content-left-bg.png
content-right-bg.png

TJ Ryan Memorial Medal and Prize

WebPartZone1_1
PublishingPageContent

Up to 15 TJ Ryan Memorial Medal and Prizes are awarded each year to support exemplary Queensland students to pursue tertiary studies.

State and non-state secondary schools can nominate 1 high achieving Year 12 student for this award. Nominees should demonstrate outstanding leadership in their school and community and academic excellence.

Award details

Each year, the Queensland Department of Education awards:

  • up to 15 TJ Ryan Memorial Medallists
    • a prize valued at $5,000
    • a certificate of recognition
  • up to 15 TJ Ryan Merit awards
    • a certificate of merit.

How schools nominate their candidate

Each Queensland secondary school can submit only 1 nominee.

  • Review the nomination guidelines provided
  • Schools determine their 1 nominee
  • Review the nomination process with the selected nominee to prepare a nomination

Student nominee submits the nomination.

  • Gather all supporting documents (as listed in the document checklist provided on Smart Jobs).
  • Visit Smart Jobs to nominate yourself for the prize.
  • Click the green 'apply online' button at the bottom of that page to proceed—you may need to create an account.
  • When logged in to the Smart Jobs account, complete the online questionnaire and upload all required supporting documents by the closing date.

History of the award

The TJ Ryan Memorial Medal represents a long-standing tradition of recognising educational achievement in Queensland. The award is a memorial to Thomas Joseph Ryan, former teacher, barrister and Queensland Premier (1915–1919), and is provided to students who demonstrate a strong commitment to high academic achievement and outstanding leadership in both their school and the local community.

From 1927 to 1970, the TJ Ryan Memorial Scholarship was awarded to the student who achieved the highest result in the state scholarship examination. The scholarship program ceased with the end of these public examinations.

In 1993, the TJ Ryan Awards were re-introduced by the Queensland Government. The award was open to students from disadvantaged backgrounds who demonstrated academic excellence and who displayed leadership qualities through their achievements in Year 12. From 1996, the awards were expanded to all students who demonstrate outstanding leadership qualities and academic excellence during their senior years at high school.

In 2003, the award was renamed the TJ Ryan Memorial Medal and Scholarships, and in 2024, renamed to the TJ Ryan Memorial Medal and Prize. The award has also been known as the Premier's Awards and the Lilley Medal.

View what others say about the Awards (duration 2.59 minutes).

Enquiries and further information

Nominations for the 2024 TJ Ryan Memorial Medal and Prize have now closed. Subscribe to receive an email alert when nominations for the 2025 program opens in term 3.

If you have any questions about this program, contact our Scholarships and Grants team by email at scholarships@qed.qld.gov.au or phone (07) 3055 2991.

Subscribe

2024 award recipients

Medallists

Anastasia Ho, Kenmore State High School

Benjamin Campbell, Toolooa State High School

Benjamin Sargent, Padua College

Charlotte Sneyd, Moranbah State High School

Darcy Meagher, Toowoomba Anglican School

Emma Boyd, Pacific Pines State High School

Erl Nino Solana, St John's School (Roma)

Hayley Andrejic, St Patrick's College (Townsville)

Lily Alford, St Margaret's Anglican Girls School

Lily Thomas, Mountain Creek State High School

Luke Inooka, North Lakes State College

Mia De Guzman, St Mary's Catholic College (Kingaroy)

Pranshu Dave, Brisbane State High School

Timothy Rae, Redlands College

Xavier Curry, Mansfield State High School

Merit

Abel Budiono, Marsden State High School

Addison Ascough, Maryborough State High School

Althea Campbell, St Mary's College (Ipswich)

Alysha Tranent, Aldridge State High School

Caitlin Elms, Redlynch State College

Charlie-Mei Seeto, Murrumba State Secondary College

Daisy Newell, Nambour Christian College

Dante Pellegrino, Queensland Academies Health Sciences

Delaney Phillips, St Margaret Mary's College

Ella Sheehan, Earnshaw State College

Erinmary Boby, Ripley Valley State Secondary College

Gabriella Porter, Grace Lutheran College

Hayden Lam, Varsity College

Hemish Dubey, Brisbane Boys' College

Holly Perrin, Proserpine State High School

Jacob Machin, Home Hill State High School

Jadyn Wetzig, Balmoral State High School

Jesse-Jaymes McKenzie, Pimpama State Secondary College

Jessica Vacher, Mt St Michael's College

Jorja McIntyre, Gympie State High School

Kael Hunter Saw, The Southport School

Kaewa Marumaru, Bracken Ridge State High School

Kirra Watts, Burnside State High School

Lachlan Peel, Queensland Academy for Science Mathematics and Technology

Laura Liddy, Loreto College

Liam Cousen, Pittsworth State High School

Lilla Pratt, Emmaus College (Park Avenue)

Luca Jordan-Vieira, Villanova College

Macey Searle, Beerwah State High School

Madeline Cochran, Caboolture State High School

Maisie Atwell, Clifton State High School

Matilda Briggs, Toowoomba State High School

Natalie Ephraims, Kepnock State High School

Nicholas Doyle, Holy Spirit College (Mount Pleasant)

Noah-Jay McArdle, Coolum State High School

Olivia McPherson, St. Aidan's Anglican Girls' School

Rachel Williams, Mary Mackillop Catholic College

Robert Mansfield, Toowoomba Grammar School

Robert Mol, Helensvale State High School

Shiva Sathiyamoorthy, Woodridge State High School

Skyla Birch, St Mary's College (Maryborough)

Sonam Tobden, Coorparoo Secondary College

Sophie Khan, Fairholme College

Sophie Stephenson, Highfields State Secondary College

Taichi Sato, Trinity Bay State High School

Tiah Kalaja, Brigidine College

Trentham Daveson, Stanthorpe State High School

Trishali Lal, Noosa District State High School

William Radke, St Patrick's College (Mackay)

Zachary MacInnes, The Gap State High School​

WebPartZone1_2
WebPartZone2_1
WebPartZone2_2
WebPartZone2_3
WebPartZone3_1
WebPartZone3_2
WebPartZone3_3
WebPartZone3_4
WebPartZone4_1
WebPartZone5_1
WebPartZone5_2
WebPartZone6_1
WebPartZone6_2
WebPartZone7_1
WebPartZone7_2
WebPartZone8_1
WebPartZone8_2
WebPartZone9_1
Last updated 27 June 2025