Long Term Support for Scholarships

The Future Generations Fund is an endowment that was established in 2006 to provide scholarships in perpetuity for University of Melbourne students. This fund allows the University to respond flexibly to changing needs of students. The first Future Generations Fund Scholarships were awarded in 2010. Since then 15 post-graduate students have received scholarships from the Future Generations Fund.

At the start of 2011 the Fund had a capital value of $2,259,145.49 with accumulated income of $277,046.17. Last year, donors contributed a further $109,399 to the endowment. Therefore in 2012 at least eight more scholarships will be provided to current postgraduate students.

Sumit Shevade, a 2011 Future Generations Fund Scholar studying for a Doctor of Optometry, talks about how his scholarship has benefitted him.

"I am really happy to be doing the Doctor program because of the amount of clinical practice I am able to do. I was able to do this within the first two weeks of my course. But if it weren't for my scholarship, I would have had difficulty in buying the necessary equipment for my course, such as retina scopes and heads, all of which can cost around $6,000! The scholarship has really reduced the financial burden on me and my family, so now I can better focus on becoming an optometrist." 

Student Financial Aid

Immediate Assistance for Students in Financial Need

The University works to ensure that students who have the academic ability to get into the University of Melbourne do not turn down that offer because of their personal circumstances. The University also needs to ensure that once studying here, every student is able to complete their degree to the best of their ability. Without our donors, many students may be forced to abandon their studies or miss out on many opportunities the University has to offer. Not only does this mean that the student will miss out on the transformational opportunities that a tertiary education can offer, but society loses that student’s potential.

At present over 9,000 students join the University each year. However, for some simply earning a place at university is not enough if they cannot cover living expenses such as accommodation, food, rent, or the cost of relocating in the case of rural students.  Hundreds of students work more than the recommended 20 hours per week on top of full-time study, seriously impacting on their studies, or causing them to miss out on experiences at University (leadership programs, fieldwork) which can impact on their career opportunities.

In 2011, the Student Financial Aid Office reported an increase in the number of students seeking financial aid. In Semester 1, 1,558 students applied for Student Financial Aid grants. At current funding levels, the University’s Student Financial Aid office could only award 700 students a grant.

Donations in 2011 of $265,000 for Immediate Assistance for Students in Financial Need will allow the University’s Student Financial Aid Office greater flexibility to respond to the changing financial needs of students in 2012.

This flexibility in early 2011, for example, allowed the University to respond quickly to student needs after the devastating floods in Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales. The University‘s Flood Response assisted the needs of students who were adversely affected by the floods. The University provided 37 students from Victoria and Queensland with financial aid grants up to the value of $1,000 to replace educational materials lost or damaged in the floods.

Student quote:

“As a beneficiary that has experienced homelessness, and a life that has been difficult at times, I truly appreciated your assistance last year, it was a tremendous help. Your generosity allowed me to continue with my academic pursuits. Your support helped to equalise academic opportunity, academic placement, and lessened a financial burden. The grant provided the financial means to assist with my rental accommodation.”

International Student Access Fund

International students, for many years now, have helped to enrich the cultural diversity of the University of Melbourne community including all aspects of academic and social life.

However, despite best-laid plans, some international students experience financial difficulties during their time at the University of Melbourne. This can make university extremely hard for these students, impacting on their ability to do their best study, and forcing some to abandon their studies altogether.

The University is greatly committed to ensuring that our current and future international students have the best experiences possible.

To support this goal, a new initiative was implemented in 2011 which solely supports international students who find themselves in need of financial assistance during their time at the University of Melbourne. The International Student Access Fund will provide grants of between $500 and $1,600 to eligible international students in need. Each year, according to the University’s Student Financial Aid office, demand by international students for financial assistance outweighs the available grants by 5 to 1. In 2011 $6,000 was given to establish the fund and provide grants solely for international students in need, enabling them to better focus on their studies. Alumni support was able to provide grants for 12 international students. One international student reported how her grant affected her:

"It was just amazing. I was crying when I received my grant. People often don't understand how motivating a grant of $500 is. It gave me powerful energy to study harder than before. In 1st semester I only passed 4 courses. After I received that grant I got two 'H3' grades in my chosen subject. I studied to the best of my abilities because my goal was always to study at Melbourne. The grant also meant that I worried less about my family life and paying rent."

Student Giving Program

The Student Giving Program aims to raise awareness amongst the student body of the University’s need for philanthropic support and to raise funds to assist other students on campus. The students form a Student Appeal Leadership Committee to make a case for support and then plan and carry out an engaging and meaningful fundraising campaign.

The 2011 Student Appeal raised a total of $12,807 (including matching funds) including matching funds to provide 25 additional rental assistance grants worth $500 to students in financial need. The 2011 appeal saw a 100% increase on student donor numbers from the 2010 appeal. Student volunteer numbers also increased 37% demonstrating that students believe in giving back to the University community by assisting their fellow students.

The grants from the student appeal are disbursed by the Student Financial Office who select the student recipients in greatest need, such as the student below:

"The grant has helped me with the most basic of necessities to help keep me at university purposefully. I used the grant to help cover the costs of textbooks, course materials and to buy a printer. The extra bit of money helped ensure I didn't have to work excessive hours and miss out on lectures."

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