CEF student Bridget Ritter, from CEF Walgett, loves living at Sancta Sophia College, a residential college in Sydney.
For Country Education Foundation of Australia student, Bridget Ritter, needing to relocate 700km from Collarenebri in western NSW to Sydney for her studies meant she needed to find a "home away from home".
Being so far away from her family, she wanted to live somewhere that she could feel comfortable and develop a support network of other regional young women.
When she visited a friend at Sancta Sophia College (Sancta), she found a place that would provide the supportive environment she needed while studying a Bachelor of Medical Science at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). She wasted no time putting in her application.
Sancta is an all-female undergraduate residential college located on the grounds of the University of Sydney that provides high-quality academic, social, sporting, cultural and leadership opportunities.
With UTS only a short 10-minute bus ride up Broadway, Bridget said this made it very convenient for her.
"I'm a big fan of using the library and its resources at UTS and with Sancta being so close I can get there and back in time for meals and events," she said.
With 71% of Sancta's undergraduate cohort coming from regional NSW, it provides a great social network for students relocating from the regions.
Bridget said this had made her move to Sydney much easier and that students planning to study at a Sydney-based university next year shouldn't look past Sancta.
Sancta has become a home away from home for me. It has meant that I have the space and time to adjust to university life with girls who are also from regional places, who also feel a little daunted but excited about moving to the city. Any young woman who is looking to pursue further education in Sydney should consider Sancta Sophia College as an option.
– CEF student Bridget Ritter.
Sancta Principal, Fiona Hastings, said its partnership with CEF would enable more regional women to pursue their university dreams in Sydney.
"At Sancta, we understand the challenges regional students face when moving away from home for their studies. The majority of our students come from regional NSW, so we have plenty of support in place especially for them," she said.
Sancta is the latest residential college to partner with CEF to offer accommodation scholarships. Applications for the Sancta Sophia College - CEF Bursary are now open.
First year female students who receive a grant from a local CEF foundation and have an offer of place at Sancta in undergraduate accommodation in 2025 are eligible for selection.
Bridget Ritter at Sancta Sophia College in the dining hall with fellow students.
To apply for the Sancta Sophia College - CEF Bursary you will need to apply to both Sancta and your local CEF foundation. Applications to Sancta close on the1st October 2024 while closing dates for applications to local foundations vary.
