Former Brisbane State High School student Sam Hinton hopes to leave University debt-free thanks to a $24,000 UQ Excellence Scholarship.
“I’m financing uni myself and the scholarship means I can pay each semester in advance,” he said.
“I won’t have to waste time worrying about finances so I can concentrate on my studies.”
Sam, who achieved an OP1, is currently studying a dual Bachelor of Engineering/Bachelor of Information Technology at UQ, and is hoping to specialise in mechatronic and software engineering.
Sam also attracted a one-off $3000 ICT scholarship through the UQ School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, with the scholarship sponsored by Global Banking and Securities Transactions, which has also offered him vacation work.
To top up his finances he is also tutoring at MacGregor State High School in Maths B and C, Physics, Graphics and English.
Sam became interested in computers at an early age, and said he was better at self-teaching than being formally taught.
He said the secret to his success was “not earth-shattering”.
“I like to get my assignments out of the way as soon as I can,” he said.
“I realise that everyone seems to leave everything to the last, but that doesn’t work for me.
“I like to be able to devote large amounts of concentration to one task at a time – I spent four weeks working on a 15,000 word assignment.”
Sam balanced his academic studies by playing clarinet in the school symphonic band and was captain of the school tennis squad for two years.
At UQ, he now plays tennis with his mates for relaxation.
Sam chose UQ because it offered the greatest range of choices in his areas of interest, and many of his friends were also attending.
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.
