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Parents/guardians

High school can be a challenging time. Apart from assignments and exams, students also need to be thinking about their future, exploring career options and planning for further study. 

As a parent, you can play a critical role in helping your child to navigate through this process. The following are some useful tips and pointers:

 

Should they or shouldn't they go to university?

Research has shown that there are significant economic as well as other benefits of going to university. In some families where going to university has not been the norm, your support will go a long way in making this a reality.

Make sure to take them to UniSA's Open Day where they will get a chance to not only listen to lectures about study options but also tour the campus and get a feel for what life at university is like.

Check out the links on the right of this page which provide important information about studying at university, particularly university terminology to familiarise yourself with common terms used in university publications and presentations.

 

Identifying their interests and choosing a career

Help them to explore their interests, strengths and skills. Work experience and volunteer work are ways in which they can determine their areas of interest or skills and get an idea of the careers they would like to pursue.

Once they have narrowed down their interests, help them choose a career that would allow them to express these interests. Some of the most intriguing careers take a little more time to discover.

 

Choosing a study program

After identifying interests/career options, help them select relevant UniSA programs. Go to Program Search to browse through our large range of programs.

Then help them research the programs they have selected to identify specific entry requirements such as pre requisites and assumed knowledge. Make sure they are able to meet each of these.

 

What is life at university like?

The transition from school to university can be quite dramatic. At university students are expected to be more independent and get treated like an adult.

UniSA has a friendly and flexible environment that allows students to succeed in their studies but also have fun, make new friends and enjoy life. Read more about life at university.

Make sure to take them to UniSA's Open Day where they will get a chance to tour the campus and get a feel for what life at university is like.

You can also get an idea about the support services and facilities available such student exchanges, accommodation and scholarships by exploring the links on the right of this page.

 

What about finances?

UniSA offers students either a 'Commonwealth supported place' or a 'fee paying place'. Currently all undergraduate places for domestic students are Commonwealth supported while postgraduate places may be either Commonwealth supported or fee paying.

Generally speaking the Australian Government contributes to the costs for Commonwealth supported student places and students pay a 'student contribution' (formerly known as HECS). If eligible students may chose to defer all, or some, of these costs using HECS-HELP.

At UniSA the only fee paying programs available to Australian students are postgraduate programs. Students who choose to study a fee paying postgraduate program pay tuition fees and if eligible may choose to defer these using FEE-HELP.

There are also a number of scholarships available to help fund tertiary study.

As a parent, you will need to decide with your child how much financial support is required from you. Most students work part-time while studying at university which is an option you might like to discuss with your child, although it is not advisable that they work for more than 20 hours a week. Help them work out a healthy balance between study and work.

More information about finances and fees

If your child is coming from interstate or the country, you will need to budget for accommodation as well. Check out our Accommodation website for more details.

 



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