Every year, a group of high-achieving international students are awarded the prestigious Chancellor’s International Scholarship. It offers 25 or 50 per cent off tuition fees, helping driven students from all over the world come to ANU and achieve their dreams
Overview
- Trevin grew up in Indonesia and came to ANU from Java thanks to the Chancellor's International Scholarship.
- He's been interested in social justice and policy from a young age.
- With the financial security afforded by his scholarship, Trevin has taken to volunteering across Canberra as he finishes his degree.
Trevin Susanto is one of those students whose dream is to change the world. It has been since the start.
“Growing up in Indonesia was growing up in a land of contrast. As someone who lived in the city, I knew something was wrong with the suburb popping up around me; I just couldn’t explain why for a while.”
Trevin recognises that he grew up with a privilege his parents and grandparents didn’t – with access to education and learning.
“It’s a privilege that people increasingly enjoy, but not everyone has it. To me, that’s a bit tragic.”
That privilege came with expectations about who and what he would grow up to be, Trevin says.
Trevin running along a path as part of an event.
“As someone growing up in the emerging middle class, there was an expectation I would do something to do with business. That quickly changed after studying first year microeconomics and now I laugh about how miserable I would be had I continued on that business path.”
Trevin still isn’t quite sure where he’ll end up, but his dream is to work as a policy researcher at a development organisation. It was that dream that brought him to ANU.
"The financial stability of the scholarship enables me to choose how I want to contribute to the community."
“The more interested I was in public policy, the more I realised the connection between Australia and Indonesia. It was a no-brainer for me when deciding to apply for a master’s degree that Australia was the correct destination. The large presence of scholars studying the region through the ANU Indonesia Project alongside past alumni just made the decision to apply to the University so much easier.”
Studying overseas isn’t easy and Trevin was lucky to be awarded the Chancellor’s International Scholarship, which provides him a 25 per cent discount on tuition fees.
“It’s a huge relief. I can afford now to embark on this wonderful journey with the savings I already have.”
“The financial stability of the scholarship enables me to choose how I want to contribute to the community. Whether it’s volunteering with the ReCyclery and the Canberra Environment Centre, ANU Thrive, or joining the faculty as a tutor. I would not have the free time to do these things – plus keep up with my study – if I didn’t have the scholarship.”
Trevin stands in front of several hot air balloons as part of Canberra's Enlighten Festival.
Trevin’s keen commitment to volunteering means he’s already making the world a better place, but he wants to go further. When asked where he sees himself in ten years, he says:
“Hopefully commuting by train rather than stuck in a car. But honestly, in an office fighting the good fight. What’s the detail of that fight? I’m still figuring that out. But, I believe inequality to be the root of a lot of societal problems.
“I want to work where I could help evaluate, create, and implement solutions to these problems – and my economics degree has equipped me with the tools and reference points I need to do the work.”
While Trevin loves Canberra, with its plentiful public spaces and clean air, that’s not enough to knock him off his path. On the idea of staying in Australia after his degree, he says:
“Nah, there are problems elsewhere.”
Interested in changing the world? Explore how the Chancellor's International Scholarship and joining the ANU+ volunteering program can help make it happen.