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16 March 2026

Week 4, Semester 1

 

This edition

To-do this week

Top stories

Notices

Student spotlight

What's happening at Sydney

Welcome to your Week 4 edition of Student News!

Semester is officially humming along. Routines are forming, assessments are creeping closer, and many of you told us you’ve locked in your go‑to study spot. While some of you love studying at home, a lot of you are heading to campus libraries to get in the zone, drawn in by the quiet buzz of everyone else working hard, reliable desks at Fisher or the Quarter, and yes … the occasional free snack or coffee when you need a break.

Inside this edition, you’ll find cheap eats on campus, how we celebrated Mardi Gras 2026, plus events and opportunities happening across Sydney this week.

Scroll on to stay across what matters.

This edition

To-do this week

Top stories

Notices

Student spotlight

What's happening at Sydney

Welcome to your Week 4 edition of Student News!

Semester is officially humming along. Routines are forming, assessments are creeping closer, and many of you told us you’ve locked in your go‑to study spot. While some of you love studying at home, a lot of you are heading to campus libraries to get in the zone, drawn in by the quiet buzz of everyone else working hard, reliable desks at Fisher or the Quarter, and yes … the occasional free snack or coffee when you need a break.

Inside this edition, you’ll find cheap eats on campus, how we celebrated Mardi Gras 2026, plus events and opportunities happening across Sydney this week.

Scroll on to stay across what matters.


To-do this week

Complete the Respect@Sydney module ✅

We've all got a role to play to make our campus safe and inclusive for all students. Understanding what sexual consent, boundaries, and respectful relationships look like is an important way to keep yourself, your friends, and our community safe on and off campus. If you've started your studies in 2026, you’re required to complete the Respect@Sydney module in Canvas. This module has been co-designed with our students following consultation and feedback.

 

Stay on track with the student wall calendar 🗓️

Want to set yourself up for success? Bookmark the 2026 student wall calendar (pdf, 645KB), where you can plan for the semester ahead and mark any key assessment dates for your courses.

 

Update your personal details in Sydney Student ✍️

Changed your address? New phone number? Make sure your personal details in Sydney Student are up to date ahead of an upcoming test of the University's emergency communications system. On Wednesday 18 March, you’ll receive a test alert by SMS and email and, if you’ve downloaded the SafeZone app, you'll also get a push notification. No action from the test is required, but accurate contact details mean you won’t miss important alerts.

 

Need a hand? Chat with a Peer Support Advisor (PSA) 🙋‍♀️

Our Peer Support Advisors (PSAs) are current students studying a range of different degrees, from a variety of cultural and linguistic backgrounds who’ve been through it and are here to help you navigate uni life, systems, support and everything in between. Chat with a PSA online or connect in person at the Welcome Hub (Level 3, Wentworth Building) or at the Fisher Services Hub (Level 3, Fisher Library), Monday to Friday, 10 am–5 pm.


Top stories

$5 meal at Wentworth

Feeling peckish on campus? Here's where to find cheap eats 🍱

From $5 meals to affordable vending machines, there's plenty of cheap food on campus. Here's what you can grab on Camperdown/Darlington campus this semester: 

$5 hot meals on Level 3, Wentworth Building 🍛

$5 fresh and ready-to-heat meals delivered to Carslaw Learning Hub East 🚚

$5 Campus Classics at Ralph’s Café 🥪

USU Student Savers: cheap eats under $6 📱

$6 after 6 pm at Abercrombie 🌙

$5 My Muscle Chef meals at the Sydney Uni Sports & Aquatic Centre and The Arena 🏋️‍♀️

Vending machines across campus (search 'VM' on Campus Maps) 🥡

 
Marching at Mardi Gras 2026

Photo credit: New Photography Studios

Mardi Gras 2026: Pride, visibility and showing up 🏳️‍🌈

For the 11th year in a row, University of Sydney students, staff and community members marched together in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade – celebrating pride, visibility and connection across our LGBTQIA+ community.

We spoke with two students about what marching meant to them, from finding belonging through community to the power of representation, even when you don’t always see it.

 
Students talking

Join the Sydney Student Voice Network 📢

We are building a network of students to participate in paid opportunities to contribute to strategic improvements to the student experience, including the Digital Sydney program, which aims to improve students’ digital experience. We need student perspectives and experiences to shape the future student experience. Make your voice heard by joining the Sydney Student Voice Network today.

 

Eid Mubarak! ☪️

Eid al-Fitr starts on the evening of Friday 20 March and marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Eid is observed by Muslims around the world and often involves prayer, giving to charity and feasting with family and friends.

Eid is a time to celebrate, but we recognise for many this year it is also a sombre reminder of suffering in other parts of the world. Our hope for peace prevails, and we wish those celebrating a joyous and blessed Eid.


What's your favourite food spot on campus?

Let us know! 💬

Notices

Experiencing financial hardship? We’re here to help.

Advertised bursaries provide financial assistance to domestic students experiencing financial hardship due to specific challenges or circumstances. You may be eligible based on your faculty, year of study, if you’re registered with Inclusion and Disability, or if you’re an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander student.

Advertised bursaries are currently open, with support available for undergraduate and postgraduate students. View the full list, eligibility criteria and how to apply via Sydney Student on the advertised bursaries webpage.

 

Recognise International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination this Saturday 21 March

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is marked each year on 21 March, recognising the ongoing impact of racism and the importance of working towards equity, dignity and inclusion for all.

As outlined in our anti-racism commitment, we believe in a university community where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, and we actively work to address discrimination through our research, teaching and programs that support equity, diversity and inclusion.


A chance to say…“Thank You So Much!” 

Do you have a professor or tutor who really helped you settle into uni?

Whose classes you really enjoy?

Who you just think is a wonderful human?

Shout them out by writing a message to let them know! (Remember to include their name!)


Student spotlight

Play 
Play 

Studying social justice: Karen’s journey from Brazil to Sydney 🌏

What’s it like to move from the Amazon to Australia to study social justice and human rights? Master’s student and International Equity Scholarship recipient Karen Arruda shares her journey from grassroots LGBTQ+ advocacy in Brazil to studying at the University of Sydney – and what community, education and visibility mean to her along the way.

Watch Karen reflect on finding belonging, celebrating Mardi Gras, and using education as a force for change.


Nowruz Mubarak! 🌱

Nowruz, also known as Persian New Year, is celebrated by communities across Iran, Central and South Asia, the Caucasus and beyond. Marking the first day of spring, Nowruz is a time for renewal, reflection and fresh beginnings.

We recognise that for many this year, particularly those with family and friends in Iran, that celebrations may feel difficult. In the spirit of Nowruz, which means "new day", we hope the year ahead brings renewed peace and joy.


What's happening at Sydney

Student looking out at water

The world arrives on campus 🌏

The Sydney Abroad Fair will be on Thursday 26 March from 10 am–2 pm on Eastern Avenue. It's your chance to find an ideal global program, learn about the application process and scholarships, plus chat with returned students and meet partner universities.

You’ll have the opportunity to get tips from students who have undertaken a global experience, like Helen Liu, who went on exchange to the National University of Singapore:

“I thought going on exchange would be a great way to learn more about myself, venture outside of my comfort zone and gain a more well rounded perspective of the world... I can safely say I have gained all of the above."

– Helen Liu (Bachelor of Science/Doctor of Medicine)

 
Lionel Fogarty, “All Countrys Space A Same” (2024), acrylic, fabric, glitter on tarpaulin. 

Image: Lionel Fogarty, “All Countrys Space A Same” (2024), acrylic, fabric, glitter on tarpaulin. 

Recentring justice and how we argue 🤝

Recentring Justice and Relationality in Argument: Cross‑Cultural and Indigenous Alternatives to Agonistic Rhetoric is a free English and Writing Disciplinary Research Seminar taking place this Wednesday 18 March, 2–4 pm, in person at the John Woolley Building (Seminar Room S226) and online via Zoom. The panel brings together academics to explore alternative approaches to argument that centre listening, relationality and justice.

 
disposable vapes on a blue background

Hooked again – why a new generation is addicted to nicotine 💨

Smoking rates in Australia have been declining for decades, driven by education, regulation and cultural change. So why is a whole new generation now getting hooked on nicotine? The latest episode of The Solutionists explores why nicotine use is rising again, with insights from University of Sydney expert Professor Becky Freeman on how easy access and legal loopholes are fuelling the trend.

 

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Student resources

Student website | Canvas | Student Portal | Sydney Student | Key dates | Student life, wellbeing and support | Scams support

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