Charles Sturt University (CSU) has joined 11 leading NSW universities in offering scholarships to refugees on a humanitarian visa.

Announced by the NSW Coordinator-General for Refugee Resettlement Peter Shergold AC, major universities across NSW, including CSU, have committed to funding scholarships and tertiary education programs for refugees, including the Syrian and Iraqi refugees who will arrive in the next 18 months.

CSU has committed $3 million to the CSU Foundation which offers an extensive range of scholarships to students. Investment returns will be used to deliver a series of perpetual scholarships to students who might otherwise find higher education unobtainable, with specific inclusions for refugees.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Vann said the University's commitment of $3 million was inspired by a recent extremely generous personal donation to the CSU Foundation, and the courage shown by many refugees seeking a better and safer future for themselves and their families.

"The donation will be put towards scholarships that are explicitly for students experiencing hardship and demonstrating persistence in the face of adversity, including of course many refugees," he said.

"Universities are in the privileged position of being able to help people unlock opportunity and jobs, even those who have been displaced, and we are pleased to be able to provide tangible support to those with some of the greatest need," Professor Vann said.