Ramsay Centre Scholarship

Facts and figures

  • USA

  • AUD$75,000 per year

  • Academic merit

  • Apply before 1 Feb 2025 (Melbourne time)

Apply to St John’s College

To apply for the Ramsay Centre Scholarship, you'll need to be accepted to the Master of Arts at the Graduate Institute at St John's College.

Applications to the Graduate Institute at St John’s College are open now.

Applications for the Ramsay Centre Scholarship will open in February 2025.

Apply to St John’s College

The scholarship

The Ramsay Centre Scholarship supports up to six Australians each year to:

  • complete a four-semester Master of Arts in Liberal Arts at the Graduate Institute of St John’s College (Annapolis, Maryland), focusing on great books of the western canon, and
  • participate in an internship program in an area of interest in Washington D.C.

St John’s College is well-known for its commitment to liberal education in its purest form – only primary texts are read, no instruction is done through lectures, and students read widely across disciplines.

Benefits

Internship

As a Ramsay scholar at St John’s College, you'll have the chance to intern in Washington D.C. during your second year. Before your scholarship starts, St John’s College will provide you with a mentor to help you find internships that match your interests. You'll also be invited to join a summer study group with your fellow scholars. Internships usually begin in the North American summer (between June and August) and can be continued part-time while you're still studying at St John’s.

You’ll be encouraged to start looking for an internship soon after you begin your studies.

Events

Ramsay scholars come together to participate in many cultural, academic and social events. These events provide enriching educational and cultural experiences, and foster a strong sense of community amongst the scholars. The Ramsay Centre typically funds these events, assisting with flight and accommodation fees.

Previous scholar events include:

  • a weekend in Washington D.C., with events at the Australian Embassy, United States Naval Academy, and sightseeing the Capitol Building, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and more
  • a stay in New York City, hosted by the Australian Consulate
  • a conference at the University of Austin, Texas with former Prime Minister Tony Abbott. The conference included dinners, lectures and an excursion.

Details

Value
AUD$75,000 per year

Applications open

  • St John’s College: open now – apply by 1 Feb 2025 (Melbourne time)
  • Ramsay Centre Scholarship: opens in Feb 2025

Scholarship commences
Aug 2025

Study level
Masters

Fields of study
Liberal Arts

Study location
Annapolis, Maryland USA

Study institution
St John’s College, Annapolis

Selection bases
Academic merit

Nine smiling Ramsay scholars stand in front of the Lincoln Memorial monument in Washington D.C.

St John’s has a unique intellectual community where everyone feels connected. Because the curriculum is quite fixed, you and your fellow students will have read and studied almost all of the same books at one time or another. This allows conversation which began in the classroom to spill over to the quad, the dinner table and the pub.

The campus is located in the heart of historic, colonial Annapolis – a city well-known for its waterfront, which sits next door to the United States Naval Academy. The two institutions collaborate closely, especially on matters related to liberal education and its bearing on leadership.

Reflections on a St John’s education
May 2024 | Michael Connors
Alumnus Michael Connors reflects on his experience as a Ramsay postgraduate scholar at St John’s College.

Ramsay Scholarship brings Australian graduate students to Annapolis
March 2024 | Kirstin Fawcett
Michael Connors, an Australian music director, transformed his life through the Ramsay Scholarship and is on a mission to bring this experience back to Australia.

Applications

How to apply

The Ramsay Centre Scholarship supports students to study at the Graduate Institute at St John’s College.

You’ll need to be accepted to St John’s College before you can apply for the Ramsay Centre Scholarship.

  1. Apply to the Master of Arts in Liberal Arts degree program at St John’s College Graduate Institute by 1 February 2025 (Melbourne time).
    Your application will require a three to eight page essay addressing the prompts given in the application form, your academic transcripts, and two letters of recommendation.

    Apply to St John’s College
  2. If you’re admitted to St John’s, apply for the Ramsay Postgraduate Scholarship in February/March 2025. Include your acceptance letter from St John’s College in your application.

Key dates

Graduate Institute at St John’s College

Applications open
Open now – apply before 1 Feb 2025 (Melbourne time)

Course commences
Aug 2025

Ramsay Centre Scholarship

Applications open
Feb 2025

Applications close
Late Mar 2025

Resources