• Curious Minds is open to young Australian women who:
  • Are in Year 8, 9 or 10 and enrolled in an Australian school in the program period
  • Attend a school with an Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage value of less than 1000 and/or resides in a rural, regional or remote area of Australia and/or identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
  • Have demonstrated potential in one or more scientific subjects, including biology, chemistry, computer science/programming, earth science, engineering, mathematics or physics.
  • Are able to commit to full participation in the program, including a 5-day residential camp in December and a virtual camp in July the following year, and the STEM coaching program.
  • Are highly capable, hard-working and apply themselves
  • Are curious – they have a love of learning
  • Are an Australian Citizen or permanent resident

There are two camps – one residential camp (December) and one online camp (July the following year).

In between the camps, there are online Connect Events that feature guest lectures, interactive sessions and networking.

There is also a mentoring program that matches each student to a female STEM coach working in the student’s area of interest. Through regular catch ups, the student and coach work on personal goals, discuss study options and career pathways and work on a project together.

The program runs for eight months, and requires students to be available for both Summer camp in December and Winter camp in July, engage with their STEM Coach every 2-3 weeks from January to June, and interact where possible with Connect Sessions in-between the two camps.

2024-25 Summer camp

East: 1 – 6 December 2024 (held in Canberra)
West: 8 – 13 December 2024 (held in Adelaide)

2024-25 Winter camp

Combined: 7 – 11 July 2025 (virtual)

Stay tuned for 2025-26 Dates

The Curious Minds program is delivered using a hybrid model. The Summer Camps will be held in person and the Winter Camp will be online.

If you’re a student interested in participating, you will need to put in an application online via this site.

The application form will require you to fill out details about yourself, your education and will ask you to upload some documents.

Applications for the 2024-25 Curious Minds program have closed. Express Your Interest for the next program here.

Participants are asked for a financial contribution of $200 to help meet costs incurred for delivering the program. A fee waiver is available for all applicants unable to make this contribution as part of the application process.

The program was developed in response to the Australian Government’s 2014 Restoring the focus on STEM initiative, which aims to support improved science, mathematics and digital technology education in schools and promote improved results in international tests and increased take-up of STEM subjects at the post-secondary level.

The Australian Mathematics Trust (AMT) and Australian Science Innovations (ASI) jointly deliver the Curious Minds program, which is supported by the Australian National University.

Girls from rural, disadvantaged or Indigenous backgrounds will be particularly targeted.