Balance work, life and study

When Yuqing (Crystal) Zhao came to Darwin, she was already an accomplished student and volunteer. Moving here to complete her Master of Teaching, she soon found lots of new ways to give back to her new community. 

It can take months – or years – to decide whether to study at university, especially if life is busy with work, socialising and family commitments. Hear from these five students on what motivated them to take the final step and start studying.

If there’s one thing we hear from students time and again, it’s that support makes or breaks their study experience. Uncover the different ways you can stay motivated, focused and on-track with your studies.

When Yuliia first moved to Australia from Europe, she was forced to overcome many challenges. It was studying at Charles Darwin University that gave her a new lease on life and helped her to regain her confidence in the workforce.

As the saying goes, 'if you need something done, ask a busy mum'. And it's certainly true of CDU students that are mums studying an online degree with kids at home. Here, four students - who are also mums - share their top tips and insights on making time for study.

When Alicia Burrows gave birth, it wasn’t just her daughter that she fell in love with. It was also the idea of pursuing a new career as a midwife. Now she's juggling work, family and an online midwifery degree to make her dream a reality. 

As a busy mum and trained dancer, Michelle never dreamed that a different career would be possible. But CDU changed all that. Waltzing through a flexible online nursing degree, she's now dancing to a different tune working as a nurse.

After finishing school without a HSC, Matt thought his dreams of becoming a teacher were dashed. But, thanks to a free bridging program, flexible online study and “loads of practical” through a teaching degree at Charles Darwin University, he’s set to return to school in his mid-20s.

Inspired by a hike on the Larapinta Trail, Joelene set out to pursue a career in environmental sciences. At 27 weeks pregnant, Joelene completed a three hour exam and now credits her daughter for keeping her on track.