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Reach out if you require support

As we acknowledged in our 4 February edition of Student News, there are challenges we face as part of a global community. We recognise that the renewed escalation of the conflict in the Middle East is distressing to many, so please reach out if you need support during this time. Special consideration and arrangements are available to affected students, and students in Australia can talk with one of our University counsellors, including during evenings and weekends.

Find out how to access financial assistance with advertised bursaries

If you're experiencing financial hardship, you may be eligible to access one of many advertised bursaries. These are available to both undergraduate and postgraduate domestic students experiencing financial hardship due to specific challenges or circumstances. You may be eligible for a bursary based on your faculty, year of study, if you're registered with Inclusion and Disability, or if you identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

Make sure you're ready for census date – Monday 31 March

For most students, census date for Semester 1 is next Monday 31 March. Census date is the last day you will be able to withdraw from any units of study, finalise your residency status, suspend your studies or discontinue your course without it affecting your grades. Each unit of study has a census date, based on the session in which it is taught, so it's important to check when your census date is.

Are you an undergraduate student? Consider nominating for a position on the Senate 

Nominations are now open for the Undergraduate Student Fellow position on the University of Sydney Senate. Email secretariat.elections@sydney.edu.au to request a nomination form, and submit your completed nomination form to secretariat.elections@sydney.edu.au before the close of nominations at 12 pm on Wednesday 2 April to be considered for the position. 

An information session via Zoom will be held this Wednesday 26 March from 2–3 pm for students interested in learning about the election process, the relevant governing bodies and the responsibilities of student representatives taking part. RSVP your attendance to secretariat.elections@sydney.edu.au. 

Collect your physical ID at the Student Centre

While your digital ID is great for getting access to buildings, accessing our libraries and much more, you'll need a physical ID for your exams. All student card services are available from the Student Centre Cards Hub at Level 3, Jane Foss Russell building (G02).

Did you know that the Westmead Health Precinct is one of the largest health precincts in Australia? It's home to around 2000 University of Sydney students and 1000 staff members and affiliates, plus it's a state-of-the-art centre for study, research and clinical placements. Hannah Melville is a PhD student at Westmead who is loving her studies. She shares a bit about her experience:

"Studying at Westmead is a wonderful experience! Not only is the University of Sydney located in the new well-resourced Health Precinct, but being at Westmead has afforded me numerous unique opportunities.

I can collaborate closely with my supervisors and research team, connect with other diverse researchers, and network with fellow students, clinicians and academics. The connection to Children’s Hospital at Westmead has also allowed me to work closely with clinical teams to develop clinician/researcher projects to enhance patient outcomes."
- Hannah Melville, PhD student.

Our School of Languages and Cultures is offering OLE In-Country Experience units this June and July. Learn German in Berlin, Modern Greek in Crete, and Spanish in Spain to gain 6 credit points, new language skills and first-hand cultural experiences. Open to undergraduate students with little to no language experience.

They've recently been wrapped in University of Sydney ochre, making them easier to spot on busy roads around campus. Keep an eye out for them when you're on and around campus – the Camperdown/Darlington bus can get you to and from Redfern train station, even late in the evenings. Learn more about our shuttle buses and getting to campus.

Raising the Bar is taking place on Thursday 3 April across 10 inner-Sydney bars, including Hermann's at Camperdown/Darlington campus. This is your chance to hear from key academics and alumni as they share their knowledge on a range of topics from how to make AI more sustainable, to how society gaslights climate anxiety.

If you're an international student who has participated in group work at uni, we want to hear from you! Take part in a research study that will help design effective group work support strategies for students just like you. Fill out the Group Work Strategies survey and if you're selected, you'll be invited for a follow-up interview and rewarded with a gift card.

All postgraduate students who are members of the Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association (SUPRA) will receive an email with a ballot to vote in the upcoming election. Voting opens Tuesday 1 April 2025. Check out the candidates on the SUPRA website.

We’re aware of CAPTCHA scams impacting University accounts and devices. A CAPTCHA prompt will usually ask you to prove you’re not a robot by checking a box or selecting an image, but CAPTCHA scams will ask you to do additional tasks after selecting ‘I am not a robot’, such as:

Do not follow these instructions. A legitimate CAPTCHA will never ask you to complete additional tasks.

If you suspect you’ve been impacted by this scam, disconnect your device from all networks, run a full antivirus scan and remove the malware, change any passwords you’ve used since interacting with the CAPTCHA, and contact ICT Helpdesk on 1800 SYD UNI (1800 793 864).

Drop by Eastern Ave from tomorrow Tuesday 25 to Thursday 27 March for USU's International Food and Culture Fair. Pick cultural dishes for lunch, collect stamps in a Stamp and Spin Adventure, catch club performances, and meet cultural clubs. Plus, take a piece of the festival home in our cultural workshops where you’ll get to create your very own wind chime or flower lei and learn Tai Chi.

Attend Verge Gallery this Thursday 27 March to meet contemporary Indigenous Australian artist Billy Bain and learn how he curated the You're Welcome? exhibition. The exhibition interrogates ideas of what it means to be welcome in Australia. Free food and drinks will be available, so we encourage you to RSVP for the Verge Gallery talk.

Hear from experts on the housing affordability crisis, intergenerational inequality, and the 2025 federal election this Thursday 27 March at the Charles Perkins Centre (CPC). You can attend online or in-person on campus, but either way, make sure you register to attend this free CPC event.

Did you know that Friday 21 March marked the beginning of the Persian New Year?

Nowruz (meaning 'New Day') is an ancient celebration of spring, renewal, and hope. It has been celebrated for over 3000 years, dating back to Ancient Iran and spreading across Central Asia, and beyond.

Nowruz is celebrated by coming together with family and friends to share delicious food and visit loved ones, plus leaping over bonfires! This fun tradition symbolises leaving behind negativity and bringing in new energy. 

Learn more about Persian culture by joining the Persian Society. Happy Nowruz! 🎊

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