Leading Victorian philanthropists fund new annual scholarship through the John Monash Foundation

A Jane Hansen and Paul Little John Monash Scholarship will be awarded annually from 2026 thanks to the generosity of highly respected husband-wife philanthropists Jane Hansen AO and Paul Little AO.

The new scholarship will be available to Australians who can demonstrate compelling academic rigour and clear leadership qualities or capacity. In addition, a strong sense of Australian citizenship and values, a vision to generate a positive impact to society, and a commitment to give back to the community are all important qualities in a John Monash Scholar.  

“This contribution to expand the prestigious John Monash Scholarship Program is truly wonderful,”  Paul Ramadge, the Foundation’s CEO, said. “Jane and Paul are no strangers to scholarships, having established or supported numerous such programs in the past and this is yet another significant postgraduate commitment. I am certain that their generosity and commitment will be deeply appreciated by scholars from multiple disciplines who will go on to proudly represent their country overseas and on their return.” 

Jane Hansen and Paul Little have a proud history of philanthropy in areas such as education, theatre and the arts, medical research, youth homelessness and addiction rehabilitation. In 2015, the couple established The Hansen Trust via a $10 million gift from the Hansen Little Foundation to the University of Melbourne to support teaching and research in the discipline of History. In 2018, the Foundation gifted a further $30 million to the University which enabled the establishment of one of the newest halls of residence, Little Hall, along with the University’s flagship scholarship program, The Hansen Scholarship.

Among a suite of business achievements, Paul Little served as managing director of Toll Holdings, an Australasian integrated logistics provider, from 1985 until 2011. He developed Toll from an 18-truck operation worth $1.5million into a $3.8 billion international organisation with 45,000 employees and operations in fifty countries. Paul is widely respected as one of Victoria’s most accomplished business and community leaders.

Jane Hansen is the 23rd Chancellor of the University of Melbourne and Chair of the Hansen Little Foundation. She is also Chair of the New Campaign Advisory Board and a member of the Humanities Foundation Advisory Board for the University of Melbourne.

Jane serves on the Board of Opera Australia and The Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation. She holds a Bachelor of Economics from Monash University, a Bachelor of Arts majoring in History from the University of Melbourne and a Master’s degree in Finance and Business Administration from Columbia University.

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Applications for 2026 John Monash Scholarships open on May 1. Successful applicants will receive $100,000 for each year of postgraduate study overseas, up to a maximum of $300,000.