r/UQreddit

Honestly, is anyone else getting seriously frustrated with UQU?
I genuinely don’t understand what the point of the union is anymore. We’re students, we pay fees, and yet it feels like UQU spends an absurd amount of time pushing political campaigns, ideological causes and “progressive” activism instead of actually focusing on the students who are paying for this organisation.

Like, where is the actual student representation?
Where is the focus on making university more affordable? Better student services? Housing? Food prices? Academic support? Career opportunities? Things that actually affect students every single day?
Instead, it sometimes feels like UQU is more interested in making political statements and proving how progressive/woke it can be than addressing the everyday problems students are dealing with.
And before someone says “just don’t support them” that’s kind of the point.

If students are funding an organisation that claims to represent us, shouldn’t we be able to question what that money is being used for and what we’re actually getting in return?I’m honestly getting tired of organisations that are supposed to represent students turning into political platforms. If you want to campaign about international politics, that’s your choice but surely the primary responsibility of a university union should be representing and helping its students

I’m honestly starting to wonder whether UQU even remembers what its primary purpose is supposed to be.
Am I completely off here, or do other students feel like UQU has become more interested in politics than actually representing students?

I have a course this sem where 10% of the total grade is "tutorial participation," but the tutor literally just sits in silence waiting for someone to answer hyper-specific reading questions. It just ends up being a competition between the same two overachievers talking for 45 minutes straight while the rest of us sit there sweating. Why can't we just replace participation marks with online discussion boards or short reflective quizzes already?

Hey everyone,

Might sound like a silly question but here we go.

I’m a fairly new student to UQ and I was wondering if there are any rules when using the Carden Queer room at St Lucia?

I am queer and was just curious to check it out, but wondering if there’s any etiquette rules I need to know before I do. I intend to use it to study and just a place to chill.

Thanks all!

Edit: thanks everybody for your helpful replies and insight! I’ll definitely go in next time I’m at uni :)

Hi all, for those who applied for HDR, do they have to complete the Genuine Student form? It is listed under coursework section of International students and i also asked for scholarship. Alongside that, i did not apply with an agent as i am onshore already. I believe it is a mistake of some sort that UQ is asking me to complete these even when i specified i am self applying without any agent for HDR degree.

Also my current status is Under assessment after being supported by school/Institute.

Note: I already called UQ about this and they also couldn’t give me an answer as to why i was asked, told me they will call back when they have an answer, so i posted it here to see if it is required to complete it!

I swear I carry so much random stuff in my bag that I never even touch. Then when I actually need something, it’s somehow the one thing I left at home.

Mine is probably an umbrella. Been carrying it around for weeks and haven’t used it once.

I'm just wondering how having to do math 1050 as a prep course in first semester interferes with your timetable moving forward?
Would it be better do to 1051 and 1052 at the same time in semester 2 and just study harder or do 1052 in summer?

I'd rather not do the summer semester as it would limit my chance to do an internship after my first year.

Any input is greatly appreciated

Question for anyone using ChatGPT or Claude for uni/school: How are you currently documenting your prompts for the mandatory AI disclosure/appendix? Is anyone else terrified of Turnitin false positives?

Hey! I'm Gaurav, from India. I've got an offer for the UQ College Foundation Program starting Feb 2027, leading into the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours), planning on Mechanical. A bit about me: I co-founded a startup back home (AI infra for agency teams, in active investor conversations) and I'm a Campus Ambassador intern with E-Cell IIT Bombay, so I'm used to figuring things out without a clear playbook.

Financial situation:

• Education loan through SBI: ₹50L max, 5% interest, that's my ceiling since I don't have collateral available for anything above it
• This covers my Foundation year comfortably

My part-time work math:

• Avg work (weekend shifts): ~$30/hr
• Tutoring (once I get regular students): ~$40-45/hr
• Term time capped at 48hrs/fortnight (visa rule, can't go past it)
• Term-time income: ~$16-22k/year
• Break weeks (no cap, can push harder): ~$25-28k/year
• Total realistic income once tutoring kicks in: ~$45-50k/year

Where the gap sits (years 2-4):

• Need per year: ~$95-105k (tuition + living)
• Minus scholarship (~$13-15k) and work income (~$45-50k)
• Still short ~$24-29k/year
• Total gap over the degree: ~₹55-60L

So scholarships aren't a nice-to-have for me, they're a real part of whether this plan works.

My understanding is the International High Achievers Scholarship (20% tuition reduction) gets decided based on how I perform in the Foundation Program itself, not something I apply for separately. Is that correct? Just a yes or no is totally fine.

If so, a few things I'd genuinely appreciate knowing from anyone who's actually been through it:

• Roughly what GPA or grade in Foundation do you actually need to land it?
• Does it kick in from Year 1 of the Bachelor's, or later?
• Is it a one-time award, or does it renew each year as long as grades hold up?
• Are there other scholarships (need-based or otherwise) worth applying for on top of this one that I might not know about?

Trying to go in with a realistic financial plan rather than hoping it works out, so any real numbers or experience would help a lot. Appreciate you taking the time.

i am scared

How often does uq offer 25% schol to international students and do AL results like ABB guarantee that 25% schol. Looking at mechanical engineering.

Thank you in advance!

Hi I want to make lots of money so I can not have to worry about it and my parents are going to kick me out and yeah

I'm inside eating soup

Missing wallet

My wallet is missing. It's a small blue magnetic wallet that would usually attach to a phone. I have 0 idea when it fell out of my bag or where, but it has a driver's license with my name on it. Please let me know if you find it, thanks!

Does anyone know what happens when u miss a lab. They said to provide medical documents and they would come up with a plan but there’s only one class so

I’m a humanities tutor looking to advertise via poster but have some doubts about just sticking them anywhere. Are there designated areas where students can put up posters or do advertisements get taken down pretty quick?

Does anyone know the actual cutoff for psychology honours at uni Queensland?
It’s hard to get this information as the minimum they state in the website is not usually the cutoff (I’ve contacted them and just got a reply saying “it varies”)

All I want is to draft and design my public transport network in my cities skyline 2 map :( I want to replicate the BRT that we have in Brisbane, as well as the electric double articulated bus and the 10 story carpark that is replacing the UQ Amphitheatre

Photo taken by me at UQ Lakes. I love birds. I love crows. Crows are so adorable. I love that they are so talkative and so social and so bubbly. Bubbly like the ferry. Ferries are cool as well.

Are birds just organic planes?

Can anyone give me some tips to study ENGG1700?Thank you

Worst of all, I have to handle 4 mornings of him per week 😭😭

Hey guys just wondering what UQ shops sell lab coats? Need to get one today and would really appreciate some guidance.

I would ideally prefer the one with the logo but anything is fine!