University Guide
University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia (UWA) is located 10 minutes outside the city of Perth on the West coast. 25,000 students attend the university, 4000 of whom are international. It is a long-standing university, established in 1911 as the first university in the State. with over 135,000 past graduates
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The overview
The main things you need to know about studying at the University of Western Australia.
Rankings
Times Higher Education 2023 has ranked UWA 8th overall. 43 of UWA’s courses rank in the world’s top 1% (ARWU 2020, QS 2022), especially leading in Agriculture and Forestry, Geology, Geophysics, Psychology and Earth and Marine Sciences, all of which rank in their respective top 50 worldwide.
Employability
UWA has ranked #1 in Western Australia (WA) for graduate employability (QS Graduate Employability Ranking 2022). Students receive careers support from the university by all students having the option to do an internship, having a Career Mentor Link , employability workshops and the university’s 4500 industry partnerships.
Fees
Fees are charged per semester and are entirely based on which units of study are chosen by the student. UWA recommends prospective students use their fee calculator to calculate a prospective cost for their choice of units. They also have a list of fees for each course’s units, which you can browse on their webpage. Fees do increase each year, even once enrolled, so students should bare this in mind. The University also advises to set aside AUD$450 for a comfortable living allowance, including rent.
Bursaries
The University offers 241 scholarships for many situations in which students may find themselves in need of financial support. This includes educational disadvantages, financial hardships, being indigenous, academic excellence, or for sporting abilities. The website provides a wonderful tool which allows prospective students to answer a few basic questions to generate a list of scholarships they may be eligible for.
Accommodation
UWA offers various accommodation options to suit all needs. There are 5 residential colleges on campus which offer a ‘typical’ student lifestyle with all your meals, wi-fi, proximity to friends, a gym, recreational areas, and study spaces. There are lots of opportunities to live with a local host family within the city to really allow students to integrate into Perth. UWA also owns over 230 properties close to the University buildings for those wanting more independence. New student housing has also just been built by the University within Perth for those wanting a real city to feel. This gives students a real opportunity to enjoy the city’s cafes, bars, rooftops, pubs and clubs and an urban lifestyle. This is all with a short commute to university via public transport.
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The UWA Student Guild, founded in 1913, is run by students, for students, to enrich everyone’s university experience. Its role is to represent the student body, and thus is student elected. It offers all sorts of activities and opportunities to students to keep them stimulated outside their studies and bulk up their CVs. Students can join one of the 150+ clubs or societies related to sports, their subject, niche interests, volunteering and their culture or religion. A support system, Student Assist, is also run by the Guild, offering counselling, information and guidance to any student who may be struggling with their studies for whatever reason. The Guild also runs several discounted restaurants and cafes around campus, along with also offering student discounts off-campus for Guild members.
Famous for
The University sits along the Swan River (Derbal Yerrigan), scoured out by the Waugul. Therefore, the University rests on sacred soil, where Western Australian kaartdijin (knowledge) is said to have begun.
News
Recent Law graduates were addressed by a new Indigenous Supreme Court judge and former UWA student, Justice Michael Lundberg. He urged gradates to "respect the gift of their qualification", take on cases which will have a "lasting impact" and "embrace public services".
Accommodation for Students says
"Perth is the perfect big city, ticking most boxes any city should, and more! is the 4th largest city in Australia and is incredibly diverse, being made up of over 190 nationalities. It is known as the sunniest city in Australia, so get ready to be pumping with serotonin. And it is fairly affordable, safe, friendly, prosperous, with a very good night scene and just plain beautiful."
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