Other costs

Apart from tuition fees for your course and units, there are a number of costs associated with studying at University. Make sure you find out what additional costs you'll have while studying at UWS.

Textbooks

Textbooks are an expensive purchase, and costs will vary according to the course and units you’re studying. You will need to purchase texts for some or all of your units that you may use for weekly readings, assessments or open book exams.

Textbooks are available on each campus at Connect Books stores. The UWS Library purchases at least one copy of every prescribed textbook that are held in ‘closed reserve’ so they can’t be taken out of the library. You can photocopy one chapter or 10% of the number of pages of a textbook (whichever is greater) without infringing copyright laws. The library also aims to hold every ‘recommended reading’ book in closed reserve.

See our Textbook tips for more information about getting your textbooks.

Parking

UWS campuses are restricted parking areas which use a paid parking system. All vehicles parked on a UWS campus must display a valid UWS parking permit on the lower, driver’s side windscreen/dash.

Photocopying and printing

Take the time to look over a journal article or textbook chapter before you photocopy or print. If there’s only a small amount of information relevant to what you need, you’re better off making notes (remember to reference) than wasting paper to print/photocopy. Frequent printing of lecture notes at the computer labs can add considerably to your stationery costs. Look around for cheaper photocopying rates, and compare places like Officeworks with the university libraries.

Stationery

Writing paper and photocopy/printer paper can be surprisingly expensive. Buy large packs of A4 notepaper at discount stores (e.g. Kmart, Big W) and keep any left over for the next session. Use both sides of the paper for writing notes and for printing draft versions of assignments. Recycle binders/lever arch folders after each session, rather than storing notes in them.

Equipment

Many courses will also require you to buy specialised equipment, such as lab coats for science, calculators for accounting or engineering, art supplies for visual arts subjects, etc. The uwsconnect retail outlets on each campus stock all required equipment at reasonable prices. Students also place items for sale on noticeboards.

Additional course-related costs

Some courses will have additional, compulsory costs. For example, PDHPE students must complete a Senior First Aid Certificate (around $160) as part of the requirements for one unit of their course. Nursing students have a number of additional costs, such as immunisations, a Lab Pack and a uniform for Clinical Placements. Check with your School for information about your particular course.

Encumbrances

An encumbrance is a sanction applied to students with outstanding fees or fines imposed by any area of the university, such as library fines for overdue books. An encumbrance has serious consequences: among other things, it will cancel your access to WebCT and Library facilities, will stop you from getting exam results, and you won’t be able to enrol for the next teaching session.

It’s really important to pay attention to the due dates on notices from the uni such as invoices, enrolment information and even due dates for library books, since it’s time-consuming to rectify the situation once an encumbrance has been placed.  Further information is available in the UWS Calendar or on the UWS Encumbrances for non payment of student fees web page.