The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) Foundation has selected a record 91 students for its 2024 Rural Scholarship program with Kariong local Jesse Emery named in this year’s cohort.
Now in its 14th year, the RAS Foundation Rural Scholarship program offers financial support to tertiary education students who are helping shape the future of regional NSW by forging careers within rural or regional communities.
Record funds of $516,000 will be distributed among this year’s scholarship recipients, with an aim to help ease the burdens associated with pursuing higher education such as relocating to urban centres, study costs, and the inability to work consistently due to study workloads or placements.
Foundation manager Cecilia Logan said the charity considered it a privilege to be able to support the next generation of rural and regional leaders as they pursued their academic dreams.
“This year’s applicants are outstanding ambassadors for their communities and have the potential to create a positive and lasting impact in the regional sector through their chosen career paths,” Logan said.
“There is no doubt young Australians are impacted significantly by the cost-of-living crisis we are currently facing, and pursuing higher education is a big financial burden for many students, particularly for those living in regional areas.
“Our rural scholarship program aims to address this by offering financial support to students from rural or regional areas and ensure they have access to the same opportunities as their metropolitan counterparts in the pursuit of their chosen career.”
Jesse Emery is one such student who took on a career change from cabinet building to pursue a life on the land by studying a Certificate IV in Agriculture & Diploma in Agriculture at Tocal College.
Emery says he looks forward to being part of an industry that gives back and is grateful for the support the scholarship provides.
“The RAS Foundation scholarship has provided me with the financial security to not only complete my course and live on campus but also take on after-class activities such as volunteering at Tocal’s local dairy and beef farms and utilising holiday breaks for required work placement,” he said.
“Having changed career paths, I want to learn and engage as much as I can while studying at Tocal and this scholarship has allowed me to do that.
“Once I finish my Certificate IV in Agriculture, I want to be able to utilise my new skills to help make a difference in the agriculture industry and positively contribute to my community.”
The RAS Foundation awards up to $6,000 to rural scholarship recipients undertaking full-time study, or up to $3,000 for those studying part-time, made possible with the assistance of generous donors, including The Snow Foundation and UNE Foundation.
In its 17-year history the RAS Foundation has invested more than$9M into rural and regional NSW through education and community grant programs.
More than 900 scholarships have been provided to students across Australia, including targeted scholarships for careers in both regional journalism and the Australian wine industry.
Applications for the 2025 RAS Foundation Rural Scholarship will open on July 1 and will close September 22.
For further information, please visit www.rasf.org.au.
The scholarship program is open to students across NSW and the ACT who are currently enrolled or applying for study in an accredited tertiary course at an Australian university, college, or TAFE, with no limits imposed on age or the types of degree that qualify.