11 July 2025

New to Deakin GIFT City? Satya’s story will help you get started!

When Satya Vaibhav discovered he could study a globally recognised Australian degree right here in India, it felt like a no-brainer. As a Master of Cyber Security (Professional) student at Deakin’s GIFT City campus, he’s now deep into his studies and loving every moment of the experience.

When I first heard about the Australian degree available to me without leaving the country, I was intrigued and wanted to grab the opportunity. It made sense financially – and being just a few hours from my family is ideal.

Learning with the latest tech

Fast forward to now, Satya (pictured) is thriving on campus – especially in the tech-forward spaces that support his learning. ‘The cyber security laboratory is a great place to work – it’s cutting-edge and really enhances the learning experience.’ The digital learning tools like CloudDeakin, Microsoft Teams and Turnitin have made studying easy and submitting assessments smooth.

More than just study

Satya’s Deakin journey so far hasn’t just been about coursework. He’s jumped head first into student life, joining the Coding Club and getting involved in social activities run by the Sports and Cultural Club. ‘Taking part in club events gave me the opportunity to build strong connections.’ There are always events happening on campus each month, making it easy to get involved and meet new people.

His drive to get involved led Satya to become a Student Representative for the Cyber Security cohort – an achievement he’s especially proud of. ‘I’ve learned so much from this role. It’s helped me build leadership skills and understand how to work with others to find solutions.’

Like most postgrad students, Satya has had to juggle study with work and family commitments, but he’s mastered the art of balance. His secret? Prioritising tasks and planning ahead. ‘I focus on completing the important things first, then the rest can be done afterwards. A good time schedule goes a long way.’ Our time management resources are a great way to visualise your trimester or weekly tasks.

Feel supported this trimester

Deakin’s support services have also played a big role in his journey. Student Central has been his go-to for help with anything and everything – whether it’s questions about enrolment, accessing resources or navigating DeakinSync.

If you want to boost your study skills, the Study Success webpage for GIFT City students is packed with practical tools and resources to help you start strong this trimester. You’ll find support for:

• Building your academic skills

• Preparing for your first assessments

• Accessing study support like Maths and Writing Mentors

• Looking after your health and wellbeing along the way, and more!

Give yourself time to settle in

For students feeling overwhelmed in the early weeks, Satya’s advice is simple – take it one step at a time. ‘Getting used to a new university culture takes a little while – and that’s completely normal. Give yourself time to adjust.’ You’ll find your rhythm before you know it!