Pakistani refugee Amram Arif to study medicine after receiving Friends of Zainab scholarship

Pakistani refugee Amram Arif is en-route to Townsville to study medicine, after being receiving a life-changing scholarship.

Refugee Amram Arif is off to Townsville to study medicine thanks to the Friends of Zainab Scholarship. Picture: Phil Rogers

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Pakistani refugee Amram Arif is en-route to Townsville to study medicine, after being receiving a life-changing scholarship.

It’s a long way from his home in Bankstown, and even further from Punjab, Pakistan, where the 18-year-old came from with his family on Christmas Day in 2009.

With little English, Mr Arif attended an intensive language centre in Chester Hill and started at Strathfield South High School in Year 8.

Fast forward four years and Mr Arif has achieved an ATAR of 98.85 and is one of 50 students to be awarded the Friends of Zainab scholarship.

Refugee Amram Arif is off to study his “dream course” in Townsville. Picture: Phil Rogers

The scholarship, worth $4000 over two years, is to help refugee students in public education and is just another reason for Mr Arif to love Australia — a place he calls “the promised land”.

“One of the best things about Australia is the multiculturalism,” he said.

“Everyone welcomes each other, it’s like one big family where no two people are the same. It makes Australia unique and a great place to be a part of.”

It’s helped make the tough journey from Pakistan all the more meaningful.

“I can now study my dream course, it was all worth it,” Mr Arif said.

“It would not have been possible without my parents encouragement and my brother and sister. They supported me with the HSC, and encouraged me when the results didn’t go the way I wanted.”

The Friends of Zainab scholarship is awarded by the Public Education Fund and pays for education expenses, including internet connection, technology expenses and elective course fees.