Surveys of students who receive a university offer but don’t enrol have revealed that one in five are not enrolling due to financial issues.
The costs that are barriers are living expenses while studying, accommodation, transport, textbooks and other materials. These costs can be greater for students from regional and remote areas, who face the additional challenge of their distance from campus and relocation.
The fact that higher education is out of reach for many Tasmanians has wide-reaching effects. Over the last 20 years, nearly half of all new jobs in Australia required a bachelor's degree or above. This trend is set to continue as technology changes how we live and work, with most jobs calling for some form of post-school education.
Yet only 21 per cent of people living in Hobart have a university degree – and when it comes to most areas outside of Hobart, this drops to below 10 per cent.
Given the importance of education for transforming lives, the University of Tasmania is committed to dramatically improving these figures and creating the futures that all Tasmanians need. It is systematically looking for ways to remove barriers. These include building new pathways for students to attend university and a renewal of the scholarship program.
Almost 700 new and continuing students have been supported by philanthropic scholarships, prizes and fellowships at the University in the last year. Scholarships provide a direct way of assisting capable students who may be experiencing financial, geographical and/or social barriers to have the opportunity to attend university. They also build lasting relationships between donors and students, and a legacy of ongoing impact as these students contribute to making our island, and the world, a better place. Thank you for helping us to deliver on our mission to make a difference for lutruwita/Tasmania by delivering excellent education.
Main image: Dr Rodrigo Hamede and PhD student Tengyi Mai setting devil traps at Freycinet
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