The AIS delivers services nationally in association with state institutes and academies of sport and National Sporting Organisations. The AIS offers approximately 600 scholarships annually and employs about 75 coaches. Scholarships are offered in over 26 sports based around Australia including an Athletes with Disabilities program. Applicants for scholarships should be Australian citizens. The selection criteria vary among the sports but as a general rule successful applicants are athletes competing at national championship level and who are recognised by the rel evant national sporting body as elite or potentially elite.
Scholarships cover a wide range of training and living expenses for an athlete.
The AIS is not an academic institution. AIS staff provide support and advice to athletes on education, employment and vocation, life skills development, recreation and daily life. The motto for the program is 'a balanced approach to sporting excellence'. The ACE program is designed to ensure that elite athletes are equipped with skills which will benefit them when their sporting days are over. Through a structured planning process and individual athlete assessments, ACE provides all eligible athletes with career and education services which assist them in maintaining high levels of sporting performance without forgoing vital career development.