USC has received top marks for supporting its students when it mattered most – during a turbulent time that featured many disruptions caused by pandemic restrictions.

The University was awarded five stars in the ‘student support’ category of the annual Good Universities Guide, released today by Good Education Media.

This rating is based on the extent to which students felt supported as they enrolled, started studying and accessed the services of administrative staff, career advisers, academic advisers, counsellors, financial advisers and health services.

USC also gained five stars in other key areas of undergraduate student satisfaction – teaching quality (for the 16th consecutive year), overall experience (10th consecutive year), learning resources (6th consecutive year), skills development and social equity.

And, for the first time, USC has been awarded five stars in the category of learner engagement for its postgraduate programs.

Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Helen Bartlett said it was wonderful to be recognised in this way by the guide, which used nationwide student and graduate surveys and national higher education data from 2019-2020 in awarding five-star ratings to the top 20 percent of universities in each category.

“Gaining five stars for student support in particular shows that USC did very well in providing our students with a positive university experience despite the disruptions caused by COVID-19,” Professor Bartlett said.

“Some of the factors that contributed to this result were the provision of financial assistance (including emergency bursaries of up to $1,000), meal packages, and increased support services – especially in the area of counselling – in response to strong student demand.

“We also altered our grading schema for Semester 1, 2020, in recognition of the impact that the pandemic had on a significant number of students.”

Professor Bartlett said students had expressed appreciation for regular updates from the University, the many opportunities they had to meet via Zoom for online social activities, and the timely manner in which their concerns were addressed.

“This great result for student support plus our excellent ratings across multiple categories show that we are continuing to offer outstanding opportunities and outcomes for students across our regions,” she said.

Applications are now open via QTAC to study at USC for Semester 1, 2022. For more information on how to apply, visit usc.edu.au/study

Prospective students can enjoy USC’s Open Day online – an immersive experience that enables visitors to find out many details about what studying at university could lead to.

— Terry Walsh