The endowment of our bursary program is vital to removing the financial barriers to joining the Burgmann community. Given the cost of a university education for today’s students, what we need now is to offer more substantial and a higher number of bursaries each year to help with the rising costs of education and living. It is time to grow our bursary fund so we can provide more generous support to the next generation of young people in need. We want to ensure that all deserving applicants can take up their rightful place in our community.
The Principal’s Priorities Fund
General donations to Burgmann College are gratefully received and are directed as determined by the Principal’s priorities. Projects and programs supported by this fund are directed by the Principal and include improving communal spaces and amenities, supporting resident programs including the Doomadgee Partnership and pastoral care.
‘New Beginnings’ Flexible Bursary Fund
The College celebrated the launch of our Inaugural Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in March 2019. One of our priorities was to establish an identified flexible bursary fund for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents. Named ‘New Beginnings’ after the featured artwork in our RAP by Aidan Hartshorn, this flexible fund contributes to making the College a welcome home for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents by supporting travel, transition and other costs associated with moving to Burgmann from their home city or town and living at College.
Resident Hardship Fund
While scholarships and bursaries reduce fees, if a resident cannot afford the trip home to visit their family, this may also be a disincentive to attend university during a vulnerable time. This could be as little as a $30 bus fare or as much as $1500-$2000 for a round trip of flights—as for some of our residents coming from rural or remote areas, who are only able to afford seeing family once a year. Your contributions to the Hardship Fund help provide vital discretionary support for residents who are in critical need above and beyond their fees.
The First Nations Arts Initiative Fund
As a key deliverable of our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) we established the Burgmann College First Nations Arts Initiative with a view to continually adding works by First Nations artists to the College art collection. We believe that the display and celebration of First Nations arts and cultures at Burgmann is an important part of our identity and we seek the support of our community to assist us to realise this ambition.
Scholarships & Bursaries Fund
Burgmann is proud of its egalitarian values and is open to all ANU eligible candidates on the basis of individual merit, with a diverse community of students across all disciplines and years. The endowment of scholarships and bursaries is vital to removing financial barriers to joining our College. This assists in providing for a diverse community and enriches the residential collegiate experience for all residents.