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From Burma to Brisbane: discover where an ACU scholarship can take you

University can be tough financially, with books, fees, uniforms, placements, and study abroad opportunities.

But at ACU, we believe uni is for everyone and our goal is to help you chase yours. To get you through any roadblocks you may be facing on your path to higher education, we offer nearly 400 scholarships that recognise academic achievement and support equality.

One such ACU student who successfully applied for a scholarship to help her transition to uni life is Lay Lay Moo.

Lay Lay grew up in a refugee camp in Thailand, where she had lived since the age of four when her family fled her home in Burma. She made her way to Australia on a humanitarian visa in 2009 and found her footing in Brisbane, where she is now happily studying for her Bachelor of Nursing.

“I’ve wanted to be a nurse since I was a little girl, and I’ve found ACU to be very accepting of people from different cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds,” she said.

“I’ve always felt accepted and supported here.”

Along with balancing her nursing studies with part-time work in aged care, Lay Lay also worked to promote cultural awareness and raise money to help with education and healthcare in communities along the Thai-Burma border.

“This work had a profound effect on my approach to learning and my studies at ACU,” she said.

“It cemented my passion for one day being able to return to my country of birth and make a real difference in the lives of those who need the comfort that only a qualified nurse can bring.”

Lay Lay was rewarded for her community work with the Catherine McAuley Scholarship, which is again being offered in 2018 for commencing students.

The Sisters of Mercy in Queensland established the scholarship that has been rewarding ACU students for more than 10 years. Recipients like Lay Lay have demonstrated their community service involvement and how they’re working towards creating a more merciful, just and sustainable world, which is something Lay Lay tries to put into action every day.

“I am so thankful to have received the scholarship as it will help me achieve my dream,” she said. “Winning it was a great surprise to me – and a great honour.”

We have almost 400 scholarships on offer; discover which ones are right for you at www.acu.edu.au/scholarships