The support UQ can give your teen doesn’t just start at their uni orientation and end at graduation. We're here for our prospective students, current learners and alumni every step of the way.
Whether your teen is in their early years of high school or hurtling towards graduation and university, UQ has programs, events and support services that can help them. From careers advice to scholarships, from admissions help to work experience opportunities, here are all the ways we can assist your teen to thrive socially and academically before, during and after university.
During high school
Engaging careers events
Not only is UQ present at several of Queensland’s largest careers fairs, including Brisbane Careers and Employment Expo and TSXPO, but we also hold our own dedicated careers event, Career Pulse. This event is typically held annually in April or May (24 April in 2025) and invites Years 9-12 school groups to attend and get inspired for their careers.
We’re dedicated to showing your teen how they can discover their interests and match these with UQ degrees that will pave their way to successful employment and a rewarding career. We also have online career exploration resources for high schoolers.
Check out the Career Pulse Hub
Opportunities to test drive university
Our Enhanced Studies Program allows Year 11 and 12 students to take a university subject during their final years of high school. This means your teen can get a taste of university life and prepare for the rigors of tertiary-level study. They may also get 1 adjustment to their selection rank when they apply to UQ and a credit towards their studies (depending on their degree).
Find out about UQ’s Enhanced Studies Program
Aspiration-building programs and camps
UQ hosts a huge range of single-day events and multi-day camps for high schoolers across our campuses. These events are designed to help your teen discover their interests and figure out if university study might be a good fit for them. We also offer programs to help them through their QCE subjects and nurture their leadership capabilities.
There are many events focused on specific study areas for those interested in everything from ancient history to STEM, business, law, languages and more. We also host camps for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, who gather from across the state to build connections and get involved in fun, hands-on activities that provide a snapshot into university studies.
Browse our events for high school students
Financial support
Our Young Achievers Program (YAP) supports financially disadvantaged teens through their senior years of high school, so they may realise their dream of attending university.
YAP participants gain:
- an annual bursary of $1,000 in Year 11 and 12 to support academic expenses
- 2 residential camps at UQ’s St Lucia campus
- 5 adjustments to their selection rank to help them get into UQ
- assistance with their university application
- a mentor to help them navigate their journey to university
- activities and events to help them feel at home with their fellow YAP participants, staff and mentors
- access to scholarships (including accommodation scholarships) exclusive to YAP participants once they commence at UQ.
Explore everything YAP has to offer your teen
Information sessions, evenings and events
We hold many online and in-person information sessions to help your teen make decisions about their future. UQ staff and student ambassadors visit schools all over Queensland and Northern NSW to engage teens in university study and raise awareness of what UQ has to offer. We also hold Open Days each year in August at our St Lucia and Gatton campuses, where you and your teen can come along and experience student life, get answers to all your questions about university and browse study options.
We host information evenings specifically for parents, as well as a series of UQ Ready events to help you and your teen navigate all the twists and turns involved with the transition from high school to university.
University admissions support
We’d be lying if we said that applying to university is an easy, one-step process. But at UQ, we have resources, events and people to help guide you and your teen through it. From our helpful articles to our annual ATAR Advice online event (held in December, the weekend after ATARs are released by QTAC), and step-by-step web guide on how to apply, we’ve got you covered.
If you ever get stuck and just want to talk to a person who understands the frustrations and can help you find answers, you can call our Future Students Contact Centre to work through any questions or difficulties with one of our friendly staff.
During university
Emotional and social wellbeing programs
Navigating the changes involved with moving from high school to university can be stressful. UQ’s student services team aims to ease the transition by offering a wide range of wellbeing programs and counselling services.
All UQ students can access 10 free counselling sessions per year, where they can talk through personal problems in a one-on-one setting with a professional. They can also join group workshops to practise mindfulness, connect with others experiencing grief, gain skills for building confidence and identify triggers for anxiety.
The UQ Life team is committed to helping all new students find ‘their people’ at university. They host lots of social events throughout the year, encouraging students to mingle and discover social events suited to their interests. From student-run clubs and societies to cultural events and sporting activities, there’s a social activity for everyone.
Support for neurodivergent students
UQ’s Neurodivergent Hub organises a range of events to assist new students who identify as neurodivergent with settling into uni life. This includes pre-orientation events for both commencing students and their parents, as well as several workshops and social gatherings once the semester commences.
Find out more about UQ’s Neurodivergent Hub
Student access plans and exam adjustments
Students with a disability, medical condition or significant caring responsibilities may need extra support to excel in their studies. At UQ, your teen can draft a student access plan with help from a student adviser. This means their lecturers and tutors will have a better understanding of their learning requirements and assist with accessing extensions on assignments if needed.
If the unforeseen happens and an injury prevents your teen from attending classes, they can also apply for adjustments to their exam arrangements.
Financial assistance and scholarships
UQ has over 300 types of scholarships available. In 2024, approximately 1,600 students received scholarships. Your teen can apply for scholarships both before they commence university and during their studies.
Scholarships are awarded for academic and sporting performance, cultural diversity, accommodation, extracurricular activities, financial disadvantage and much more.
Discover the extracurricular activities that can be undertaken in high school that will look great on your teen’s UQ scholarship application.
Careers support and advice
We know that preparing your teen for employment is an important part of university study. UQ’s employability team provides career advice, development and planning services. From resumé proofreading to interview preparation, the team will also guide your teen through every step of a job application.
Find out more about employability at UQ
Internships and work experience
Practical, hands-on learning experiences are vital to preparing your teen for their future career. There are ample opportunities for UQ students to undertake internships and work experience while they study. Whether your teen is looking for work experience with a local business or an internship with an international startup, we can help them secure meaningful and enriching opportunities in real working environments.
Find out more about internships
Many UQ programs also incorporate student placements, which require a minimum number of hours to be logged in a workplace setting.
Global experiences and opportunities
If your teen is excited about the prospect of studying abroad, UQ has many international partner institutions to pick from. Short-term and semester-long global experiences are available, and can help students gain confidence, independence and a new perspective on life. It’s also a great chance for students taking a language to practice and improve their speaking proficiency.
Explore UQ’s global experiences
Dedicated entrepreneurial program
UQ Ventures can help your teen bring their startup ideas to life. Our dedicated program to support entrepreneurship is available to students from all study areas. Your teen can get involved in workshops, hackathons, networking events, pitch nights and even secure funding for their business proposals. If they’re full of big ideas, UQ Ventures has the means to get them off the ground, plus the people to inspire and encourage them.
Find out more about UQ Ventures
Study skills workshops and learning advice
If your teen starts university and struggles to understand the coursework or structure their assignments, they aren’t alone. UQ provides learning support to students from all study areas through various workshops and one-on-one sessions, to assist them in building the skills necessary to excel academically. Our study skills workshops can help them develop techniques and strategies to enhance their study style. For those trickier assignments, however, a one-on-one session with an academic skills adviser can assist with working through specific challenges.
Find out more about learning support at UQ
Leadership, mentoring and volunteering opportunities
There are so many ways your teen can get involved in enriching, empowering and character-building activities at UQ. Whether they want to represent their student cohort locally or entire university internationally, there are leadership opportunities to strive for and dedicated leadership programs to undertake.
If working one on one is more their style, they may wish to become a mentor to new students once they have a few years of uni experience. There are also plenty of volunteering roles available at events throughout the year, which can help your teen connect with their wider university community and get involved in rewarding learning experiences.
After university
UQ alumni are part of a thriving community of graduates eager to help launch one another into success. As a UQ alum, your young adult will embark on their journey of lifelong learning. They’ll gain access to free online courses, networking events, exclusive discounts at UQ facilities and access to programs and spaces designed specifically for UQ graduates. There’s even an alumni travel program with international tours hosted by UQ academics.
They may wish to join UQ ChangeMakers, a platform where alumni can promote their businesses, seek employment opportunities, connect with like-minded individuals or find their next mentor or mentee.
Your teen’s UQ journey doesn’t end after graduation, and we’re always here to welcome them back should they wish to retrain or extend their skills with postgraduate qualifications.
Discover all the benefits of becoming a UQ alum
At UQ, we’re committed to being a part of your teen’s learning journey, from high school to university graduation and beyond. Because learning isn’t just a ‘one and done’ deal – it’s something we continue to do throughout our lives.
Looking for ways to support your teen as they prepare for university? Read our step-by-step guide for parents.
