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Your safety is our highest priority, and we’re here to ensure you remain safe no matter where you’re located. Here’s a few tips to make sure your experience both on and off campus is a safe and enjoyable one: 

Free and confidential wellbeing support is also available for all students, 24/7. 

If you’re concerned about your safety or the safety of others, contact Protective Services on 1800 SYD HLP (1800 793 457). In the event of an emergency, call Triple Zero (000)

Check your WAM 📈

Want to see how your studies are progressing? Your WAM (weighted average mark) gives you a snapshot of your academic performance. Learn how to calculate your WAM to check your academic progress and make sure you’re on track with your course.

Collect your physical student ID card 💳

If you haven’t picked up your student ID card yet, now’s the time – you’ll need the physical card for exams. All student card services are now available from Level 1, Belinda Hutchinson Building (H70), open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm.

Get support the right way ahead of exams 📚

Preparing for exams can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. There’s plenty of free and legitimate academic support from the University to help you prepare with confidence. The Learning Hub offers a range of workshops and resources to help you get ready for your final assessments. You can also drop in and chat with a Learning Success Advisor at Fisher Library (9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday).

Tired of having to rummage through your bag to find your Opal card? If you're eligible for a Concession Opal card, you can now tap on and off public transport using a phone, smartwatch, or debit/credit card – with the same fares and benefits as your physical card. Learn more via our contactless concessions page.

In partnership with USU and student representatives and shaped by your feedback, we've delivered a range of upgrades funded through the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). Here's a few spaces we've made more comfortable and fit for purpose: 

📚 Spaces in Holme Building and Manning House, including the Reading Room and Common Room, are now more flexible for meetings, rehearsals, study and hangouts.

🎭 Creative and performance spaces have been upgraded, including the Cellar Theatre and SURG radio studio.

The housing crisis is international, but Australia’s is still unique. We’re an enormous country, and we’ve never had more homes per adult in our history. So why is our situation so dire? In this week's episode of The Solutionists, Professor Nicole Gurran says the real solutions are straightforward, but we’re not enacting them because we’re distracted by a misleading narrative about housing in this country.

Been keeping up with our Instagram Broadcast Channel? Recently, we asked for your study POVs – and you came through. From aesthetic setups to last‑minute library sessions, we loved seeing it all. Now we want to know where you find yourself studying, aesthetic or not!

Something else? Let us know in the comments! 💬

Be aware of scams targeting Mandarin speakers

Mandarin speakers are currently being targeted in what is known as 'Chinese authority scams', where scammers impersonate authorities and threaten people and their families unless they pay money to the scammer. If someone has contacted you claiming to be an authority or official, have asked you to pay them to "clear your name" or "prove you're innocent", you should:

Share your feedback by this Friday 29 May for the chance to win 1 of 200 $50 e-gift cards 🎁

Complete our sense of belonging survey, sent to your student inbox on Wednesday 13 or Thursday 14 May, to help shape a better university experience for all and go in the draw to win 1 of 200 e-gift cards valued at $50. The survey takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete and will be open until this Friday 29 May. 

Have your say on the draft Environmental Sustainability Policy 2026 by Friday 5 June

You're invited to provide feedback on the draft Environmental Sustainability Policy, which aims to provide a clear and consistent framework for environmental management across the University.

Eid al-Adha is one of the most important festivals in the Islamic calendar, commemorating the Prophet Ibrahim’s devotion and marking the completion of the Hajj pilgrimage.

In 2026, it is expected to be observed in Australia on Wednesday 27 May, which follows the completion of the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Celebrations often include prayer, reflection and sharing meals with family and community.

Eid Mubarak to all who are celebrating! 

Photo credit: Helen pictured with one of her non-human children, her baby alpaca.

From 2027, students entering their third year of the Doctor of Medicine will have the option to study part-time and complete Year 3 over two academic years. This new pathway reflects the diversity of our student community and the personal circumstances they manage. Helen Lewis, a final-year student at the School of Rural Health in Dubbo, said that the new part-time option would have been beneficial for her at the start of her degree: 

“Studying medicine has been my long-held dream – but as a mum looking after four children it hasn’t always been easy to juggle the course and my caring responsibilities. We need more doctors, especially in rural areas, so if this can help more highly qualified people follow their dream and fill the skills gaps, it can only be a good thing.” 

Studying up a storm and hungry for a feed? For just $5, you can grab a ready-to-heat meal delivered to Carslaw Learning Hub East. Head to cheap eats on campus to learn more about our $5 meal program.

Struggling to lock in for study? We’ve got you. From next Monday 1 June to Thursday 4 June, the Exam Ready program is bringing you a week of free events, activities and cosy campus moments to help you feel a little more prepared, connected and exam ready.

Think yoga in the Great Hall, study club, community dinners, mindfulness activities, free hot cocoa, wellness pop-ups and plenty of chances to pause, reset and romanticise your STUVAC just a little.

Whether you need a study break, a brain break or just a reason to leave the library for ten minutes, Winter Exam Ready is here to help you get through the exam period with a little less stress and a lot more support. Spots for Yoga in the Great Hall are limited, so make sure you register early with the link to secure your place.

Join Pride Culture Club on Thursday 11 June from 4–6 pm at Fisher Library for a special 30th anniversary screening of Sexing the Label (1996), a landmark documentary exploring how identity labels can both empower and constrain. The screening features director Anna Broinowski (SCA), with time to reflect on themes of identity, community and representation.

SCA student Lily Tucker with work VITULA_SUITE (2025), giving an artist talk at the USU Creative Awards 2025. Photography by Michael Cole, courtesy of USU.

Got something creative you’ve been working on this semester? Submit it to the USU Creative Awards, with categories across art, writing, music and short film.

It’s a chance to have your work exhibited at Verge Gallery later this year, connect with other creatives, and win up to $2000 (with $1500 for second place).

Entries are open now and close Monday 15 June, so there’s still time to refine your submission and put your work forward.

National Reconciliation Week (27 May – 3 June) is a time to reflect, learn, and take meaningful steps towards justice and healing. This year’s theme, All in, is a call for everyone to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation every single day.

All In reminds us that reconciliation and advancing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights isn’t a passive activity, and it is not solely the responsibility of First Nations people.

Join us this week for a series of events that give you the opportunity to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories, and futures.

National Reconciliation Week Community Lunch

📅 Tuesday 26 May 12:30–2 pm

📍 The Gadigal Centre (John Woolley Building)

Share a meal, connect with community, and reflect on the importance of reconciliation in a welcoming space.

National Reconciliation Week Film Screening

📅 Wednesday 27 May 12–2 pm

📍 Verge Gallery

Enjoy lunch plus a screening of The Redfern Story chronicling the origins of the National Black Theatre.

SPEAKINGTRUTH for Reconciliation Week

📅 Friday 29 May 10–2 pm

📍 Fisher Seminar Room (218)

Join us in Fisher Library for a day of conversation and creativity. Bring along a blank t-shirt or tote bag, and upcycle your gear.

Mabo Day

📅 Wednesday 3 June 12–2:20 pm

📍 B1 Auditorium, Charles Perkins Centre (D17)

Commemorate the legacy of Eddie Mabo and native title recognition in Australia.

Be cautious of services claiming to be University-affiliated or offering to complete your work or assist during exams. These services are often linked to contract cheating, which can lead to serious academic penalties and put your place at the University at risk. The University actively monitors and detects exam misconduct, including the use of unauthorised assistance or devices.

If you’re ever unsure or have been approached by these services, you can contact OEI (Office of Educational Integrity) at educational.integrity@sydney.edu.au for advice and support. We’re here to guide you to the right services and help you succeed with integrity.

Stick to trusted support and back yourself, you’ve got this! 💪

Keep in touch

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