FAQs

When and where will the college be built?

The College will be built on the existing UTS site 13-15 and includes the adaptive re-use of the local heritage listed building on the corner of Harris Street and Mary Ann Street, Ultimo. The College is planned to be completed in 2026/2027.

Where is the funding coming from?

To realise the vision, UTS is pursuing a multiparty funding model with costs shared between the university, government, business and philanthropic partners. Once funding is secured, the transformational project will bring diverse partners together for a unique educational initiative that has at its heart the goal of a reconciled nation.

Why a National First Nations College?

The plan for the college is informed by evidence and driven by Indigenous community members – locally and nationally. Nowhere in the world is there a traditional university college, with all the attributes of prestige associated with it, dedicated to Indigenous people and elevating culture, citizenship and academic excellence.

The concept has already been tested in part over the last three years, with UTS establishing an Indigenous residence offering cost-covered accommodation, guaranteed housing and connecting students into specifically developed programs, including internships. The majority of Indigenous students have chosen to use this residence as it offers an Indigenous sense of community.

This pilot has resulted in Indigenous enrolments rising from 199 undergraduate students in 2015 to 250 in 2017.

Do you have to be Indigenous to access the college?

No. While Indigenous students will form the majority of the community, anyone can apply for a place in the college and is welcome. This is a culturally inclusive space focused on embracing and celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures, as part of our Australian identity.

Do Indigenous students have to reside in the college?

No. Residing in the college is completely optional. The college is about celebrating diversity and incorporating the impressive breadth of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories, contributions and perspectives into everyday life for students. Rather than being on the periphery, Indigenous people will be the hosts, not the guests. But you don’t have to choose this college if you are Indigenous. 

What’s the difference between this project and other Indigenous residences in Australia?

This college is Australia’s first University National First Nations College.

It combines features to be found in other programs and places but in a way that hasn’t been done before. There are Indigenous residential facilities elsewhere, and Indigenous programs in universities, but not in the combination and to the scale and breadth of this College.

To their credit, some universities have Indigenous residences and housing, and some existing university colleges have Indigenous programs. However, this project will be the first National First Nations College bringing together all of these elements and more, including a publicly accessible cultural, arts and events space. Technology will be used to create interactive, living art projects, including public programs for schools, community groups and tourists.

Much more than student housing, the college will be a strong symbol of Indigenous pride, culture and identity to be shared by all.

What can students in the college expect day to day?

Students will have a range of experiences and opportunities as part of the college. These will include opportunities for international immersions and exchanges, field trips, conferences, internships and work experience. Guest lectures and masterclasses, arts and cultural events will be key parts of the life of the college.

Connection to community, traditional ceremony and gathering,  and caring for country will be a central part of the ethos of the college.

What can the alumni of the college expect after they graduate?

Students will graduate with a rich and impressive portfolio of experiences and achievements. Lifetime members of the College, they will have an extensive network of peers, mentors and supporters who will be able to guide them in the next stage of their careers. As graduates take the next steps on their life journey, the College community will walk with them.

How will the college benefit all of Australian society?

We know that closing the education gap is the one gap that closes all others — with benefits to the whole community, through improved health and wellbeing and reduced interactions with the justice system.  Increasing the number of Indigenous people who participate in higher education grows the number of role models — having an exponential effect on participation in education.

The benefits of the college will radiate well beyond individual students and graduates to include their families, children, employers and future employers. The impact will be multi-generational, with thousands of graduates over the coming decades entering leadership roles in the public, private, community and education sectors with a shared commitment to a more inclusive nation.

As a fully inclusive College that will also house non-Indigenous and international students, it will promote an ethos of shared pride that Australia is home to the longest surviving, continuous culture on the planet — more than 60,000 years rich.

How will you define ‘Indigenous’?

UTS’s policy on how to confirm Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander identity sets out two methods:

• Provide a certified copy of a formal document confirming your Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander identity from an incorporated Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander organisation stating that the organisation recognises you as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. This document should also contain the seal of the organisation. 
• Alternatively, students may complete and submit a statutory declaration certified by a Justice of the Peace or similar.

For further information on confirming Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander identity, see guidelines for applicants (PDF, 438KB).