When Charlotte Woollams learnt she had won a prestigious scholarship to attend university, she was so shocked she thought it might have been a typo.
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The Launceston Church Grammar School graduate had dreams of attending the University of Melbourne to study engineering, but knew that the cost of residential college would be a challenge.
"Residential college can be a bit on the expensive side, so I knew a bit of help would really good," she said.
One of only four students offered the Telstra Technology and Innovation Scholarship for 2022, the scholarship is worth $100,000 over five years and will allow Ms Woollams to study both an undergraduate and a Masters degree at the University of Melbourne.
Her university choice was inspired by both her love of science and more creative pursuits.
Melbourne University has 'breadth subjects', an elective subject that is a different area of study to the students' degree.
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Ms Woollams said that while she loved science and maths, she also had a passion for art and music and was excited for the opportunity to broaden her tertiary education outside of the engineering faculty.
"I was looking to move interstate, but Melbourne has a really broad education system and that's what really got me," she said.
"I'm quite a creative person on top of all the STEM things, I play the saxophone and a bit of guitar as well.
"So being able to do art and music was really appealing to me."
Ms Woollams is moving to Melbourne in February to start her Bachelor of Science majoring in engineering, before progressing to a Master of Engineering (Mechatronics).
"I've chosen mechatronic at this stage," she said.
"Mechatronics is like coding robotics, it's like a combination of mechanical and coding systems and things."
"After you've finished your Masters Telstra offers you an internship, so I'll probably start with that and see where it takes me."
For her last month or so in Tasmania, Ms Woollams is looking forward to spending time with friends and family before the road trip to start her new adventure in Melbourne.
"The plan is to go over with my mum and sister, I think we'll stay in a hotel for one night and then go shopping and get everything I need for my college room," she said.
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