Australian Paralympic swimming champion Matt Levy OAM is funding a new scholarship for disabled students at UWS, inspired by his experience at the GAPS (Gather, Adjust, Prepare, Sustain) training camp hosted by the University.

The five-time Paralympian and three-time Paralympic gold medallist will support two disabled students through the University’s Widening Education and Supporting Talent (WEST) Scholarship Programme, helping with everyday costs such as food and travel while they complete their education.

The Matt Levy Scholarship will support eligible disabled students across different subjects, with no requirement to be an athlete or involved in sport.

Levy’s decision to support UWS grew from his involvement in the Commonwealth Games GAPS camp hosted at the University’s Ayr campus over the summer.

Attending as the Commonwealth Sport’s Paralympic representative, he saw how UWS supported athletes from Commonwealth countries with limited access to training and resources. That experience inspired him to explore how the same commitment to opportunity could benefit disabled students beyond sport.

At the GAPS camp, I saw what becomes possible when people have access to the right environment, support and connections. I wanted to carry that principle beyond sport and into education.

“For a student, help with travel or food can relieve real pressure. It can give them more space to learn, build relationships and take opportunities that might otherwise feel out of reach.”

The GAPS camp brought people together to help athletes access opportunities that might otherwise have been out of reach. Matt’s decision to support disabled students takes that commitment beyond the sporting arena and into university life. Financial support can give students more room to focus on their education and make the connections that shape their future. We’re so grateful to Matt for recognising what our students can achieve and choosing to help them pursue their ambitions. This is a lasting outcome of the relationships built through the Games. Its benefits can reach beyond UWS as students take their skills and experiences into their workplaces and communities.

Stephanie Pitticas, Vice-Principal (External Engagement)

Levy, who has cerebral palsy and is partially sighted, represented Australia at five Paralympic Games, from Athens in 2004 to Tokyo in 2020.

He said: “Talent and ambition exist in every community, but access to opportunity is still unequal. Disabled students should have the chance to pursue their ambitions without financial and practical barriers determining how far they can go.

“Sport gave me a platform. I want to use it to open doors for others. This scholarship is about backing people’s potential – whatever they study and wherever they want their education to take them.”

Reflecting on his own university experience, he said the relationships he built were as valuable as the academic learning. Alongside financial support, he hopes the scholarship can develop opportunities for mentoring, with recipients eventually using their experiences to support future students.

He said: “Some of the most valuable things I gained from university were the people I met, the ideas we shared and the confidence those connections gave me.

“My hope is that this scholarship becomes a starting point: helping students complete their education, recognise what they can contribute and, in time, open doors for someone else.”

The scholarship is delivered through UWS’s WEST programme, which helps students facing financial difficulties continue their studies and graduate. Students complete one WEST application form, with UWS considering them for the scholarships they are eligible for.

As part of introducing the award, UWS has added questions to the WEST application form asking whether students identify as disabled and require reasonable adjustments. Students do not need to provide proof of their disability to be considered for the scholarship.

Matt’s support creates a scholarship specifically for disabled students within WEST, helping with costs that can make continuing at university difficult. Using one application form keeps the process simple and helps us match students with the support available to them. When students have the opportunity to complete their education, the benefits reach beyond the individual. They take their knowledge, skills and experiences into their workplaces and communities, opening up possibilities for themselves and others.

Claire Darragh, Individual Giving Manager at UWS

Levy hopes his contribution will encourage others to help widen access to education.

Inclusion becomes meaningful when we take action to remove barriers. You don’t have to solve everything to make a difference. You can start by creating an opportunity for someone. When we invest in a student, the impact can reach far beyond their degree, into their workplace, their community and the people they support along the way.

Australian Paralympic swimming champion Matt Levy OAM

For full eligibility details please visit the WEST Scholarship Programme webpage.