New students who would otherwise be unable to attend the Australian National University (ANU) are to be offered financial and pastoral support as part of a new scholarship program.
Announcing the first-of-its-kind scholarship program at the launch of the University’s Strategic Plan for 2025, Vice-Chancellor of ANU, Brian Schmidt said the scholarship would also enable eligible students to live on campus in their first year.
“Between now and 2025, we will be putting in place policies to ensure no student who has what it takes to get into ANU will need to dream cheaper and choose somewhere else,” Professor Schmidt said.
“ANU is the only research university in the country whose intended main student catchment zone is the entire nation,” he said.
Professor Schmidt said moving interstate to study was expensive and he suspected that many young Australians capable of getting in to ANU did not consider applying because the additional costs were so daunting.
“They can still dream of a great education and get it, but maybe by dreaming a little cheaper,” he said.
“I think it’s time we addressed this.”
He said money worries should no longer be a reason that a talented Australian student could not study at their university of choice, especially their national university.
Professor Schmidt said the idea was simple and bold, and ANU would be the first to fully realise it.
