Get answers from those who have been there before you
Not sure where to go or who to ask? Need help with something related to student life? Connect and chat to experienced Peer Support Advisers who are trained to provide tailored assistance on everything uni life.
It’s that time of the year when we prep and hustle our way to new beginnings – new year, new semester, new subjects, maybe even a new country! While it’s exciting to journey into unknown territories, we also know that university life isn't always smooth sailing.
Between locking in the perfect class timetable, finding your way around campus, and accessing our support services, it’s understandable if you're feeling a little bit lost. While the Student Centre is the designated place to get in touch with the the University for enrolment and admin queries, we know that sometimes you just want to get your questions answered quickly from students who were once in your shoes.
That's why we've launched a new service to give you a direct line to our student experts – the Student Life chat platform.
It's an online chat system where you can connect with our experienced Peer Support Advisers (PSAs). PSAs are current students from a diverse range of courses who understand the everyday challenges of a university student and are trained to assist you with all aspects of student life-related enquiries.
‘It can be difficult to find the right help when there are so many university support services. Our chat platform is an easy, informal, quick way of finding out what you need to know and where the best place to get help is,’ says Sneha, one of our experienced PSAs.
‘Our team is trained to provide support in a number of ways, from helping with the special consideration application process to enrollment to financial support,’ says PSA Emily.
It gives students a chance to learn more about the University from a current student’s perspective.
If you're from a culturally or linguistically-diverse background, you may just find the right person who understands your experience and can provide tailored help.
‘PSAs are of a diverse range of interests, educational and cultural backgrounds, and students can choose to connect with someone similar to themselves. This can make the process of reaching out and asking questions more comfortable and relevant,’ says Sneha.
On the home page, you can read about our PSAs - including the degree they're studying, where they're from, and their interests.
You then have the flexibility to choose who you would like to chat with. Simply click ‘Chat to me’, sign up and you are good to go.
‘One aspect I love about the platform is that the chat topics are not limited to academic matters. Our diverse team have hobbies and interests listed in their profiles, that students can message us about. It ranges from photography to food to music. I would encourage students to have a look to see if there are any PSAs with similar interests to their own. We are always happy to share recommendations on places around Sydney!’ Emily says.
If you don’t have the time to chat now, another option is to use the online form. You can submit your enquiry and request a Zoom call back to connect with your preferred PSA virtually.