Are your studies being impacted by financial hardship? Find out how DUSA can help you
Sometimes the unexpected happens. That’s why DUSA Student Advocacy and Support Service (SASS) is here to provide you a range of initiatives to access throughout the year, regardless of your situation – we cater to international and domestic students, and those studying either at a physical campus or via the Cloud Campus.
Financial counselling
If you’re worried about your finances, book an appointment to meet Shona – the DUSA Financial Counsellor! Shona provides non-judgmental, independent, confidential and free support to all Deakin students. Her role is designed to inform, support and advocate for students experiencing financial difficulty. So don’t let stress over your finances impact your health or studies – seeking the support of a financial counsellor can relieve your money worries.
See the DUSA Financial Counselling webpage for more information or to book an appointment.
Free breakfasts
Our free breakfast initiative is offered on all campuses every Wednesday morning during the Trimester 1 and Trimester 2 teaching periods. Stop by to grab some food, have a quick chat to an Advocate and be fuelled and ready for the day ahead!
Time: 8.30–10.30am
- Burwood – Morgan’s Walk
- Waurn Ponds – DUSA Reception, Fred Jevons Building JB, Level 1
- Waterfront – DUSA Office, Building D, Level 1
- Warrnambool – DUSA Student Lounge, Building H2–3.
Survival Centres
DUSA’s Survival Centres are open and available for any students who are facing financial hardship and are in desperate need of basic emergency food and supplies.
If this applies to your situation, you can access free basic food items, personal hygiene products, sexual health products, clothing, stationery, notebooks, and more. If we do not have the items you need, our friendly team of Advocates are here to help. We can discuss further support and referral options to help you get the assistance you need. If you are a Cloud Campus student, please feel free to contact us for other available support services.
- Burwood – DUSA Advocacy Office, Building A, Level 2
- Waurn Ponds – DUSA Reception, Fred Jevons Building JB, Level 1
- Waterfront – DUSA Office, Building D, Level 1
- Warrnambool – DUSA, Building H2–3
Transport assistance
Experiencing financial hardship can make travelling to and from campus difficult, whether it is through public transport or your own vehicle. For Cloud Campus students who are required to travel to campus for intensives, the potential costs of transport and accommodation can become overwhelming and extremely stressful.
DUSA provides the Transport Assistance Program which is accessible for all students experiencing financial hardship and provides the following financial assistance opportunities.
- Driving to and from campus: You may be eligible for a subsidised or fully funded annual Deakin University parking vPermit. Please note Deakin University’s parking vPermits are not valid at the Waterfront Campus.
- Catching public transport to and from campus: You may be eligible for public transport assistance, such as a 30-day Travel Pass valid for travel on all public transport in metropolitan Melbourne (Zone 1+2) and regional buses that use myki. Please note Travel Passes can’t be used on V/Line services.
- Transport and/or accommodation reimbursement for attending a Cloud Intensive on a physical campus: You may may be eligible for Cloud Intensive Travel Support – a maximum reimbursement of $350 to be put toward travel or accommodation (available once per year).
For further information and to apply, see the Transport Assistance webpage.
Scholarships
Having access to the resources you need to study can be a huge burden and sometimes the financial stress of life takes away from spending the required money on our studies. Rent, utilities, food, fuel and family have to come first sometimes. At DUSA we recognise the financial burden studying can have and so each year we offer up to 11 scholarships across all campuses to students who need the financial assistance a scholarship can offer.
Our scholarship recipients receive a DUSA Gold Membership and your choice of items up to the value of $3000:
- Laptop
- Travel assistance (Annual general parking permit/public transport/MYKI/fuel voucher)
- Deakin Card top-up, which can be used for services such as printing, photocopying, binding, food purchases, and/or the purchase of textbooks supplied through the DUSA Bookshop.
Applications for Trimester 1 open in August of the previous year. To apply for this scholarship please visit the Deakin Course and Scholarship Applicant Portal.
Talk to us today!
In addition to the initiatives listed above, DUSA Advocates can refer you to any relevant internal and external support services across the University and beyond for more support.
Whether you’ve just commenced your studies recently, or you’ve been at Deakin for a while, we encourage you to connect with an Advocate for support and advice. We are here to help!
Make sure you keep an eye on the DUSA Instagram channel this week too – from Friday and in the lead-up to exams, Ash and Elisa from DUSA Advocacy will speak about some of the most common questions they receive from students and offer some tips and advice. Tune in to learn more!