What Student Life Is Set to Look Like in a Post-Pandemic World

This is the new norm.

This article is in partnership with RMIT.

The world has not been the same since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Workplaces, schools, sports clubs and universities were all forced to rethink how they operated.

Unis in particular were one of the hardest hit, having to scramble quickly to establish online learning for thousands of students in a matter of days.

Fast forward almost two years and the pandemic is slowly beginning to wind down. As vaccination rates around the world increase, lockdowns and restrictions lift and discussions about returning to normal seem to be happening everywhere.

So, what does this mean for students studying at uni? To help you out, we’ve partnered with RMIT to show you what student life will look like in a post-pandemic world.

Hybrid learning will be the new norm.

Prior to COVID, there were two types of uni enrolment: internal and external. Once the pandemic hit though, practically everyone became an external student overnight.

The good thing is this wasn’t forever, but some changes that unis made during that time will stick around long after COVID is over. We’re calling this hybrid learning.

Hybrid learning is the new norm at unis, with lectures and tutorials being offered in multiple different formats. You might find one class will have a live, online lecture, while another lecture will be recorded and posted to watch on-demand. Occasionally you might have an in-person lecture too.

Same with your tutorials. Some classes will be held face-to-face, but other classes will be offered as a Zoom call.

This doesn’t mean your degree will be all done online. Socialising, collaborating, and building relationships are key to life on campus and unis like RMIT are committed to making life on campus better than ever.

International students can return.

The great news is the Victorian state and Australian federal government have given the green light for international students to come to Australia to study.

This means overseas students accepted to RMIT can finally come to Victoria to study instead of continuing their course remotely. Winning!

RMIT international students can also get their hands on a package of benefits like financial support, around the clock peer mentoring, and additional internship placements to help students get back to learning and get job ready.

Towards the end of 2021, the rollout of the government’s International Student Arrivals Plan will start, prioritising students who need to do practical work like health and medicine.

You can see the government’s full International Student Arrivals Plan here and read how it affects RMIT students here.

RMIT has even set up a support centre to help international students with information about flights, borders, and getting here.

COVID responsibilities will still be in place.

One thing that won’t be changing is the precautions in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This means that going forward, checking in with QR codes, maintaining good hand hygiene, wearing masks on occasion, and social distancing will all be in play at unis across Australia.

RMIT is taking COVID precautions very seriously to ensure all students are safe and healthy on campus. You can find all the information about RMIT's COVID Safety response here.

Student life will only get better.

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that socialising and building relationships are super important to humans, especially students!

People aren’t meant to be isolated from each other and RMIT are making sure that student life on campus is going to be bigger and better going forward.

So, whether you’re into music, culture or politics, RMIT has over 100 clubs and societies for students to join to help them meet new people and build relationships.

RMIT is investing in student life on campus because they know campus culture is the heartbeat of any uni.

If you’re looking to plan your future with RMIT, check out the wide selection of courses they have on offer right here. Or, if you're about to start your uni journey, here are some tips from RMIT.

Header Image: Paul Siewert via Unsplash