Odette Shenfield, from Melbourne, was one of three students in the ANU College of Law to receive three awards, including the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department and Australian Government Solicitor Prize, at the college's 2017 prize ceremony.

The awards came on top of a University Medal and the prestigious Tillyard Prize, awarded in part for her refugee advocacy.

Initially reluctant to appear in marketing materials, the 24-year-old figured she could use the platform to encourage students who felt law may be too difficult to give it a go by sharing her struggles in completing her degree. Ms Shenfield also wanted to demonstrate her learnings - in her words, "the vital importance of speaking out on issues and of critical thinking".

So she included in her response what she had been taught: "Public Interest Clinical Program gave me new insights into the human reality behind the government's inhumane refugee policies."

Ms Shenfield said it was not intended as a political statement. But the ANU saw it differently, telling her marketing material was "politically neutral" and suggesting she instead submit an opinion piece to student newspaper Woroni.

"I hope you can appreciate that the Commonwealth government is the donor for one of your prizes, and that should never stop you from speaking out against policies that you feel strongly about, but part of our job within the college is to maintain donor relationships to ensure it is available to future students," a marketing staffer wrote.

"The publication of this booklet is aimed at fostering those relationships."

When Ms Shenfield pushed back she was told she had been removed from the booklet.

Speaking last week, Ms Shenfield - whose mother's family arrived in Australia as Jewish refugees - said she was "really disappointed" by the ANU's decision.

"The ANU College of Law prides itself on being a social justice college and the university prides itself on social responsibility and academic freedom, and I couldn't believe that a sentence that small that was answering what I'd learnt in a subject was going to be removed because a government department was giving a prize to one student," Ms Shenfield said.

Questioned on Ms Shenfield's experiences, an ANU spokesman said the university actively encouraged free speech among staff and students.

"Academic independence is a core ANU value which underpins our global reputation and standing in research excellence," he said.

"The university has a long history of managing donations and gifts from a range of private and public donors and will not seek or accept gifts which are inconsistent with the university's mission."

A spokesman for the Attorney-General's department said the department played no role in determining who received the prize, with the award criteria related only to the student's academic achievements.

"There are no further conditions imposed by the department on the awarding of the prize," the spokesman said.

The incident is the second to raise concerns about the ANU's independence in the past several months.

Students and staff have been quietly questioning the university's decision to negotiate with the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation on a proposed Bachelor of Western Civilisation.

Former prime minister John Howard chairs the Ramsay Centre board, with Tony Abbott also counted among its ranks.

In a press release in December, the Ramsay Centre said the proposed degree was "intended to promote a deeper appreciation of the manner in which the legacy of Western civilisation, in all its aspects, has shaped the successful nation that Australia is today".

Ms Shenfield said her experience had heightened her concerns about the ANU's relationship with the Ramsay Centre.

"No other centre at the ANU has that explicit ideological purpose," she said.

The ANU spokesman said: "Vice-chancellor Professor Brian Schmidt and Dean of the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences Professor Rae Frances have given a commitment that the academic independence would be a fundamental part of any new course or agreement with the Ramsay Centre.

"A new program would add to the university's suite of undergraduate programs that includes European studies, Arab and Islamic studies, Asian studies and Pacific studies along with courses in Australian Indigenous studies."

Ms Shenfield, who finished her degree last year, will donate the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department and Australian Government Solicitor Prize winnings to the Canberra Refugee Action Committee.