Technology is shaping Australia’s future. The question is who shapes the technology.
The Westpac Tech Futures Scholarship is a new leadership experience for undergrad innovators.
Valued at $20,000 per scholar, the program includes a nine-month leadership and immersive technology experience worth $15,000, plus an additional $5,000 in flexible funding for your studies, two leadership residentials, attendance to the Westpac Scholars Summit, and a lifelong place in the W100 Scholars Network alongside more than 1,000 Westpac Scholars.
Through the scholarship, scholars will explore how technology, leadership and innovation intersect, while building the networks, perspectives and confidence to navigate what’s next.
Online info session
Want to find out more about this awesome opportunity? Register for the information session on 11 November 2026, from 3.30pm–4.30pm (AEDT)
We spoke to Jasmine Haddad, the manager of Westpac’s Emerging Talent program, about this exciting opportunity
CwS: Hi Jasmine! What’s the vision behind the Westpac Tech Futures Scholarship?
J: The vision is to support outstanding STEM students who are not only passionate about technology but also thoughtful about how it could be used to create lasting benefits to Australia. We’ve noticed that technology is shaping every aspect of Australia’s future, but technology alone won’t determine the outcome. We also want to make sure that we help emerging leaders develop the skills, perspectives and networks needed to navigate complex challenges, to lead responsibly and to contribute to a future that is more innovative, sustainable and inclusive.
CwS: What makes this scholarship unique?
J: For a lot of scholarships, the main aim is financial support. We’ve taken a different approach: we find that the real value lies in the leadership experience. The Tech Futures Scholarship has been specifically designed for final year STEM students, as they reach this pivotal moment in their career journey. Through amazing leadership experiences, exposure to industry and research leaders, and access to our existing Westpac scholars community, our scholars are challenged to think beyond the technical expertise they get from university, and consider the broader impact of technology on society, business and the economy. It’s about developing future technology leaders, not just future technologists.
CwS: What opportunities and experiences will scholars have?
J: Scholars take part in a nine-month leadership and technology development experience. They receive $5,000 in flexible funding to support their final year of university studies. But the real value comes from the leadership experience. They get to learn from leading researchers, innovators and industry experts. They will participate in two leadership residentials, one focusing on leadership soft skills and how to network, and one where they get to explore emerging technologies and their roles in shaping Australia’s future.
This all comes together with the Westpac Scholars Summit, where technology scholars meet scholars from other disciplines and sectors including Social Change, Future Leaders, Research Fellows and Australia-Asia Fellows. Participants bring a range of skills and mindsets, so when they come together and collaborate, they build a diverse network of thinking. It’s a powerful opportunity to build lifelong connections.
CwS: What are you looking for from students that are applying?
J: We’re looking for students who combine academic capability with curiosity, leadership potential and good judgement. The strongest applications will have a genuine interest in the future of technology and a desire to use their skills to create positive impact. They don’t need to have founded a startup or built the next breakthrough technology, but we’re interested in people who ask thoughtful questions, actively seek opportunities to learn, show initiative and care about how technology can improve outcomes for individuals, communities, and Australia as a whole. But most importantly, we’re looking for people who want to contribute, not just to succeed.
“We’re looking for people who want to contribute, not just to succeed!”
CwS: What advice would you give to anyone reading this?
J: I really want to encourage everyone to apply. We want to capture those candidates who might not feel they’re right for this program, because everyone goes through imposter syndrome, right? We don’t want you to feel that you’re not good enough. Just apply!
Meet a Westpac scholar
Westpac Tech Futures scholars will join the W100 Scholars Network, a community of more than 1,000 Westpac Scholars.
We spoke to Nav Kaur, a 2024 Westpac Young Technologists scholar, about what that network has meant for her career.
“I always enjoyed solving problems, working with people and using technology to create real outcomes,” explains Nav. That curiosity drove her to enrol in a double degree: a Bachelor of Information Systems Advanced and Bachelor of Business from UTS. And while at university, she joined the Westpac Young Technologists Scholarship.
What Nav values most from the program is the people. “It gave me access to the W100 network, our little Westpac scholarship community,” she explains. “Which has a lot of exposure to leaders, mentors and other students who are passionate about creating positive impact through technology.”
“I think that experience of being able to have that network and support and the cohort really helped me build my confidence and broaden my perspective on what a career in tech could actually mean.”
Nav’s positive scholarship experiences led her to join the Westpac Technology Graduate program, where every six months she gets to rotate to a different team within the bank. “My last rotation I was working as a business analyst to make sure that a project called Launchpad is ready for delivery,” she says. “My current role is in the frauds and scams space. It involves a lot of business analyst skills, stakeholder engagement and discovery work to really understand the current processes and identify where and how can we do things better.”
Her advice for those considering a tech career? Expand your viewpoint! “A lot of people think tech in a very narrow mindset way, but it’s so much broader than what a lot of people think,” Nav says. “It isn’t just about coding or computer networking. It’s about a lot more. It’s about understanding people, understanding how people use technology in certain situations, solving real problems and finding better ways of working!”
Next starts now
Up to 35 Tech Futures Scholarships are awarded every year. You may be eligible for a Westpac Tech Futures Scholarship if you’re an Australian citizen or permanent resident, studying full-time in a STEM discipline and will be in your 3rd, 4th or Honours year in 2027 at one of six partner universities.
Applications are now open and will close 10 December 2026 at 5:00pm AEDT.
This article was brought to you in partnership with Westpac Scholars
