Enrolling in a postgraduate program can be both exciting and intimidating. You’re setting in motion some big changes for your future, but you’re also committing to some big changes right now.
Modifying your schedule to balance study with your existing work and personal life will take some thoughtful planning.
To help you start this journey (and see it through), we’ve created a checklist of things to do between now and your first lecture. By ticking off these items over time, you could prepare for your triumphant return to university sooner than you might think.
Hint: Open a fresh Word doc or grab a notebook. Some of these steps involve writing.
Postgraduate study is one of the best ways to upskill, broaden your opportunities, or even pivot into a completely different career path like I did. It’s never too late to learn, and the confidence and perspective you gain from backing yourself academically will carry over into every part of your career.
Sonika Selvaraj
Graduate Diploma in Resource Development
Tangible essentials for postgrad study
You can apply online directly for most UQ postgraduate programs, but some require you to apply via QTAC, complete additional tests (like the GAMSAT for the Doctor of Medicine), or meet specific prerequisites.
Find your program to check eligibility requirements and any application deadlines for your desired degree.
Tip: Add important dates to your work or phone calendar and set reminders to stay on track.
Check with Centrelink to see if you’re eligible for Austudy or other forms of assistance. (If you already receive benefits, let them know you’re returning to study – this may affect your payments.)
If you’re planning to reduce your work hours to focus on study, consider adjusting your budget now to make the transition easier.
Discuss your plans with family, friends and other people who may be affected by this change.
Many UQ postgraduate programs offer Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs), meaning the Australian Government pays part of your tuition fees.
Good to know: On average, UQ postgraduates experience a 33% salary increase within 3 years of graduating.* So while you might be tightening your budget now, your study will likely pay off in the long run.
*Graduate Outcomes Survey-Longitudinal: percentage increase in median salaries three years after graduation, for domestic postgraduate coursework graduates employed full time, averaged for 2023-2025 survey years
Make a list of any people or organisations you need to notify before you begin studying. This might include:
Centrelink
the ATO
Department of Home Affairs (for international student visa requirements)
Family or household members
your employer or manager
professional referees
colleagues
professional registration bodies
insurance provider (study may affect income protection or health insurance)
your accountant or financial adviser
childcare providers.
For some programs, such as those in health care or education, certain vaccinations are mandatory. But even if this doesn’t apply to you, being up to date on your flu shots can help you keep healthy during your studies.
Returning to study might mean it’s time for a new laptop or tablet, stationery, or home study setup.
Buy any new tech early so you have time to get comfortable using it.
Make a list now to track what you need to purchase.
Create a dedicated space in your home for study, assignments, and revision. Make sure it’s comfortable with an ergonomic chair, a tidy desk, good lighting and airflow, and minimal distractions (speakers or headphones can help).
To adapt to the new studying routine, I decided to reduce my hours at work. I had never done online studying before, so it was a new experience, but it fitted really well with my lifestyle and I enjoyed having the flexibility of doing the modules online at a time that suited me.
Sandra Micallef
Master of Business Analytics
Academic preparation for postgrad study
Start reading journals and publications from scholars, ideally within your field of study. This will help you ease back into reading (and writing) academic text, while also providing useful context ahead of your studies.
Common question: Should you practise referencing as well? You can if you want to. Good news, though – there are people at UQ to help you master this once you begin.
University comes with plenty of material to read. This can be quite a shock to the system if your last read was a holiday novel.
Get into the habit of reading regularly. Try using active and academic reading techniques (skimming, scanning, summarising) whenever you can.
You’re about to have heaps of notes, books and readings to juggle. Decide how you’ll organise all these items – physically or digitally – and take your approach for a trial run with your work projects or life admin. If things were easy to find, great. If not, try a different approach.
Tip: As a UQ student, you’ll have free access to Microsoft 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud. Start using these now so you’re familiar with the tools before classes begin – and you can focus on learning to be a student again.
Observe how your energy fluctuates throughout a typical day. For example:
Is concentrating easier in the morning?
Do you have your best ideas at night?
Are you more productive alone or in a group?
These insights can help you identify your best times and environments for study.
I wasn’t completely sure whether I would benefit from going back to study. I was changing industries, and I felt a bit like I was starting again from scratch. But, before long, I started really understanding a lot about my new field, and I felt like all the skills I had developed in my previous studies were contributing in a really unique way to what I was learning.
Hamish Litt
Graduate Diploma in Agricultural Science
Mental readiness for postgrad study
You won’t know your actual study schedule until you receive your class timetable, but what you can try now is introducing new tasks to your life and getting used to sticking to them. Try adding something simple to your daily routine, like a 5-minute morning meditation or an afternoon walk around the block.
If you miss your new task from above, reflect on why. Did something distract you? Did you run out of time? It’s OK to miss this once or twice, but if the habit isn’t sticking, consider an alternative. For example, if afternoons drain your motivation, try shifting this new task (and your upcoming study sessions) to the morning instead.
Postgraduate study means learning new things, and that means not being perfect at them right away. To build resilience and patience with yourself, try learning something new – an instrument, language, or artistic hobby. This can help you get used to the process of developing new skills (which, yes, may be frustrating at first) and being comfortable with uncertainty.
Make a physical list of what you’re hoping to achieve both during and after your postgraduate program. This can be a mix of tangible and emotional goals (e.g. earn a specific promotion, feel more confident at work).
Keep this list handy while you study – it can help you stay grounded and motivated when things get challenging.
When motivation dips, having something positive to look forward to can make all the difference. It doesn’t need to be long, expensive or even far from home, but having a little getaway planned for after graduation will give you a tangible reward to pull you through if the studies get tough.
Going back to uni was challenging at first, but I handled it by building a little ‘family’ of friends and mentors at UQ; we supported each other through late-night lab experiments and assignment deadlines. Embracing the change taught me resilience and showed me the power of community – I never felt alone on the journey.
