Student Life at The University of Queensland

Established in the year 1909, The University of Queensland is located in the vibrant city of Brisbane and is also a founding member of the prestigious Group of Eight (Go8) Universities of Australia. The strength of the University lies in its vision of achieving global excellence through the transfer and preservation of knowledge and facilitating free space for creativity and innovation. Consistently ranking amongst the top 100 universities globally by the QS and THE University Rankings, the university always emphasises on teaching excellence and has won more Australian Awards for University Teaching (UAAT) than any other academic institution in the country! In this blog, we will take you through the student life at The University of Queensland, the mesmerizing experiences it has to offer and the multifarious avenues available for international students.

Career and Employability

The University of Queensland is one of the top universities in the world with diverse and dynamic programs on offer. The University is ranked 57th in the World QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020. This Employability Award given by the university is a way to recognize the merit of an individual and professional experience extending outside the world of academia. This award emphasises that actual learning is not restricted to the walls of a classroom and offers the space to its laureates to discover the world outside and beyond it. Moreover, the university also encourages students to actively participate in personal and professional development activities to enhance their skills and employability. Its employability framework is founded on the motto of experiential learning and thus students are motivated to work on their skills and attributes through their experiences inside and outside the campus. The university organises various events like employment week, Global Experiences Expo as well as Virtual Career Fairs to connect students with global industry professionals and provide them with networking opportunities to explore potential careers of their interest.

Virtual Career Fairs at The University of Queensland

UQ Ventures

The University of Queensland offers workshops and short-term programs to students interested in entrepreneurship and innovation, these can be done alongside the full-time program. These programs help students to ideate, build, test and pitch ideas into a start-up with help from industry experts that are available to mentor students. They also provide students with the perfect opportunity to build a global network and gain skills towards becoming an entrepreneur. 

Accommodations

The University of Queensland has ensured the availability of numerous accommodation options for its international students from on-campus accommodations to approved places to live off-campus. With its three campuses offering world-class accommodation facilities, students can easily find the best suitable option which fits their budgets and preferences. Students have a range of options to choose from On-campus accommodations, UQ Rentals and Off-campus approved accommodations.

Additionally, under the guaranteed accommodation program of the university, students can easily pick the accommodation they like before even landing in the city. Students also have an option to apply for a short-term program to find lodgings with providers approved by the university. The accommodations are close to campus and commute is considerably easier. You can look through the university website to finalize the lodging as per your preferences and requirements.

University Life

To help international students adjust to a new setting, The University of Queensland walks with you through the process to help you navigate your first steps at the campus. The orientation week is conducted across all three campuses, faculties and departments to welcome new students with many social events to introduce them to the striking campus life including planning and transitioning to a future career. The university also celebrates many cultural, traditional and modern festivities and bustles with engaging events and activities all around the year for students to immerse in!

Find out Why Amulya chose UQ?

Fascinating Campuses

Spread across St. Lucia, Gatton and Herston campuses, The University of Queensland is equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure and learning spaces. Each of its striking campuses encompasses world-class facilities, dynamic learning environments, modern teaching and learning amenities including lecture theatres, research labs and much more. The St Lucia campus is situated on 114 hectares of Brisbane River-bound land. It is UQ’s main campus and is a vibrant mix of majestic sandstone buildings and contemporary architecture, landscaped gardens and lakes. The campus is easily accessible from Brisbane CBD and outer suburbs. 

Further, you can explore many glorious artefacts from the past at these campuses which are also home to many globally popular museums and galleries. Famed as Queensland’s largest research library, the UQ Library located in the St. Lucia Campus encompasses more than 10 branches and various research centres located throughout the city including Moreton Bay Research Station, Boyce Gardens, Heron Island Research Stations, amongst others. The Gatton campus dates back to 1897 and has teaching and research facilities in agricultural, environmental and veterinary sciences. It is also a working farm, with more than 1000 hectares of dairy, pig, crop and grazing units, as well as post-harvest facilities and greenhouses. The Herston campus is home to UQ’s Medicine and Public Health schools. The university also has ensured proper surveillance and security of its campus and has on-campus health centres as well.

Vibrant Societies to Choose From

The University of Queensland is home to more than 220 clubs and societies ranging from country-specific clubs to clubs dedicated to learning skills. The UQU prides itself for having a growing student community of 35,000 members and aims to enhance the student experience by connecting them with like-minded individuals and helping them gain essential learning skills.

Vivacious Social Life and Enthralling Entertainment

The student life at The University of Queensland is so much more than being restricted to merely studying. From an engaging social life to ever-bustling city life, it has all the makings of a cosmopolitan lifestyle. Further, the beautiful city of Brisbane is blessed with breathtaking natural landscapes and stunning cultural attractions that you can explore in your leisure time. The university hosts many music festivals throughout the year and has a jam-packed event calendar filled with vibrant activities to help you immerse in the entertaining and happening aura of Brisbane!

Starting at UQ – making friends and finding support services

Sports at The University of Queensland

Sports is another important aspect of student life at The University of Queensland. The institution offers a wide range of sports scholarships and organises a plethora of sports activities around the year. The UQ Sport has the largest sports complex in Queensland and offers 450 programs to students, staff, alumni and the general public. It houses its own premium fitness centres, tennis courts, aquatics centre and athletics centre. Students can choose from 75+ sports activities, 10 social sports activities and 35 sporting clubs.

UQ Sports Stars – Natalie Grider

Healthcare Facilities

From workout sessions to video lessons on mindfulness, The University of Queensland gives special emphasis on ensuring the physical and mental wellbeing of its students and faculty. Under the Health Promotion Project for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities, the University aims to enhance the health and wellbeing of students belonging from diverse backgrounds. The institution has also closely collaborated with local and international leaders in health and research to take up projects to revolutionize global healthcare. Further, the university has its community health clinics and is also leading the UQ vaccine project for Covid-19 which has presently progressed towards the human trial stage.

Ready to be part of the captivating student community at The University of Queensland? Well, if you are fascinated by the striking student life at The University of Queensland but unsure about how to apply for your chosen degree, our Leverage Edu experts are here to help you. Sign up for a free consultation with our admission counsellors and we will guide you throughout the admission process to ensure that you get successfully shortlisted!