What is SSAF?

The Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) is a compulsory fee for domestic students at most Australian universities. It is paid each study period. SSAF helps to fund non-academic services and amenities for students and supports student focussed initiatives. International students pay SSAF as part of their overall university fees. Domestic students are invoiced separately for SSAF.

Some SSAF-funded services and amenities are delivered by La Trobe, and others are delivered by the La Trobe University Student Association and the La Trobe University Student Union.

What does SSAF do for you?

SSAF funding helps to improve everyone’s experience at La Trobe. It contributes to a range of essential services and amenities across all La Trobe campuses, including student clubs, careers and employability and leadership programs, student events, student advocacy and health and counselling services.

Where are SSAF funds being used in 2026?

Our website shows how SSAF funds are being used in 2026. It’s important to note that these services are not funded exclusively by SSAF. La Trobe contributes further funding to these important projects.

You may use a few or many of these services and amenities funded by the SSAF, including:

• Employability: including Career Ready Advantage, Employability Advisors and Career Ready Ambassadors
• Student Wellbeing: including Student counselling services, Chaplaincy services and programs such as Respect at La Trobe and Safer Community
• Student Life: including Clubs and Societies, and programs that encourage your collaboration and feedback such as student leadership and volunteering, International Student Travel Concessions and Student Events and Engagement
• Study Support: including Library Services such as the Learning Hub and learning support, Peer Learning Advisors and course specific student advising and support
• Student Representation: on all campuses including La Trobe Student Association and La Trobe Student Union
• La Trobe Sports: including the provision of sports services including gym access, Uni Games and subsidies for local sport through La Trobe Sport
• Legal Advice and Financial counselling: including the Legal Service and Financial Counselling
• Student Experience Grants

SSAF – Funded by You, designed for you

Every year, your feedback helps us decide how SSAF money should be allocated and spent. We do this through:  

• The La Trobe Experience Survey 
• Student Leadership Group 
• SSAF email and feedback form 
• Student Services and Amenities Group (SSAG) 

Under the Student Services, Amenities, Representation and Advocacy Guidelines, the University has a formal process of consultation with democratically elected student representatives and representatives from major student organisations at the University, to ensure that you have a say in how SSAF funds are allocated and spent. 

You will start to notice stickers around your campus highlighting activities and services that are funded by SSAF.

Explore the SSAF-funded activities and services available to you, and don’t hesitate to share your feedback on how SSAF should be allocated and spent.

Did you know some students can defer their SSAF? Find out your options when it comes to paying your SSAF so you can choose the payment method that’s right for you.

Your voice matters.

The post SSAF: What is it and how does it support your experience? appeared first on MyLaTrobe.

Why should they come?

Open Day is event where future students can:

Chat with current students, alumni and teachers to get real insights and first-hand advice about courses and campus life

Tour the campus and facilities either self-guided or as part of a tour and get a feel for accommodation and teaching spaces

Discover placement and work-based opportunities that set La Trobe apart

Experience La Trobe Uni life with events and activities to see it all in action

Bonus: Win a $1000 gift card!
Everyone who registers and attends Open Day goes into the draw to win one of ten $1000 gift cards*. So, if you know someone who’s curious about uni life, this is a great reason to get them to register!

*Terms and Conditions apply.

Open Day dates:

• Melbourne (Bundoora): Sunday 2 August, 10am – 4pm
• Shepparton: Sunday 9 August, 9am – 2pm
• Mildura: Wednesday 12 August, 3pm – 6pm
• Albury-Wodonga: Sunday 16 August, 9am – 2pm
• Bendigo: Sunday 23 August, 9am – 2pm

Spread the word

As a current student, you know what makes La Trobe special. Whether it’s a friend considering their next steps, a sibling exploring study options or a curious parent, everyone is welcome at Open Day! Share the Open Day link, encourage them to register and maybe even come along with them.

The post Share the La Trobe love and invite a friend to Open Day appeared first on MyLaTrobe.

The Council is the governing body of La Trobe and looks after the general direction and monitoring of the University.

In total, twenty (20) students have nominated for the position and now it’s up to you to decide who the successful candidate is.

The nominees’ names appear in the table below, in alphabetical order: 

Voting opened at 9am on Thursday 21 May and closes at 5pm on Thursday 28 May 2026.

All students eligible to vote have been sent an individual email from our third party vendor, BigPulse. Included in this email is a link to voting instructions, the candidates’ photos and their profiles.

To be eligible to vote, students:

• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Must be currently enrolled
• Must not be a staff member of the University. These students fall into the staff category and can vote in the election of a staff member.

For more information you can visit the Council Elections webpage.

Good luck to all the nominees!

The post La Trobe University Council election underway appeared first on MyLaTrobe.

From Bendigo to her hometown of Shepparton, Hannah Freeman has returned to begin the next chapter of her journey — commencing the Doctor of Medicine through the University of Melbourne Rural Pathway.

“I just graduated from La Trobe with a Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Medical) and have now started my first year of medical school through the University of Melbourne’s Rural Pathway based in my hometown of Shepparton. Eventually, I hope to graduate and work as either a GP or rural generalist and help people in rural areas access the healthcare they deserve.”

For Hannah, the decision to pursue medicine is closely tied to her lived experience and a desire to give back to communities like her own.

“I am the youngest of four daughters, and we lost our mum to early onset dementia in 2017 when we were aged 19, 17, 16 and 13 respectively.

My mum’s diagnosis and death inspired me to pursue a career in medicine, to help other people and their families who may endure similar experiences to what my family went through.

Dementia, in any of its forms, is a truly devastating disease. I think I was too young to fully appreciate just how much of a strain her illness put on the rest of my family, particularly my dad and my mum’s mum, my Nan, who took on full time carer roles for her, as well as continuing to raise and care for my sisters and I. It is a heartbreakingly common disease, identified as Australia’s leading cause of death.”

Hannah says that experience continues to shape both her studies and her outlook on the future of healthcare.

“Being able to study medicine in my hometown, and to be a part of this incredible program training rural doctors, is something I feel incredibly privileged to do. Being able to live at home with my Dad is such a privilege, and one that in the past, just didn’t exist, with all rural students being forced to move to Melbourne to study. I am so excited for the next four years to be out in the community on placements and for all the new experiences that will come along with this chapter.”

Alongside starting medicine, Hannah also continues to prioritise her wellbeing and balance during a demanding year of study.

“Fitness is a bit of a non-negotiable for me, particularly running and weightlifting. As much as I hate waking up early in the morning, I never regret exercising before going to classes. It is amazing for my mental health and stress management.”

This May, Hannah will be lacing up her running shoes amid a demanding start to medical school, training for the 10km Melbourne Memory Walk & Jog to support Australians impacted by dementia — and we wish her all the best as she takes on the challenge while balancing her studies, training, and new beginnings in medicine.

The post Graduate spotlight: Hannah Freeman appeared first on MyLaTrobe.

There will be a planned system outage on Wednesday 6 May from 6:30-10pm.

The following services will be unavailable:

• Ask A Question
• Charlie Chatbot
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• Some forms, including Advanced Standing    

All services will be available as usual after the outage. We thank you for your patience.

The post Planned system outage on Wednesday 6 May 6:30-10pm. appeared first on MyLaTrobe.

La Trobe students are invited to submit an Expression of Interest to join TEQSA’s first Student Advisory Panel.

Australia’s national quality regulator, TEQSA, is expanding the student voices they engage, beyond elected student representatives. This is a unique opportunity to share your perspectives and help inform national higher education quality and standards.

Panel members will provide insights on what’s working well across the sector and where improvements are needed, helping ensure student voices are central to decision‑making.

Students from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, international students, first‑in‑family students, students with disability or lived experience of mental health or neurodivergence, LGBTQI+ students, regional and remote students, mature‑age and part‑time students and students in coursework or research programs.

Expressions of interest are open until Thursday 30 April 2026.

Find out more and express your interest today!

The post Have your say in Australian higher education appeared first on MyLaTrobe.

It’s time for Re-Orientation, where you can reconnect with services and enjoy some of the highlights at your campus!

Also happening is Respect Week at La Trobe.

Visit the Respect at La Trobe stall at Melbourne (Bundoora) Re-O on Simpson’s Lawn from 11am–2pm. Try your hand at a lucky dip, take away exciting prizes, and learn how we can all play a part in building a more supportive, safe, respectful and inclusive campus. Find more information here.

The post It’s time for Re-Orientation! appeared first on MyLaTrobe.

But be quick! This limited-time only offer is available until Sunday March 22, so visit the La Trobe Indoor Sports Centre or Bendigo Sports Centre and speak to our friendly reception team to take advantage of the cheapest and best value gym membership you’ll ever have!

The post Final chance to secure 50% off La Trobe Sport gym membership appeared first on MyLaTrobe.

The Knowledge Base brings together clear, easy to follow IT support articles to help you troubleshoot common issues and find the right guidance fast. You can browse articles by category or search for a specific problem. For example, typing LMS will show all IT help guides related to the Learning Management System. 

If you can’t find what you’re looking for, you can log a support request at any time, and the IT Support team will follow up with you. 

The post Get 24/7 IT help with the Student IT Support Knowledge Base appeared first on MyLaTrobe.

Turns out starting university at 27 comes with a few unexpected discoveries. 

The first time I realised I might be a ‘mature-aged student’, someone in my class asked me a very genuine question: “Did you fail before? Is that why you’re studying now?”

I laughed and explained that sometimes people simply take different paths. 

But it did make me start observing campus life more closely. Somewhere between hearing the word ‘bro’ in every second sentence and watching students perfectly execute the mysterious ‘six seven’ hand gesture, I realised this experience deserved its own little field study. 

So, here are the findings. 

Field notes from starting university at 27 — from mysterious TikTok trends to unexpected mentor moments. 

Field note #1: Campus culture moves fast 

University culture moves fast. 

Conversations around me often include K-pop ‘stans’, techno songs with no lyrics and trends that seem to appear overnight. 

Someone says, ‘six seven’ and suddenly half the group is doing a coordinated hand gesture while I’m just standing there wondering if I missed an orientation explaining it. 

Between TikTok dances on Simpson Lawn and ducks casually walking through campus like they own the place, La Trobe definitely has its own ecosystem. 

To be fair though, the energy younger students bring to campus is something I genuinely admire. 

Field note #2: The Mature-aged student advantage 

Being a mature student also has its benefits. 

I found it easier to approach staff, ask questions and build professional relationships. Having lived independently before university also helped me balance responsibilities like cooking, laundry and study. 

And perhaps the biggest mature student advantage of all: actually reading the LMS announcements. 

Field note #3: The unexpected mentor moment 

One thing I didn’t expect was occasionally becoming the person people asked for advice. 

In one of my Sports Management classes, a student once asked me what internships they should pursue to break into the sports industry. 

Something similar happened during a shoot in my role as a Senior Student Storyteller, when a student asked, “How do I get the job you have?”

Moments like that reminded me that experience outside university can sometimes help others navigating it. 

Final findings 

If this little ‘study’ taught me anything, it’s that there’s no single timeline for university. Everyone simply arrives here through different paths. Being older gave me the confidence to try new things and appreciate the opportunities university offers. It also reminded me that you don’t need a huge circle of friends — sometimes two or three genuine friendships are more than enough. 

And honestly, campus would probably be far less interesting if everyone was the same age. 

If you ever see someone slightly confused about a TikTok trend but very confident about where the washing machines are in Res… there’s a good chance you’ve just met a mature-aged student. 

The post An unscientific, critical analysis of being a mature-aged student at uni appeared first on MyLaTrobe.