(Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS) Credit: AAPZackary Boundy drastically changed the way he lived after losing his university scholarship. Hardship among university students remains widespread in Australia, with one in three students experiencing financial insecurity, according to a 2026 report by the University of Wollongong. University of Sydney deputy vice-chancellor of Indigenous strategy and services Reuben Bolt said the new scholarships will be critical for many Indigenous students. The support applies to all eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander undergraduate students at the university, providing them up to $8500 a year for the duration of their degree. Scholarships for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are also offered by other leading universities including the University of Melbourne, University of Queensland, Monash University and Charles Darwin University.