Scientia Scholar, Academic Achievement Award and Faculty of Science Scholarship

International Grammar SchoolAdvanced Maths/Arts

Why UNSW

I chose to come to UNSW because many of my friends and family are UNSW students or alumni so I’ve known about the university for quite some time. As my HSC progressed, the online Handbook and distributed publications helped me to get to know the details of the programs I was interested in.

I was also drawn to UNSW by the breadth and reputation of its programs. However, what won me over was the genuine openness and enthusiasm of its staff at the many information days that I attended while making my decision. I wasn’t expecting to find such a strong level of engagement with individual students within such a large institution.

Why choose Maths and Arts

Maths was my favourite subject throughout high school. I particular I’d always found great satisfaction in developing the “rigour of mind” and lateral thinking skills which a study of maths requires. This is what led me to become interested in UNSW’s Advanced Maths program. I’ve also decided to combine my Advanced Maths studies with an Arts degree because I enjoyed the humanities subjects I studied at school, and because I know how easy it is to develop new interests as you are exposed to new fields.

Any advice for prospective students?

Get your information first hand, where you can. As you research programs of study, you will come across rankings, statistics and gossip about the quality of particular courses and institutions. While it is important to note these assessments, your biggest informant should be your own judgement.

Attend as many Open Days and information sessions as you can and try to talk to students and lecturers involved in your courses. Go into the actual classroom and labs where your courses will be held.

Make sure you keep an open mind towards courses that sound interesting, even if they might at first sound ‘out of your area’. And if your marks are great, don’t just follow the crowd. Yes, we need smart doctors and lawyers – but we need equally smart scientists and mathematicians and engineers too!

Benefits of holding a Scholarship?

I applied for scholarships because I was attracted by the academic and financial support which they offered. I’ve been able to pay my course fees up front, and will no longer need a part time job to finance my textbooks, food and transport. This means that I’ll be able to devote more of my time towards university life.

Being recognised as a scholarship recipient has also given me extra confidence and motivation in my academic endeavours at UNSW.

Co-op Scholarship, Academic Achievement Award (AAA)

St Ursula's College KingsgroveComputer Science

Why UNSW

From visiting the UNSW Open Days and Information events, I knew UNSW was the university for me.

It had a great communal and supportive vibe that would allow me to ease into university life. The enthusiasm of the staff and students also translated well with me.

After researching and reading through the university's handbook and websites, it was clear UNSW was very reputable in many programs, especially Engineering and Computer Science.

Why Computer Science?

My passion for Computer Science is rooted in the ability to solve real life problems and improve the quality of everyday life through technology. In a dynamic world, technological advancements are increasingly transforming our lives and I want to be part of this digital revolution. I am challenged both critically and creatively through Computer Science as I learn to build new and innovative systems, relevant not only to the present, but to the future as well. This multi-dimensional field really excites me as skills learnt can be applied to many industries.

Benefits of holding a Scholarship?

The financial support of holding a scholarship presents a ripple effect of benefits. It has allowed me to focus on my studies and contribute more to the student life and community of UNSW.

Academically, it stands as a motivational incentive to work hard and achieve my best whilst studying at university.

The significant benefit of having the Co-op scholarship is the Industry Training Experience and placements which will not only allow me to grow as a student as I apply knowledge practically but also improve my work skills, ultimately allowing me to get ahead in my career and standout to future employers.

GHD Rural Engineering Scholarship

Kinross Wolaroi SchoolCivil Engineering

Why UNSW

UNSW has one of the world’s highest ranked Schools of Engineering and provides an excellent opportunity for tertiary education. Having family and friends as alumni made my decision to choose UNSW even easier as they shared their experiences. The Faculty of Engineering at UNSW is also well connected with international companies and other international universities, allowing for many opportunities that are not present at many other universities.

Why Civil Engineering?

I chose Civil Engineering, as it is the embodiment of Mathematics and Physics that I enjoyed throughout high school. Civil Engineering also is based upon practical real-world applications and problem solving that is vital to today’s society.

Benefits of holding a Scholarship?

The Rural Engineering Scholarship from GHD allows me to focus on my studies without having to financially support myself. It also allows me to live on campus at The Kensington Colleges, which I would otherwise not be able to do. This scholarship not only has financial benefits but also has given me a working relationship with an international Engineering company within my field of study. This will allow me to gain real world practical experience before I graduate.

Scientia Scholar

James Ruse Agricultural High SchoolCommerce/Science

Why UNSW?

I went to the open days and had a browse online at everything that the univesity offered. My brother (an ex UNSW student) also gave me the low-down on how UNSW worked.

Friends and family told me that UNSW was the best university at which to study science and commerce. Also, from my experience at the open days, UNSW seemed like a friendly, multicultural environment in which I would easily fit in. A lot of my friends wanted to go to UNSW so I wanted to stick with them and to top it off, I got a scholarship which made my decision even easier.

Why choose Commerce and Science?

I want to eventually do teaching and studying both commerce and science will give me the opportunity to teach a wide variety of subjects. Also, my favourite and best subjects in high school were sciences (chemistry and physics) so I always felt like Science was for me.

I decided to do commerce based on advice from my siblings and uncle. I have always been interested in property investment and share trading so I felt commerce would give me a good knowledge base in these fields.

Any advice for prospective students?

Do what you like; not the highest course that your UAI allows!

Benefits of holding a Scholarship?

A scholarship significantly reduces the financial burden of my university schooling and gives me more time to participate in wider areas of university life (such as sport, music and culture).

There is an obvious financial gain from scholarships. With the money provided by my scholarship I am be able to pay off my university and textbook fees whilst using leftover funds to pursue my musical aspirations.

In order to maintain my scholarship I have an incentive to work hard and achieve my best whilst in university.

Ben Lexcen Sporting Scholarship

Hurlstone Agricultural High School Bachelor of Civil Engineering/Commerce

Ski Cross Sporting Achievements

• Finished 7th on debut at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010.
• Australia's first ever World Cup winner at San Candido, Italy in the 2010/11 season
• Overall Alpine Champion Australian University Snowsports Champion 2010/2011
• Currently working hard to qualify for his 2nd Olympics in Feb 2014 in Sochi Russia

Why UNSW?

I chose UNSW because of its world-renowned engineering faculty and the support the university provides for elite athletes.

Why did you choose the program you were studying?

It's always difficult when you leave high school to decide what you want to do with the rest of your life. For me though I always wanted to study Engineering. I enjoy building things and I'm good at Maths so Engineering ticked all the boxes. Fortunately I made the right decision all those years ago and I now I'm starting to find my niche in project management.

What have been the benefits of having a scholarship?

The Ben Lexcen Sports Scholarship has allowed me to study full time whilst competing at the highest level in my chosen sport of Ski Cross. I owe a lot of my academic and sporting success to the staff of the UNSW elite athlete program. The team and in particular Helen Bryson does so much for me on a daily basis from liaising with lecturers to organising exams whilst I'm overseas. The support is unsurpassed and I wouldn't be able to juggle both my study and sport without that help.

All Rounders Scholarship

Sydney Grammar SchoolUndergraduate Commerce

Why UNSW?

Looking past my parents' bias (both ex-students), there was little uncertainty in my mind when selecting Universities; with world-renowned schools of business and law the highest of standards cannot be denied (in my mind, both faculties were best at UNSW). More importantly, the welcoming and open atmosphere of the modern Kensington campus was deeply refreshing (albeit a tad on the windy side), and the campus life appeared fun and expansive, not to mention the vast opportunities for involvement in the many societies and organisations. UNSW appeared excellently all round.

Why did you choose the program you were studying?

Economics was always my favourite subject in high school, so it seemed logical to pursue a Commerce degree (not offered to me during the HSC), which incorporates a much wider variety of subjects. The benefit of studying commerce is that there is a noticeable crossover between the subject matter, where, for example, an important economic concept will show up in accounting or finance, allowing for a broader understanding. It also presented itself as an excellent complement to a law degree if I'm able to attain the necessary marks to transfer into Commerce-Law after first year.

What have been the benefits of having a scholarship?

Whilst the upfront financial benefits are very tangible, the real benefits lie unseen in the longer-term. Being awarded a scholarship is not something that should be overlooked, as every scholarship represents standing out from the crowd. Of course, to an external perspective, it reflects positively on your own abilities, but more so it is gratifying on a personal level to receive recognition for efforts often unnoticed. In my situation, I always strived to apply myself to the diverse areas of academics, sport, leadership, music and volunteering, and it was very rewarding to be recognised as an “All Rounder”.

McDonald's Ben Lexcen Sports Scholarship & Scientia Scholar

Loreto KirribilliArts / Law

Why UNSW?

UNSW struck me as a well-rounded university, offering me the opportunity to pursue sport and Taekwondo, and to study law in a more personal way as a result of the smaller class sizes. UNSW also offers a vibrant and interesting social scene via its clubs and societies, and this balance between sport, academia and social pursuits was exceptionally appealing.

Why did you choose the program you were studying?

I chose to study Arts/Law because both degrees are interesting in how they engage with the world. Arts gives me a classical education in terms of history and philosophy, creating an awareness of a vivid human history of ideas, whilst Law is a fascinating examination of society and its administration, critical to understanding group dynamics, and the imposition of social values. I have always been interested in the way that people interact, and how humanity has sought to organise itself, and thus, through choosing such a course of study, I hope to myself learn to think and contribute to our society.

What have been the benefits of having a scholarship?

Scholarships have been beneficial for me in that they have allowed me to have the "uni experience", whilst also focusing upon my academic and sporting goals. The financial and hands-on support that I receive is integral in allowing me to balance the different aspects of my life, and creates time that I would not otherwise have if I were working. I am very grateful to have such an opportunity at UNSW.