Opening doors: Life after the UTS Humanitarian Scholarship

When Associate Professor Janet Ge first volunteered as a mentor in the UTS Humanitarian Scholarship Program (HSP), she didn’t expect it to change the course of her research. But what she saw in her students – resilience, ambition, and a hunger for opportunity – left a lasting impression. 

‘I had the privilege of supporting refugee and asylum seeker students throughout their academic journey,’ she says. ‘It gave me firsthand insight into both the immense potential these students possess and the structural barriers they continue to face, even after gaining access to higher education.’ 

That experience sparked a question: what happens after graduation? 

While the HSP has supported 126 students since 2017 (36 of whom have now graduated) with fee-free study, mentoring, and career coaching, little was known about their lives beyond university. Janet teamed up with Associate Professor Olga Oleinikova, Director of the Social Impact Technologies and Democracy Research Hub at UTS, to find out. 

Their research, supported by a UTS Social Impact Dashboard Grant, set out to understand the long-term outcomes of HSP graduates – and to amplify their voices in shaping future support. 

The gap between access and outcomes 

Refugee and asylum seeker students in Australia face a unique challenge: they’re not eligible for government loans or subsidised university places, meaning they are required to pay international student fees for their degrees. 

The UTS Humanitarian Scholarship Program was created to change that. It covers the costs of tuition and offers a wraparound model of care beyond financial support – including academic mentoring, peer support, internships, and career guidance. 

Because as Janet and Olga discovered, access to university is only the beginning. 

‘There’s so much research that focuses on getting refugee students into university,’ says Janet. ‘But less about what happens after they graduate. I wanted to know whether higher education truly supports refugee or asylum seeker students to build a better future.’ 

Listening to lived experience 

The research team conducted interviews and surveys with 24 former HSP students. They asked about employment, financial stability, mental health, social connection, and more. 

The results: 

• 82% of respondents reported improved income since graduating.
• 65% were employed full-time in roles related to their field of study and earn over $70,000 per year.
• 94% felt a stronger sense of belonging in the Australian workplace and more confident discussing culture in the workplace.
• 77% reported improved English proficiency.
• All interviewees said the HSP had a positive impact on their lives. 

But the most valued part of the program? Mentorship. 

‘Students felt that the student-mentor relationships were the most critical and impactful element,’ says Janet. ‘It helped them build confidence, navigate university life, and feel like they belonged.’

Stories of transformation 

Numbers tell one story. People tell another. 

Seyi* was just a teenager when he enrolled in his first university course, unaware that his visa status meant he was classified as an international student. He attended classes, completed assignments, and prepared for exams – until the day he was pulled out of the exam room. 

‘So, for the first six months I was going to class, doing assignments.

Then it got to exam day, and I got kicked out of the exam room and got told, ‘Hey mate, you haven’t been paying.’’ 

Unable to afford the fees, Seyi returned to construction labouring. As the head of his household, he felt immense pressure to support his family, especially his mother, who was struggling with depression and PTSD. 

‘My mum was home. She was depressed. PTSD... I [thought] the quickest way to support my mum was to start working, and you know, as a man, you would always get a job in construction ... labouring.’ 

While volunteering at a local asylum seeker centre, Seyi met a former UTS staff member who introduced him to the Humanitarian Scholarship Program. Encouraged by her and his mother, he applied – and was accepted. 

‘The HSP office became a safe space. I felt like I belonged. University gave me the keys to the door. It gave me confidence. It gave me a future.’ 

Today, Seyi is employed in a professional role aligned with his field of study. His family enjoys economic stability, and he credits the scholarship with changing the trajectory of his life. 

Laila, an Afghani woman, had long dreamed of education. But growing up in detention, those dreams were repeatedly denied. 

‘In terms of barriers to education... when I was in a detention centre, they took the older kids out to do excursions and English school and all of that. But because I was younger, I was again not allowed to go with them and learn because I was only 12.’ 

Her family had always prioritised education, often making life decisions based on whether their children could access it. For Laila, her opportunity came when she applied for the HSP. 

‘The UTS Humanitarian Scholarship Program, it was a catalyst for a change in my life... [and] definitely changed my career. I was working at a local food store. [It] gave me that stepping stone, you know, to fulfil my dreams and to gain access to education … that I have always been denied.’ 

Through the HSP, Laila found not only academic opportunity but a broader worldview. She discovered new possibilities for her career and her identity as an Afghani woman in Australia. Today, she’s thriving – professionally, personally, and socially. 

These stories are not just testimonials. They’re evidence of what’s possible when barriers are removed and support is sustained. As Janet and Olga’s research shows, education for refugee and asylum seeker students is more than a degree – it’s a lifeline. 

A personal mission 

For Olga, the project was deeply personal. 

‘As a Ukrainian, I’ve witnessed the impact of war and displacement through the experiences of my friends and family,’ she says. ‘When I saw a growing number of Ukrainian students entering the HSP, it struck a very personal chord.’ 

She and Janet hope the research will lead to better support systems – not just at UTS, but across the sector. 

‘Education is not just a pathway to a better career,’ says Olga. ‘It’s a lifeline. It restores agency, dignity, and hope.’ 

Looking ahead 

The project has already made an impact. It’s informed recommendations to strengthen mental health support within the HSP and sparked interest in a longitudinal study to track graduate outcomes over time. 

For Janet and Olga, this is just the beginning. 

‘We want to ensure that education doesn’t stop at graduation,’ says Janet. ‘It should be a foundation for life beyond university.’ 
Their message is clear: when we invest in people, we invest in possibility. 

*Name changed for privacy.