The University of Sydney awards numerous prizes throughout the year to recognise outstanding students. These include both academic and literary prizes. The majority of these prizes do not require an application, although many also do.
The Sidney Prize for Writing is a competition held every month to celebrate and promote writing excellence. The winner of the Sidney Prize receives a cash award and the option to select a special prize. These prizes range from a magazine or newspaper feature, to a blog or news site, to work that has been broadcast on American television or radio new outlet, and to published photography series.
This prize was established in 2005, thanks to a donation made by the Board of Social Study and Training in memory of Eva Byrne, who was a dedicated social worker who contributed to the Commonwealth and NSW State Government policies on immigration, the protection of children and indigenous Australians. The Prize is awarded to a student in the third year of the Bachelor of Social Work degree who has achieved the highest aggregate mark on the unit of study that forms the basis of the qualification.
Another prize, the Sidney Prize for History, is a competition for students who have shown the most outstanding proficiency in the history of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It is awarded to students who have either taken a senior or advanced/honours level unit of study in history, or written an honours thesis on the topic.
Other prizes are also given annually for academic excellence in particular units or programs of study, and some do require applications. The majority of these prizes are awarded to undergraduate students, and the majority are valued at a minimum of $1000 each.
A prize for an Honours Thesis in Philosophy is a competition for students who have successfully completed an Honours Thesis in Philosophy within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Sydney. It is funded by the Lucy Firth Bequest and is awarded for a quality thesis, as well as for circumstances having impacted them during their studies through gender inequalities specific to their discipline.
The award is open to students who have been undertaking research under the supervision of an Australian academic, and the winning student will receive a cash prize and have their thesis considered for publication in a journal. The prize is awarded for an exceptional piece of work, which shows a high level of commitment and imagination.
These prizes are awarded on the recommendation of the faculty, and do not require an application. They are primarily meant to encourage and reward the best undergraduate students at the University of Sydney. The prizes are typically worth between $1,000 and $3,000, and can be used to support travel or study costs.
Various Scholarships are also available to help support the pursuit of postgraduate study at the University of Sydney. The scholarships are administered by the University of Sydney Scholarships Office and are awarded to undergraduate, graduate, or postgraduate students based on academic merit and financial need.