Want to help your child succeed at university?
We do, too.
We are:
a network of Australian academics
experienced in teaching and assessing at university level
passionate about student success and wellbeing
providing private tutoring to help students achieve their study goals
About us
The transition to university is a huge challenge, for even the brightest students. But we’re here to help.
To equip parents to understand this transition, we’ve outlined its challenges and impacts below.
Like to listen and watch? Click on the videos to hear the full presentations.
More of a speed reader? Open the drop down boxes for a quick overview of the essentials.
Why we tutor
The transition
The shift to university study involves many disruptive, unseen challenges.
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There’s support, structure, and clarity.
Content is introduced at a manageable pace
Class sizes are small and personal
Teachers and parents work together to monitor progress and keep students on track
Time management is built into the school day
Assessment tasks are paced and scaffolded, allowing for gradual completion
Assessable skills are straightforward and explicitly taught
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Support, structure and clarity disappear.
Content is introduced at a much faster rate
Cohorts are large and anonymous
Academics are hard to reach and rarely offer one-on-one support
Students are expected to manage their time and workload independently
Major projects have overlapping deadlines
Assessable skills are complex and not explicitly taught
“Feels like there is a lack of teacher support in university compared to high school. Don't really know who to ask if I'm having problems.”
- student participant, Studiosity Wellbeing Report, 2024.
The impacts
The challenges of starting university lead to many negative outcomes for students.
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22% of students under 18 report high psychological distress, affecting study and work
1 in 3 students report moderate to severe depressive symptoms; 23% report anxiety
Most students face academic stressors like time management, study/life balance, and pressure to succeed
Over 25% have considered dropping out, citing health stress, workload, and lack of balance
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15–20% of students drop out of uni in first year.
Of those who stay, 15% fail at least one unit.
Only 40% of students finish their degrees in four years.
Only 60% finish within six years.
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Struggling students can seek unvetted support
This can lead to unintentional misconduct cases for plagiarism, fabrication, and contract cheating
Penalties for academic misconduct can lead to exclusion, grade reductions, and failed units
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Students still have to pay for failed units and uncompleted degrees
With the HECS system, longer degrees mean more debt due to indexation
Poor marks and delayed degree completion impact the likelihood of getting into competitive graduate or higher degree programs
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Studiosity. (2024). Student Wellbeing Report. Studiosity. https://www.studiosity.com/hubfs/Studiosity/Downloads/Research/2024%20AU%20Wellbeing/Australia%20Student%20Wellbeing%20Survey%202024%20.pdf
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Bewick, B., Koutsopoulou, G., Miles, J., Slaa, E., & Barkham, M. (2010). Changes in undergraduate students’ psychological well-being as they progress through university. Studies in Higher Education, 35(6), 633–645. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075070903216643
Department of Education. (2023). Key findings from the 2023 Higher Education Student Statistics. Australian Government. https://www.education.gov.au/higher-education-statistics/student-data/selected-higher-education-statistics-2023-student-data/key-findings-2023-student-data#toc-attrition-rate-remains-stable-over-the-last-year
Sanci, L., Williams, I., Russell, M., Chondros, P., Duncan, A.-M., Tarzia, L., Peter, D., Lim, M. S. Y., Tomyn, A., & Minas, H. (2022). Towards a health promoting university: Descriptive findings on health, wellbeing and academic performance amongst university students in Australia. BMC Public Health, 22, Article 2430. https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-022-14690-9
Stallman, H. M. (2008). Prevalence of psychological distress in university students: Implications for service delivery. Australian Family Physician, 37(8), 673–677.
Tertiary Education Quality Standards Association (TEQSA). (2017). Characteristics of Australian higher education providers and their relation to first-year student attrition. TEQSA. https://www.teqsa.gov.au/sites/default/files/attrition-report-june-2017-19dec2017.pdf?v=1513650539
“Access to individual support on content”
“More personalised and tailored feedback”
“Greater emphasis on time management skills”
“Help with deadlines”
“A dedicated mentor/support officer”
- student participants, Studiosity Wellbeing Report, 2024
What students want, in their own words…
They’re looking for:
personalised academic support
assessment help and feedback
time management and structure
mentorship and human connection
This means students know what they need to succeed.
We provide:
1:1 tutoring sessions with experienced academics
help with goal setting, time management, and accountability
structures for completing assessments in manageable chunks
formative feedback on assessment plans and drafts
academic skill development
mentorship, connection and guidance