As a child refugee in India, Harini dreamt of making it to Australia to study medicine and become a doctor.

She arrived in Australia in 2013 when she was 10 years old, leaving behind her two siblings and mother.

Harini did not realise her visa status made her different to her classmates until she received a university offer for a biomedical science degree that required her to pay international student fees of nearly $100,000.

After attempting to self-fund her studies and falling a year behind in payments, the university disenrolled Harini in 2023 – four months before she was set to complete her degree.

Today, Harini Rathnakumar on how her promise of a better life in Australia was shattered, and the many others stuck in visa limbo.

This episode was originally published in September 2024.

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Guest: Harini Rathnakumar

Photo: AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi