History teachers across Cowra and Canowindra are being encouraged to take their lessons beyond the classroom and onto some of the world's most significant battlefields through a new scholarship valued at approximately $10,000.

The History Teachers Association of NSW and Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours have launched the inaugural NSW History Teachers Anzac Scholarship, offering one NSW history teacher a fully funded place on an Anzac Day battlefield tour in April 2027.

Teachers from Cowra, Canowindra and surrounding communities are being particularly encouraged to apply, with applications remaining open until Sunday, 4 October.

The scholarship has been established around a simple idea, giving a teacher the opportunity to stand in the places they teach about before bringing that experience and knowledge back to their students.

The successful applicant will be able to choose between four itineraries covering significant First and Second World War sites at Gallipoli, the Western Front and Thailand.

History Teachers Association of NSW president Anne Gripton said the experience represented an important professional development opportunity.

"HTANSW is proud to partner with Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours on this outstanding professional development opportunity," Ms Gripton said.

"Supporting history teachers to deepen their knowledge and bring it back to the classroom is exactly what we exist to do.

"We encourage every passionate history educator in NSW to apply."

Battlefield historian and tour company founder Mat McLachlan said visiting the places where major historical events occurred could change the way teachers approached the subject.

"Every history teacher deserves the chance to walk the ground they teach about," Mr McLachlan said.

"This scholarship exists to make that possible and to ensure that one teacher's experience on the battlefields ripples out to benefit students right across Australia."

Applicants can nominate one of four Anzac Day 2027 tours.

An eight-day Gallipoli itinerary will explore the peninsula and examine the experiences of Anzacs, British and Commonwealth soldiers, Turkish and Ottoman forces, medical personnel and civilians. It will include attendance at the Anzac Cove Dawn Service.

Teachers can instead nominate a 10 day Western Front tour through northern France and Belgium, exploring Australian First World War battlefields and areas behind the lines before attending the Anzac Day Dawn Service at the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux.

A shorter four day itinerary will focus on significant Australian battlefields around Ypres in Belgium and northern France, culminating in the Anzac Day Dawn Service at Polygon Wood.

The fourth option takes the successful teacher to Thailand for five days to explore the history of the Burma-Thailand Railway during the Second World War and attend the Anzac Day Dawn Service at Hellfire Pass.

The scholarship covers international economy airfares from Sydney as well as the fully escorted land component of the successful applicant's chosen tour, led by an expert historian.

A travelling companion can also accompany the successful teacher at a discounted rate.

However, the scholarship has been designed to ensure the experience extends beyond the individual recipient.

Following the trip, the successful teacher will be required to prepare a report for Teaching History, the History Teachers Association of NSW journal.

They will also produce a substantial piece of work, such as educational resources, to share what they learned with the wider teaching community.

The aim is for the knowledge gained overseas to flow back into classrooms and benefit students who may never have the opportunity to visit the sites themselves.

That could make the opportunity particularly valuable for teachers and students in regional communities such as Cowra and Canowindra.

Applicants must be NSW history teachers with a current HTANSW personal or faculty membership.

Rather than requiring a lengthy written submission, teachers are being asked to prepare a one-to-two-minute video addressing four areas: which tour they would like to join and why, their existing knowledge of the area, what they hope to learn and how the experience would improve their teaching.

The selection panel will look for applicants who demonstrate a passion for Anzac history and its place in the Australian curriculum, an understanding of how visiting battlefield sites could enrich classroom teaching and a willingness to share what they learn with other educators.

While teachers with personal or family connections to the First World War may choose to incorporate those stories into their application, such a connection is not required.

Applications will be assessed by a panel of historians and education professionals.

The scholarship is being offered for the first time this year, with organisers intending for it to become an annual opportunity with the potential to grow in future years.

Cowra and Canowindra history teachers interested in applying can find the scholarship details and application form through the NSW History Teachers Anzac Scholarship page.