Frequently asked questions

120 Indigenous students from across Australia will take part in 2025.

The application process opens on Monday 17th February and closes Friday 4th April.

​Applicants must be Indigenous students aged 8-15 years (Years 3-10) and be enrolled and regularly attending school.

Parents should read the What we do page. They can then talk to their kids and their teachers about our E-reading program. If you like what we do you can all get together and work out if you want to apply. Please be aware if your child is selected for our program we will need your support and help to ensure your child has the best chance of succeeding.

Teachers help us identify kids for the program. They also help monitor students' progress over the 12-week program. If you are passionate about reading and you teach Indigenous students, please consider getting involved. You can read the information on our website and talk to your students and parents about the program.

​Yes. Teachers need to understand that there is additional work involved when participating in the program. Teachers initiate and submit applications. Teachers provide support to students during the program. They also provide advice to us about the student's reading skills at the start and end of the program. If you are concerned about extra work demands, please do not apply.

We have a "use it or lose it" policy. If students do not actively use the tablet for reading then it is returned to us. We then reallocate it to another student.

Yes. At the end of 12 weeks, tablets are awarded to students who have made a significant and measurable improvement in their reading achievement. In addition, we will give successful students continued access to our e-book library so they can continue to access great e-books. A small number of very successful students will be offered places in our Reading for Life program.

No. We believe in capacity building. Our project is incentive-based. We reward student effort and achievement.

Yes. Since 2012 over 1,500 students from the city, regional and bush schools have participated in the program with an 87% success rate. Our latest results from 2023 are strong with significant measurable improvements in reading effort and achievement. The average amount of time spent reading by our students increased by 159%. Scores for reading fluency improved by 27%. Reading comprehension scores improved by 45%.

Indigenous Reading Project is a voluntary, not-for-profit group. You can find out more About us, our philosophy, our approach to work, and our people. 

Yes you can download a copy of our fact sheet here.

You can find our schedule above, under 'What are the key dates for the program?'. 

We announce the schedule for our program via email in term 1 of each school year. If you would like to be notified as soon as the schedule is available each year, please subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of our home page.

To find out more please contact us via email erp@irp.org.au or telephone 0435 014 862.