The Western Australian Government has launched the WACE scholarship, a new initiative designed to support high-achieving international students to live and study in the state.
This latest initiative forms part of the Western Australian Government’s work to support the international education sector, diversify the state’s economy, and build a strong pipeline of skilled workers.
As Mining.com.au reported, young Australians are shying away from choosing careers in the mining sector for a variety of reasons.
MPI Recruitment says Gen Z is increasingly turning away from the mining sector.
“The generation born between 1997 and 2012 is actively turning its back on mining.”
A 2023 McKinsey report further illustrates this trend, showing a staggering 63% decline in Australian mining graduates from 2014 to 2020; similarly, the US saw a 39% decline from 2016 to 2020.
In recognition of International Youth Day last year, this news service spoke with Aileen Hu, the University of Melbourne Chancellor’s Scholar and Queensland’s Outstanding Academic Achiever of 2024 about the generational gap that has emerged within the sector and is widening.
“Essentially, we are the future custodians of the world,” Hu says.
Supporting international youth
Replacing the previous WACE Bursary, the new scholarship offers greater financial support to help new international students with their travel, living, and study expenses as they conduct tertiary education in Western Australia.
The scholarship is open to international students who have completed the WACE overseas and plans to take undergraduate studies at one of Western Australia’s five universities or enrol in a recognised tertiary pathway program in the state.
With an annual funding allocation of $1 million annually, the initiative provides $50,000 scholarships for up to two international WACE graduates with the highest academic achievement, and $30,000 scholarships for up to 30 high-achieving international WACE graduates.
Applications are open, with the next recipient selection date scheduled for 30 January 2026.
International education is Western Australia’s largest service export, contributing a record $3.7 billion to the state’s economy in 2024. Between January and September 2025, Western Australia recorded more than 84,000 international student enrolments.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
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