Why starting uni is hard

The transition to university is a huge challenge, for even the brightest students. But we’re here to help.

To help you 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.

The transition

The shift to university study involves many disruptive, unseen challenges.

  • 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

  • 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.

    • 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

    • 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.

    • 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

    • 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

What students want, in their own words…

“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

This means students know what they need to succeed.

They’re looking for:

  • personalised academic support

  • assessment help and feedback

  • time management and structure

  • mentorship and human connection

So that’s what we do.

We provide:

  • weekly one-on-one 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

Book now