Second time a charm for aspiring architect

Having taken an unconventional route to entering university, Sophia Yapedzieff-Watson is more determined than ever to realise her dream of becoming an architect.

The 22-year-old, who is the first in her family to attend university, completed her first year of a Bachelor of Architecture in 2023, a degree she entered with the help of a Tertiary Foundation Certificate (TFC) and subsequently an Alumni Scholarship for Tertiary Foundation Certificate Students.

The TFC is a bridging programme for students lacking the preliminary grades necessary to enrol in university courses. It helps motivated students get up to speed academically and prepare for the rigours of university study.

For Sophia, the programme offered her a second chance to pursue her architectural goal. After initially enrolling in her second choice of study, design school, Sophia soon realised she would never be happy compromising on her dream. And so leaving her design studies to pursue full-time work for a stint, Sophia reenrolled as a student in the TFC programme in 2022 – determined that this time she would make the cut.

“I had a lot more drive than at high school so I really enjoyed my TFC experience and found the support at TFC really helpful,” she says. “It was great to have that opportunity to come back to university.”

After completing the one-year certificate, Sophia was encouraged by her teachers to apply for an Alumni Scholarship for Tertiary Foundation Certificate Students. To her surprise, she won the scholarship, which not only helped cover some of her living costs but also gave her a valuable confidence boost.

“I’d never even thought of applying for scholarships, I never thought I was the type to get a scholarship, so it was really, really cool.”

The Alumni Scholarship for Tertiary Foundation Certificate Students was established in 2019 and is funded by the Alumni Scholarships Fund, which is supported by donations from the University’s alumni and friends made through our appeal programme.

Sophia says it’s inspiring to know that programmes like the Tertiary Foundation Certificate exist to offer students an alternative pathway into university and that she’s extremely grateful to all those who donated to the University’s appeals.

“It makes me feel like there’s someone believing in tertiary students,” she says. “And it really does take a lot of pressure off the first year for students like me who may not have started their university life the ideal way.”