SSI Allianz scholarship recipient and Afghan-born student forges career to help make a difference in the community 

Refugee students have this week received vital funds to pursue their education, under a scholarships program that nurtures the aspirations of young people who want to give back and contribute to Australian society.

Allianz Australia and not-for-profit SSI have awarded 34 deserving refugee students with SSI Allianz Refugee Scholarships, which supports refugees and people seeking asylum to overcome the added financial barriers they experience in secondary school, vocational education, university, skills, and qualifications recognition.  

Afghan-born Shabir is one of the recipients of the 2025 scholarship. Not only is he excited to receive the scholarship, which gives him the opportunity to progress his medical career, but he’s grateful for the help he received from SSI through the Humanitarian Settlement Program. SSI helped pay for his exam fees, which made a big difference in being able to pursue his studies. 

“I felt extremely happy and grateful. Receiving the scholarship was a big achievement for me and motivates me to continue working hard.” 

With the support of the scholarship, Shabir wants to work hard and repay the support he’s received by giving back to the community. It’s something he feels passionate about.

“Once I finish studying, I hope to become a good doctor and serve the public. I want to contribute to the health and well-being of my community.”

Shabir believes in the future he’s building in Australia.

“I believe Australia offers a bright future for me, and I hope to contribute to this community, both professionally as a doctor and personally as a contributing member of society.”

This year’s recipients gathered to celebrate their achievements at Allianz’s Sydney office. Separate ceremonies will be held in Victoria and Queensland.

This year, scholarships were awarded to 34 people from 13 different cultural backgrounds, including Afghan, Palestinian, Syrian, Ukrainian, and Congolese.

SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis said the partnership demonstrates a shared commitment to empowering and supporting newly arrived communities to realise their full potential. 

“People with refugee background face several challenges in pursuing their education. In particular, the increasing cost of living and housing crisis has adversely impacted newly arrived students, who struggle to balance studies and work to get by. By working with organisations, such as Allianz and other community partners, we aim to offer support to students in their educational pursuits,” she said. 

Allianz Australia Chief People & Culture Officer, Anna Stavropoulos, said the partnership brings benefits to both the recipients and community. 

“At Allianz, our purpose is to secure the future of our customers, employees and the wider community. Access to quality education is essential for empowering young Australians with the skills they need to succeed in the workforce, establish fulfilling careers and make a positive contribution to the communities that they live in.   

“We care deeply about diversity, inclusion and belonging and believe that the more we can bring together people from different backgrounds, with different experiences and ideas, the better the outcomes will be for both businesses and society as a whole. We’re entering the ninth year of our partnership with SSI and we’re immensely proud of the support we’ve given to Shabir, as well as over 300 young people of refugee backgrounds to achieve independence in Australia”, she said.

For more information, visit: https://www.ssi.org.au/our-services/education-training/allianz-scholarship-program/