Commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Māori Health

OCANZ Bursaries

2026 OCANZ Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori Eye Care Bursary Awards – now open

OCANZ is pleased to announce that applications are now open for the 2026 OCANZ Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori Eye Care Bursary Awards.

OCANZ invites applications from Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and/or Māori community members, students, academics/educators, and health professionals who are working or studying with one or more optometry schools in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand. Applicants should demonstrate a strong interest in First Nations eye health and be actively contributing to the delivery of culturally safe optometry curricula.

Each bursary, valued at up to $2,000, may be used to support costs associated with attending an OCANZ-approved professional development event, including registration, travel, accommodation, and meals.

Written or verbal applications, accompanied by a statement of endorsement to be submitted via the online form and / or sent to projectofficer@ocanz.org by Friday 27 February 2026. 

More information on the OCANZ Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori Eye Care Bursary Awards can be accessed here.  

Apply Now

OCANZ Past Bursary Recipients

Since 2022 OCANZ has funded bursaries for Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and/or Māori community members, students and/or academics who are working with one or more optometry schools in Australian or Aotearoa to improve the delivery of culturally safe curriculum and / or eye care.

Our past bursary recipients include:

2025:

• Jesse Aldridge
• Sara Carrison
• Kenisha Keung
• Renata Watene

2024:

• Josh Manning
• Georgia Stewart
• Renata Watene

2023:

• Jesse Aldridge
• Nicola Anstice
• Phil Turnbull

2022:

• Jose Estevez
• Holly Chinnery
• Alemka Davis
• Shaun Tatipata

Listen to the stories from past bursary recipients

Sara Carrison - Ngarrindjeri woman

Associate Lecturer, Flinders University

Bursary Event: Lowitja conference 2025.

Renata Watene - Ngā Puhi, Tainui

PhD Student, University of Auckland

Bursary Event: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference 2024.

Jesse Aldridge - Wandiwondian Yuin man of the South Coast of NSW

Optometry student

University of New South Wales

Bursary Event: Attendance at O=MEGA23

Professor Nicola Anstice - Ngā Puhi

Professor of Optometry

Flinders University

Bursary Award: Research Project

How optometry schools in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand acknowledge and implement cultural safety principles, procedures, and practices within their curricula.

Dr. Philip Turnbull - Ngāi Tahu

Senior Lecturer, School of Optometry and Vision Science

University of Auckland

Bursary Event: Presentation at 4th Word Conference of Optometry / O=MEGA23