Sydney University scholarships ‘level the playing field’ for non-ATAR students

The principle of a sports-orientated school defined by its non-ATAR status says her students have struggled to enrol in further study at the University of Sydney – until now.

Souths Care’s Nakia Davis-Welsh with GOAL College students Kobe Knight and Zion Stewart at the University of Sydney. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Four students at a unique Sydney school are sharing in a $50,000 scholarship from The University of Sydney, in a move their principal says marks a major turning point for Australia’s oldest university.

Sports-orientated senior school GOAL College is defined by its philosophy and non-ATAR status, but principal Kate O’Donnell said her students have struggled to enrol in further study across the road from their Forest Lodge campus as a result – until now.

The extra money to cover school fees and additional attendance support – plus a series of week-long residencies on campus – mark “a big step forward”, Ms O’Donnell said.

“Now you’ve got one of the sandstone unis, one of the big five, saying ‘we recognise that we have to do things differently to enable these people to succeed’, and I’m excited by that.”

Scholarship recipient Josephine Zapantis came close to dropping out of her previous school in Year 10 after a broken ankle resulted in her falling four weeks behind her peers.

GOAL College student Zion Stewart at The University of Sydney. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Now back on track academically, she plans to become the first in her family to finish Year 12 and go on to study sports physiotherapy at university.

“I do a lot of training outside of school, but it’s a lot easier to balance life, training and school work now,” she said.

Classmate and fellow scholarship recipient Jack Lawrence will also be the first in his family to finish Year 12, and plans to juggle a sports science degree with training for the AFL draft.

“I’m learning a lot more at school now, which is great. Everyone came here for a reason,” he said.

South Sydney Rabbitohs Indigenous All-Star and mum of two Nakia Davis-Welsh works as a mentor for at-risk kids through the Bunnies’ charitable arm Souths Cares, and said all universities needed to make more effort to break down institutional barriers, especially for Indigenous youth.

“The more that they see and the more that they meet with university leaders, the more confident these kids will be,” she said.

At The University of Sydney, where fewer than 1 per cent of enrolled students are Indigenous, Vice-Chancellor Mark Scott said he is “determined to level the playing field”.

“While most of our offers are based on a student’s ATAR, we understand this doesn’t always reflect their ability to succeed at university,” he said.

“That’s why we’ve introduced a dedicated pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students without an ATAR to study some of our humanities, science and health degrees.”

“There’s plenty of research now that shows that what you need to succeed at university – and in life – is resilience, and a plan,” Ms O’Donnell said.

“You have to have self-belief, and that trumps a high ATAR every time.”

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