Investigating the practical side of uni life
Going to uni involves many more practical arrangements than applying for your preferred course. You also need to think about the likely costs and possible ways of getting an income while you study, options for where to live, how you will travel to and from university and what help you might need from disability or other community services while doing your course.
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The likely costs involved
- Calculate the likely expenses involved in going to uni. The University of Western Sydney's Student Support Services has developed an excellent resource that explains the costs likely to be involved in full-time study at uni. The guide is called 'Dollars and Sense'.
- Think about whether you would be likely to pay your uni fees upfront or via a government loan. For a brief explanation of uni fees and government loans to pay uni fees, see FAQ Sheet 1: What is the cost of university fees? Does the government offer any assistance to pay fees? of this resource. For further information see the 'Going To Uni' website; and/or the Universities Admissions Centre website (or the UAC Guide).
Financial Assistance
- Investigate which income support benefits you might be entitled to as a uni student with a disability. Centrelink will be able to advise you about your likely entitlements. For more information about the Centrelink benefits see FAQ Sheet 2: What income support is available to students? of this resource and/or the Centrelink website.
- Find out about scholarships that you could be eligible for. Scholarships can be awarded based on academic achievement, educational disadvantage (such as disability, family circumstance or living in a remote area), specific disability type or other grounds such as sports achievements. There are several different types of scholarships available. To learn more about scholarships see FAQ Sheet 3: What scholarships can I apply for? How can I find more information about scholarships? of this resource.
Part-time employment
- Consider whether you would be likely to work part-time during uni. The option of working part-time during uni has both pros and cons. One of the big advantages of working part-time while studying is gaining work experience, which is very important when job hunting as a graduate, particularly for people with disability. However working while studying may not be a realistic option for some students with disability due to a need for extra time to organise their studies and complete assignments.
- Check with Centrelink about the maximum wage you can earn before affecting any income support or other benefits you are entitled to.
- If you already have a casual job and plan to continue working while at uni, find out whether your employer is willing and/or able to work hours around your uni schedule.
- Explore whether any work options exist on campus or close to the campus of your choice.
Accommodation
- Ask yourself where and how you want to live. Think about whether you would like/need to live at home or move out.
- If you are planning on moving out of home, check out the accommodation options that would be available to you. See FAQ Sheet 4: What are my accommodation options if I want to live closer to university? of this resource for more information.
- If you intend to live on campus, find out about the on-campus accommodation for the first few unis of your choice, availability, disability access (if applicable), costs and closing date for applications. On-campus accommodation is often very competitive and is allocated on a 'first in, first served' basis.
- Whether you live at or away from home may affect your Centrelink entitlements. Ask Centrelink what effect the decision to either stay at home or move away will make on the benefits you may receive.
Transport
- Think about how you will travel to and from uni (and work if applicable). For many students, travelling to and from uni becomes a major component of their uni life and certainly consumes much of their uni hours. For students with disability this is often an even bigger issue that requires careful consideration and planning.
- Compare the transport options available at each uni you are considering. The transport arrangements at uni can be a major deciding factor in which course and/or uni you select. Find out about arrangements such as on-campus parking, especially disabled parking (if needed) and special permits needed to use these spots. If appropriate, check out how close the campus is to public transport and how accessible the public transport facilities are.
- Find out if you are eligible for any transport subsidies or concessions and, if necessary, make the appropriate applications.
- See FAQ Sheet 5: What are my transport options for getting to and from university? of this resource for further information about buses and trains, taxi travel, private car use and other travel concessions and allowances.