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Mature-age students

Did you know that 75% of UniSQ’s students are over 25 years of age? Whether you’re upskilling to progress your career, pursuing a career change, studying for the first time since high-school, or didn’t complete your high-school certificate, UniSQ can support you.

Join our community of diverse students

A ‘mature-age student’ is someone who has not recently graduated from high school. You may have taken a gap year, studied at TAFE or are looking to change or advance your career. As a university with a mature-age student focus, our UniSQ support staff work with you throughout your studies.

Benefit from small class sizes with one-on-one access to your lecturers. Benefit from our learning platform, StudyDesk, connecting you with your lecturers or other mature-aged students. Participate in forums to help break down assignment questions or start a conversation about a topic you’re interested in.
Mature age university entry at UniSQ is specially tailored to consider your previous education and career achievements, helping you take the next step in your academic journey. Our range of university courses for mature age students cover a varied range of disciplines. They’re designed to give you real skills and practical knowledge in your chosen field of study. Whether you’re looking to climb the corporate ladder, advance within your current industry, or change careers entirely, you’ll find the right course at UniSQ.

Our pathways program makes it easy to gain entry to your chosen degree, even if your formal qualifications don’t meet the requirements for a particular course. Our team will work with you to identify your existing skills and prior learning and support you as you start a new chapter in your life.

As a mature age student-friendly institution, we offer a range of delivery options so you can tailor your learning to your existing life. Our flexible range of study choices caters to parents, carers, workers and anyone who can’t attend the campus in person, allowing you to learn your way.

At UniSQ, we recognise that the term ‘mature age student’ actually covers a wide, diverse range of people. No matter your education history, your age or your aspirations, at the University of Southern Queensland you’ll find a welcoming community of educators and fellow students who are out to make a difference.

As a mature student, university offers a whole new experience. No matter how you choose to structure your study, UniSQ provides a holistic experience and inclusive atmosphere to encourage you on your journey.

Whether you’ve taken a gap year after school and are starting out as an undergraduate student, are furthering to study after completing a degree some years ago, or returning to study in a whole new field of research, UniSQ offers flexible ways to study, allowing you to balance your life with your study. Our online degrees are a great way to manage your learning in a way that suits you, and we also offer part-time study schedules to fit around existing work commitments.
Applying to university courses for mature aged students can be a little different than applications for school leavers. You may have questions about whether you can receive recognition of prior learning, or need to speak to someone about flexible delivery options. Get in touch and our team will help you find the right pathway to choose the course for you, and make sure that your application is based on your completed education so far.
Fit study into your life

Complete your degree from wherever you are. As the online education experts, UniSQ provides flexible study options allowing you to work full- or part-time while studying. Choose to study one subject at a time, study over summer semester or study some subjects online and some on-campus. Whichever way you decide to study - online, on-campus, full- or part-time, you’ll experience the same support as everyone else.

Explore our flexible ways to study
Getting started

Spend time learning study skills to get you started with study.

Learn with fellow students

Join the free Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) led by a current student who has previously excelled in the course.

Library services

Receive help from librarians and access the Library’s free services. Librarians can help source books relevant to your assignments or get you thinking about the kind of questions you need to ask your lecturer.

Scholarships

Find a scholarship that works for you. Whether it's recognition of your academic achievement or a chance to make university a reality, there's a UniSQ scholarship for you.
Entry requirements

Mature aged student entry to university is possible even if you don’t meet the entry requirements of a certain degree.

Getting into uni
Fast-track your degree

Depending on your previous work experience or study, you might be eligible for credit for some subjects. When you are applying for a degree, speak to UniSQ’s support team and find out if you can apply for recognition of prior learning.

Find out more

Why UniSQ?

Rated five out of five stars for postgraduate student to teacher ratio.*
Rated five out of five stars for graduates starting salaries.*
Choose where, when and even how you study, with our flexible study options
*Good Universities Guide 2025