Former Buderim student Alex Dunn credits the fact that he treated school like tertiary study for winning a $24,000 UQ Excellence Scholarship.
“I’d say to anyone who is thinking of applying for a scholarship at UQ to give it a go,” he said.
“If you want to do well, take responsibility for your own learning.
“Once you start to do that, and find teachers who are good mentors, you will succeed.”
Alex was Dux and College Captain of St John’s College Nambour last year.
He said his school had been very supportive, and advocated personal responsibility.
He received an OP1, which helped earn him a UQ Excellence Scholarship, enabling him to study a Bachelor of Science at UQ.
“I wanted to study at UQ because it is one of the nation’s research leaders and it offered the greatest options for what I wanted to do,” Alex said.
He is using his scholarship to help with his HECS and college fees.
Alex is one of 40 students accepted into the UQ Advanced Studies Program in Science (ASPinS), which provides an opportunity for high achieving students to interact with some of UQ's leading research scientists.
He achieved straight sevens (the highest mark) in his first semester at UQ.
His long-term career goal is to become a professor in pure mathematics.
UQ’s undergraduate scholarship program is the largest in Queensland and one of the most generous in Australia.
Each year The University of Queensland awards hundreds of scholarships to Year 12 school leavers and gap year students.
Ranging in value from $6000 for the first year of study to $60,000 over five years, UQ’s Academic Scholarships are awarded to very high achievers including students who have experienced educational disadvantage due to long-term financial hardship, geographic isolation, or as a result of their Indigenous background.
UQ sporting scholarships are also available to students who excel in their chosen field.
More than 20 scholarships ranging in value from $6000 for one year of study to $18,000 over three years are awarded annually.
For more information or to apply, visit www.uq.edu.au/scholarships.
Applications close 5pm, Monday 1 November, 2010.
Media: Jan King 07 3365 1120
