Support & Services

As a University of Newcastle student, a range of support mechanisms and services are at your fingertips to help you manage and balance study, work, family and social commitments.

Services available include disability support, childcare, health services, counselling and chaplaincy.

During February we offer degree enrolment and information sessions, bridging courses and a series of workshops to prepare you for university study.

We know how important it is to have secure, affordable and comfortable accommodation whilst you study.

Whether you’re interested in on-campus, off-campus or homestay accommodation, we have services to help you.

Your accommodation costs will vary based upon the option you choose.

Living on-campus is a great way to make new friends, get involved in social activities and have a lot of fun, but it is also offers loads more.

Convenience is a huge benefit of on-campus living. You’ll have easy access to all the sporting, library, health, counselling and academic facilities that are available. Best of all, it’ll take you only a few minutes to roll out of bed and get to class.

We offer almost 1,000 beds across four residential colleges at the Newcastle campus including Edwards Hall, International House, Evatt House and Barahineban. Blue Gum House is the residential college at our Central Coast campus, offering 26 rooms.

Each college has its own unique atmosphere and hosts a number of social, cultural and sporting activities. You can choose from fully or semi-catered or self-catered. Do some research and pick the option that's right for you.

The demand for on-campus accommodation is high, so apply early.

For everything you need to know about on-campus accommodation and to apply visit our accommodation service.

If you’d prefer to live off-campus, either by yourself or with friends or new contacts, we can help you get started.

We have a database of current rooms, apartments and houses offered for rent, along with heaps of useful information at our accommodation service.

To gain a great understanding of what uni life is really like, make sure you're available for Orientation and O'Week at the start of the academic year – find out heaps of useful info and collect loads of cool free stuff.

Orientation will fill you in on everything from putting your timetable together, to what's expected of you academically, to finding help when you need it.

Our friendly Orientation Assistants will be all over campus to help you find your way around. They’re all existing students and you can’t miss them in their bright yellow t-shirts.

If you want to brush up on academic skills, expand your understanding in a particular subject, or simply become more 'uni-ready', bridging and refresher courses are a great option.

Taken before you start your degree in late January through to February, bridging and refresher courses are designed to give you the knowledge and insight to be successful in your uni studies.

Check out the range of bridging and refresher courses we offer to see what might be useful for you.  

Student mentors are eager to help you adjust to uni life, get to know your campus, find the right support services for you, and generally share their own experiences.

If you are a domestic student moving from out of the area, you can expect to receive an email inviting you to catch up for a free coffee with your mentor.

Mentors will be available to help you through the orientation period and for the first six weeks of semester until you settle in.

You'll find all the details on our mentoring pages. 

The Centre for Teaching and Learning team provides expert advice, resources and workshops on all things academic – how to tackle an essay, how to prepare for exams, how to develop your English and maths skills, and even how to control your nerves while giving a presentation.

For more info visit the web pages for our Centre for Teaching and Learning.

Connect 2 Success puts you in touch with the service(s) that best fit your individual needs.

Take advantage of services designed to help you identify academic hurdles and achieve your potential.

For more info or to make an appointment visit our Connect 2 Success web pages.  

The Student Loans Scheme provides interest-free emergency loans on a short-term basis to students who demonstrate genuine need and whose continued study might be placed in jeopardy if assistance were not available.

Our careers service is a great way for you to get free information and advice about careers, study and employment.

On-campus careers expos give you the chance to meet potential employers and explore career options.

Careers counsellors are available to help with the critical things employers are looking for such as a well-prepared résumé and a great cover letter. They’ll also provide you with information on potential employers, salary, labour markets and professional association contacts.

The service has connections with thousands of potential employers and last year advertised approximately 1,700 job vacancies to students and graduates.

Find more info at careers service. 

The library is a great place to start getting acquainted with the University of Newcastle. Our libraries have been designed to be spaces for you to explore, learn, research and create.

No matter what you study or at which campus, you have access to more than 1.3 million items, 300,000 plus eBooks and over 80,000 electronic journals. You can also make requests for information via SMS, email or phone, 24 hours a day.

Not only about books, our libraries have great informal work areas where you can meet friends, collaborate, prepare for exams and finish assignments.

You’ll still find quiet spaces for study and our library team members can help with referencing, research skills and finding past exams.

Our student hubs are one-stop-shops for getting information about your degree, completing online forms, submitting or collecting assignments, getting a parking permit, logging on at an internet express terminal, or getting together with friends to chill out in the café and lounge areas.

These bright, lounge-style learning spaces at the Newcastle City precinct, Newcastle and Central Coast campuses provide you with a 24-hour service.

The Commons have computers, individual work cubicles, printing facilities, lounge areas and cafés, as well as student rovers on hand to offer you support.

We are incredibly proud to have more Indigenous students studying on-campus than any other University in Australia.

If you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander student, the Wollotuka Institute provides access to academic, financial and personal assistance, along with a great environment for making new friends and building networks.

Wollotuka offers one of the largest Indigenous studies programs in Australia and is staffed by an all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander team.

For more info visit The Wollotuka Institute.

You will automatically be granted a student computer access account on completion of enrolment.

Our computer labs, libraries and the student hubs offer a mix of computers and printing facilities for student use.

If you have a wireless enabled device, you can connect to our network from hotspots located in popular outdoor areas around the Newcastle (Callaghan) and Central Coast (Ourimbah) campuses.

Each course you take at the University of Newcastle is supported by an online learning system called Blackboard.

You’ll love Blackboard – access and interact with fellow students and lecturers in an online space.

The system means you can always know what’s happening in your courses and have handy access to lecture, reading and assessment material.

Blackboard Mobile Learn is a free mobile application that enables interactive access to Blackboard course sites via a compatible mobile device.

Sport and recreation can be a big part of uni life and NUsport is here to make your experience as enjoyable as possible. Make new friends, keep fit and have lots of fun.

Here’s what’s on offer:

• More than 20 sporting clubs, including snow sports
• Affordable membership to a range of health and wellness facilities
• Sporting scholarships
• Participation in the Australian University Games
• University of Newcastle Sports Awards
• Training and education for sport and fitness careers
• Activities offered through Australian University Sport, the Australian Institute of Sport and NSW Institute of Sport

A healthy body means an active mind. There are loads of activities and facilities to keep you active and healthy, including:

• The Forum Sports & Aquatic Centre, with a 50-metre indoor heated pool; state-of-the-art gymnasium offering strength and cardio training; a cycle studio and a full program of group fitness classes; one of the highest climbing walls in Australia; and an indoor basketball court
• Six sporting fields for cricket, rugby union, rugby league, soccer, baseball, touch football and Ultimate Frisbee
• The Ray Watt Pavilion – training home of the Newcastle Jets football team
• A regional rowing pavilion at Berry Park
• The Forum Health & Wellness Centre – Harbourside in the Newcastle City precinct offers a range of group fitness classes, cardio and strength training, as well as personal training and access to a 25-metre heated pool

Find more info at the forum.

As a member of the Elite Athlete Friendly University (EAFU) program, the University of Newcastle is committed to supporting your endeavours to achieve both your sporting and academic goals.

The program has supported elite student athletes in teams such as the Newcastle Jets, Newcastle Knights, NSW Waratahs and Matildas women’s football team and has assisted several athletes to compete at events such as the Olympic, Commonwealth and Paralympic Games.

Your travel dreams don’t need to go on hold while you study – do both at the same time!

Work with wild animals in Africa, gain practical experience performing health care in Peru, discover the ancient architecture of Greece and Italy – the opportunities are endless.

Through our International Study Abroad and Exchange program you can choose from 21 countries and over 100 Universities.

You’ll not only have the opportunity to experience new cultures and experiences, but the study you do can be credited towards your degree.

International destinations include Canada, China, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, France, Honduras, India, Italy, Japan, Nepal, Rwanda, South Africa, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States or Vietnam.

Find out more at our student exchange web pages.

Are you the type of person who is inspired by world leaders, or by people who show extraordinary leadership? iLEAD gives you the opportunity to gain experience and skills in the areas of leadership and international awareness.

No matter what degree you are studying, iLEAD offers opportunities to gain knowledge and leadership experience in an international context.

iLEAD can be completed in a year or over the duration of your degree. It’s free to join and you receive a certificate upon completion and recognition on your Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement.

You can gain skills through actively participating in iLEAD’s seminars as well as attending the International Leaders Series lectures.

Find out all the details at our iLEAD web pages.