U:PASS is a student learning program designed to assist students who are studying subjects that are perceived as difficult or that historically have a high failure rate.
UTS offers several services to help you make the most of your time at uni, and U:PASS is the place to go if you’re having any issues with subjects or exams. It’s an extra hour of free university study that is scheduled around the times of your classes on campus to make it easier for you to engage with your program.
We reached out to some of our student ambassadors to hear about their experiences with the service, and why you should consider taking part!
To meet people
It can be hard to make friends at uni, so the small classes in U:PASS give you the opportunity to meet others. It gives you the chance to learn off other students and bounce ideas around which can be especially useful when you have group assignments.
Students might attend U:PASS because they are highly interested in the content and don’t want to miss an opportunity to extend their learning. Alternatively, students may learn better in collaborative, informal environments as opposed to lectures and lessons.
Either way, U:PASS allows you to meet students who share similar learning styles, interests and levels of curiosity to you, plus you get the opportunity to catch-up every week!
“I met some of my now closest uni friends in U:PASS classes, all the way back in first year.”
As U:PASS is offered in first year, it’s a great way to be reassured that everyone is a little bit scared! The U:PASS leader is a student just like you, so there’s no intimidation in the classroom. You get to learn from a student who has performed exceptionally well in the subject, who can then pass on some tips and tricks for doing well in terms of study techniques and exam preparation.
Such an important aspect of uni is gaining confidence speaking and communicating in groups. U:PASS provides an encouraging and safe space to develop these skills.
Having the wisdom of an older student and the insight of your classmates will open your eyes to the many wonderful opportunities uni has to offer. You’ll hear about events, job opportunities, UTS Sport and so much more.
To ask questions
U:PASS gives you the opportunity to ask questions you weren’t confident to ask in class or didn’t think of! The classes are much smaller than your normal tutorials so you can spend more time understanding difficult content.
Once students have understood the content, you’ll discuss how this might apply in practice and what the best way to revise might be. Even better – a fellow peer might be able to explain how they learnt and understood the content, so there is plenty of knowledge-sharing occurring.
At times where content is coming students’ way at a fast pace, U:PASS sessions provide an opportunity to breakdown and go over complex ideas at a slower pace.
“The students teaching U:PASS all know exactly what you are going through! They can share their own advice and analogies for learning the content.”
The sessions provide great study material and mock mid-semester/practical exams to help prepare you. It’s also an extra opportunity to learn and engage with the models that are used in class and in your practical exams.
Going to U:PASS will help you understand the study hacks of the subject and help you to succeed! It will help develop study skills to last throughout uni.
For those that have ‘educational FOMO’, U:PASS is an opportunity you can’t miss. By attending these sessions, you have access to extra resources such as practice questions and activities.
“For the two anatomy subjects I lead sessions in, students get exclusive access to anatomy models that can’t be accessed elsewhere outside of labs. Plus, these are the same anatomy models used in practical exams, so the extra time available working with them is invaluable.”
