Suzanne Lazaroo
14 November 2024: A new partnership between Snow Foundation and the University of Canberra will offer a holistic scholarship program with an unprecedented level of support, creating new higher education pathways for students from underrepresented groups.
Snow Foundation has committed to fund 160 scholarships at the University over a ten-year period, with a total value of $20 million.
Envisioned to empower recipients to become visionary leaders and innovators, driving impact in the community and influencing meaningful change, the Snow Scholarship Program will be the most generous undergraduate scholarship program of its kind in Australia.
Scholars will each receive support of up to $30,000 per year for the duration of their degree, as well as holistic wrap-around support.
University of Canberra Chancellor Lisa Paul AO PSM said that the partnership could not be a more perfect fit.
“The University of Canberra is dedicated to opportunity. We are recognised globally for reducing inequalities, and 40 percent of our students are the first in their family to go to university,” she said.
“Through this collaboration with Snow Foundation, we look forward to building on our shared values of equity and inclusivity and enhancing access to higher education for underrepresented students in the ACT and regional NSW.
“We are incredibly grateful to Snow Foundation for supporting future students in this way.”
The Snow Scholarship Program will enrich Canberra and the broader community by fostering a new generation of skilled leaders, strengthening the local workforce and contributing to the growth of businesses and community initiatives throughout the region.
“Snow Foundation has a deep connection to Canberra and this partnership with the University of Canberra reflects our commitment to the future of this great city where our family has lived and worked,” Snow Foundation CEO Georgina Byron AM said.
“We believe in the power of education as a driver of change and the Snow Scholarships build on our existing scholarship program already benefitting 76 students each year, through several partnerships.
“Our vision is to attract students with smart minds and big hearts, and to enable them to reach their potential and make meaningful contributions to their communities and beyond. The ripple effect of the Snow Scholarships will be profound, aiming to nurture the next generation of globally aware an socially conscious leaders across sectors – whether in community, business, science, law, health or politics.”
Scholarships will be awarded under two categories: Equity and Indigenous Scholarships. Up to 16 scholars per year will be selected for their leadership potential, commitment to social purpose and academic achievements.
Scholarship applications will open in 2025, with the first round of recipients commencing their studies in Semester One of 2026.
The transformative program will empower students to become future leaders, changemakers and innovators, creating impact and influencing meaningful change through access to higher education.
The scholarships will be available to students from underrepresented groups across the ACT, and rural and regional NSW; recipients may pursue any undergraduate degree at the University.
Scholars will benefit from an inclusive cohort, reflecting a diversity of backgrounds, experiences, genders, identities, ages, and academics, allowing them to thrive in a supportive and stimulating environment where they can learn from each other.
“It is a great privilege to partner with Snow Foundation to create opportunities for disadvantaged students in Canberra and the region. The effects of this generosity will be felt for generations to come, and we are extremely grateful,” said University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor Professor Stephen Parker AO.
The scholarships will provide a holistic scaffolding of support, to create a meaningful university experience for recipients and help set them up for success, This includes covering on-campus accommodation, financial support for living expenses and the cost of travelling home, leadership development, First Nations experience and education, access to tutoring, academic and placement support, and access to free medical, wellbeing and financial services. A dedicated space – Snow Scholar House – will provide a unique study space for scholarship recipients to connect and learn together.
University of Canberra’s Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Leadership, Professor Maree Meredith, said that the Snow Scholarships will be a gamechanger.
“This is a visionary program in the Australian higher education landscape,” she said. “People talk about life-changing opportunities a bit too often, but this really is one of those opportunities, because the scholarships are matched to support the scholars as needed across their student journey.
“I believe the scholars are going to become a formidable force for positive change in the future. It’s about inclusion and it doesn’t matter whether you are Indigenous, whether you are growing up in a household with low income, or hundreds of kilometres away in the bush – this program gives you the opportunity to become part of an extraordinary community.”
Applications for the Snow Scholarships will open in early 2025; successful applicants will commence their studies in Semester One, 2026.
For more information on the program, visit the Snow Scholarships website.