has put its hand up to help country students studying at Sydney’s by partnering with Country Education Foundation of Australia (CEF) to deliver accommodation scholarships.
Inflation has proved a major challenge for university students from rural and regional Australia, who bear the brunt of higher travel and accommodation costs than their city counterparts due to needing to travel greater distances and move away from their hometowns.
CEF’s Accommodation scholarships have proved critical in 2023, as well as , with 60% of recipients reporting they used at least some of their funds for accommodation this year- an increase of 14% from 2022.
Through its program, CEF has an accommodation partnership with DLC – a residential college located at Macquarie University in Sydney, which through its CEF partnership offers students scholarships of half their annual accommodation fees for one year, which this year was $10,545.
The scholarship is offered to one student per year. Students are eligible if they have already received a grant from their local CEF foundation.
Since first partnering with CEF in 2020 DLC has funded four scholarships to the tune of $35,595, helping two students make ends meet while living on campus and completing their studies at Macquarie University.
DLC is a not-for-profit Residential College driven by the belief that enabling access to university study changes not only students’ lives but also their families and wider communities.
Dr Alasdair Murrie-West, Principal and CEO of DLC, said the college had been supporting students to attend Macquarie University for 50 years.
“Every year we see the positive impact of creating pathways and providing financial assistance makes on a young person’s life,” he said.
“Transitioning to university and life in Sydney can be a significant hurdle but our welcoming and inclusive community is a great place to find new friends, be supported in your studies and to enjoy everything university and college life has to offer.”
“Dunmore Lang College values our partnership with CEF, as it enables us to connect with rural students who will not only succeed in their studies but who will also make an amazing contribution to our college community.”
This year there was one recipient of the CEF – Dunmore Lang College Scholarship – Kolby Seers.
CEF University Partner:
, Macquarie University
Partnership Commenced:
2020
Number of Students Supported:
4
Total Funds Committed:
$35,595
Student Spotlight – Kolby Seers
Kolby Seers
Bachelor of Secondary Education
Dunmore Lang College Accommodation Scholarship
Local CEF Foundation:
CEF student Kolby Seers, of Griffith, says his Dunmore Lang College (DLC) scholarship has taken a lot of pressure from his study expenses and freed up funds for other purposes.
Mr Seers received the scholarship this year to live there while studying a Bachelor of Engineering with Honours at Macquarie University.
He initially received a grant of $3000 from his local CEF foundation, , which he said he also used to cover accommodation fees.
Completing his first year of study this year, he said his funding had enabled him to relax and focus on his course work.
“It’s meant I have not had to go out and get a part time or casual job like so many others do. It gives me the weekends off and I can relax mentally,” he said.
“It’s been a massive help. It’s freed up funds to purchase textbooks and equipment. I have mates living here [DLC] that pay the full amount.”
He said accommodation was his biggest annual expense, however it had been worth it, saying it was a “great” place to stay and that he had made good relationships with fellow students.
