February 15, 2023

Destination Australia Scholarships to help regional students achieve their dreams

New UOW Southern Highlands, Shoalhaven, Batemans Bay and Bega students can apply for $15k a year scholarships

The Australian Government has partnered with the University of Wollongong (UOW) to offer the Destination Australia scholarship program to students starting full-time study this year at the University’s Southern Highlands, Shoalhaven, Batemans Bay or Bega campuses.

Scholarship applications are now open for students commencing a full-time degree at a UOW regional campus in 2023, and there is still time to apply and enrol for courses beginning this year.

Successful applicants will receive $15,000 a year for two or three years, depending on the length of their degree.  The scholarships are funded through the federal government and designed to offset costs to support regional students interested in pursuing higher education.

UOW Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Strategy and Assurance) Professor Sean Brawley said the Destination Australia Scholarships are helping students at Bega, Batemans Bay, Shoalhaven and Southern Highlands campuses to gain a qualification without leaving their region.

“Regional students face many challenges; the Scholarship eases one of those obstacles to completing a degree,” Professor Brawley said.

“With a new round of scholarships closing soon, I encourage anyone living in our regions who is considering further study to apply for a scholarship and to start following their dream this year.”

UOW Southern Highlands graduate Deborah Combes said that without a Destination Australia Scholarship her long-held ambition to become a teacher would have remained a dream.

“When my youngest child commenced Kindergarten, I decided it was time to start a Master of Teaching. I wanted to study to help Billie, who was born with Down Syndrome, through her own journey through the education system and to be able to better advocate for her,” Ms Combes said.

The Southern Highlands mother of five said that with a large family to support and her husband self-employed, full-time study would not have been possible without the support of a Destination Australia Scholarship.

When COVID-19 hit, the financial pressures became even more intense for Ms Combes and her family.

Ms Combes said the financial support allowed her to remain full-time at UOW Southern Highlands during tough financial times and “provided an incentive to work hard as I felt privileged to receive the scholarship – I wanted to achieve the best results I could.”She well and truly met that goal, completing a Master of Teaching with Distinction in 2021, and is now employed casually across several schools in the Southern Highlands, giving her flexibility to be with her family while working.

“I am considering further study as am I now so inspired to gain as much knowledge as possible, especially relating to inclusive education which I am extremely passionate about.”

For further information on Destination Australia Scholarships: www.uow.edu.au/study/scholarships/domestic/destination-australia-scholarships/

Photo: Deborah Combes celebrating with family on at her graduation ceremony after completing a Master of Teaching degree at UOW Southern Highlands.