The Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation, which works to support First Nations education and scholarships across the state, recently hosted their Round 14 Recipient Ceremonies.

Watch the video here.

QATSIF's Secretariat Director Michael Nayler said the Foundation's work involves "more than a scholarship, it's all about encouraging hard work and a sense of cultural pride".

With only a small team of three full-time staff nestled in Lutwyche, QATSIF makes a big impact.

The Foundation kicked off this year's Round 14 Recipient ceremonies at the Australian Catholic University, University of Southern Queensland, and Griffith University (Logan).

"We've got three major ceremonies to celebrate in South East Queensland but right across Queensland we're celebrating 1961 young people who are receiving this QATSIF Scholarship this year. That's on top of another 2000 who already have the scholarship in Year 12. At the moment 4,000 young people across Queensland currently hold a QATSIF Scholarship. We have provided over 16,000 scholarships across our past 14 years," said Mr Nayler.

"QATSIF is justifiably proud of our students' achievements including winning Queensland's Highest Achievement by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student for six of the past eight years.

"We want young people to know their part of something bigger, they're part of this QATSIF family as well."

QATSIF encourages all students to understand the history of the QATSIF Scholarships, particularly in knowing that their scholarships come from the interest on preserved Stolen Wages reparation funds.

"So for the young people receiving this scholarship, it's not just an amount of money, it's a sense of pride. Of standing up against that unjust history and working hard in memory of their family members, Elders and Ancestors whose wages were stolen," said Mr Nayler.

Uncle Wayne Fossey, a proud member of the Yugambeh mob on the gold Coast and families through northern lines, and Elder in Residence at USQ has seen QATSIF go from strength to strength, and this year was no different.

"QATSIF is an amazing organisation, it's been able to give power to a lot of students, it's been able to give power to a lot of schools," says Uncle Wayne.

"It's not just to create a scholarship which gives kids money… it's just to encourage leadership. So that leadership and that power come through in sport, its come through in school leadership programs, it's come through cultural programs.

"I'm exceptionally proud of the involvement and I've just seen it grow massively."

With an awe-inspiring message, QATSIF Patron Aunty Ruth Hegarty urged QATSIF students to be whatever they want to be in life, but do it well, and achieve.

The buck doesn't stop there, as this July and August, QATSIF will hold 10 graduations across Queensland to celebrate our young people's achievements.