Student support and success

At Charles Sturt University, study support isn't just a safety net. It's a crucial part of the overall Charles Sturt University experience.

It's one of the reasons Charles Sturt University students feel confident in taking up postgraduate and online study with us - and you should too.

TEQSA (Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency)

Scholarships

Connect with on-campus help

Student Central is your first point of contact if you're a student enrolled at Charles Sturt University, and can put you in touch with an International Student Liaison officer.

International Student Liaison officers can provide ongoing support throughout your time as a Charles Sturt University student. They can help you:

  • adjust to life in Australia and campus life
  • manage student visa requirements and health cover issues
  • adapt to your studies and finding learning support
  • cope with personal concerns, such as homesickness
  • connect with the local community, including family support
  • answer questions about financial support
  • help with preparing to return home

Starting university

It's an exciting time. There's also a lot of information to take in! Set yourself up for smooth sailing through the early weeks by coming along to orientation.

Once you’ve accepted your offer to study with us, we’ll email you detailed orientation info. We'll guide you through the steps to make your first session a great one. If you have any questions along the way, our friendly Student Central team is here to help.

  • On-campus orientation

    Orientation is a great way to find out what’s expected in your course. It'll also help you settle into life as a Charles Sturt student.

    We'll have three types of sessions for you:

    • Academic sessions. Meet your Course Director or other academic staff, make sure you’re up-to-speed with all your course requirements and check you’ve got everything you need for your first classes.
    • Services and support sessions. Discover all the support available to help you through your studies. We've got dedicated teams ready to help you boost your study skills, manage your finances, look after your health and more.
    • Uni life sessions. Make your first friends at uni in our social program. Brush up your trivia skills and be prepared to whip up some homemade costumes. It's silly and so much fun.
  • Online orientation

    If you’re studying online, you’ll have access to a comprehensive schedule of online orientation sessions. You can log in to join live, or watch recorded sessions later.

    If you live near a Charles Sturt campus, you’re most welcome to come down and join the face-to-face sessions and social activities.

    If you’re an on-campus student, you’ll attend most of your orientation sessions face-to-face.

Study support

When you study with Charles Sturt University, you study with us – we're in it together. We believe we only succeed when you succeed, so we provide a range of support options and encourage all our students to use them.

Study support services include

  • individual consultations
  • workshops
  • drop-in sessions
  • short preparation courses
  • study spaces
  • self help resources.

Types of study support offered

  • Learning skills

    Our learning skills advisers are available on each campus, online and by phone. They're the study gurus who can help you improve your time management, essay writing, note-taking and exam techniques. Learning skills advisers can help you:

    • develop learning strategies that work for tertiary study
    • manage the process of writing essays or reports
    • develop and refine analytical and critical reading skills
    • improve exam techniques
    • enhance academic language and learning skills
    • use study time efficiently and effectively.
  • Math skills

    If your preferred course involves mathematics or statistics, you might like to work with our maths skills advisers who can:

    • help with specific mathematics or statistics problems
    • help you strengthen your mathematics skills
    • provide workshops on particular areas of concern
    • provide supplementary learning materials
    • help you upgrade your skills in prerequisite areas
    • find you individual support to help with your course work.
  • English support

    English support can help you get your reading or writing skills into the right shape for university study, regardless of your language background. An English skills adviser can help if:

    • you need to understand the requirements of an assignment
    • you need help with the structure of an assignment, and the development and consistency of arguments
    • you need help with expression, grammar, spelling, or learning to edit your own work
    • English is not your first language, and you require assistance with reading/ comprehension, pronunciation, slang and cultural/social aspects of Australia
    • you need help with vocabulary enrichment, especially for tertiary study
    • you need coaching for oral presentations.

    More help with English language skills development

Health and wellbeing

Keep your health and wellbeing in check with access to our wide range of support services. We've got specialist LGBTIQA+, disability, equity, health counselling, religious and cultural support here for you. To get the right kind of support, when you need it, just get in touch.

  • Ally LGBTIQA+ support

    Inclusive. It's one of our core values. At Charles Sturt, we live this value by welcoming and supporting students and staff from all backgrounds. We promote a safe environment that's respectful of everyone and is supportive of sexual and gender diversity. Our Ally program specifically supports all students and staff who identify as LGBTIQA+.

    What our Ally program does

    • Promotes a safe, inclusive and affirming environment for students and staff who identify as LGBTIQA+.
    • Builds a culture of affirmation and inclusion by raising awareness of the experiences of students and staff who identify as LGBTIQA+.
    • Provides a visible support and advocacy network of identified Allies to the LGBTIQA+ community.

    What's an Ally?

    An Ally is a trained volunteer who knows about and understands the experiences of the LGBTIQA+ community. Our Allies are committed to building a safe and inclusive place to work and study. Allies are a point of contact on campus for LGBTIQA+ students and staff, or anyone with concerns around sexual, sex and gender diversity. Allies are staff and students representative of the whole Charles Sturt community who may or may not identify as LGBTIQA+.

    What our Allies do

    • Provide a comfortable and confidential environment for you to discuss matters related to sexual diversity, sex and gender identity.
    • Work on expanding their understanding of LGBTIQA+ communities, and the nature and impact of discrimination experienced by LGBTIQA+ people.
    • Show leadership by being publicly supportive of sexual, sex and gender diversity.
    • Role model non-discriminatory practices and language.
    • Promote a greater understanding of the LGBTIQA+ community.
    • Challenge, wherever possible, heterosexism on campus.
    • Provide information. While our Allies aren't experts or counsellors, they can refer you to appropriate services.

    If you're a current student or staff, find out more about our Ally program.

  • Disability support

    Our Disability Service is here to ensure our students with a disability can successfully complete their studies. Our Student Liaison Officer (Disability) can help with support strategies, connecting you with relevant services, campus access information and general advice and assistance.

    Contact us

    If you'd like some extra support, please call us on 1800 275 278 or email the Charles Sturt Disability Service. We'll organise a chat with a Student Liaison Officer (Disability) or your Course Director.

    Accommodation

    We have accessible accommodation on several of our campuses. If you're registered with our Disability Service, we'll give you special consideration for our on-campus accommodation.

    Legislation, policy and guidelines

  • Equity

    Some of us need a little extra help getting into uni and succeeding at our studies. Those of us that are:

    • Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
    • with a disability
    • from humanitarian or refugee backgrounds
    • from lower socio-economic backgrounds
    • from non-English speaking backgrounds
    • from rural and isolated areas
    • women studying in traditionally male-dominated areas.

    Student Equity Office

    Charles Sturt's Student Equity Office is here to ensure all students get the same opportunities. Our Student Liaison Officers are on campus, ready to help out with access to things like:

    • equity scholarships and grants
    • access schemes
    • student support programs.

    Our Student Liaison Officers can also refer you to various services and programs at Charles Sturt and in your local community.

    Getting into uni

    Sometimes life gets in the way of our plans for uni. That's why we offer special consideration for admission.

    Special consideration takes into account anything that might have impacted your preparation for uni. You can apply for UAC's Educational Access Schemes, VTAC's Special Entry Access Scheme, or our own Special Consideration for Admission if you're applying directly to Charles Sturt.

    If you're from a regional area, you may also be eligible for a location adjustment, which adjusts your selection rank by five points.

    If you're an elite athlete or performer representing at national level, and your training or commitments have significantly affected your preparations for uni, you can apply for our Elite Athlete / Performer Program Special Consideration for Admission.

    Get in contact

    Ready to have a chat about how we can help you? Get in contact with us at Student Central.

  • Health counselling

    Your health and welfare are important to us. That's why we've got a range of services to help you stay in top physical, mental and emotional shape.

    Health promotion

    Come to one of our regular health information sessions on campus. We chat about all kinds of things, including drug and alcohol awareness as well as sexual and mental health.

    Counselling

    There's something special about chatting to someone who understands. Our counsellors can give you confidential advice on personal matters, general health, and refer you to local community health services. They're experienced, professional staff, who can help with:

    • personal concerns
    • academic and administrative issues
    • referrals to community groups
    • stress, assertiveness and exam anxiety
    • workshops on a variety of topics
    • depression, loss and grief, abuse issues, family conflicts and relationships.

    If you're a current student, you can find out more about our support services, or make an appointment.

    Find out more about counselling

  • Religious and cultural support

    We have on-campus religious support available and can connect you with local community resources and services. We also have visiting spiritual advisers, who provide support to our campus communities at the following locations:

    • Albury-Wodonga
    • Bathurst
    • Orange
    • Port Macquarie
    • Wagga Wagga

    Student clubs

    We also have student clubs that support students of Christian and Islamic faiths.

    More on clubs and societies

Careers support

From finding casual and part-time work that fits around your studies to help to find a job after you graduate, we'll make sure you are career-ready at every stage of your Australian study experience.

  • Get real-world job experience

    How do you stand out when so many other people are looking for work at the same time? Practical experience. Visit our Careers and Skills Hub to find and apply for vacancies. Also, get practical advice by joining one of our workshops or book an appointment for 1:1 support.

    More information

  • Postgraduate career placement support

    We make sure you graduate with the experience and skills to hit the ground running. Our Career Service is one of the ways we can give you an edge after graduation. When you study with us you'll get:

    • career development workshops[accordion]
    • support finding work experience placements
    • personal appointments with our career development officers
    • tips on job applications, résumé writing, interview techniques and job search strategies.

    Our support doesn't stop on graduation day. We'll help you with résumé reviews and advice during your first year after graduation.