Feel free to ask any questions about getting started at Monash by hitting 'Reply' on this thread. You can also post in the
Monash General Chat, or create a new thread in the
Monash University subforum.
For
subject/unit selection-related discussion, please visit the
2018 Unit Selection Thread.
We also have a Monash University representative on these forums in the
Ask Monash thread. For a quicker response, you can also call 1800 MONASH (1800 666 274), or
visit Monash Connect on your campus. Of course, you can also post those questions in this thread, and hopefully someone here can help you out as well
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Welcome and congratulations to all new Monash students!
The aim of this thread to is to briefly address the main things most students will encounter in their first few weeks at Monash. Note this advice is all from personal experience, and there will definitely be things missed. I'll be adding/linking to any advice/tips given by other users in this thread to this main post. There's already some really good advice in the
Monash Guides and Resources thread, so be sure to check those out as well.
EnrollingAs soon as you receive your VTAC offer, you should be able to start enrolling using the instructions in the email. [EDIT: Turns out you actually need to wait until 2pm on 16/01, since the Monash enrolment website requires you to log in to your VTAC account.
Click here for the enrolments website] You don't need to wait for any correspondence from the university itself. When enrolling, you should have ready: the contact details of an emergency contact and your tax file number (if you have a CSP, and are opting to use HECS-HELP to pay your fees). You will have two fees to pay (or defer): one for your units that semester, and a Student Services Amenities Fee (which gives you access to Monash services).
After filling out all the administrative details, you'll be able to move on to selecting your area of study (majors, minors, specialisations, etc. - which you need to select, if any, will depend on your course) and your units (subjects). Don't stress too much about your selection here - you'll be able to change them if you change your mind (preferably before uni starts). For many courses (e.g. BSc, BCom), you'll be able to change your major later (e.g. next year). The final date to
change/add units is March 9, 2018. The census date for Semester 1, 2018 is 31/3/2018 (~week 4-5 of semester). You will be able to
un-enrol in units up until this date
without penalty.
After your VTAC email, you should have also received an email from Monash regarding your course offer. This email will also invite you to a 'course information session'. This will be a lecture-type info session about different aspects of the course, given by your managing faculty. You might also hear from the student society for your course. You should also receive a date for a 'follow-up session'. This is basically an allocated time for you to come in to the uni for the course advisers for your course to check and/or help you with the enrolment process. If you've already enrolled, they'll just check that you've enrolled in the correct units, talk to you about your major/specialisation, etc.
Selecting your units: When you enrol, you'll be required to enrol in units for the entire year (i.e. both semester 1 and 2). Don't worry if you change your mind about your semester 2 units later - you can change them after semester 1 ends. To begin, I would recommend searching up your course in the
2018 course handbook. Once you've found your course page, on the right-hand pane you should see a link to a 'course map'. This gives you an overview the recommended units you should take each semester. For a more detailed explanation, you can just scroll down and have a read. If it's all a bit confusing, don't worry - you can have a chat to the course advisers at the enrolment sessions I mentioned above. You can also ask any unit selection-related questions (e.g. what type of electives to pick, etc) on the forums
here. Also consider visiting the
Subject Reviews thread, where past students have posted their thoughts on the units they have completed.
At Monash, full time students complete 24 points of units per semester (= 48 per year). Most units are 6 points, so you'll generally complete 4 units per semester. If you find 24 points challenging (e.g. balancing with work/family commitments), you can drop to 18 points, and still be considered a full time student (and maintain full time student benefits such as PTV transport concession). Anything under 18 points, and you are considered a part time student ("underloading"). You can also apply to overload in a semester, which means completing 30 points in that semester. This is an option for students who need 6 more points to complete their degree, or simply want to accelerate their degree. Overloading in a semester is not guaranteed, and is considered on a case-by-case basis (with certain academic requirements). Some degrees (e.g. Medicine, Law) have strict policies regarding overloading. The amount of points you need to complete your degree can be found on the course handbook page (above).
Student ID: You have two options for creating your student ID - upload a photo online and receive it in the email; or go into Monash Connect, take a photo there and get it printed straight away. My advice -
upload your own photo. I went into campus to do it, and it's done with a webcam there at the desk - needless to say the photo isn't the best (there's literally other people walking around in the background). This is your ID for the remainder of your degree, so I think it's worth uploading your own photo
Your student ID will also be the card you use to access printing, as well as serving as your ID for exam period. Apparently they're also trying to integrate using your student ID to pay for food and stuff on campus.
Important note related to student IDs (assuming they don't change this): when going to Monash Connect to collect your ID, you require your 'U' transaction number that shows you have accepted your offer. You will be emailed your 'U' transaction number on a successful submission of your unit enrolment, and it will appear on WES itself. Try to keep that number in your phone notes or a notebook as soon as you get it. There were plenty of people who didn't know they needed it, so the process took longer than usual as they tried to login to WES and find it.
Setting Up Your TimetableProbably one of the most important things (well, sorta
) you should do before starting uni is setting up your timetable. At Monash, you have the opportunity to put down preferences for classes that you want on Allocate+. Some units allow you to allocate yourself to a class immediately (on a first come, first serve basis), but most in first year will ask for preferences. For these classes, you will need to select preferences (e.g. 1 to 6) for class times that you would prefer. Everything then shuts down for a few days, the timetable Gods do their magic, and you will be given your timetable (based on your preferences). The way I do my preferences is I set up a spreadsheet, and use the
Monash class timetable to pick the classes I want beforehand. Picking first preferences to create a timetable with minimal clashes will give you a good chance of getting the timetable you want. The percentage next to a class time tells you how many people picked that timeslot as their first preference, compared to how many spots are actually available in their class (e.g. if for a class of 100 people, the percentage is 100%, it means 100 people have already put that as their first preference). Picking times with lower percentages will also give you a higher chance of getting it. There's also a few other techniques people have used to increase their chances of getting the timeslots they wanted, you should be able to find them somewhere on this forum
For help on what all the abbreviations on Allocate+ mean,
see here. Preference entry closes on January 30th at 10am, so don't leave it too late (check full dates
here)!
After a few days, Allocate+ will open in 'adjustment mode'. When this happens, your timetable will be available. If you forgot to do your preferences, then you will have been allocated to classes with low demand (low demand for a reason as well
). I would recommend having the opening date (6 Feb 10am) noted down, as here, you will also have the opportunity to move around your class times, provided there is space in that class (first come, first serve). If you really want a certain timeslot, and it is full, be sure to check back often, in case a spot becomes free. I know some previous advice has said that you can just turn up to a class that is full and ask to join, but from personal experience (in biomed, anyway), this generally isn't allowed.
Use https://will.io/timetables/ to try and figure out an optimal timetable for you -- it isn't always perfect, but generally very accurate and updated to Monash's class timetables. It's currently updated for 2018 semester 1, so go wild!
CLAYTON CAMPUSOf course, as a Clayton student, I can really only talk about the Clayton campus, but hopefully students from other campuses can give some tips and advice as well
Getting There via Public TransportI only really have experience travelling to and from the city, so that's what I'll talk about. You can also use the
PTV Journey Planner. The bus stop for Clayton campus is 'Monash University/Wellington Road'.
To and from the city: Huntingdale station is the most convenient station for travel to/from the city. To get there, take any train on the Cranbourne/Pakenham lines.
When arriving at Huntingdale Station, go down the ramp and turn left, and then right. Head up to the street, and turn right to cross at the traffic lights. There's three bus options here. For the 601 (Monash shuttle bus, express to Monash) and 630, go straight ahead, and for the 900 (to Stud Park SC), turn left (if it's a semester weekday, you can probably get away with just following the crowd ). I've found the 900 to be a decent option if there's a long queue for the 601/630, and/or you manage to arrive at the same time as the bus. All three buses will take you straight into the bus loop on campus. The bus ride is about 5 minutes for the 601. [UPDATE 19/02/2018] A new bus loop has just been opened at Huntingdale station (replacing part of the previous carpark). When you arrive at Huntingdale station, head down the ramp exit, turn left, and left again (up another ramp). In this bus loop, you can catch any of the 601, 900 (to Stud Park SC), or 630, and they will take you to the uni. The 601 express is the best option (head up the stairs and straight ahead), and will take about 5 minutes.
To get back to the city, simply do the reverse
However, the 601 will go back to where you picked it up, the 900 (to Caulfield Station) will stop right in front of the station, and the 630 will go across the bridge over the station, and drop you off on the other side (remember to press the stop button!). The 601 is generally the best option to get back to Huntingdale, although if there's a long queue you can try the 900 (to Caulfield).[UPDATE 19/02/2018] The 601 and 900 (to Caulfield) will take you back to the Huntingdale station bus loop, while the 630 (to Elwood) will go across the bridge over the station, and drop you off on the other side.
Note when using buses: if all seats are taken, it's always polite to move to the back of the bus to stand (if possible) to allow more people to board. This is especially true for the 601, which experiences some pretty high demand during peak.
Another note: Myki ticket inspectors patrol often (both the bus loop, and the trains), so be sure to touch on. They sometimes also check for concessions (see below for how to get one).
Intercampus Travel: There are free intercampus shuttle buses to and from Clayton to Peninsula and Caulfield campuses. Be sure to have your student ID with you. I've also heard that apparently taking public transport (via the Huntingdale Station route) is actually faster than the Caulfield-Clayton bus, but anyway
It might also be worth getting familiar with
where all the buses stop in the bus loop.
Need to top up your myki? There's a top up machine in the bus loop.
PTV Tertiary Student Concession: Getting one of these at uni is super easy. Once you've uploaded your photo or have had it taken on campus for your student ID, a prefilled form should become available somewhere on WES (Web Enrolment System). All you need to do is print it out, fill out some details and give it to your nearest station
Orientation WeekMSA Card: This is probably the most popular membership for (Clayton) students. The MSA is the (official) Monash Student Association, and is in charge of things such as running on campus events, and providing student support services. By becoming a member ($20), you'll get a
range of benefits (including the 'famous' 20% off Maccas discount). For those considering signing up for clubs and societies, the MSA membership also gives a $5 discount on club/society memberships (some work out to be free this way), so I would recommend getting your MSA membership before signing up for the clubs/societies. The MSA membership signup line is probably the longest of all, so if you're on campus before O-week (e.g. for an enrolment session), the lines are pretty short/non-existent then, so I would do it then
You'll also need to have your student ID card before signing up for MSA and many clubs/societies, since your membership in these cases is a sticker on your card.
Prior to/during O-week, your faculty (the people in charge of your course) may hold an introductory/orientation session. Depending on the faculty, they could involve activities designed to introduce you to other students, and/or introduce you to the course itself.
Apart from this, O-week will involve a festival with heaps of club/society stalls for you to talk to members and sign up. Note not all clubs/societies will have a stall during O-week (or for the entirety of O-week), but you can view the full list
here. There's also stalls for things such as on/off-campus residency, disability support services, etc. There'll also be heaps of free stuff, so take a look around! I would also recommend using this time to explore the Clayton campus, and perhaps find out where your classes are held (or maybe that's just a thing I would do
) so you don't get lost on your first day.
Getting AroundThe Clayton campus is sorta like a network of streets. Each building belongs to a street, and has a street number.
Click here for a map of the campus. You might feel really lost initially, but don't worry, you'll get used to it eventually! There's also a
StudentVIP Lost on Campus on the App and Google Play Stores. Haven't used it personally, but apparently its quite useful. I find I can get around fine using the standard map though.
If you're having trouble telling the buildings apart, most buildings should have a blue sign with a number (the street number) sticking out the side. Otherwise, if you can find the entrance, there's usually a sign with the building number and name on there as well. Also, probably another thing to note is that the buildings are not always directly next to the street, you sometimes might need to venture inwards to find the actual building.
Food & DrinkProbably the most budget-friendly lunch you can have is one you have brought yourself. There are heaps of microwaves in the Campus Centre (especially next to the student lounge, right next to Boost Juice), as well as filtered cold/hot water taps.
Otherwise, there are heaps of different food options around campus.
Campus Centre has the biggest variety of food and drink options, including Chinese/Asian takeaway (there used to be a big cheap-ish one next to the upstairs dining hall, but I recall them closing down last year
), fish and chips, fried chicken, Wholefoods (student-run vegetarian/vegan cafeteria on Level 1 - never been there but apparently pretty cheap), as well as a few chain stores (Guzman, Subway, Papparich, Roll'd, Sushi Sushi, Boost Juice).
Ground floor, Hargrave-Andrews Library: a cheap-ish Chinese restaurant/takeaway and a cafe.
Ground floor, Sir Louis Matheson Library: a small cafe
New Learning & Teaching Building: apparently a cafe of sorts? Guess we'll find out!
Logan Hall (along Sports Walk - leave Campus Centre and turn right at the big screen): Schnitz, pizza, and a convenience store.
Sports Centre: Sumo Salad cafe, and possibly another cafe(?)
McDonald's, Clayton: Located along Dandenong Rd, right across the road from Clayton campus. To get there, you want to leave the bus loop/Monash College onto Wellington Rd and turn right (heading towards Huntingdale Station). Keep walking, cross Dandenong Rd, and you're there! (note: you might need to run to be able to finish crossing before the light turns red!
)
Coffee: Don't drink coffee, so no idea, sorry!
Accessing Internet on CampusThe best wifi network to use on campus is eduroam. To connect, your username is
[email protected] (NOT your email, which is
[email protected]) and your password is your Monash account password. You will also be able to connect to the eduroam network at
any other (non-Monash!) university that uses eduroam - username and password are the same
The eduroam network can be a bit sketchy at times, but has been mostly reliable in my opinion (e.g. you can watch lecture recordings comfortably).
There are also free-to-use computers available on campus - see 'Where can I study?' below
Online ResourcesFor most Monash online services (my.monash, WES, Moodle), you should be able to log in with
just your username (i.e. you don't need to type
[email protected],
just the username bit, contrary to what the page actually says
and password (it actually took me a whole semester of typing the whole email before someone told me can just type the username bit
). You may need to use the full email to log in to things such as your email, though.
my.monash is the student portal. From here, you will be able to access your email, WES, Moodle, ask.monash, Shuttle Bus timetables, class timetable, exam timetable and more. There is also a my.monash app available on the Apple App Store (I would presume the Play Store as well?).
WES is the Web Enrolment System, and is the place to go for things such as enrolling/unenrolling/reenrolling in units/your course, applying for deferral, viewing your academic transcript/grades, discontinuing your course and more. It's also the most convenient place to find your student ID number (in case you don't have your student ID with you) - it's at the very top when you log in.
Moodle is the online learning system used at Monash. This is where everything related to your units can be found, including due dates, assignments and lecture notes. Many unit coordinators also encourage you to ask content-related questions on the Moodle forums for your unit instead of emailing the lecturer directly (so your question can also benefit everyone else).
Your email is the most important form of communication you will have at Monash. You will receive emails about fees, enrolment, as well as academic matters (from unit coordinators, etc.). It's important that you check your email regularly. I have friends that have lost marks on assignments since they didn't check their email (the coordinator needed extra info by a certain date, and they failed to provide it). You can access your email via my.monash or logging in via Gmail.
Where can I go to study?The libraries are probably your best option. Otherwise, there's study spaces dotted all around the campus. The first few levels of the Menzies building (tallest building on campus) for example, have common study spaces near the staircases. First year engineering students have a dedicated study space, as well as Science students (Science Student Lounge). Other faculties may have similar areas for their students.
This year, they've also just opened a brand new Learning and Teaching Building (under construction for almost 2 years), I'm sure there'll be heaps of study/hang out spaces in there (I know I'll definitely be taking advantage of it
)
Computers: If you need to use a computer, there should be heaps in any of the Sir Louis Matheson, Hargrave-Andrews and Law Libraries. There are also various computer labs around campus. Some are dedicated to certain types of students (e.g. BusEco/Commerce students can use the computer labs on level 1 Menzies, provided there isn't a class going on). You can try find a lab
here. In most cases, I've found that I can find an available library computer (sometimes after a 5-10 min wait).
Log in using your username/password as normal. Monash computers are notorious for being
super slow at logging in (especially during peak hours), so don't worry, it should log in eventually (my longest has been about 20 mins
). Something to do with everyone trying to log in at the same time and whatnot. The desktop that loads is yours, so anything you save on there will be accessible when you log in on a different computer. Loading your desktop is probably another reason why the log in is so slow
Since computers are so limited, it's always polite to only sit at a computer desk if you need to use the computer (you'll find that this sometimes happens when the library starts to get busy and the desks become full).
PrintingYou can print from either your own device or a Monash computer, see the
instructions here. Printing is relatively cheap (
prices here), 10c for a double-sided black/white page. Pro tip: if you're going to print lecture notes, make them ~6 slides/page
Once you've sent the print job, you can access it at a printer by tapping your student ID card on the blue box on the right side of the printer (or manually enter your username/pass on the screen), and selecting the print job.
To add money onto your M-pass (student ID card), you can either
top up online, or at a kiosk (you can find them in the libraries, usually somewhere near the printers - they're blue, and sorta like a myki top up machine) using a credit/debit card. If you want to pay using
cash, you can head to the John Medley library on Level 1 campus centre and do it there.
Scanning is also free at Monash printers.
Other StuffThe Campus Centre houses a range of other services for students, including Monash Connect (go here for any admin-related matters), careers advice, a medical office, optometrist's office, pharmacy, post office, student travel centre, convenience store, piano rooms, and a few more.
If you have an urgent question for Monash directly, you can call Monash Connect on +61 3 9902 601, or ask a question on
ask.monash (replies within 2-3 business days).
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That's all I've got for now, I've definitely missed a few things, but I encourage some other current/past students to add on to this (I'm sure the advice would be much appreciated
)! Again, feel free to post any questions, or even let us know what you're studying below. Otherwise, good luck in your first few weeks at Monash!
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