Community Connections
Paddocks to PhD: Han Worsley is empowering rural and remote students to follow their aspirations
University of Canberra PhD candidate Han encourages rural and remote students to follow their dreams and give back to their communities – and not feel pressured to start a new life in the big smoke.
Academically inclined rural, regional and remote students can face a difficult choice when leaving school. The decision is often framed like this: uproot your whole life to move to the city and go to university – or stay with your community but put your dreams and aspirations on hold.
Rural education advocate Han Worsley wants rural, regional and remote students to “have both options”.
Han grew up on a mixed-grazing property near Nullamanna, roughly 1,000km from Canberra.
“Growing up as an academic kid in a small town, the thinking is often, ‘use your ATAR to get out of here’. Go do medicine or law [and] use up every ATAR point you have to find your way to somewhere other than here,” says Han.
But sometimes moving to the big smoke can be induce some culture shock and overwhelm. Fresh out of school, Han began a medical degree in Sydney but found it wasn’t the right path for them.
“I got to Sydney and just thought, ‘I cannot hack this’. There’s too much happening, too much of a difference from the way I’d grown up.”
Han headed home and worked in shearing sheds for a while before deciding that a different area of study – and a smaller city – might be the right next step. They decided to study a Bachelor of Education at the University of Canberra.
“I wanted to contribute to my community and was able to do that via education. I realised I could live in a rural area, have my hobbies and passions, and still support people in my community.”
At the same time, Han received a scholarship from the , a charity providing educational scholarships, mentoring and other opportunities for young LGBTIQA+ Australians to realise their full potential. Han was later the recipient of a scholarship from the which was backed by .
“The financial burden it takes off you is massive,” says Han. “I needed to buy a new laptop and a new phone at the same time, and that was really difficult when trying to juggle part-time work and study.”
Towards the end of their undergraduate degree, Han saw an opportunity to combine their passion for rural Australia with their field of study and became the CEO of , a nonprofit organisation empowering young women and non-binary people from rural communities to reach their leadership potential.
“That was a really big opportunity, and I would never have put my hand up for it if I didn’t have the support of the Pinnacle Foundation and Snow Foundation through my scholarship,” says Han. “Providing rural students with financial backing not only helps them pass their degree but helps to build communities and provides opportunities to give back.”
Today, Han’s PhD research at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s Faculty of Education is focused on giving back. Their research looks at rural primary school students and how where they live impacts what they want for their futures.
Han is passionate about equal access to education and promoting higher education opportunities for rural and remote students. They encourage students to consider alternative narratives and pathways, and to understand that heading off to university doesn’t have to mean leaving hometown life behind.
“The existing narrative around rural students, especially if they’re already considering university, is not always conducive to their success if we expect them to want to leave. Not everyone does. There are lots of people who want to stay in rural Australia,” says Han.
They say that to have thriving rural and regional communities, you not only need skilled professionals working and living there, but also the community’s young people going to university – and returning.
“Intergenerational support is important. You can’t just funnel skilled workers to remote and rural areas on one- and two-year contracts – you need people who are there long-term. And that usually comes from people who have a personal connection. So why incentivise people to leave to find success? We should have both options.”
When considering university, Han encourages students to consider what they aspire to do, and what barriers may arise. Most importantly, they hope students recognise and acknowledge the unique strengths that come from their personal backgrounds and emphasises that universities and scholarship programs will recognise those strengths, too.
“See your rural upbringing as an asset, not a liability. Don’t rule yourself out of applying just because you don’t have the traditional measures of success, because that’s not only what it’s about.”
The unique richness and depth of a student’s potential can’t be encapsulated by an ATAR or school report. Han encourages students to talk about skills and experiences they’ve built outside the traditional classroom.
“I’ve managed a shearing shed. I know that I can fix a fence and manage a property. Those things are part of my strengths. If you haven’t gone to a fancy private school, if you feel like you haven’t got the ATAR that people expect – those things are not the sum of you as a person.”
Han is also currently working with the , a nationwide charity supporting people from rural and remote regions to access higher education close to home.
“I get to not only work with students, and in education, but also in an advocacy space, and that’s sort of my bread and butter. I love it.”
The ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Snow Scholarships have been co-created by Snow Foundation and ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø. Snow Foundation believes in the power of education to change lives and open doors – helping students realise their potential and grow into confident, purposeful leaders. In partnership with the University of Canberra, they’ve committed $20 million to back students who have big dreams and just need the support to get there.
Applications for ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Snow Scholarships for students planning to begin their university journey in Semester One, 2026 are closing soon.
Submit your application for Semester One 2026 by 12 October 2025.