University Sports, Scholarships and Funding

Wanna get paid to play sport while you study? Most unis have some sort of scholarship program for elite athletes. While UNSW reckons it was the first uni in Australia to offer sports scholarships, they’re also available at Sydney Uni, Macquarie University, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), University of New England (UNE), University of Western Sydney (UWS) and the Australian Catholic University (ACU).

These unis also have facilities and lunchtime sports.

Plus, Uni Games is great fun for sports lovers at uni, pitting different unis from across the country against each other (and also having a bit of a party too!).

The Australian Sports Commission is always on the look out for the country’s next sporting hero, operating “Talent Assessment Centres” at unis all over Australia, from Melbourne to Newcastle to Griffith. Find out more at the ASC site.

In terms of getting funding and sponsorship, the Australian Sports Foundation is designed to help with the funding of sports. They have information on who is eligible, how to register a project, and also a definition of sport!

The NSW Government is also involved in supporting athletes and sports teams, with tips on applying for grants, fundraising activities and getting sponsorship.

AIS: Squash
For: excellent squash players
Applications close: 30 October 2009

AIS: Boxing
For: elite athletes
Applications close: 11 December 2009

UNSW: Ben Lexcen Sports Scholarships
For: students with “an outstanding ability in sport” enrolled in a degree of at least two years duration.
Amount: $4000
Applications close: 11 December 2009

Macquarie Uni: Sports Scholarships
For: elite athletes
Amount: varies from $2000 to $4000
Applications close: 27 November 2009

Applications for most uni sport scholarships close early 2010, so check out their websites for application form and eligibility criteria.

Check for scholarships at Australia's top institutions

Australian Institute of Sport

New South Wales Institute of Sport

Northern Territory Institute of Sport

Office For Recreation & Sport South Australia

Queensland Academy of Sport

Tasmanian Institute of Sport

Victorian Institute of Sport

Western Australian Institute of Sport

PROFILE SPOTLIGHT: Amy Brown

Amy Brown is an Australian distance runner who is in her third year living, training, competing, and studying at San Diego State University in California, USA, on a part scholarship. She’s just started the fall semester, and has given Sportsgirls the lowdown on her scholarship.

The start
We did it through a company [Student Placement Australia] at home that coordinated with universities who would give me a scholarship in America.  San Diego State’s meant to have one of the best track teams and track programs. So we got in touch with the coach, who happened to be coming to Australia.  She wanted us to meet up and introduce each other.  So my mum and dad and I met with her for dinner, and we just talked and after that I was like, “I really want to go!”

I’d never gone to San Diego before.  When I got here I met everybody on my team- the San Diego State University Track Team. There are 18 distance girls.  And then on the whole team, including the sprinters and jumpers there’s 45 girls.

The scholarship
Most of the funding comes from the Californian government.  I’m on a part scholarship, which is US$7000 a year to cover half the admission fees for the university.  In America you have to pay upfront.  If I run better times I could get a full scholarship as it’s based on performance.  We get four lots of stuff a year, so shoes, track suits and different outfits that we basically live in.  In the first year, I didn’t have to pay for accommodation.  Now, my parents are paying my accommodation and food.

The study
I’m studying exercise and nutritional science with a minor in psychology.  I want to get my Masters in Dietetics and Exercise Physiology.  I want to be either a dietician for athletes or a sports psychologist.

We’re called student athletes. They’re really big on your academic ability, even though you’re an athlete.  You need to get a B average or you can’t compete.  I do 20 in class hours a week.  I try to plot out my time so I know when I can study, when I can train, when I can eat, when I can rest.

We have an Athletes Department, a section just for athletes that no one else from the university can use.  There’s computer labs, study hall areas, our coaches’ offices, our locker rooms and a gym only the athletes can use.  We do all our schoolwork here, and all our training.

The living
My first year I lived in the dorms.  It was like a hotel, and two people shared a room.  In my second year I lived in a house with five girls who were all on the track team.  Now I’m living with 2 other girls in a townhouse and they’re also on the team.

The campus
It’s like an American movie!  37,000 students attend the university so that’s like a city.  The grounds are massive.  It takes 15 minutes to walk across campus.  Just on our campus there’s three different Starbucks.  There’s food areas, a supermarket, and a medical centre.  Our sports complex is huge, with a swimming pool, track field, soccer field. There’s a bar, and a bowling alley.

The training, the competitions
Here you go to uni to do sport. Some of the girls on our team who are sprinters are like national champions.  Their aura makes you want to try harder and push harder. 

I had an operation on my ankle and I had a stress fracture so that set me back.  But last semester was my first proper season and it went really well.  I won the 1500m and 800m.

We train in the mornings and afternoons.  It’s group based but we have individual times our coach sets that we have to hit. So everyone does the same thing but at different levels. 

There’s a different level of competition at every meet (athletic carnival).  So sometimes I’m in the top three and other ones I come tenth.  If a meet is in San Diego everyone gets to go.  If we qualify we get to be on a travelling team and fly out and compete on the weekends.  I’ve been all over America.  I went to Texas, Tennessee, Arizona, Oregon, New Mexico.

The biggest meet we’ve done was called the Mountain West Conference, and it had six states in it.  The girls are close to Olympian status.  It’s really full on.  I didn’t get anything but it was so exciting to be a part of it.  There were 30 girls in my race I came 9th.  I was annoyed that I just missed out on being in top eight!

My goal is to qualify for the Regional Championships.  I’m three seconds away.  A huge part of America is in that and only the best of the best qualify.

The people
It’s so diverse!  When I first got here I was amazed.  There’s people from all different races and countries, all together.  Girls from Sweden, Canada, and other Australians. When I first got here I instantly had 20 new friends all doing what I’m doing and all working towards the same goal.  Running is considered more of an individual sport, but I absolutely love our team.  We’ve got some of the best girls running-wise and personality-wise.  I’ve made some of the best friends in the two years that I’ve been here.  The girls who I live with: we train together, we go to school together, we live together.  We spend 24 hours a day together. 

I’ve also made friends who I have class with who aren’t in running, which I really like.  My coach has been wonderful.  For the past two years, she’s been like a mother- I call her my American mum!

The experience
Everything I’ve done here, another opportunity has arisen from it.  Through the school system here, I went on a trip to England and studied at Oxford University for six weeks, then travelled with a friend to Paris.  So the experience doesn’t end once you get to your university.

People just have to be prepared that it’s going to be hard. The hardest part is not being close to my family, especially with the surgery because I did that all on my own.  I have to do my own washing, cleaning and cooking- now I’m just used to it.  It’s hard work trying to balance everything.  You get stressed out a lot and there’s always pressure to do well at school and do well at running.  It’s tiring but it’s definitely worth it in the end.

Tags:university; scholarships; funding; nsw; university of san diego; amy brown; athletics