the recipient’s undergraduate degree.
Francis Gregory Foundation director and Candra farmer James Taylor was awarded the scholarship in 2015 to study agriculture at Melbourne University.
“The scholarship was awarded to three years of my degree, so 2015, 16 and 17, supporting the cost of residency,” he said.
“It was good to have a support network, someone to whom you could be accountable, and someone who was interested in what you were doing as well.
“It is good to support farm kids in heading off and going to university.
“The origins of the scholarship are really nice, as it has sort of a family atmosphere, with June (Harvey) and Jenny (Deppeler) on the board.”
Applications for the 2025 Francis Gregory Foundation scholarship close on January 3, 2025. Interested students from Victorian farming families are encouraged to apply.
For more information, visit https://www.francisgregory.org.au/
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