Born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Ajay Dhadli arrived in Perth in 2017 to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate study at The University Western Australia.
As well as studying a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Finance and Business Management, Ajay is also an aspiring professional golfer.
First introduced to golf by his grandmother at seven years old, Ajay pursued competitive soccer until serious injuries led to him turning his attention back to golf.
Although Ajay considered studying in Melbourne, he ultimately chose Perth, Western Australia because it presented more outdoor opportunities, great weather, and a smaller city with a more comfortable life.
“With that, picking UWA was a no-brainer, being the best university in WA, and I was told by ex-students about the great student life and experience; UWA seemed like the best possible option,” he said.
“By picking UWA I have made life-long friends and Perth has given me great opportunities to pursue my golfing career.”
And while golf will always be Ajay’s number one focus, as a resident of University Hall, one of UWA’s residential colleges, he has been able to join in on social team sports with fellow students.
“I have been heavily involved in intercollege sport and social sport for the past four years at University Hall, playing different sports weekly and staying constantly stay active,” Ajay said.
“I have also been provided the opportunity to make use of a state-of-the-art gym which has helped me tremendously improve my golf game and my overall health and wellbeing.”
He says his favourite thing about UWA is the abundance of opportunities and facilities available for every student.
“We’ve got well-maintained ovals, an amazing gym, libraries for keeping the grades up, and great food options.”
As a student who balances academic and sporting pursuits to a high level, Ajay is a part of the UWA Student Athlete Development Program (SADP).
Through the SADP, athletes gain exposure to development opportunities, have access to financial support through UWA Sport Scholarships, and are provided with the support networks necessary to aid them in balancing dual career aspirations.
With over 300 athletes on campus, representing more than 40 different sports, the UWA SADP is the largest and most comprehensive elite athlete university program in Western Australia.
“As an international student, the pressures of university can be seen to be fairly high, and sometimes with trying to pursue a ‘dual career’, the support is much needed,” said Ajay.
“The Student Athlete Development Program has given me the option and assistance to acquire special consideration for assignments and exams, when the pressures from golf and university have been high.”
Ajay says the support provided through the SADP has been enabled him to maintain a healthy mental and physical state, which he says is of paramount importance for any student.
Ajay says he would recommend UWA to any student considering university study.
“This is because not only is UWA in the top 100 universities in the world and provides globally recognised degrees; the support and amazing student experience which UWA provides is extremely unique and is hard to find elsewhere.”
