Life at UWA

At UWA you can expect to be stretched intellectually as you interact with some of the country's leading researchers and teachers. At the same time, you'll have the opportunity to form lifelong friendships on a campus renowned for its exceptional student experience.

1. Exceptional education
2. New Courses
3. Friends and fun
4. Great jobs
5. Industry partnerships
6. Practical experience
7. High-calibre students
8. Research students
   
9. Excellent facilities
10. Help and support

Exceptional education

By choosing UWA you know that your lecturers are some of the very best in the country. Our staff boasts a Nobel Laureate, Australian Laureates and many other award-winning academics. Our teaching and research attracts researchers of international standing who pass on their knowledge and excite their students. With such talented staff and one of the best staff-to-student ratios in Australia, classes are designed to ensure that all students receive an outstanding education.

New Courses

UWA has recently implemented an innovative new course structure which will provide you with a cutting-edge, world-class education. The new model also offers additional entry opportunities for students and caters both for students who know exactly what they want to study and those who are not as certain and wish to explore their options before deciding on their ultimate study pathway.

Friends and fun

There are over 20,000 students enrolled at UWA who are not only from Perth and Western Australia but from all areas in Australia and around the world. On campus there is everything that you need – from cafes and sporting facilities to a pharmacy, bank, bookstore and hairdresser. UWA’s Cultural Precinct has an ever-changing, vibrant and dynamic program of performances, lectures and associated cultural activities and our museums and art galleries have permanent and seasonal exhibitions.

Student-run clubs and societies add fun and friendship to your UWA experience. Involvement with a club can provide relief from the demands of study. UWA has a proud sporting tradition, and there are many sporting groups. UWA Sports coordinates many of the activities, as well as providing a highly regarded recreation centre on campus.

Our Student Exchange Program offers current UWA students the opportunity to study overseas at renowned universities for one or two semesters as they gain credit towards their UWA degree. Locations include Austria, Chile, China, Denmark, France, USA, Canada, Hong Kong, Norway and Singapore.

UWA graduates get great jobs

UWA graduates consistently gain full-time employment at a higher rate than graduates from other Western Australian universities. Our graduates also exceed national graduate employment rates as well as national average starting salaries. You can be confident that your UWA degree will be an investment in your future – financially and intellectually.

Industry partnerships

Our faculties have strong industry partnerships that help us combine strong theoretical understanding with practical, real-world application. For example, the Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics is focused on producing graduates well-prepared for their chosen career. As a result of the faculty’s partnerships with organisations such as Monadelphous and Clough, many graduates gain employment at these leading organisations.

Practical experience

UWA offers many practical learning experiences within and outside the classroom. Here are just two examples: The Arts Practicum allows you to earn credit towards your degree while working on a supervised project in a workplace of your choice, while Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), UWA, is a non-profit organisation that is driven by students and their shared passion to make a positive impact on pressing issues in our community.

High-calibre students

At UWA you will be mixing with some of our State’s highest achieving students. In 2010, 82.8 per cent of the top five per cent of WA school leavers chose to study at UWA. The success of UWA’s student population is recognised worldwide. In 2010, a team of students from the Business School was the global winner of the Google Online Marketing Challenge beating 3033 other teams from 60 countries.

According to the Good Universities Guide, "UWA has more young, bright full-timers than many other universities in the country. It is the university of first choice for the top achievers ... and is attracting more notice overseas".

Research students

Becoming a research student at the University means you have chosen to join an institution committed to the highest standards of international research.

You will be part of a community of world-class researchers working in a range of disciplines across the University and supported by internationally recognised leaders.

Excellent facilities

Reid Library is Western Australia’s largest academic library with over one million volumes to choose from. In addition, UWA has a new $30 million Science Library as well as a number of subject area libraries to ensure you have access to all the information and resources you need. In recent years UWA has transformed as a result of major capital investment such as the new Business School and Bayliss Buildings. The Clough Engineering Student Centre is a purpose-designed space for engineering students to use for both team-based learning and quiet private study. It is a social anchor on campus and forms a crucial part of the pathway from university to the workplace for engineering students.

Computer facilities are provided by faculties and schools and a free email account is provided to all students. You can access the wireless network on campus with your home laptops and apply for dial-up access to the University network.

Arts communication students have access to a state-of-the-art multimedia centre and recording studio.

Help and support

The University offers you all the support and help you need to ensure that you complete your studies with the least amount of stress. For example, our UniMentor program links first-year students with more experienced students to help them get the most from their studies and life at university.

There are many people on campus whose job is to help you if you're having difficulties – or even if you just don't know where your next lecture is.

Student Services supports students through university in all sorts of ways. The Student Guild also provides advice, help and support, as well as other services and activities.

The University's School of Indigenous Studies administers a number of access programs and provides support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.