Term 2, Week 1

Fitness requirements

Reaching the necessary ADF fitness requirements is most often within people’s capability. During the application process you'll be assessed. Click here to find out more about:

• How fit must I be to apply?
• About the Pre-entry Fitness Assessment (PFA)
• Fitness requirements for the Army, Navy and Air Force
• Answers to your most frequently asked fitness requirement questions

Upcoming Defence Force Information Sessions

Stay informed about important upcoming Queensland and National ADF events and information sessions: 

28/04/2026       Brisbane A Night in the Army Reserve   

05/05/2026       Brisbane Defence Careers Information Session     

A School-Based Apprenticeship or Traineeship (SAT) lets you start a trade or career while you’re still at school. You’ll usually do:

• 1 day at work
• 4 days at school
• Plus, a formal course through TAFE or a training provider (this fits in with your school and work timetable)

Why it’s good:

• Get real job experience early
• Start your qualification before finishing school
• Provides a pathway straight into a full-time job after Year 12

Things to think about:

• Try work experience first to make sure it’s right for you
• You’ll need to balance school, work and training
• Traineeships can often be finished at school, but apprenticeships usually continue full-time after you graduate.

Interested to find out more? Talk to the VET office.

General Scholarships and Financial Assistance

Uni can get expensive (fees, books, rent, tech), so it’s important to know your money options. You’ve got two main ways to get help:

• Scholarships (free money you don’t pay back)
• Financial support (like government payments or loans)

Good Universities Guide breaks it down and shows you:

• 5 simple steps to apply for scholarships
• Different scholarship options in Australia
• What you need to be eligible and apply

Don’t stress — there are lots of ways to help pay for uni if you plan ahead.

Griffith Uni Scholarships

A scholarship can seriously help with uni — not just with money but with extra opportunities too. What you get:

• Financial support while you study
• Access to networking events and mentors
• Chance to build job-ready skills

Check out what’s available at Griffith University, including:

• How to apply
• Who’s eligible
• Key dates and deadlines

Scholarships can make Uni cheaper and help you stand out.

Prac Component of Your Uni Course - How to Survive!

You might be able to get extra money from the government while you’re studying — not just HELP loans. Options include:

• Prac Payment (CPP)
   From July 2025, helps you financially while doing unpaid placements for your course - Bachelor in Teaching, Nursing, Midwifery, Social Work or Diploma in Nursing
• Tertiary Access Payment (TAP) (scroll down)
   Up to $5,000 if you move from regional/remote areas for uni
• Other support through Services Australia (scroll down) includes: 
  • Youth Allowance
  • Austudy / ABSTUDY
  • Rent Assistance

There’s more support out there than most people realise, so it’s worth checking what you’re eligible for.

What is HECS

Understanding HECS is important if you’re starting uni in Australia. HECS-HELP is a loan from the Australian Government that helps you pay your tuition fees upfront, so you can study now and repay later. It supports hundreds of thousands of students each year—but it’s important to understand how it works before you enrol. Click here for UQ's break down of the key facts and answers to common questions so you know exactly what to expect. They talk about:

• What is HECS
• Who is eligible for a HECS loan?
• How to apply for HECS
• How does HECS work?
• When do you start paying HECS?
• How does HECS repayment work?

Talk With Industry Series

Australian Catholic University is running webinars with alumni, where you can hear real stories from grads about life after uni. It’s a great way to get honest insights and figure out if a course is right for you. What you’ll get:

• Hear from graduates about their careers
• Learn how their degree helped them get there
• Ask questions in a live Q&A
• Get a better idea of your own future options

Upcoming webinars in early May are:

• Wednesday 6 May - Talk with Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists: Helping People Move and Thrive
• Thursday 7 May - Talk with Teachers and Educators: Explore Your Teaching Career and Scholarship Options
• Wednesday 13 May - Talk with Nurses, Midwives and Paramedics: Explore Careers that Make a Difference
• Thursday 14 May - Talk with Law, Criminology and Business Professionals: Discover Your Future Career

More info and registration here.

Experience Days in May

Step into the life of a Bondy for a day and see what uni is really like. You might take part in a workshop, try a mock class or get hands-on with a guided activity. You’ll also chat with current students and learn from expert academics. Food and drinks are included. Below are the Experience days in May including rego details. If you are interested, go talk to your teacher or Guidance Officer/Counsellor.

• 07/05/2026     Criminology Experience Day
• 08/05/2026     Construction, property and Project Management Experience Day
• 28/05/2026     Communication Experience Day

Medicine at Bond

Bond University is one of the few unis in Australia offering medicine straight from undergraduate level. The program includes two degrees—the Bachelor of Medical Studies and the Doctor of Medicine—which you complete over five years to become a registered doctor. Both are awarded at the end of the course. Applications for the Bachelor of Medical Studies go through QTAC. They usually open mid-January and close early February for a May start. Check the QTAC website for 2027 dates and updates.

World Surf League: Gold Coast Pro Backstage Tour

Get exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro with Bond University on the Gold Coast. Year 11 and 12 students can explore athlete areas, judging and media zones and see how a major surfing event runs — before watching the action from top seats. It’s a great chance to check out careers in sport, media, business and more, with a Bond rep there to answer your questions. The following are session dates and times.  More rego info and details here. 

• 02/05/2026      World Surf League: Gold Coast Pro Backstage Tour - 10am OR 12pm
• 03/05/2026      World Surf League: Gold Coast Pro Backstage Tour - 10am OR 12pm
• 09/05/2026      World Surf League: Gold Coast Pro Backstage Tour - 10am OR 12pm
• 10/05/2026      World Surf League: Gold Coast Pro Backstage Tour - 10am OR 12pm

Griffith University's Creative Arts Open Day

Explore your creative side at Griffith University’s Creative Arts Open Day. Try hands-on workshops, check out exhibitions and performances and see behind the scenes of music, film, design and more. You’ll meet students and teachers, explore the facilities and get a feel for creative careers. 

It's at South Bank campus on Sunday 17 May from 9am - 2pm. You can also check out a pop-up preview of future business, IT and law programs in the CBD. 

More here including rego info.

Bachelor of Creative Arts Entry - Year 12 Subject Scheme Changes

Students may now be eligible for an ATAR or selection rank adjustment of up to 2.00 per subject for Applied or General creative arts subjects (maximum of 8.00) when applying for the Bachelor of Creative Arts. Learn more. 

Course updates within the Faculty of Health

Changes within the Faculty of Health have led to three courses being discontinued for 2027 entry: 

• 425391 Bachelor of Health Information Management 
• 425282 Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Public Health 
• 425372 Bachelor of Public Health 

Please note that the 2027 Study Guide was correct at the time of printing but does not reflect these recent changes to course offerings. 

New Bachelor of Arts

The world today is shaped by forces like AI, digital technology and global challenges. Young people need skills that help them navigate and influence this environment. The new Bachelor of Arts at QUT is designed for students who want to understand how technology, society and culture are changing the world around them. With a guaranteed work placement and a choice of ten exciting majors, students will graduate ready for the real world. The new Bachelor of Arts, as well as a double degree with law, will be available for entry from Semester 1, 2027.

New major coming for the Bachelor of Design

• Launching in Semester 1, 2027, strategic design is a new major within QUT’s Bachelor of Design, focused on solving complex real-world challenges through systems thinking and human-centred design. This major is suited to students who enjoy big-picture thinking and want to use design to address issues such as sustainability, equity, health and social change. 
• Interaction design, another major option in our Bachelor of Design, will be renamed experience design from Semester 1, 2027. While the content for this major remains the same, the name change better reflects the content being taught. 

QUT Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology)

Psychology students study the human brain: how it develops, how it reacts and how it shapes our understanding of the world around us. Part of understanding the brain is exploring how different people interpret the world and how they think about big ideas. At QUT, psychology students regularly get together outside of class to talk about these ideas and challenge their assumptions in the Conversations That Matter group. Find out more about studying psychology at QUT.

QUT University Preparation Program

Mightn't get the right ATAR for entry into a QUT Diploma? QUT's free University Preparation Program gives you the opportunity to achieve a selection rank to gain entry into a range of undergraduate Diplomas and Bachelor Degrees. Learn more.

Qantas Group Pilot Academy

In partnership with Flight Training Adelaide (FTA), Qantas Group Pilot Academy helps meet the increasing need for skilled aviators in one of the fastest growing global industries. The Academy is based in Toowoomba, Queensland, at Wellcamp Airport providing training in:

• Commercial Pilots License (CPL)
• Airline Transport Pilots Licence (ATPL) theory
• Multi-Engine Command Instrument Rating (ME IR)
• Multi-Crew Cooperation (MCC)

Click here for more information and to download their student handbook.

Looking at Biomedicine but don't know where it can take you?

Queensland Government's State Development, Infrastructure and Planning has info on strategic industries for Queensland's future progress. They want Queensland to be a globally competitive Asia-Pacific biomedical industry hub. Find out about how Queenslanders are making a difference in the Biomedical world:

• Queensland’s biomedical industry bringing breakthroughs closer to home
• Queensland: Leading the charge in biomedical innovation
• Queensland innovation goes global
• Queensland’s mission to accelerate vaccine development
• Biomedicine versus Biotechnology, what’s what?
• Breakthrough test for coeliac disease puts Queensland’s biomedical sector on world map

The Residential Construction Industry

The residential construction industry covers everything from building new homes to renovating existing ones — from houses to large apartment complexes. It’s a major part of Australia’s economy and provides lots of jobs. The industry needs more skilled workers like electricians, carpenters, plumbers and bricklayers. This means there are strong job opportunities but also a growing need to attract and train more people to fill these roles. Click here for more info on:

• Current labour force - Residential construction is a huge part of the economy, but it’s short on workers. Demand is high, but not enough people are entering or finishing apprenticeships, and there’s low participation from women, migrants and diverse groups.
• Labour and skill demands - Even though job vacancies have dropped a bit, construction still has major long-term worker shortages. To meet the National Housing Accord goals, the industry will need at least 83,000 more tradies by 2029.
• Looking forward - Australia’s construction industry is stepping up to fix worker shortages by changing its culture, getting more women involved, and building stronger training pathways for future workers.

Year 12 Parents and Guardian Resources

Moving from high school to uni can feel like a big step — for both students and parents. Many universities offer helpful resources so parents can better support their child through the transition. These resources help parents understand things like uni expectations, support services and how to encourage independence while still being supportive.

• Australian Catholic University – How parents can help
• James Cook University - Parents and partners
• Griffith University – Parents and Guardians
• Queensland University of Technology - Parents and Carer Engagement
• The University of Queensland – Parents and guardians guide to university
• University of the Sunshine Coast - Parent Lounge.
• TAFE Queensland – Parents and Advisors
• University of Southern Queensland - Parents and Guardians
• University of New England -  Parent, Partner and Friends Information Guide
• Southern Cross University - Guide for Parents and Caregivers