Women in engineering
Creating the ideal environment for the future of STEM
With scholarships for women, high school outreach programs by girls for girls, female student societies and high-calibre female lecturers and researchers, it’s no wonder the proportion of undergraduate female students at the University of Sydney is double the national average.
35% female or non-binary Engineering students
30% female or non-binary undergraduate Engineering students
36% female or non-binary postgraduate students
More women than ever are choosing to enter engineering at university with the University of Sydney home to the highest percentage of female engineering students in NSW. Women with strong professional networks and who are confident in their abilities and achievements are more likely to succeed.
The Faculty of Engineering have programs in place to help support your journey in engineering to build networks, social ties, and strengthen your community to achieve success.
Through events and coffee catch-ups, you will gain invaluable advice and insights that will help you as you look to enter the workforce. The programs will also involve social events and opportunities to grow your skills and professional networks.
Engineering student, Bramya Kumar (Engineering Sydney Industry Placement Scholarship)
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LinkThis program has been designed to foster peer connections and support by building a community where women in the Faculty of Engineering can share experiences, challenges, and successes.
Senior buddies are matched with a small group of new female engineering students to support them in their transition to uni.
New students choose their own senior buddies in order to match by interest.
Buddies are introduced early in the semester and will meet regularly to check in with each other.
Buddies and new students are expected to meet four times during the program (about once a month).
Buddies are expected to keep in contact with program staff - the Engineering Student Life team.
The program is designed to be flexible, so meeting times and locations can be what works best for both parties. New students can join the program until the end of Week 2 each semester.
“I had a great time with my senior buddy. It was my first semester in USYD, and I didn't know what to expect, but my senior buddy was a very reassuring presence overall. She answered all my questions and shared her experiences in and outside of Uni over (FREE!) hot chocolate, invited me to Uni social events and seminars that we had aligning interests on, even supported me as I learnt hands-on technical skills I had little experience with that I wanted to explore outside of coursework!”
– Annabelle Ho, first year biomedical engineering
“I really loved the program - it provided such an amazing and open support system both academically and socially. I was able to come to my mentoring meetups with programming issues, rants about lectures, needing advice for how to prepare for finals, and my mentor was incredible in helping me with everything. Plus, I have truly formed a bond with her and an actual friendship which I think is super amazing!! Being a woman in such a male dominated field, I found it really valuable to be able to connect with another female student in my stream; it really reassured me that this is the right degree for me and helped me overcome my doubts about pursuing software engineering as a woman.”
– Sophia Slamkas, first year software engineering
The program is open to:
For additional information about the program, visit our Buddy Program page on Canvas.
For further information please email engineering.student-engagement@sydney.edu.au.
The Women in Engineering Industry Mentoring Program connects female engineering students with a professional mentor to help them in their personal, career and professional development.
As a student, you will receive one-to-one mentoring from a mentor with more than five years of industry experience, who is passionate about supporting the next generation of women studying engineering. The program allows you to grow your network, gain personalised advice, and plan your career.
After applying, we will assess your application, and if you are shortlisted you will be invited to attend an interview. The interview will assess your suitability and goals for the program.
If successful, we’ll set you up with a mentor based on your stream of engineering, career goals, employability skills, and the mentor’s areas of expertise.
Industry professionals who are interested in being a mentor can apply here: Expression of Interest.
You need to commit to six monthly one-on-one meetings with your mentor during the program period. You’ll also need to:
"The program helped me connect with an experienced mentor. He helped me build a professional network that kick-started my own career in cybersecurity, ultimately guiding me to my first job."
– Iris Zhao, Master of Cybersecurity alumni
You are eligible to apply if you are a current engineering student and you will remain enrolled for the duration of the program.
There are no WAM requirements, and we particularly encourage you to apply if you have experienced difficulties in your studies or have a low WAM.
For further information please contact engineering.student-engagement@sydney.edu.au.
