What’s On

Upcoming Events

Monash | Discover Medicine

March 21, 2024

Discover what it’s like to study Medicine at Monash. Join us for an informative session where we’ll discuss the course structure, placement opportunities and entry requirements. Our current students will be online to provide insights into their own experiences as well.

Find out more

Victoria Police | Careers Information Session - Online Webinar

March 25, 2024

Victoria Police is hosting an online information session for members of the community who are interested in a career with Victoria Police.

Hear from us about the recruitment process and training at the Police Academy. It’s also your opportunity to ask questions you have about police careers and pathways.

Find out more

Quantum Victoria | Tall Poppy Experience

March 26, 2024

Students engage with Tall Poppy Award recipients as they share their research in their specific STEM field.

Students rotate through several workshops and participate in a Q&A Session with the Tall Poppies during the day.

These workshops illustrate the importance, relevance and opportunities that science pathways provide for students who are interested in pursuing careers in science.

Find out more

Monash | Information Evenings

Peninsula: March 26, 2024

Warrnambool: March 27, 2024

We know that choosing a university is a big decision, especially if you don’t live in Melbourne. Monash Information Evenings are the perfect opportunity to have your questions answered on everything you wanted to know about undergraduate study at Monash.

You’ll hear about:

our 10 diverse study and discipline areas
undergraduate course types, such as our comprehensive and specialist courses, double degrees and pathway programs
international opportunities including study abroad and overseas tours
how to apply – everything need to know about VTAC, key dates and deadlines
scholarships and fees
Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS) and the Monash Guarantee
accommodation options, both on and off campus.

Register for Peninsula

Register for Warrnambool

Victoria Police | Life at the Academy – Online Webinar

March 27, 2024

Victoria Police is hosting an online information session for members of the community who are interested in a career with Victoria Police but are unsure on what to expect at the Academy.

Hear from us about training at the Academy for Police Officers, Protective Services Officers, and Police Custody Officers – this includes in-depth details about what to expect each week, as well as an insight into exams and training. We will dive deep into the facilities (including on-site accommodation!), salary and support. There will also be an opportunity for you to ask members questions about their time at the Academy.

Find out more

Important Future Events

Monash | Year 10 Discovery Day

April 5, 2024

Have you been thinking about your future – what you should study, how to get the best study outcomes, and what’s it like to be a Monash student? Year 10 Discovery Day is for you!

Participate in our interactive faculty workshops and attend our information sessions that are designed to ignite your curiosity, fuel your aspirations, and guide you through the next steps that lead to a bright and promising future at Monash.

We even have custom-tailored sessions for your parents or guardians. We understand the importance they play in your education journey and we want them to be as prepared as they can be to help you reach your academic goals!

Find out more

AIM | School Holiday Workshops

Music Theatre: April 8 to April 9, 2024

Songwriting & Performance: April 11 to April 12, 2024

AIM’s holiday workshops are designed for high school students interested in music theatre, performance & songwriting. Created for students in Years 9-12, the two-day workshops provide incredible opportunities to experience performing and being mentored by AIM’s own accomplished industry professionals.

Register for Music Theatre Workshop

Register for Songwriting & Performance Workshop

AIE | Industry Experience Day

April 11 to April 17, 2024

AIE’s Industry Experience Day is a great opportunity for students in Years 10, 11 and 12 to learn about the local and international game development, 3D animation and visual effects industries. Students will get the opportunity to learn about the different pathways to get into the industry, what should be in a portfolio and will be able to get creative in practical workshops using industry-standard 3D animation and game development tools.

The sessions are run by industry professionals who have worked on some blockbuster games and films. Everything is provided for you to participate in the hands-on workshops and you will be using the same software that is used in the industry.

Find out more

Discover ACU Ballarat

April 12, 2024

Join us for the 2024 Discover ACU. A free event tailored to your study area of interest, these sessions will give you an insight into life as a uni student.

Sessions include:

Nursing and Paramedicine
Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy
Education and Arts

Find out more

Holmesglen Institute | Open Day, April 2024

April 18, 2024

Open Day is a great opportunity for you to meet with teachers, explore our campuses and study facilities, and get a feel for Holmesglen life. Our sessions include presentations, tours and Q&As – perfect for helping you map out your future study and career plans. Plus, our friendly team is also available to help you apply on the day.

Find out more

VCE and Careers Expo 2024

May 2 to May 4, 2024

Australia’s biggest education and careers event is now in its 32nd year in a new, bigger venue!

Our exhibitors include:

universities, TAFE colleges and training providers
providers of VCE resources, information and services
organisations with apprenticeship information and opportunities
organisations with employment opportunities
organisations with cadetship opportunities
career advisers and student support services
providers of tutoring services, lecture and study skills programs
providers of international exchange and GAP year programs
providers of youth services and programs

Attend seminars on topics including:

VCE subjects
Subject selection advice for Year 10 students
Tertiary courses
Careers
Employment opportunities
Study advice
Gap year options

Find out more

Collarts | Open Day 2024

May 11, 2024

At our Collarts On-Campus Open Day, we invite you to come and experience all things Collarts life: from our passion for creativity, close community, state-of-the-art facilities, expert faculty, and more.

Up-skill in a creative workshop
Learn more about the industry in a live panel
Meet Collarts students and staff
Visit one of our open campuses on the day
Get an inside look into all our courses

Find out more

Victorian Careers Show 2024

May 16 to May 18, 2024

The Victorian Careers Show, in its 4th year in 2024, follows on from the success of our flagship event, the VCE and Careers Expo.

Our exhibitors include:

universities, TAFE colleges and training providers
providers of VCE resources, information and services
organisations with apprenticeship information and opportunities
organisations with employment opportunities
organisations with cadetship opportunities
career advisers and student support services
providers of tutoring services, lecture and study skills programs
providers of international exchange and GAP year programs
providers of youth services and programs

Attend seminars on topics including:

VCE subjects
Subject selection advice for Year 10 students
Tertiary courses
Careers
Employment opportunities
Study advice
Gap year options

Find out more

BiG Day In, Melbourne

May 30, 2024

Join us at The Capitol – RMIT University on Thursday 30 May for BiG Day In Melbourne. Bring your Year 9-12 students to learn where a STEM career can take you. Hear from organisations such as Wisetech Global, Adobe, Australian Signals Directorate & more to come.

Find out more

Free Money

Scholarships

Aurora Internship Program Indigenous Scholarships

Opens: January 1, 2024

Closes: December 31, 2024

The Internship Program continues to focus on supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and graduates via internships as pathways to jobs in Indigenous organisations and other organisations working in the Indigenous sector.

Find out more

University of Sydney Extended Bachelor Program Scholarship

Opens: April 3, 2024

Closes: October 31, 2024

A scholarship and support package valued at up to $20,000 per year for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students commencing one of our Extended Bachelor Programs.

Find out more

Competitions

Wombat Books Illustration Challenge 2024

Opens: January 1, 2024

Closes: July 1, 2024

Wombat Books are seeking original illustrations from Australian school-aged students (aged 5-18) to publish in a unique picture book.

The Challenge has been established in order to provide aspiring young illustrators with the opportunity to be published in a professionally produced children’s book and gain an introduction into the world of illustrating.

Find out more

Australian Virtual Astronaut (AVA) Challenge

Closes: September 23, 2024

Complete a 9 step STEM design sprint based on challenges facing NASA’s Artemis and the Australian space industry. AVA teams will choose from a set of six scenarios and design a solution presented in the form of either a 90-second video pitch or poster. A number of teams will then be selected to pitch their ideas at the Young Space Explorers event in December in Sydney!

This program has been designed to be delivered flexibly. Therefore teachers can use as much or as little of the materials as they wish. It could be finished in a couple of lessons or over a number of weeks.

Find out more

Monologue Competition 2024

Opens: March 1, 2024

Closes: July 31, 2024

We invite high school students in years 9-12 to submit a creative and entertaining delivery of a monologue of their choice.

You have total creative freedom to deliver this monologue in whatever way you see fit – comedy, drama, musical – go all out! You can sing it, perform it as a comedy, relate it to current societal issues, or deliver it in the context of how/when it was written.

Think about costumes, sets, props, and locations to add a bit of flair to your performance.

Find out more

Mocktail Film Award 2024

Opens: March 1, 2024

Closes: June 30, 2024

We invite high school students in years 9-12 to submit their short film and go into the running to win awesome prizes!

High school students are invited to submit their best short fiction, short documentary, short animation, television commercial, or music video clip to be reviewed by industry professionals.

Shortlisted films will be shown and the winner will be announced at the prestigious Martini Film Awards to be held in Melbourne and Brisbane.

Find out more

Study

University

The most popular university courses in 2024

When it comes to courses at university, the choices are nearly endless. If you’re still pondering your options, you might like to know what other students picked – it can either solidify a decision in your mind, or help you steer clear of a course that might be super competitive to get into. We’ve found the most popular university courses that last year’s Year 12 students picked to study in 2024. Let’s take a look.

The most popular courses in NSW

Each year, the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) posts a list of the top 10 university courses applicants picked. Here’s their list for 2024:

University	Course	Applicants
UNSW	Bachelor of Medical Studies/Doctor of Medicine, Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Medical Studies/Doctor of Medicine	1,481
UTS	Bachelor of Business	956
WSU/CSU	Doctor of Medicine (Joint Program)	902
Sydney Uni	Bachelor of Commerce	742
Sydney Uni	Bachelor of Arts	734
UON/UNE	Bachelor of Medical Science/Doctor of Medicine (Joint Medical Program)	703
Sydney Uni	Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws	690
UNSW	Bachelor of Double Law	657
UTS	Bachelor of Nursing	608
Sydney Uni	Bachelor of Science/Doctor of Medicine	608

The most popular courses in QLD

The Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) made over 15,000 offers to hopeful applicants in their January offer round earlier this year. Here were the 12 most popular university courses from that round:

University	Course	Offers
UQ	Bachelor of Arts	330
QUT	Bachelor of Paramedic Science	256
UQ	Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)	243
UQ	Bachelor of Biomedical Science	213
UQ	Bachelor of Psychological Science(Honours)	208
QUT	Bachelor of Business	184
JCU	Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor ofSurgery	175
UQ	Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours)	174
QUT	Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)	154
UQ	Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)	148
QUT	Bachelor of Nursing	147
UQ	Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Midwifery	169

The most popular courses in VIC

The Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) has made over 60,000 domestic offers since their first offer round in November 2023. While they don’t have any information on specific courses, they do have numbers on the most popular fields of study – take a look:

Field of Study	Applicants
Health	18,420
Society and Culture	13,021
Management and Commerce	9,627
Natural and Physical Sciences	8,908
Creative Arts	6,049
Engineering	5,582
Education	3,415
Information Technology	3,273
Architecture and Building	2,724
Agriculture and Environment	615

The most popular courses in WA

The Tertiary Institutions Service Centre (TISC) processed over 28,000 applications to WA’s five universities this year. Here were the 10 courses that received the most applications for 2024:

University	Course	Applications
UWA	Doctor of Dental Medicine via Bachelor of Biomedicine (Specialised)	2,284
Curtin	Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery	1,667
Curtin	Bachelor of Commerce	1,118
Curtin	Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)	1,102
UWA	Bachelor of Commerce	1,063
UWA	Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)	1,043
UWA	Bachelor of Science	1,025
UWA	Bachelor of Biomedical Science	922
Curtin	Bachelor of Science (Nursing)	890
Curtin	Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences	852

Course application trends

There are a few obvious things that you probably noticed when looking at these numbers.

The first is that health and medicine courses are extremely popular – in fact, they top the list in nearly every single state. Interestingly, many health courses (particularly medicine and dentistry) only have very few places. For example:

Over 2,000 students applied for UWA’s Doctor of Dental Medicine via Bachelor of Biomedicine (Specialised), only 103 students were offered a place, and only 89 ended up enrolling – that’s just under 4% of all applicants.
1,481 students applied to study Medicine at UNSW, but they only offer 198 places each year. This number also doesn’t take into account students who applied through other pathways.

If you’re thinking of studying one of these courses, just keep in mind how competitive applications can be.

The second is that certain universities receive a majority of applications. Take Queensland, for instance – there are 9 universities in the state, but only 3 of them feature on this list, and 2 in particular make up most of it. This doesn’t mean the other 6 universities aren’t just as good, and there are lots of reasons you might choose a particular uni other than its reputation, such as:

The location of their campuses
The particular courses they run
The scholarships and support services they offer
Their accommodation options
The extra-curricular activities and clubs they offer

And that’s just to name a few! If you have your heart set on a particular university, that’s totally OK. But don’t forget you have plenty of options, each just as a good as the next.

Finally, the last thing of note is that cost doesn’t really seem to factor into students’ choices. Medicine, law, engineering, and even arts are all typically considered “expensive” degrees, and yet they consistently receive hundreds (some thousands) of applications each year. Most undergraduate students at Australian universities are covered by comprehensive financial support options, so don’t let fees deter you from studying your dream course. You might even be lucky enough to receive a scholarship that covers most (or even all) of your costs.

Learn more about your study options

If this list has you wanting to know more about your future study options, we have heaps of other helpful blogs that cover everything you need to know about university, including pathways, finances, courses, and more. Check them out here.

Future Study

5 things to think about when looking for a course

Planning on doing some more study in the future? You might be feeling a bit overwhelmed by the thousands of course choices out there. If you’re looking for some guidance, we’ve got some things you might like to think about when looking for a course – it could help you make your decision.

Study location

This is one of the most important things you’ll need to consider first. Would you be willing to move to another city (or even state or country) to study your chosen course? Or perhaps you’re unable (or unwilling) to move and you’d like to study online instead.

As well as location, look at different universities, vocational institutions, and private providers and compare your options. Take a tour of the campus (in person or virtually), browse accommodation options, and read about on-campus clubs, facilities, and activities. See if you can read student reviews about their experience, or talk to someone you know has studied there in the past.

Flexibility and access

As well as where you’ll be studying, take a look at other important details about the course. This includes things like whether part-time study is available, if you can defer your studies, and even what their study calendar is like (when will you be on holidays, for example?).

You should also do a bit of research on the institution’s other options and services, such as how easy it is to switch between courses if you’ve changed your mind, whether you’ll receive any credit for past studies, and what kind of support they offer (e.g. for students with disabilities, career advice, etc.).

Entry requirements

One of the key things you’ll need to know about a course is whether or not you’re eligible to apply. Make sure you read and meet any academic requirements and have the needed subject prerequisites before you apply. If you’re not eligible through the standard pathway, take a look at their alternative pathway options and see if there is another way you might be able to receive an offer instead.

Course fees

Unfortunately, not a lot of things in life are free – and this includes most tertiary courses. Take a look at not only how much the course will cost, but what your options for payment are. Common finance options include loans, payment plans, scholarships, and even government assistance. But in some circumstances you might be expected to pay your course fees upfront, so make sure you know exactly what you’ll owe and how you’ll pay for it before signing up.

Career pathways

If you’re looking into further study, it’s probably because it will eventually lead you to a particular job or career. So ensure the course you’re looking at will actually qualify you for future jobs. Take a look at job sites and see what qualifications employers are looking for in roles you’d like to have one day. In some cases, you might be required to have a specific degree to start in your chosen career (if you want to be a doctor, for example, you’ll need to follow a set study pathway).

Also consider other jobs and pathways the course could take you, in case you find your career goals change over time or don’t pan out how you expected.

Learn more

Have more questions about study options, courses, or pathways? Check out the rest of our resources on our website here.

Work

Job Spotlight

How to become an Urban Planner

Urban planners develop and implement plans and policies surrounding the development and use of land. They work on a variety of projects, including designing new neighbourhoods, revitalising existing infrastructure, and even zoning areas of ecological and environmental importance. As populations grow and cities expand, their work is essential to creating sustainable and liveable places for us to live and work.

If you are creative, innovative, and great at solving problems, becoming an urban planner could be a rewarding career to consider.

What skills do I need as an urban planner?

Innovative & forward-thinking
Analytical & thorough
Good research skills
Eye for design
Excellent problem-solver
Great communicator
Can work in teams
Organised & precise

What tasks can I expect to do?

Collect data on factors influencing land use
Carry out site surveys, inspections & impact assessments
Consult with governments, communities, developers & other professionals
Create detailed plans, designs & cost reports
Present plans & reports to stakeholders
Mediate planning issues & disputes
Ensure laws & regulations are followed
Advise on resource use & planning

What industries do urban planners typically work in?

Public Administration & Safety
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services
Construction

What kind of lifestyle can I expect as an urban planner?

Most urban planners work full-time, with part-time opportunities being very rare. On the flip side, you’re unlikely to have to work on weekends or holidays.

Urban planners typically work for councils, government bodies, or private firms. You’ll be required to attend lots of meetings and occasionally conduct site visits, but some of your work can also be done from remotely from home.

Most urban planners can expect to earn an above average salary.

How to become an urban planner

To become an urban planner, you typically need a bachelor’s or master’s degree in urban or regional planning, geography, or another related field. This education includes coursework in land use, zoning, transportation planning, environmental planning, and community development. Many programs also include internships or practical components that provide hands-on experience in the field.

Additionally, some countries and states require urban planners to be licensed, which may involve passing an exam and/or meeting certain education and experience requirements.

If you’re in high school now and are thinking of becoming an urban planner, here are some steps you could take:

Start researching university courses and take any prerequisite subjects at school. Seek out work experience opportunities to gain skills, build your networks, and explore your future options.
Practise using GIS tools, statistical software, spreadsheets, and other useful database and software programs. You could even look for short courses to learn how to use these tools and programs.
Get involved in your local community and explore the issues that people are concerned with in your town. Develop your understanding of the social, environmental, and legal factors that influence urban planning, and look at previous suggestions or plans that have worked or failed.

Find out more here:

Similar careers to urban planner

Surveyor
Civil Engineer
Interior Designer
Builder
Project Manager
Landscape Designer
Architect
Remote Sensing Scientist

Find out more about alternative careers.

Entrepreneurship

Business ideas to consider while you’re at high school

Coming up with a business idea while you’re still at high school might seem like a bit of a stretch, but over a million Australians were self-employed in 2022, and they all started somewhere. If your venture is successful, you never know where it could all end, but one thing is for sure – you’ll definitely learn a lot along the way. So, if you’d like to earn a bit of extra cash, start saving for your future goals, or dream about becoming a business guru, we’ve come up with a few ideas that could work for you (or at least spark your creativity).

Keep your business idea simple and safe

Before you race off and get started, spend a while considering your business plan. Do some research into the potential demand for your goods or services, ask for advice and input from other people, and check out competitors as well.

Pare back if necessary – keep your idea as basic as possible. You can always build on your business and expand later on. Try to reduce your risks so you don’t end up wasting your time or money.

Small business ideas and inspiration to consider

Lots of goods and services are more in-demand than ever, and you could come up with a genius new way to appeal to lots of people and start making money quickly. Here are some business ideas you can still do while at high school:

Get creative

Make handmade items then sell them online, through local social media groups, or sign up to sites like Etsy. As well as traditional goods, you could create custom portraits of people or pets, create bespoke artwork, posters, illustrations, murals and more.

Sell your skills

Sign up with freelancing marketplaces such as Fiverr, Airtasker, Upwork, Guru, or Design Crowd if you have a particular set of skills you can use to help other people. Offer to tutor other students, either in person or online, if you’re doing great in a particular subject.

Get handy around the home

There are lots of odd jobs people need done around the house that they are willing to pay someone else to do. You could do car washing and detailing, lawn mowing and weeding, simple repairs and DIY jobs, bin cleaning, or looking after plants and pets for people while they’re on holiday.

Be a content creator

Nowadays, there are heaps of avenues for making money on the internet. Pick a topic you’re passionate about and produce your own podcasts or YouTube videos, start a TikTok channel, or even become a blogger.

Create culinary delights

If you’re great in the kitchen, consider baking delicious treats to sell to friends and family or at community markets. You could also make picnic or gift hampers, start a meal delivery service, or teach others how to make delicious and nutritious meals.

Leverage your tech knowledge

Got technical skills and a fantastic idea? Use them to create an app, develop a game, or design a website. You could even provide technical support for people who need to set up IT systems or an online presence for their business.

Get sporty

Love being active and staying fit? You could offer personal training or group fitness services, start an inspo Instagram, or help to run sporting and fitness events in your community.

Don’t overcommit yourself

Before you start, you’ll need to figure out how much time you can commit without interfering with other aspects of your life that are important too – especially school work and sleep. Remember to always make sure you can meet your business obligations so you don’t let customers down. A good reputation is really important in helping you keep and grow your customer base.

Find out more

If you’re feeling inspired, you can find more business ideas and information for high school students about work on our website here.

Grow

Health & Wellbeing

Exercise and wellbeing – What are the benefits?

We all know that exercise can benefit your physical health – being fitter, losing weight, etc… But what about your mental health? Well as it turns out, exercise can be just as beneficial for your mind as it is for your body. Whether you’re just in a bit of a slump or are struggling with your mental health, exercise can really benefit your wellbeing. Let’s find out how.

Exercise and wellbeing facts

A major review conducted by Australian researchers looking into the connection between exercise and depression has just been released. They surveyed other studies of over 14,000 people diagnosed with depression who had engaged in some form of exercise or physical activity. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, they found that exercise can be an incredibly effective treatment for depression.

It didn’t matter what kind of activity participants engaged in, how severe their depression was, their age, or their gender – exercise always had a positive effect on mental health.

What kind of exercise is best?

As you can see, the study looked at lots of different types of exercise, from stretching all the way through to tai chi. So what’s the most effective? Well, that depends on a few factors – they found:

Walking, jogging, yoga, strength training, and dance were effective for everyone
Strength training was more beneficial for women and young people
Yoga or qi gong was more effective for men and older people
Benefits increased the higher intensity the exercise was

Why does exercise benefit our wellbeing?

Aside from the physiological benefits, the study found that it was a combination of factors that really made exercise effective, such as:

Increasing social interaction (e.g. team sport, group activities)
Immersing yourself in nature (e.g. hiking)
Promoting mindfulness and self-awareness (e.g. yoga, tai chi)
Learning something new
Providing a surge of neurotransmitters (think of the “runner’s high“)

But what if I hate exercise?

There’s no point trying to force yourself to engage in a form of exercise you really hate (and it can actually have negative effects instead of positives). The study was careful to stress that even though some forms of exercise may be more beneficial for certain people, at the end of the day, doing anything at all is better than nothing.

You don’t have to become the next Usain Bolt or a yoga guru to reap the benefits. Even simple things like taking the dog for a brief walk, dancing to your favourite song, or limbering up with some stretches can help improve your mental wellbeing.

“If we say ‘this is the best type’ and someone doesn’t feel competent doing it or can’t access that activity due to cost then exercise doesn’t feel like an option to them.

“It’s good to know what types are more beneficial but then we need to guide people to find the one that gives them the biggest sense of accomplishment … that might not be resistance training, it might be a walk to the park with their dog or a friend.”

Rhiannon White, senior lecturer at Western Sydney University

Any movement is good

Australia’s physical activity and exercise guidelines recommend that adults get anywhere between 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate intensity physical activity per week – for young people, they recommend 60 minutes each day of moderate to vigorous physical activity.

Sound like a lot? Don’t stress – the study found that it didn’t really matter exactly how much exercise you do, as long as it’s more than none. At the end of the day, how much exercise we are able (and want) to do will vary based on other personal factors, so there’s nothing wrong with just doing a bit at a time.

Finding motivation to exercise

It’s not always easy to tear yourself away from the couch or desk and start moving – and this is especially true if you’re depressed or anxious. But there are some little things that can motivate us to exercise, according to Rhiannon White from Western Sydney University:

Exercising with a friend or in a group can increase our motivation, and can also make it more enjoyable.
Can’t get outside or don’t like other people watching you exercise? Following along to an online video is just as good.
Think about whether you’re more energetic in the morning or evening and aim to do some exercise in these “peak” times.
When you do something you enjoy, you’re more likely to make it a habit.
Finding an activity that makes you feel accomplished is also great at improving your mood.

Final thoughts

While exercise can have lots of benefits for our wellbeing and mental health, this doesn’t discount the value of other treatments such as therapy or medication either. In fact, the research shows that a combination of exercise and clinical treatment provides the most benefit. Our wellbeing relies on knowing ourselves, trying things out, and deciding what works best for us.

But if you’re looking for an easy and free way to boost your mood, why not give exercise a try? If you’re looking to incorporate exercise into your treatment plan for mental health, we always recommend you speak with your doctor first. They can help you figure out the safest and most effective activities.

We have heaps of other blogs on wellbeing and health on our website here.

Money

What is a Student Contribution Amount?

If you enrol in a degree in a Commonwealth Supported Place, the government will cover some of the cost of the degree, and whatever is left over for you to pay is called a Student Contribution Amount. But what is a Student Contribution Amount, and what does it means for your studies? Let’s find out.

What is my Student Contribution Amount?

There isn’t one flat fee for all students attending university – your Student Contribution Amount will differ depending on the type of degree you enrol in.

Every few years, the government will look at employment across the country, including areas of growth and demand in the future. This information is used to calculate how much they will contribute towards certain degrees. Think of it as an incentive to study a degree that will lead to more people working in jobs where they’re needed.

For example, nursing is currently a high-demand job area, so the Government puts more money towards their share of a Commonwealth Supported Place – and in turn, your Student Contribution Amount goes down.

In 2024, Student Contribution Amounts are split into eight clusters. How much you will need to pay depends on the cluster in which your degree falls. You can see the current bands here.

Do I need to pay my Student Contribution Amount up-front?

No – in fact, most students don’t. You’ll most likely defer the costs to what’s known as a HECS-HELP loan. Nearly every domestic undergraduate student in a CSP is eligible to apply for HECS-HELP, so you can rest easy while you study knowing your tuition fees are set.

Are there any other ways I can reduce the cost of my degree?

Absolutely! There are tons of scholarships out there than can reduce – and in some cases cover entirely – the cost of your degree. Have a browse of our free money database to see if there are any you might be eligible for.

Where can I find out more?

The StudyAssist website has tons of information about your finance options at university. You can also read more about money, fees, and budgeting on our website here.

Mrs Donna Tucker

Careers Co-ordinator

School Wide Positive Behaviour Support Program