Eighteen students from Queensland will receive up to $9000 each to help them complete their tertiary education, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Alan Griffin announced today. Mr Griffin said the Long Tan Bursary Scheme aims to help dedicated students achieve their long-term education goals by easing the financial cost of tertiary study.

“These students have proven their strength of character and commitment to pursuing professional careers and I am pleased the Australian Government has been able to support them in reaching their goals,” Mr Griffin said.

The Long Tan Bursary Scheme recognises that children of Vietnam veterans can face health and wellbeing challenges due to their parent’s service and aims to relieve these students of some financial burden so they can concentrate on completing their studies successfully.

Long Tan Bursaries totalling $504,000 will be presented to 56 Australian students this year. More than 300 sons and daughters of Vietnam veterans have benefitted from the bursary scheme since it was introduced in 2000.

The Australian Government is also seeking to lift the aspirations of students who would previously never have considered university through the introduction of two scholarships within the 2009–10 Budget.

· Thomas Benton, Bachelor of Agricultural Science, University of Queensland
· Hayley Canton, Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Journalism, Queensland University of Technology
· Katherine Griffin, Bachelor of Law/Bachelor of Arts (Fine Arts in professional/creative writing), Qld University of Technology
· Stephanie Harland, Bachelor of Communication, Griffith University
· Chris Kaarsberg, Bachelor of Commerce, University of the Sunshine Coast
· Katrina Kaarsberg, Bachelor of Laws, Bond University
· Jamie McHugh, Bachelor of Psychology, Griffith University
· Sharon Manski, Bachelor of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology
· Mariah Nelson, Bachelor of Psychology, Griffith University
· Gerald Norris, Bachelor of Human Services, Southern Cross University
· Alicia Patterson, Diploma of Children’s Services, Sesame Lane College of Choices
· Samantha Pedersen, Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science, University of Queensland
· Adrian Schaumann, Bachelor of New Media Arts, James Cook University
· David Stratton, Bachelor of Business, Queensland University of Technology
· Nicola White, Bachelor of Applied Computing, Southern Cross University.