University Launches Scholarship Fund for Students from Underrepresented Backgrounds
$300,000 fund supports first-generation, refugee, and disability-affected students.
Auckland Academy has established the Equity Futures Scholarship Fund, a $300,000 annual fund providing financial support to students from underrepresented backgrounds including first-in-family university students, refugees, students with disabilities, and those from low-income communities.
The fund, seeded by a donation from the Fletcher Foundation and matched by university reserves, will provide 10 partial-tuition scholarships per year, each including a textbook allowance and dedicated academic mentorship.
"Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not," said Vice-Chancellor Dr. Sarah Mitchell. "This fund removes some of the financial barriers that prevent talented young people from accessing higher education."
Inaugural recipient Sione Manu, a first-generation student from South Auckland, said: "This scholarship doesn't just help with fees — it tells me someone believes in my potential."
