Mayoral Scholarship Program

Cessnock City Council’s Mayoral Scholarship Program is an initiative of Cessnock City Mayor, Dan Watton, that assists local residents financially to achieve their educational goals at TAFE or university.

The objective of the program is to help residents of the Cessnock Local Government Area (LGA) advance their education and reach their full potential, particularly in industries offering rewarding career prospects in the Cessnock LGA, such as hospitality, tourism, education, engineering, medical, mining, communications and manufacturing.

While many factors influence career selection, it is our goal to have as many residents as possible achieve their higher education and career aspirations.

The Mayoral Scholarship Program has been running since 2002 and, with the help of local sponsors, has awarded 262 scholarships to the value of $655,500.

Apply for a Mayoral Scholarship

Applications for the 2025 Mayoral Scholarship Program have now CLOSED.

Terms & Conditions(PDF, 283KB)

If you reside in the Cessnock LGA, and are currently undertaking study at university or TAFE, you may be eligible for a $2,500 scholarship to assist you. The money can be used to help offset costs such as course fees, textbooks, study supplies, laptops and more.

Recipients are selected on the basis of academic merit, community involvement and achievement, and their Mayoral Scholarship Program application. Applications are welcomed from residents living within the LGA, of any age, to achieve their educational goals at university or TAFE.

Become a Mayoral Scholarship Program Sponsor

Council wishes to lead by example and demonstrate its commitment towards improving education and training within our community. The Mayoral Scholarship Program is one of the ways Council is supporting the growth of our people, and expanding this program is a critical step.

We are currently seeking like-minded businesses to join us in growing and developing our people.

The Mayoral Scholarship Program provides an opportunity for local businesses to support the upskilling and growth of our workforce. Becoming a sponsor will provide financial assistance to community members striving to achieve their academic, education and training goals.

Businesses contribute $2,500 per scholarship, with the total amount being awarded to successful candidates to help offset costs such as course fees, textbooks, laptops and more.

Your sponsorship comes with the following promotional benefits:

Logo to feature on Mayoral Scholarship promotional materials
Business profile feature in the Advance Cessnock e-newsletter
Business logo placed on the Mayoral Scholarship webpage
Mention in the Cessnock City eNews
Mention in official Council media release
Promotion on Council’s social media platforms as being a sponsor of the Mayoral Scholarship
Invitation to event recognising successful recipients
Presentation to the scholarship recipient with Mayor
Provision of photos from the presentation night for promotional use
Opportunity for ongoing engagement with your scholarship recipient

If you would like to take part in this wonderful opportunity to partner with Cessnock City Mayor, Dan Watton, and make a positive difference in our community, please read the sponsorship prospectus and complete the online application form below: