The Charles Perkins scholarships take their name from Australia’s first Indigenous man to ever graduate from university.

An active defender of the Indigenous cause in Australia, Charlie Perkins became famous in 1965 when he led a group of 30 students through NSW country towns on a “Freedom Ride” – inspired by the 1961 “Civil Rights Freedom Ride” in USA – to campaign against racial discrimination and the poor living conditions of the Australian Indigenous people. A national figure, Perkins was later named as one of Australia’s Living National Treasures. He died in 2000.

Scholarships to his name are offered each year to Indigenous Australians postgraduates. The two annual recipients are granted the opportunity to study at either the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge for up to three years. The scholarships are directed at promising young people with the potential to become leaders in their field of study and in their communities.

The Charles Perkins Scholarships will be awarded to candidates who have been accepted into one of the two universities. Applications will close on December 1st at the University of Cambridge, January 20 at the University of Oxford. Applications for the 2012/13 Scholarships close on Friday 14 October 2011.

Visit the Charlie Perkins Trust website for further information.