International Students Overcome Covid-19 Challenges To Win Wellington University Scholarships

Six young international students have achieved academic excellence in the face of adversity, winning scholarships for their first year of study at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.

The students from Russia, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, India, Sri Lanka and Japan have been awarded scholarships for their academic achievements during their UP International College Foundation Studies Programme.

Completing their foundation studies during a global pandemic saw these young students navigate a range of challenging circumstances including border closures, a national state of emergency, a six-week lockdown and a rapid shift from classes on campus to online learning.

UP Education CEO of University Partnerships Marnie Watson said the scholarships awarded this year held special significance.

“The scholarship programme recognises and celebrates the hard work and commitment of our students during the academic year, and the announcement of the recipients this year was particularly meaningful.

“These students demonstrated true resilience to academically excel during a time of global challenge and uncertainty, while also being away from their home countries, families and friends. We couldn’t be prouder of them and all our students who recently graduated,” says Marnie Watson.

Wellington University Vice-Chancellor Professor Grant Guilford also congratulated the students on their scholarship success.

“International students are highly valued members of our community, bringing a wealth of different experiences and perspectives to enrich our community and our learning and teaching.

“We look forward to welcoming these scholarship recipients, connecting them to our excellent education and providing them with the opportunity to create a brighter future for themselves and the world.”

Partnering with Wellington University for the past three years, UP Education supports international students to successfully transition into higher education at the University.

The scholarships range from $3,000 - $5,000 and support the tuition fees of students in the first year of an undergraduate degree at Wellington University.

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