‘What do you want to be?’ The spark that helps Indigenous people go to uni

Across Australia, universities and governments say increasing the numbers of Indigenous graduates is one of the main priorities in tertiary education.

First Nations people are still considerably underrepresented in our universities. They make up 1.9% of domestic higher education students, compared with 3.3% of the total Australian population.

While there are many programs and policies designed to encourage and support Indigenous people to enrol, many of the systems designed to improve participation are still shaped mainly by non-Indigenous decision-makers.

If universities want to improve Indigenous participation, policies and programs must be shaped not only for Indigenous students. They need to be guided by their voices and priorities.

What do Indigenous students themselves say matters when deciding whether or not university is for them?

Our research

In our new study, we spoke to Indigenous students about their university experiences. More specifically, what factors shaped their decision-making around going to university?

We used individual storytelling and focus groups where people shared stories in their own way. Through autobiographies, yarning sessions and interviews, First Nations participants shared rich insights into their journeys to higher education.

This study involved 37 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander university students, recruited with support from two Western Australian university Indigenous centres through email and social media. To protect their identities, we used pseudonyms. Where possible, we noted their Country affiliation.

Students came from different communities and backgrounds. Some came straight from school. Others entered university later in life. Some were the first in their family to attend university.

Their stories showed there is no single “Indigenous student experience”. But there were some clear, shared themes.

The ‘spark’ that started things

One of the strongest findings was students who went to university could describe a “spark” that helped them on their way.

This could have been a conversation, interaction or moment of encouragement from a trusted person that helped them see university as possible. For many students, university became imaginable because someone believed in them first.

For Samantha, a Ghungalu woman from Central Queensland, the spark came early. In Year 6, a family friend asked: “What do you want to be when you’re older?” This moment helped to normalise university long before an application was submitted.

An Aboriginal man, Blake, described how a school outreach visit changed his direction:

I was going to join the army, but university – they came, and it broadened my mind. I want to show people and myself that I can go to university and succeed. I want to break the chain.

Madison, a Nyikina woman from the Kimberley region of Western Australia, left school at 16 and once believed university was “only for smart people”. Years later, while supporting a young man in her community, she mentioned wanting to study psychology. His encouragement changed her path.

I realised that I was giving him excuses because I was afraid of failing.

After he passed away, Madison applied through an enabling program to university and is now studying psychology to give back to her community.

The importance of trusted friends

Traditional higher education marketing often assumes students will compare websites, fees, academic reputation, rankings, job prospects, teaching quality and course information before making a decision about where and what to study.

But many participants in our study relied first on family members, Elders, teachers, mentors, peers and the university’s Indigenous centre staff to help steer their choice. Universities have their own Indigenous centres that provide academic, social and cultural support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

A sense of belonging, cultural safety and connection strongly influenced Indigenous students. For example, when Samantha attended a high school program hosted at an Indigenous centre, it helped her see a pathway to uni.

I remember being around everyone at the Indigenous centre. It was amazing […] I don’t have to feel like […] keeping my guard up.

Emotional and study support

Our interviewees also spoke of the importance of authentic inclusion once they got to university. This included tutorial assistance for Indigenous students and dedicated spaces for Indigenous students on campus.

Madison also emphasised the importance of flexible study options and a culturally safe space and that support needed to go beyond academic help.

It’s not just tutoring help, it’s the emotional and cultural support provided.

Students also pointed to the importance of flexibility in how they study, as well as greater awareness of alternative entry pathways to university beyond the ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank).

For Madison, being able to study online and on campus has made university possible while raising her children. As she explained,

I love bringing my kids on campus because I want them to see it’s normal to go to university, learning can be flexible and not just from a textbook.

What’s needed now

Our research suggests increasing Indigenous students at university cannot rely on generic recruitment and marketing.

Students seek genuine inclusion through relationships, representation and communication. This means investing in mentors, school outreach, community partnerships and Indigenous role models to create more “sparks”.

This must be matched by a whole-of-university commitment to culturally safe and supportive student experiences.

Inclusivity must be embedded across the entire institution, with Indigenous centres working alongside marketing, faculties, student services, and equity teams. This means using inclusive language, curricula that reflects Indigenous perspectives, staff that are culturally aware and Indigenous-specific student support. Indigenous knowledges and perspectives need to be visible, respected and represented in everyday university life.

Associate Professor Marie Ryan contributed to the original research described in this article.