06/03/2026
🎓Australia Awards Scholarships – Alumni Series🎓
TOM JNR VAHA 🧑‍🎓
Field of study: Bachelor of Agriculture in Applied Science (2022 – 2024)
Graduation year: 2025
What attracted you to apply for the Australian Awards Scholarship?
In 2013 I completed a Diploma in Agriculture at USP. I was then employed as a livestock officer for the Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (DAFF) of Niue. With the encouragement of my family, I enrolled in part-time studies at University of the South Pacific (USP) here in Niue to pursue my Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture online in 2022. Not long after that, the Australia Awards Pacific Scholarship (AAPS) intake for 2023 opened. At the time, Australian Awards was newly established here in Niue, my family encouraged me to apply. I was one of the successful applicants and gladly completed my Bachelor’ degree in Agriculture – Applied Science at the USP Samoa campus.
Why did you choose this field and country to pursue your studies?
As a child I was brought up living off the land, planting root crops and vegetables for the necessity of subsistence living. We had pigs, backyard chickens, two goats and even a handful of cattle. I would enjoy feeding and moving the cows from one tree to another. I didn’t really understand the fundamentals of agriculture as a young boy, only to know it was about planting crops and raising animals for home consumption. However, my perspective changed as I got to learn and experience the bigger picture about agriculture. It was an absolute phenomenon, not only to understand the concept of planting vegetables and root crops but also extending my knowledge onto;
- the different types of livestock and their rearing methods,
- understanding the economic significance of pests affecting plants and animals,
- exploring the business side of agriculture through economics and farm management,
- taking soil samples and analysing them to determine the types of nutrients present within the soil, and so much more.
I chose to study in Samoa as it is the main faculty of Agriculture for USP in the Pacific and I was familiar with the country from my previous studies.
Any challenges you faced? What motivated you to keep going during your time away from Niue?
The main challenge I’d say was being away from my family. However, thanks to the support of AAPS as part of the accompanied package, I was able to take my eldest son to accompany me on my second year of studying. My family’s prayers and words of encouragements kept me going during my time away from Niue.
What are your goals after graduating?
To utilise and share the knowledge I’ve gained to help the people and develop the agriculture sector of Niue.
What’s one tip for students applying for scholarships?
My parents and elders often say “Education is the key to success and prosperity.” With these scholarships, we should utilise every opportunity when they are presented to us. I would like to encourage everyone out there to take on these opportunities to learn and be the change the world needs, because there is no limit to learning, it just makes it more fun to learn.
Tune in for more stories from our Alumni on island. Applications are now OPEN for the 2027 intake!! Click on link below for more info:
https://niue.highcommission.gov.au/niue/AusAwardsSchol.html
https://niue.highcommission.gov.au/niue/AusAwardsPacificSchol.htm
