Equity and Diversity

Trinity's passionate commitment to academic excellence is combined with an equally strong commitment to principles of equity and diversity. The College is determined to enable all students who earn places in the College to study at Trinity regardless of their financial circumstances. In its assessment of students' potential, the College recognises that talented students from disadvantaged backgrounds may not have achieved the same academic results as would ordinarily be expected for admission to the College.

Unfortunately, unlike the most prestigious and academically selective North American institutions, Trinity is at present unable to apply what Americans define as a 'need blind' admissions policy. The endowments of these leading American private colleges are sufficiently large to fund hundreds, if not thousands, of scholarships, bursaries and loans annually, while very often the college's internal labour force is sufficiently large to generate many part-time employment opportunities for students requiring financial support. Trinity has worked hard to ensure scholarships and financial assistance to as many talented and needy students as possible; but for it to be able to offer financial support which is truly 'need-blind' and on the scale of such US institutions would require an endowment of many tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars greater than at present. This is the College's long-term goal. In the meantime Trinity will continue to pledge high priority to enlarging the endowment from which scholarships and bursaries can be offered and to expanding opportunities for the on-campus employment of students in need.

In identifying their strengths many first-class universities and colleges lay particular emphasis on the degree of diversity achieved in the composition of their student body, as well as the range of programs offered. Given its role as host to some 800 students from around the world within Trinity College Foundation Studies and that it has students in residence from all states of Australia and from many overseas countries, Trinity has already achieved a high level of diversity in its membership - the full benefits of which may be yet to be fully realised.

Diversity for Trinity College also means the admission of talented Australian students from a cross-section of regional and socio-economic backgrounds, and serious attempts have been made in recent years to attract school-leavers from government high schools, all Australian states and territories, and rural and regional, as well as urban, backgrounds. Scholarships have created opportunities for many students, including an increasing number of indigenous Australians. The College wishes to seize new initiatives in its quest for diversity, always acting fairly to applicants regardless of their background.