RMIT University Student Union. For Students, By Students.
- rusu@rmit.edu.au
RMIT University Student Union. For Students, By Students.
RUSU is passionate about creating a better future for students at RMIT. Our campaigns team advocates directly to the university for high quality education and assessment experiences, inclusive practices, fair policies and procedures, excellent facilities and student spaces and a vibrant campus community.
Each year RUSU presents a list of priorities it believes are necessary to enhance student experience at RMIT. Over the year the student union will advocate strongly for change to deliver these priorities, often working in collaboration with the University to make positive change that supports students.
Events, advocacy, welfare and care packs are just a small part of what we deliver for students every year, and we are always working hard, behind the scenes, to deliver key initiatives to improve the student experience at RMIT, and to fight for the support students need, when they need it most. Here is just a snapshot of what we have achieved:
We heard how disappointed students were to lose access to Adobe Suite last year. We advocated for RMIT to re-instate access for students who wanted to use Adobe again. Students can now fill in a short form to opt-in to access and regain use of the software.
RUSU was clear that student access to the Multifaith Centre was essential during Ramadan. We worked with RMIT to ensure the opening hours matched key prayer times throughout Ramadan. We are now working with the University and student groups to ensure that opening hours going forward reflect when students are most likely to be on campus and need access to the centre.
The Equitable Learning Service now offers interim/temporary Equitable Learning Plans (ELPs) to students in specific circumstances. These plans will ensure that students can get access to some of the reasonable adjustments they are entitled to whilst waiting for an appointment or collecting paperwork to support their application for support.
RUSU knows that students all over Australia are doing it tough right now. Whilst we are continuing to push the University to expand its financial hardship program we are also filling in the gap ourselves by making sure we are offering free food to students in more places than ever before - increasing the number of places we offer free breakfasts, offering a free VE lunch every single week, partnering with the Just Food Collective to offer zero waste meals and groceries to students and even bringing free fresh fruit to overlooked corners of the university whenever we can. Find out more here
Student unions all over Australia responded to the federal government's University Accord process. RUSU's submission called for changes to make students lives better that were delivered in the 2024 Australian budget. Thanks to the advocacy of student unions the government has introduced paid placements for students and changed HECS indexation to reduce student debt. RUSU will keep fighting for the other recommendations in our submission such as a National Student Charter and Student Ombudsman, and reversal of the Job Ready Graduates program.
In May this year RUSU called on RMIT and the federal government to support semester one graduating international students to apply for their subclass 485 visas before new rules came into affect that would shorten their visa duration. After raising this issue with the university, eligible RMIT students were able to request the necessary paperwork to apply for their extended visas before the cutoff date.
The Library have taken on our request to extend library hours before and during the assessment period at RMIT. We know students like to study late in the runup to final assessments and exams and with the cost of utilities like heating/cooling, lighting and internet increasing students often choose to study later in the library. From the start of this year the library has trialled extended hours from week 10 of semester.
Clubs are essential to a vibrant student life on campus and we love it when clubs are supported to run fantastic events and activations. RUSU has been campaigning hard to make it easier for clubs to bring student life to campus, scoring a streamlined update to room bookings for our club leaders. Things aren't perfect yet though, so we are continuing to push the university to make it easier for clubs to book and pay for services that support the delivery of on campus events too.
Email: rusu@rmit.edu.au
Call: +61 3 9925 1842
PO BOX 12387 Franklin Street, Melbourne, VIC 3006
RMIT University Student Union respectfully acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nations on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University.
© RMIT University Student Union Incorporated 2025