Headstart Accelerated scholarship program

University of Adelaide's Headstart scholarship program was launched in 2001. It was developed in consultation with schools to meet the needs of gifted and exceptionally motivated secondary school students who require a challenge beyond the Year 12 curriculum.

With changes to the SACE beginning in 2011, we saw an opportunity to extend the invitation to a wider group of students, so the old Headstart scholarship program has given rise to two new programs with a slightly different focus.

The Headstart Accelerated program is open to students who have already completed a Stage 2 subject in an earlier school year and are completing their SACE or IB at less than a full year's workload (exceptionally gifted students in lower grades may also be considered). It provides gifted and highly motivated students a challenge beyond the Year 12 curriculum and the chance to grow as an individual as they combine secondary school and some university studies. Students can take up to two subjects per semester.

The new Headstart Studies program is intended for high achieving students who are not accelerated in their school studies, who want to count their university studies towards their SACE.