Common Questions

It is natural for first year students to have questions or doubts when they commence university study. The key is to ask questions and seek support in dealing with such doubts or questions.

Hopefully the questions and links posted here will guide you successfully through these potentially uncertain times by showing you the large range of Swinburne support services that are available.

1. How do I finance my degree course?

You can pay for university through HECS. HECS-HELP is a loan that enables eligible students in a Commonwealth supported place to defer payment of their student contribution amounts until their income reaches a certain repayment threshold. Only Australian citizens and holders of permanent humanitarian visas are entitled to HECS-HELP assistance.

Students who are eligible for HECS-HELP may choose to either:

	make a full up-front payment of 80% of the student contribution amount for all of their units with the same census date and receive a 20% discount for that payment; OR
	pay part of their student contribution amounts up-front, receive a 20% HECS-HELP discount for any payments totalling $500 or more for units with the same census date, and obtain a loan for the remainder; OR
	obtain a loan for the full amount of their student contribution amounts.

All Commonwealth supported students must complete the Request for Commonwealth support and HECS-HELP form. Visit the Fees website for more information.

2. What if I am a New Zealand citizen or holder of permanent visa? (other than permanent humanitarian visas)

Eligible New Zealand citizens and holders of permanent visas (other than permanent humanitarian visas) may be offered a Commonwealth supported place, but are required to pay their student contribution up-front. They are not eligible for HECS-HELP assistance. The only exception to this is where students meet the requirements to be considered 'pre-2005 students'.

This means that if you are a New Zealand citizen (but do not also hold Australian citizenship) you are not eligible to defer your student contribution amount irrespective of the duration of your residency in Australia.

If you are enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place and you are:

	a new 2006 Commonwealth supported student, you must complete and submit a Request for Commonwealth support and HECS-HELP form, OR
	a pre-2006 Commonwealth supported student, you must complete and submit a Request for Commonwealth support and HECS-HELP form, OR
	a pre-2005 Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) student, you must fill out the Request for Commonwealth support and HECS-HELP - pre-2005 form

Useful links regarding fees:

www.citizenship.gov.au
If you are considering becoming an Australian citizen you may wish to contact the citizenship enquiry line on 131 880 or visit the web page.

www.goingtouni.gov.au
This is a government site that offers assistance in many areas of going to Uni.

3. How often will I have to attend classes at University?

Each course has its own amount of contact hours, which are the number of hours you are required on campus per week. This can be as little as 10 or as many as 20. It depends on the course you are studying and the number of subjects you are taking.

Usually you can arrange your timetable so that you only have to come to uni on certain days and times of the week that suit you. You will normally have at least one day where you have no scheduled contact hours.

4. Can I work as well as study?

Research indicates that the typical first year student often works 10 to 20 hours per week. You will find that the university workload will varyacross the year. In some weeks you may have several assignments to submit at the same time and in other weeks you may have none. If you plan to work you will need to consider:

	the minimum and maximum number of hours you can work
	the time of day that you will work (e.g. late night shift work may lead to extended tiredness which could interfere with your study)
	your capacity to negotiate less hours at busy times of semester
	other factors such as work, sport, travel time to (and from) work and uni and visits home that will impact on your study time.

Students living away from home usually want to get a job so that they can be independent but if you work you will need to negotiate hours so that you also have time to study.

5. When looking for part-time work where should I start?

Many students are involved in part-time work in order to meet their living expenses. When looking for a part-time position Careers and Employment should be your first point of contact. They advertise part-time and casual work for students on SwinEmploy. You will have to register as a new user before you can access these jobs.

In your search for part-time work, it is also recommended that you seek assistance in résumé writing and interview techniques. The Careers and Employment service conducts regular workshops on developing job-seeking skills, provides résumé checking and a variety of other services. Check their website for further details.

6. What if I have chosen the wrong subjects?

Don’t panic, you’re not on your own and it’s not the end of your Uni career! If you know that the subjects you have chosen are unsuitable early on in the semester you can contact your faculty and drop them without those subjects attracting any HECS debt. Find out the cut off dates from the faculty administration staff. If you’re at the end of the semester or year and you decide that the course pathway you have chosen is not suited to you then its time to visit Careers and Employment to reassess your direction.

Along with career and course advisors, teachers, parents and friends can also be helpful, but in the end, only you can make the final decision, so make sure you also listen to yourself.

7. How do I change subjects?

First of all, check that you really want to change subjects, and that your course allows it. You should also discuss your decision with a tutor, lecturer or a careers consultant. Make sure that you also check the final dates in your student diary for changing subjects without incurring a fee or other penalty.

Once you are confident in your decision to change a subject you should visit your Faculty Office for the relevant forms and information.

8. Part-time study vs. Full-time study?

Many students start University full time and then change to part time study due to work, family or simply life style commitments. Although most students choose to study full time the advantages of part time study can be equally advantageous. For example, it may take twice as long but you can put more effort into each subject, continue work at a greater ease, contribute more to family life or simply have more recreational time. Many students’ find that part time study along with casual employment and other commitments allow a perfect balance. So, if full time study is becoming too stressful, consider part time study as an alternative.

9. What if I need help?

Becoming a university student may seem overwhelming in your first few weeks. Don't let that worry you! Everyone at Swinburne has gone through the same teething problems at some stage. That's why everyone is so willing to help each other out. There are a number of resources set up to help you with a whole range of enquiries. Firstly, you should visit the student information centre. Staff at the student centre can help you with things like parking permits, student ID cards and student payments. Let someone know what the issue is and they will help you contact the required staff member.

Also refer to Ask George, a knowledgeable database available to all current students that incorporates FAQ’s and a search engine that helps you to answer questions online.

10. What ingredients are needed to be successful at University?

Personal characteristics of successful students are:

	Motivation
	Persistence
	Commitment

Strategies needed are:

	know your ‘self’ as a learner
	seek advice on your learning and personal problems
	understand expectations, deadlines, requirements, your rights and responsibilities

Successful students leave nothing to chance. They make good use of the many university support services to get what they want – good grades, financial assistance, health and counselling etc. the student diary lists them all. Probably the greatest shift students need to make in achieving success at uni is to know that they are likely to be one of many in a class/lecture and this means most lecturers won’t get the opportunity to get to know their students personally. Another reality is that lecturers generally believe students hold the key to their own success and the responsibility for academic achievement lies with the student, not the lecturer. So, while some lecturers will give enormous amounts of time and effort to support students, you need to find out about and use the University Support Services available at Swinburne to help you work smarter.

11. What activities can I get involved in outside of classes?

Extra-curricular activities can enhance your time at university, make it more fun and give you opportunities to try new things: ask about clubs and sports activities to learn about what else is on offer besides your course, and help decide if this is the place for you.