A year like no other: Top VCE students awarded scholarship

After a tumultuous year, where Victorian Year 12 students spent nearly two terms away from the classroom, today many of Victoria’s highest-achieving students were offered a Melbourne Chancellor’s Scholarship to study at the University of Melbourne next year.

The Melbourne Chancellor’s Scholarship offers students a generous, HECS-exempt Commonwealth Supported Place in one of the University of Melbourne’s undergraduate degrees and for Victorian secondary school leavers a $5000 annual allowance for the duration of their undergraduate degree.

Scholars from interstate will receive a HECS-exempt place as well as an annual allowance of $10,000 over the duration of their undergraduate degree.

Students will also receive a Melbourne Global Scholar’s Award of up to $2500 for an approved period of overseas study as an Exchange or Study Abroad student.

Students who achieved an ATAR or equivalent of 99.9 or above are eligible, as are Bachelor of Music applicants who achieved an ATAR or equivalent of 99.85 or above and Indigenous students who gained an ATAR of 90.00 or above.

Congratulating the new scholars, University of Melbourne Acting Provost and former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Jim McCluskey said that the resilience and determination of the 2020 VCE cohort was remarkable.

“The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted the important role universities play in undertaking world-class research, collaboration and in equipping the next generation to prevent and overcome future challenges," Professor McCluskey said.

"I am delighted to welcome these outstanding students to the University of Melbourne – an institution that celebrates academic achievement and values the richness and diversity of a truly global community.”

Professor McCluskey also acknowledged the role teachers and parents played in ensuring students’ academic success with the rapid shift to online learning, thanking them for their hard work, support and creativity.

“We owe an enormous thanks to educators in our schools and in our universities for their tireless work in ensuring that all students could learn even through the challenging and unpredictable circumstances that coronavirus restrictions presented.”

The Chancellor’s Scholarship is one of the most generous in Australia and offers guaranteed pathways into graduate study including the Juris Doctor and Doctor of Medicines courses.

This year the University was ranked number one in Australia for the eleventh straight year in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings.

VCE students offered a Melbourne Chancellor’s Scholarship today are Indigenous, local and international students and include:

Rion Ahl – Scotch College

William Browning – Trinity Grammar School

Lewei Cai – Melbourne High School

Celina Chear – Mac. Robertson Girls High School

Sarah Chuang – John Monash Science School

Rishov Doloi – Trinity Grammar School

Brooke Doolan Methodist Ladies’ College

Sebastian El-Khoury – St Kevin's College Toorak

James Garnham Camberwell Grammar School

Joshua Golshevsky – Mount Scopus Memorial College

Sarah Harrington – Loreto College

Finley Japp – Ballarat Grammar

Yichen Jiang – Scotch College

Vanessa Jin – Ruyton Girls' School

Yang Jin – Scotch College

Tom Johnstone – Melbourne High School

Kate Joseland – Strathcona Baptist Girls Grammar School

Luke Kim – Melbourne High School

Benjamin Kyval – Yarra Valley Grammar School

Jiaxun Leng – Haileybury College

Jingjing Li – Strathmore Secondary College

Jun Wen Lin – Haileybury College

Jaden Ling – Melbourne Grammar School

Justin Mitchell – St Kevin's College Toorak

Jingyue Na – Haileybury Girls College

Jessica Nguy – Mac.Robertson Girls High School

Martin Nguyen – Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School

ThuyKhue Nguyen – McKinnon Secondary College

Ella Phillips – Mentone Girls' Grammar School

Jessica Purvis – Wonthaggi Secondary College (Senior Camp)

Laughlan Rae – Vermont Secondary College

Samuel Sail – Beaconhills College-Pakenham

Martyn Schwarz – Mount Scopus Memorial College

Jack Stewart – Trinity Grammar School

Zheng Ze Tam – Camberwell Grammar School

Darren Tan – Scotch College

Luke Tarola – Westbourne Grammar School-Hoppers Crossing

Hikari Tomota – Ballarat Clarendon College

Eric Wang – Melbourne Grammar School

Chen Wang – John Monash Science School

Lili Way – Peninsula Grammar

Zachery Weller – Bialik College

Thomas Williams – St Kevin's College Toorak

Maya Wilmshurst – Ruyton Girls' School

Matthew Wu – Camberwell Grammar School

Zijin Xu – Caulfield Grammar School