Patricia Cross

This page may contain images, names or references to deceased people. The Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF) was established in 2008 in response to community demand from Indigenous families who choose to enrol their children in boarding schools. Bringing together the government and private sector, AIEF provides scholarship funding for Indigenous students to complete Year 12 or tertiary studies, with career support to help them make a successful transition to their chosen fields. Backed by some of Australia’s most influential business and community leaders, AIEF has grown from one scholarship student in 2008 to now having around 400 students on scholarships annually, with a network of over 600 alumni and growing by over 70 graduates each year, from over 400 communities in every state and territory of Australia. AIEF has consistently achieved annual retention and Year 12 completion rates and career transition rates above 90% since funding its first scholarship in 2008. AIEF is a serious business for serious people. Our highly skilled and dedicated team works with hard heads, soft hearts and capable hands to implement programs which deliver benchmark outcomes for Indigenous students.