Current Students The Learning Centre Getting Started

Getting Started

Successful students manage their time efficiently and are active learners.

Get organised by creating your own weekly and semester study plans, and learn strategies to assist you with your studies.

Top Tips for Starting University

JCU students discuss their top tips for being successful when starting university

Weekly study planner

Semester study planner

Trimester study planner

7 Step Plan for Assessment Tasks

Success doesn’t just happen – it’s planned for! Unlock your potential and let The Learning Centre team take you through study planners, time management, note-taking, planning your assignments and more. These skills will help with tackling your first study period.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Keys to Academic Success Webinar (PDF, 1155 KB)

Active Learning Strategies

Active learning means participating in activities that actively engage the brain. Activities that require students to discuss, practice and review new information are more effective than passive strategies where a student simply reads information.

Active Learning Strategies Overview (PDF, 2616 KB)

More Active Learning Strategies

Note-taking guidelines (PDF, 276 KB)

Making lecture summaries

Effective reading

GetReady4Uni is designed to assist you to transition successfully to university, whether you are studying on-campus or off-campus (external or study centre students).

The program aims to:

Highlight the essential information you need to know before starting university
Explore the range of support services and learning resources available to you
Provide detailed information and resources on JCU's Orientation Program, and
Make the most of your time and transition successfully to life at university.

GetReady4Uni website

Wellbeing is a combination of your physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social health, and is strongly linked to happiness and life satisfaction. One way to describe your wellbeing is how you feel about yourself, your life, and the world around you.

JCU offers a range of services to support your wellbeing including counselling services, accessibility services, mental health support, and bullying and harassment support.

Student Equity and Wellbeing website

The JCU Open eBook Foundations of Academic Success is designed to support students developing the fundamental skills and knowledge required for study. In four interactive chapters, experts in the fields of learning, engagement, and transitions outline how students can set themselves up for success by setting goals, managing their wellbeing, combating procrastination, and developing their time management skills. The book also teaches fundamental study skills like learning online, reading, note taking, and how to prepare for assessment.

This free resource owes its origins to the open textbook “Academic Success” which was adapted from “College Success” to the Australian context by a team of educators from the University of Southern Queensland. The book draws together the expertise of JCU’s learning advisors, the Student Transitions and Engagement team, librarians, and academics from the Domestic Pathways program at JCU.