Low-Income Student Support

The University of Newcastle provides a comprehensive range of support services designed to assist students from low-income families in successfully completing their studies.

In 2025, approximately 19% of University of Newcastle students receive financial aid. Students experiencing financial hardship could access multiple forms of practical support, including interest-free loans, student hardship vouchers and laptop grants, helping to reduce financial barriers to learning and engagement.

The University's Student Welfare team delivers financial education on key topics such as budgeting, managing living costs, avoiding scams, and accessing financial counselling. A partnership with Greater Bank further supports students through free financial literacy programs, complementing the University’s counselling services for those experiencing financial and personal stress.

Throughout 2025, additional free or lower-cost services helped reduce everyday living costs for students experiencing financial pressure. The University of Newcastle Students' Association (UNSA) Food Pantry offered free groceries to all students. Affordable on-campus housing helped reduce the burden of accommodation costs, while the University’s free campus shuttle service provided safe transport around each major campus and to nearby suburbs. The University also offers free legal advice to students through its community legal clinics.

• UNSA Grocery Hub:  236 individual students over a total of 737 visits
• Free Food Friday:  2,768 students across a 42-week period
• Free Lunches:   34,000 serves of free lunches provided across Callaghan, NUSpace, Ourimbah, Gosford, HMRI & Sydney
• OzHarvest Collaboration (Free Food Friday):  24,921kg of food rescued (equivalent to 49,842 meals)

These numbers have already been surpassed in 2026, and we expect a continuation as the cost-of-living crisis worsens.

UNSA also runs the Laptops for Less program – a subsidised digital-access initiative for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The program provides refurbished laptops at a reduced price, helping students access the technology needed to participate fully in their studies. Each device is carefully sourced, tested, and prepared for daily use through partnerships with WV Technologies and Refurb Rebel. The program offers a practical solution that balances affordability with quality and reliability.

To support students unfamiliar with digital learning tools, UNSA also provides how-to-use programs, helping to build digital literacy and support participation in coursework. The initiative not only reduces economic barriers but also aligns with the University’s commitment to equity, inclusion, and environmental sustainability.

These coordinated financial, food, transport, legal, housing and digital-support measures help students experiencing financial disadvantage remain engaged in their studies – creating an environment where they can succeed academically and personally.