Welcome to the Student Life Monthly News!

The Student Life Monthly News contains updates, announcements and events that are relevant to international students. The newsletter is delivered straight to your inbox every month.

If you wish to change your email address, please email siactive@swin.edu.au with your new details. Feedback about the new format is also welcome.

Orientation and Commencement Dates 2008

Orientation and Commencement dates for Semester 1, 2008 are as follows:

Refer to the 2008 Commencement Dates webpage for more information.

Fee Instalment Due Dates 2008 and Payment Methods

Tuition fee payments for Semester 1, 2008 are due in the following two instalments:

You can pay your fees through various payment options.

If you are a Swinburne student from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Hong Kong, you (or your parents) can also pay your tuition fees at the nearest Standard and Chartered Bank branch in your home country.

Two payment options are available: local currency cash or local currency cheque. For details and instructions on how to pay your fees using this method, refer to the Swinburne International website.

Special Payment Plan - 4 Instalments

Students with financial difficulties, and who can demonstrate exceptional circumstances, can apply for a special four-payment plan before the beginning of each semester.

You can download a form online or pick one up from the front counter at Swinburne International. Applications for Semester 1, 2008 close Friday 7 December 2008. Please note that students applying for this special payment plan are required to pay 25% of their semester fees prior to sumbitting their application.

Reminder: Summer Term Applications Close Soon!

Please note that applications for Summer Term studies at Swinburne close Monday, 12 November 2007. Summer Term runs between November 2007 and February 2008, giving you the opportunity to intensively study a range of undergraduate and postgraduate units at Swinburne.

The Summer Term website has all the information you need, including how to enrol, the units of study available, timetables and application forms. Get ahead in your studies and join the next Summer Term intake now!

Swinburne International Student Survey - Win a $100 Coles Voucher!

Swinburne International is currently conducting an online survey of new international students who started their studies between June and October 2007. If you commenced your course between June and October this year, you would have received an email, to your Swinburne student account, iniviting you to participate in this survey.

The survey should take around 30 minutes to complete. Your responses to this survey will not only help us improve our services, but it will also act as feedback for our agents, to help them improve their services to prospective students.

Students who complete the survey will go into a draw to win one of five Coles Group vouchers valued at $100 each. The voucher can be used at any Coles, K-Mart, Target, Bi-Lo or Officeworks store.

Please be assured that the information you provide will be treated in the strictest confidence. Your responses will in no way impact your relationship with Swinburne, and no information identifying you will be made available to any third party.

Celebrating Other Cultures at Swinburne

Germany — Unity Day and Oktoberfest

Swinburne's Education Abroad Office recently held a daytime event at the Prahran campus to celebrate German culture and to promote Germany as exchange destination, especially for design students. Swinburne has many partner universities in Germany, with about a dozen students going there on exchange every year.

German delicacies served included Berliners (similar to jam donuts) custom-made from a local baker, along with cold meats, bread and mustard.

Returned exchange students, together with German students currently on exchange at Swinburne, were very helpful with setting up and decorating the foyer at Prahran's PA Building with flags, posters as well as information about Germany and Swinburne’s partner universities in the country. They also talked to students who were interested in learning more about studying in Germany.

Mexican Independence Day

Swinburne students helped celebrate Mexico's Independence Day with the Education Abroad Office in September. The event, held at the Hawthorn campus, also aimed to promote Mexico as an exchange destination.

Mexican students on exchange in Australia and Swinburne students who had returned from exchange in Mexico helped the Education Abroad staff with cooking delicious tacos and making piñatas. They also helped to decorate the event area and provided some fantastic Mexican music.

Academic Support During Summer Term

Are you doing a Summer Term unit? Do you need help with assignments? Swinburne's Language and Academic Skills (LAS) Unit can assist you with writing essays and reports, giving presentations as well as with Mathematics and Statistics.

LAS staff will be available every day until 13 December 2007. The LAS Unit will then resume its services from 7 January 2008 on Monday and Thursday afternoons, and all day on Fridays.

Contact the LAS Unit on 9214 5583 or email nmoncrieff@swin.edu.au. For appointments in January email cdavis@swin.edu.au or refer to the LAS website for more information.

Cheaper Gym Membership for Swinburne Students

Thanks to the Swinburne Student Amenities Association (SSAA), Swinburne students now have access to more affordable gym membership at Genesis Fitness.

All Swinburne students can take advantage of this deal at any of the Wantirna, Ringwood or Prahran Genesis Fitness Clubs.

Genesis have kindly waived the joining fee (normally $165) and made their membership available at $15 per week (some conditions apply, call your local club for more details).

Just present your student card or staff ID at one of the following locations:

Genesis Wantirna - 258 Scoresby Rd, Boronia. Ph: 9762 8333
Genesis Ringwood - Rear 93-97 Maroondah Hwy, Ringwood. Ph: 9870 1666
Genesis Prahran - Level 1, 286-300 Chapel St, Prahran. Ph: 9529 2100

Day Trip to Healesville Sanctuary

Join us on a day trip to Healesville Sanctuary! We start the day with a stopover at the spectacular Blue Dandenong Ranges, before taking a tour through the richness of the Yarra Valley - a pastoral experience of farms and vineyards, haystacks and wine grapes.

Once at Healesville Sanctuary, enjoy a BBQ lunch at Badger Weir, while enjoying the forested foothills of the Great Divide where you can surround yourself with Australian wildlife.

You can book online, or visit the Student Life website for trip details and itinerary.

Healthy Lifestyle Day at Swinburne's Prahran Campus

Students and staff at Swinburne's Prahran campus were out in force recently to support the its second-year community development students' "Ecofest" event.

Staff members at Student Services contributed to the event with a "Healthy Lifestyle" stall, which aimed to promote and encourage a healthy lifestyle among the Swinburne community. Printed information was available on topics ranging from eating healthfully, the benefits of regular exercise, responsible consumption of alcohol, tips on quitting smoking, depression and stress management, and safer sex.

The "Healthy Lifestyle" stall handed out 300 bottles of water provided by the Department of Health & Ageing and five boxes of fresh fruit from the Prahran Market to students. Staff also helped the Department of Human Services campaign to raise awareness of sexually transmitted infections and HIV in 18 - 25 year olds.

What's On in Melbourne?

Here are some of the events happening in and around Melbourne in the month of October:

Keep up-to-date with the latest events and student activities on the International Student Life website.