Alice Knox, 11 March, 2024
Clea Hall competes internationally as a sports climber. A QUT-AIS Scholarship is helping her to pursue her studies and her sports passion.
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QUT offers a range of sports scholarships to support athletes at all levels – from talented sports people who are still developing and progressing in their chosen sport, to high-performance athletes who represent Australia at international competitions.
Sports climber Clea Hall is one of 10 QUT student-athletes to receive a QUT-AIS Scholarship in 2024 to help her pursue her studies and her sporting ambitions. The scholarship is offered in partnership with the Australian Institute of Sport and includes $10 000 cash support.
Competing as a sports climber Clea’s best result so far in her eight years was being named Overall Youth National Champion in 2022 and competing in the world championships in Texas. Clea said her QUT-AIS Scholarship would help her travel to competitions and training camps this year.
“Sport climbing is still not a government-funded sport, which means athletes have to fund everything by themselves,” Clea said.
“Receiving the QUT-AIS scholarship removes a lot of financial stress and means that I can achieve a balance between my sport, studies and life.
“I hope to use the money to fund two trips – one to Slovenia for the World University Championships and the other to France for summer training from December to January.”
Clea Hall competes in bouldering. Photo: Victor Hall
The scholarship also supports students through membership to QUT’s Elite Athlete Program – which can help students manage their studies around their sporting commitments.
Clea is studying a Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology. She said she had always wanted to study a health-related field, as she wanted to help other people – and also learn information that would help her own athletic career, and other female athletes.
“Being a female in a currently male-dominated sport makes me aware of so many injustices,” she said.
“After I finish my Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology, I hope to go into research about peak female performance and the menstrual cycle.
“I believe that more communal understanding around how female performance fluctuates can help alleviate some of the stigma around women in sport as ‘weaker’ than their male counterparts.”
Sports scholarships available at QUT
QUT-AIS Scholarship
The QUT-AIS Scholarship is a joint scholarship between the university and the Australian Institute of Sport. It offers recipients:
- a cash scholarship valued at $10,000.
- membership to QUT's Elite Athlete Program, where you'll be given academic support provisions and professional development opportunities.
- membership to QUT's College of Excellence.
QUT Elite Sport Scholarship
The QUT Elite Sport Scholarship is offered to new and existing students. Scholarships are spread over a number of categories to support athletes at all levels of performance.
You'll receive:
- QUT Elite Sport Scholarships are valued up to $10,000, paid over two years.
QUT Sport Scholarships include additional benefits, including:
- membership to the Elite Athlete Program
- membership to QUT's College of Excellence
- access to personal and professional development opportunities
- access to nutrition and sports psychology services and more.
If you receive a QUT Elite Sport Scholarship you will receive automatic entry into the QUT Elite Athlete Program.
QUT Rising Sports Scholarship (including eSport)
The QUT Rising Sports Scholarship (including eSport) recognises players in emerging sports. QUT is proud to support representatives contesting selected esports game disciplines.
What you’ll receive:
- a QUT Rising Sports Scholarship valued at $5,000, paid over two years.
You'll also receive additional benefits including:
- access to personal and professional development opportunities including industry sporting programs
- access to nutrition and sports psychology services
- membership to the QUT College of Excellence and Elite Athlete Program.
- membership to the Esports Academy Development Program (esports discipline only)
If you receive a QUT Rising Sports Scholarship and enrol at QUT, you will receive automatic entry to the Elite Athlete Program.
