Australian college announces half a million in scholarships for games and film industries

Melbourne based CG Spectrum College has announced plans today for half a million dollars in scholarships for subjects designed to give graduates a better chance of securing a career in the video games and film industries, with the scholarships being tied to paid internships at local studios.

The 2016-2017 scholarships are based around six accredited online diplomas: animation, concept art, visual effects, programming, 3D modelling and compositing, and applications for the first round of these scholarships is open now, with half of the places saved for female applicants, as well as those from underrepresented populations.

"We don't see this as token diversity," said co-founder and head of school Jeff Pepper, adding that this has been done in an effort to help drive diversity within both the game and film industries. "We want to see those places filled, and we're willing to tweak the programme to suit the needs of the communities who want to apply. Being online also means there's a huge opportunity for rural candidates who may not always have the means to move to cities."