Logo for the Royce & Jean Abbey Scholarship featuring a graphic of two smiling individuals in suits, with blue and green color accents and text around the image.

Royce & Jean Abbey
Vocational Scholarship

The Royce & Jean Abbey Vocational Scholarship offers individuals from developing nations the opportunity to travel to Australia for up to three months of hands-on vocational training.

Centred on Rotary’s 7 Areas of Focus the scholarship aims to equip participants with the knowledge and experience needed to create lasting change in their communities.

Each scholarship is valued at up to USD $10,000, covering:

  • Travel and accommodation

  • Tuition and practical training

  • Vocational mentoring

Scholars return home with new skills, confidence, and insights to make a meaningful impact where it’s needed most.

  • A woman sitting at an outdoor table, smiling, with greenery and trees in the background.

    Scholarship Guidelines

    The guidelines ensure the scholarship supports leaders who will use their training to benefit their community, organisation, and country, in line with Rotary’s Areas of Focus. All scholarship applications must be submitted by an Australian Rotary Club, which will act as the Host Club.

    View guidelines >

  • Three people standing together at an event, smiling for the photo. The woman on the left has short gray hair, glasses, and is wearing a white embroidered blouse. The man on the right has white hair, glasses, and is dressed in a beige suit with a light blue shirt and a striped tie. The man in the middle has dark hair and is wearing a checkered shirt. They all have name tags, with the woman on the left labeled Jeanne Abbey, the man in the middle labeled Narim Busto, and the man on the right labeled Royce Abbey.

    Scholarship Application

    Australian Rotary Clubs complete two applications - an Initial Application and a Detailed Application. Follow the application steps as a Host Rotary Club.

    View initial application >

    View detailed application >

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    Scholarship Reporting

    Recipients submit reports during and after their scholarship to help the committee assess impact and improve the program, with support from the Host Club where possible.

    View interim report >

    View final report >

    View home report >

Rotary’s 7 Areas of Focus

  • A woman speaking at a panel discussion or meeting with microphones in front of her

    Promoting peace

    Rotary encourages conversations to foster understanding within and across cultures. We train adults and young leaders to prevent and mediate conflict and help refugees who have fled dangerous areas.

  • A healthcare worker administering oral medicine to a young boy.

    Fighting disease

    We educate and equip communities to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases like polio, HIV/AIDS, and malaria. We improve and expand access to low-cost and free health care in developing areas.

  • Providing clean water, sanitation and hygiene

    We support local solutions to bring clean water, sanitation, and hygiene to more people every day. We don’t just build wells and walk away. We share our expertise with community leaders and educators to make sure our projects succeed long-term.

  • A woman with dark hair and a red shawl holds a young child with a yellow shirt, peeking out from behind a green metal door.

    Improving maternal and child health

    Nearly 6 million children under the age of five die each year because of malnutrition, poor health care, and inadequate sanitation. We expand access to quality care, so mothers and their children can live and grow stronger.

  • Group of five smiling schoolgirls in uniforms walking outdoors on a dirt path, carrying backpacks and books, with lush green trees, a small building, and a lake in the background.

    Supporting education

    More than 775 million people over the age of 15 are illiterate. Our goal is to strengthen the capacity of communities to support basic education and literacy, reduce gender disparity in education, and increase adult literacy.

  • Close-up of person's hands guiding red fabric through a sewing machine.

    Growing local economies

    We carry out service projects that enhance economic and community development and create opportunities for decent and productive work for young and old. We also strengthen local entrepreneurs and community leaders, particularly women, in impoverished communities.

  • Looking up at a forest canopy with tall trees, green leaves, and a blue sky visible through the treetops.

    Protecting the environment

    We take action to find innovative solutions and develop sustainable service projects to strengthen our local ecosystems and our planet.

The Royce and Jean Abbey Endowed Fund

Three elderly individuals sit at a table, posing with a framed award for Roger H. Leak, with a woman on the left, a man in the middle, and another man on the right. The background shows a clock, bottles of wine, and decorative items.

The Scholarship is sustained through the Royce & Jean Abbey Endowed Fund, managed by The Rotary Foundation. Contributions from the Royce Abbey Award and other donations help ensure that vocational training opportunities continue into the future.

Impact stories

Hear from past Scholarship recipients who are transforming their communities through education, sustainable agriculture, and community leadership.

View past recipients >

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