Attracting more students to Wide Bay

Six scholarships will be available to international and domestic students to study in Wide Bay next year, Federal Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien announced today.
 
Mr O’Brien said the University of the Sunshine Coast had been provided $297,000 to offer the scholarships through the Coalition Government’s $93.7 million Destination Australia program.
 
Destination Australia provides scholarships worth $15,000 a year to students who study at a regional university or vocational education provider.
 
“Wide Bay is an incredible place to live, and we can be an attractive destination for international and domestic students too,” Mr O’Brien said.
 
“Attracting more students to study in Wide Bay will be good for our community, good for local businesses and good for tourism as it showcases the best of what we have to offer.
 
“That’s why I have worked with local providers and the Education Minister to secure these scholarships for our electorate.”
 
International students who study in regional Australia rate their living and learning experience higher than students based in metropolitan centres, yet just three per cent of Australia’s 690,000 international students were enrolled in regional areas last year.
 
“The Coalition Government’s Destination Australia program is helping to attract more students to study in regional Australia and we can help by promoting Wide Bay as an attractive study destination because of our lifestyle, lower cost of living and smaller class sizes,” Mr O’Brien said.
 
Students can apply directly to institutions. Successful tertiary education providers can be found at www.education.gov.au/destination-australia.
  

ENDS

Media Contact:
For Mr O’Brien:  Clementine Norton (07) 4121 2936