Student Services & Amenities Fee

At UNSW, the money that you contribute to the Student Services & Amenities Fee (SSAF) is spent on a whole range of support and engagement activities that help to make life at UNSW the best possible experience.

Whether you're a domestic or international student, studying in Australia or overseas, undergraduate or postgraduate, we want to ensure that you make the most of the services and supports made possible via the SSAF funding.

SSAF funding in 2022 & 2023

In 2022 the allocation of funds continued to fund major UNSW student support services such as:

  • mental health and broader wellbeing support
  • careers advice
  • a suite of different services to help students with study skills and advice and progress through their degree.

Post COVID-19, UNSW has shifted its focus of SSAF spending to ensure that we are supporting students' orientation and transition back to campus. In 2022 and continuing into 2023, SSAF-funded programs have helped welcome our students back to campus.   

Additionally, UNSW continues to use SSAF funds to enhance the physical infrastructure of student campus life with projects such as:

  • the sporting precinct at the Village Green
  • Quad Food Court
  • the new bar and café at the Village Green opening April 2023.

Our major single expenditure of SSAF in 2023 continues to be to support the UNSW student organisation Arc.    

You can learn more about the details of SSAF supported programs and services by accessing the SSAF Management Committee and Governance and check out the full expenditure table.

Got questions about how, what, or when to pay? Check out our SSAF FAQs.

Mental Health Connect is your gateway to access mental health support. It is a free and confidential service available to all UNSW Sydney students, including those living overseas.

By accessing Mental Health Connect, students will be supported into the service they need at the current time. These may be other supports provided by UNSW or by external providers.
 

Find out more

The Village Green is being transformed into a brand-new world-class sport and leisure environment with facilities for playing multiple sports, exercising, socialising and relaxing on campus.

An important aspect of this project is the upgrade of the below ground stormwater infiltration tank. This will capture campus stormwater, contribute to recharging the Botany Aquifer, and provide a substantial source of sustainable water supply on campus.

Expected completion is from September 2022.

Find out more

ARC GRANT

A grant of $250,000 is provided to Arc from the SSAF each year. In 2021, this will be used to support clubs, sporting activities, student wellness campaigns, food programs, legal advice and much more.

About Arc funding

Training and Workshops

The UNSW Health team runs a range of training sessions and workshops throughout the year. Whether you want to get your Mental Health First Aid accreditation, or just want to pick up some skills to manage your stress, they have something for you!

Career advice

The UNSW Careers team is dedicated to connecting you with career-building opportunities. Check out their online resources and events, or book yourself in for a one-to-one online career advice consultation.

UNSW Health Services

The UNSW Health Service has a team of highly experienced doctors, specialists and health professionals available to help you with any concerns you have about your health and wellbeing. They offer both face-to-face and telehealth appointments.

COVID-19 Response

2021 Key Areas of Investment

2020 Key Areas of Investment

SSAF Management Committee and Governance

The SSAF Management Committee was established in 2019 to consult with the democratically elected student representatives, major student organisations and relevant UNSW Officers to identify priorities in line with the legislative guidelines, establish mechanisms for expenditure and approve annual spend. Neil Morris, Director Student Wellbeing, is Chair of the Management Committee. 

The SSAF Management Committee membership is student-dominated and includes elected student leaders to ensure that requirements of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 are met. The Committee has, amongst its functions, SSAF compliance with the Act and the effective and efficient decision-making and monitoring of overall SSAF performance.

In addition, the Committee identifies ways to better promote SSAF expenditure, internally and externally to students and how the support and services the SSAF finances improve student experience and well-being at UNSW. 

Consistent with its statutory obligations, the Management Committee will prepare a report to University Council later in 2023.

The Committee normally meets 4 times a year but has determined to meet on six (6) occasions in 2023 to review expenditure and identify and prepare SSAF commitments for 2024. 

2023 updates

One of the key functions of the Committee for 2023 will be to approve an Arc survey / heat map to attempt to get a full picture of students' views of the SSAF supported services and importantly where they want to see future investments.  

SSAF activities for 2023 were reviewed at the Management Committee meeting in December 2022, and the decision was made to keep funding allocation mostly similar to 2022.  However, that meeting also endorsed a $255,000 additional spend to Arc to support: 

  • Food hub 

  • Supporting Clubs  

  • Activities like movie nights, sport comps and lunchtime concerts 

  • Student leadership training. 

The full Arc funding request can be seen at this link. 

    View expenditure table

    "SSAF is a great way of ensuring that all students have the best student experience they can have whilst at university. The Arc Board will have the opportunity to determine the expenditure of in excess of $5.5 million of direct funding in 2023 to support a broad range of student support services and engagement opportunities."
     

    - Olli Pike, Arc Chair

    "It is important that the democratically elected student leaders at UNSW are able to determine where SSAF expenditure is channelled.  As a member of the SSAF management committee I intend to hold UNSW leaders accountable for the way SSAF funds are allocated and will continue to have students voices heard so that we can genuinely influence better outcomes for students.” 
     

    - Paige Sedgewick, SRC President 

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