Your Student Voice survey results

Your voice, our action. Based on what you shared in the Your Student Voice Survey last year, we've been working on ways to help improve your student experience at Charles Sturt.

In the survey you told us you wanted:

flexibility is key to online study

Better flexibility: ability to plan ahead and around life commitments

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Things made easier: access information and services seamlessly

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Financial support: to help with cost-of-living pressures

So... here's what we're doing to improve your student experience

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Already available services

Many of you are already making the most of the services we offer, but we want to ensure everyone is aware of what’s available:

  • Get involved in SSAF: Your student bodies decide how SSAF (Student Services and Amenities Fee) is spent. The SRC, Student Senate, and Student Experience Committee are key in deciding where funds go. Plus, you can access many SSAF-funded support services online and apply for annual or small grants.
  • 24/7 counselling hotline: Support is available anytime you need it. Our 24/7 counselling hotline is here to help, whether you just need someone to talk to or support with something more serious.
  • Free learning materials: You have access to free textbooks and LinkedIn Learning, offering great resources for your studies without extra cost.
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What's improved recently

Based on your feedback, we’ve introduced several new initiatives to improve your time at Charles Sturt.

  • New social events: We’ve piloted online events like escape rooms and are using Instagram to keep you engaged and connected with other students, whether you're online or on campus.
  • Improved orientation experience: We’re making it easier to settle into university whether you are studying on campus or online, through a smoother onboarding experience. You also asked for more wellbeing and sports based activities such as boot camps, yoga and run clubs during orientation week, which we delivered in Session 1 2025.
  • Co-designed initiatives: We’re reworking with you to update our support policies with input from student leaders to ensure your needs are effectively addressed. Your peers were instrumental in co-designing a student wellbeing framework and initiatives are being rolled out.
  • Charlie Chatbot: We have introduced and expanded our Charlie Chatbot, available anytime to answer your questions. We are also testing new technological enhancements to get student enquiries to the right place faster, using generative AI.
  • More scholarships: We’ve increased scholarship availability, with applications for 2025 opening in October. Eligibility criteria are now clearer, so it’s easier to apply.
  • Free food: The free food stations in our libraries are a hit! Intensive students make the most of grabbing a free cuppa and some snacks in between sessions. Funding has been approved to roll out food pantries across all Charles Sturt campuses throughout 2025, extending support to ease the cost of living.
  • Parent rooms: Our libraries have upgraded parent rooms with nappy changing stations, toys, books, couches and kitchenettes to support parents.

With your voice, together we can improve the student experience.

“I’d like to see financial/everyday resource support, like food pantries, cleaning items etc.”

We’ve expanded our student food pantry: The student food pantry now spans all campuses and includes a thrift shop section with clothing, appliances and more on Bathurst and Wagga campuses. In 2025, over 9,000 students across our campuses accessed nourishing and much needed free pantry staples and essential items.

“Any resources that help with the cost of living outside uni, honestly when the cafe had 50% off for students at exam time last year it was literally incredible and helped so much with motivation and convenience around a stressful time.”

More financial help available: Scholarships and grants are designed to help you stay focused on your study commitments, while we lend you a hand in the cost-of-living space. Our April Intensive School Fuel Voucher grant is one way we’re financially helping students.

“I’d love to see more internship and job support, industry connections, job fairs, and employability programs”

We now offer paid student casual positions throughout orientation and additional support for student leaders. These roles not only provide financial support to help ease cost-of-living pressures, but also enable students to develop practical skills, and gain valuable experience.

We also hold an annual Careers Festival (SSAF funded) which brings together industry leaders, and career specialists to provide practical insights into today’s evolving job market.

“As a student who is currently facing financial hardship and struggling to afford basic expenses, I would appreciate SSAF funding being used to support services that are free or heavily subsidised - such as food assistance, transport support, and access to learning resources”

Get involved in SSAF: Your student bodies decide how SSAF (Student Services and Amenities Fee) is spent. The SRC, Student Senate, and Student Experience Committee are key in deciding where funds go. Plus, you can access many SSAF-funded support services online and apply for annual or small grants.

“Being a community and getting to know other people that study online. You don’t get to meet as many people being an online student.”

New ways for online students to connect: We’ve redesigned our online engagement to offer flexible, “anytime” opportunities that fit the busy schedules of online students. Through initiatives like Minecraft and gaming servers, interactive quizzes, and a new online book club (in development), students can connect and build community on their own terms.

Other support and improvements

  • We’ve reviewed our Academic Progress and Early Intervention Procedures to ensure students know exactly where they stand academically, encourage proactive engagement with support services, and create fairer pathways to success, while also making it easier for students to access scholarships and grants to support cost of living expenses.
  • We’ve undertaken a review of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) and introduced a centralised Brightspace module that gives all students access to clear, practical placement support and guidance. The WIL Student Review escalation process connects students with timely support through coordinated faculty communication, helping identify and resolve issues early while supporting a positive, high-quality placement experience.
  • We’ve expanded our Charlie Chatbot, available anytime to answer your questions. Technological enhancements have been made that now mean:
    • Faster replies – you won’t get sent to the back of the queue if you leave and come back to a chat
    • Smarter answers – that bot has a better understanding of what you’re asking, so responses are more accurate
    • Less clutter – you're more likely to get a clear and direct answer – as opposed to lots of links
    • More help, more often – the bot can now support a wider range of questions
  • We’re focused on big projects that will improve systems and processes to make it easier and faster for you to manage all the administrative tasks that come with studying and help you get to the right place, and get your questions answered faster.

Help us keep improving

Your voice matters, and we’ve listened but we're always looking to improve.

Share your feedback with us at any time by emailing ask@csu.edu.au to help shape an even better experience for you and future students at Charles Sturt.

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