The Cyprus Community of NSW has launched a new international student scholarship, offering two New South Wales residents the opportunity to travel to Cyprus and compete in the 9th National Skills Competition – SkillsCyprus 2026.
The initiative forms part of the Community’s Strategy – Vision 2026–2029 and is designed to position young people as active contributors to community life, with a strong focus on skills, leadership, and global engagement. Applications open on Friday, February 6 here.
The scholarship will fully cover travel costs to Cyprus, enabling the selected participants to take part in the national competition held at the State Fair (Kratiki Ekthesi) in Nicosia from 29–31 October 2026. Participants will compete alongside students and young professionals from across Cyprus, showcasing technical excellence, innovation, and vocational skill across 22 specialisations.
Honorary President of the Cyprus Community of NSW, Michael Peters Kyriacou, said the initiative was the first of its kind in the organisation’s history.
“This is a first-of-its-kind initiative in the history of our Community,” Mr Kyriacou said.
“It forms part of our broader strategy to renew, refresh, and re-engage with our youth — to be inclusive and focused on nurturing young people who will become the future leaders of our organisation and our wider community.”
Mr Kyriacou said the scholarship had been promoted across Greek schools and major Greek organisations throughout NSW and was intentionally inclusive in its scope.
“This is not purely a Cyprus-focused scholarship,” he said.
“We welcome applicants who have a connection to Cyprus, or who wish to develop one — to understand Cypriot culture and language, enhance their skills and experience, and bring that knowledge back to strengthen our Community.”
He added that part of the scholarship would be used to enrol successful candidates in a Cyprus-based tertiary institution, making them eligible to participate in the competition.
Eligible competitors must be born after 31 December 2001 and be either working in their field or studying at secondary or higher education institutions in Cyprus.
SkillsCyprus is the National Skills Competition of Cyprus, organised biennially by the Cyprus Productivity Centre. Modelled on the EuroSkills framework, it promotes technical and vocational education, highlights young talent, and serves as the qualifying event for the Cyprus National Team at EuroSkills 2027 in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Competition categories span creative, technical, and service disciplines, including graphic design, web development, mechanical design (CAD), plumbing and heating, cooking, restaurant service, and entrepreneurship. Winners receive cash prizes — €1,000 for first place, €750 for second, and €500 for third — as well as selection to the national team.
Following the 8th competition in 2024, Cyprus recorded strong results at EuroSkills 2025 in Denmark, including a bronze medal in Entrepreneurship and notable performances in Cooking and Aesthetics.
The official SkillsCyprus government website serves as the primary information portal for the competition and provides further details in Greek.
Eligible students are encouraged to apply promptly.
For competition information and eligibility details, visit www.skillscyprus.gov.cy.
