FAQs
You have questions, we have answers! Find all our answers in the accordions below, or…
Student FAQs
- Curious Minds is open to young Australian women who:
- Are in Year 8, 9 or 10 in the year of the program, and enrolled in an Australian school
- 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 camps
East Camp: 1 – 6 December 2024 (held in Canberra, for students from ACT, NSW, VIC, TAS)
West Camp: 8 – 13 December 2024 (held in Adelaide, for students from SA, WA, NT, QLD)
2024-25 Winter camp
Online: 7 – 11 July 2025 (held virtually, for all students)
Stay tuned for the 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.
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.
Express Your Interest for the Next Program
Coaches FAQs
As a STEM coach you will:
- make a difference in the life of a girl with a curious mind
- contribute to the future career of a potential STEM professional
- develop your own teaching and coaching skills
- create new networks with a group of awesome female STEM peeps
- have a rewarding experience.
Curious Minds is an eight-month program that combines two camps – a summer residential camp and winter virtual camp – and a mentoring program that takes place between summer and winter camp.
The camps will enable the girls to explore all aspects of science, technology, engineering and math through guest lectures, interactive sessions, practical’s and field trips.
As a STEM Coach, you will be matched with a female student based on a compatible STEM area of interest and, where possible, geographical location. Over the course of the six months, you will be keeping in regular contact with your student to help them build their skills and confidence in a STEM area. This can include discussing study options and career pathways, helping them undertake further extension work, developing ideas based on learnings from the camp, working on a project or inviting them to your workplace for a visit. Modules will be provided to give you and your student ideas of useful things to do. The overall objective is to increase your student’s confidence, stimulate her curiosity, inspire her enthusiasm and motivate her interest in STEM studies and careers.
You will need capacity to:
- Attend webinar training and catch ups
- Meet your student and get started during the summer camp
- Stay in touch with your student every three weeks, with communications in between.
- Attend a wrap-up session during the winter camp in July.
We will support you throughout the program with:
- initial Coach Intro sessions
- online Coach forum for questions and discussion
- planned modules including conversation tips and goals
- a ‘Head Coach’ who will monitor, check in and problem solve with you
- online catch-up sessions mid program and prior to the winter camp
- the opportunity to catch up with other mentors
Curious Minds is open to young Australian women who:
- Are in Year 8, 9 or 10 and enrolled in an Australian school in the year of the program
- 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.
In order to qualify as a Coach, you will need:
- successful proven interest in STEM activities
- the desire and capability to work with young people, in particular high school Students
- an understanding of and agreement to coach responsibilities
- a completed Working with Children Check (or state equivalent)
- the ability to commit to time requirements
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 Maths Trust (AMT) and Australian Science Innovations (ASI) jointly deliver the Curious Minds program, which is supported by the Australian National University.
Please find more information about being a STEM Coach here. Please contact us on [email protected] if you have any questions!
Please note: This is a volunteer role, and all STEM Coaches should hold a valid Working with Vulnerable People card, or be willing to obtain one.
