Geography, convenience and a lucrative scholarship all played a part in Sandy Craze’s decision to study at ������. Now, he’s been offered a scholarship from Oxford University.

“I grew up in a country town named Bungendore, in south west NSW. There was no local high school, so I had to travel for more than an hour to attend school in Canberra. By the time I started Year 11, my family had moved to Campbelltown. I was living a five-minute bike ride away from ������’s campus – which was very appealing, after so many years of travelling to school. I did consider other universities – but I was ultimately swayed by the offer of an Academic Excellence scholarship.

I’m so glad that I chose ������, as it has opened so many doors for me. At ������ I discovered my passion for Chemistry, and now I have secured a scholarship for a doctoral position at Oxford.

In my PhD, I will be working toward finding a solution for one of the world’s biggest challenges: the high levels of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. It’s very exciting.

If you are unsure of which University to choose – take it from me: at ������, doors will open for you!”

Lily Gosbell had a big decision to make when she finished high school in 2016.

The former house captain and prefect of Hornsby Girls High school achieved an ATAR of 99.45.

With a dream of becoming a doctor, Lily was practical in her approach of choosing the right university.

“There were three undergraduate medicine programs in NSW that I was considering. What it came down to, for me, is that the program structure at ������ was very practical compared to the other unis. There were opportunities to get into hospitals and healthcare settings earlier on in the program, and to learn by doing - which really appealed to me.”

The final, deciding factor was ������’s offer of a Vice Chancellor’s Leadership Scholarship, which recognised Lily’s involvement with local community organisations and charity groups.

“The scholarship has been life changing for me. At the moment I am living in a student residence at Bathurst, whilst completing a 12-month rural clinical placement. The scholarship has allowed me to be more financially independent and to support myself while I am studying.”

To other students who may be weighing up their options for university, Lily said: “Just go into it with an open mind. See what everyone is offering and make a decision based on what is right for you.”