Join a Student Welcome Group
Welcome incoming refugee students at your university and support the
Refugee Student Settlement Pathway!
Turning empathy into action
Skill Path Australia is partnering with Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia to mobilise Student Welcome Groups at campuses across the country as part of the Refugee Student Settlement Pathway: a groundbreaking new program enabling refugee students to settle and study Australia. Joining a Student Welcome Group is a concrete way to stand in solidarity with refugee students.
The first 20 refugee students will be arriving between December 2025 and January 2026 to complete enabling studies or early in the new year to begin courses in Semester 1, 2026. Each student will be supported on their learning journey by an Australian university and a Student Welcome Group to assist them with settlement and integration.
Support the first students coming to Australia through the Refugee Student Settlement Pathway.
Student Welcome Groups offer practical support to refugee students, and a way to be part of something that matters.
Melbourne student Abby Hood has first hand experience of welcoming refugee newcomers through Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia programs.
“Often we feel powerless to have any sort of impact in the face of the forced migration crisis and growing numbers of displaced people.
If you’re keen to turn caring into doing, this is the most transformative and challenging and rewarding things I’ve ever done.
I’ll never forget the tears and hugs at Melbourne’s international arrivals gate in February.”
Abby and other volunteers welcoming newcomers in Melbourne with Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia.
Join an information session
🗓️ Register here
Attend an information session to hear more and have your questions answered. Sessions will be held online on the following dates:
Wednesday, 30 July⋅1:00 – 2:00pm AEST
Thursday, 31 July⋅8:00 – 9:00pm AEST
Tuesday, 5 August⋅5:00 – 6:00pm AEST
FAQs
What are Student Welcome Groups?
Student Welcome Groups are an essential part of the Refugee Student Settlement Pathway program. They are groups of 5+ volunteers who come together to provide incoming refugee students with 12 months of practical support so they can integrate on campus and into the Australian community.
Who can join a Student Welcome Group?
Student Welcome Groups are open to any students, staff members, alumni, and connected community members living in Australia and linked to the participating university campuses who are happy to get involved.
We are currently mobilising Student Welcome Groups at the following university campuses:
Australian National University - Acton, Canberra
Deakin University - Geelong, Victoria
The University of Melbourne - Parkville, Melbourne
The University of Queensland - St Lucia, Brisbane
The University of Sydney - Camperdown, Sydney
University of Technology Sydney - Ultimo, Sydney
Western Sydney University, Sydney
More universities to be announced.
What do Student Welcome Groups do?
Some of the ways that Student Welcome Groups will support incoming refugee students include:
Arrival and orientation: Meeting students at airport and taking them to accommodation, showing them around.
Essential services: Helping students to register for government services and other entitlements, as well as navigating various services from setting up a bank account to finding a GP.
Academic support: Connecting students key campus supports including academic assistance and career guidance.
Social Integration: Introduce students to friends, family networks, campus clubs and societies, and community networks including diaspora and faith communities.
Practical support: Assist with finding part-time work, securing long-term accommodation, sourcing furniture and household goods, plus optional fundraising for arrival needs.
How do I put my hand up?
If you are interested in joining a Student Welcome Group at your campus you can express your interest (EOI) here. Deadline: 8 August 2025.
Students, staff, alumni and connected community members affiliated with each campus are welcome to join a SWG!
Skill Path Australia will review applications and match eligible volunteers with groups. We will let applicants know by the end of August if you have been matched with a group.
Accepted group members will need to complete the following steps to form a SWG:
Complete a Police Check
Negotiate the group structure and complete the Student Welcome Group profile
Complete online training
Attend an on-campus training workshop
Work together as a group and with your RSSP student/s to plan for the arrival of RSSP students, after being introduced by Skill Path.
