The University of Wollongong has some sweet scholarships to keep local talent in the region. Photo: Paul Jones.
More than $200k will be given to Illawarra students from the University of Wollongong to study at home.
The university’s new Illawarra Community Enrolment Scholarship program will offer $8500 to 25 first-year students from Wollongong, Shellharbour or Kiama in 2026.
Interim deputy vice-chancellor for the university Professor Joe Chicharo said the funds were to help ease cost-of-living pressures and encourage students to study close to home.
He said although local students could continue to live with their families while they continue their studies, attractive scholarships lured many away to Sydney, or further afield.
“It’s not just accommodation, it’s the costs associated with travel, fuel, learning materials, books, software, tech, lab materials and internet access,” he said.
“A lot of families are doing it really tough.
“Some scholarships that Sydney unis offer look very attractive, but once they move up there and experience the cost of living in Sydney they realise it’s quite significant and then end up commuting.
“This is about showing commitment to our local region, keeping local talent and making sure they have an opportunity to succeed locally.”
Prof Chicharo said the scholarships were on offer to first-year students because the university believed a strong first year set students up for success over the course of their degree.
He said many students had to take on multiple part-time jobs to support them through university.
“This will help them focus entirely on their studies from day one,” he said.
“If they succeed in their first year their propensity to succeed at the end of their studies is very high.”
Professor Chicharo acknowledged rural and regional students who must leave home to study faced the same obstacles, in addition to the need to fund their own accommodation and transport.
He said there was no plan to offer new cost-of-living scholarships to those students.
“We have other merit-based scholarships available to all students including regional students,” he said.
“When we look at the scholarships we offer it’s around need, and we have decided in order to make an impact to students that end up getting in we decided to focus on our immediate local region.
“For example on the South Coast we do have other scholarships available for Indigenous students.”
The funds for the Illawarra Community Enrolment Scholarship Program will come from the university’s budget.
The announcement comes as UOW prepares to host an Information and Enrolment Day at its Wollongong campus on 28 January, giving students and families hands-on help to finalise offers, choose subjects and complete enrolment during the peak student enrolment decision period.
The day is open to students and parents to help onboard students into university life.
