Academic skills
Resources, strategies and support to help you thrive in your studies.
Book an Academic Skills One-to-One
Need help improving your writing, or tackling tricky assignments?
Book here for expert advice on improving your work. An Academic Learning Facilitator will give you constructive feedback on academic skills from essay writing to time management, literature reviews and beyond.
Important note: This service is for UNSW Sydney students only.
Academic Skills consultations are closed until Term 3, Week 1. If you have any questions, please email academicskills@unsw.edu.au.
Important note
The purpose of these sessions is to provide guidance around academic writing, referencing, time management, critical thinking skills or to help you understand what your assignment is asking you to do.
The facilitators will not advise you on the content of your assignment.
If you need to cancel your booking less than 24 hours prior, please email academicskills@unsw.edu.au as soon as possible so that another student can book your timeslot. If you fail to attend an appointment without prior cancellation, you may not be allowed to book futher consultations.
- Kensington campus (in-person)
- Online consultation (UNSW Sydney)
- Paddington campus (in-person)
📍 Location
Room 217, Ground Floor, Main Library, UNSW Kensington
Meet with an Academic Learning Facilitator (ALF) on Kensington campus.
Academic Skills consultations are closed until Term 3, Week 1.
⚠️ Important note
Once you have booked, please monitor your email for instructions on how to join your consultation online.
Meet an Academic Learning Facilitator (ALF) online through Microsoft Teams. Online consultations are only available to UNSW Sydney students.
Academic Skills consultations are closed until Term 3, Week 1.
If you are interested, please send an email to
academicskills@unsw.edu.au
with the preferred date and time of your appointment.
One-to-Ones for Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture students are available on Wednesdays at Paddington campus in Sydney, Australia. Please book your coursework or thesis/research consults through our bookings page below.
Academic Skills consultations are closed until Term 3, Week 1.
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During your session, you’ll meet with an Academic Learning Facilitator (ALF) to explore strategies tailored to your studies, such as:
- Clarify the purpose or structure of an assignment
- Referencing
- Time management skills
- Presentation skills
- Thesis management.
No matter the focus of your one-to-one consultation, you'll receive constructive support ot help you build confidence and strengthen your academic skills.
ALFs cannot:
- Advise you on the specific content of your assignment. One-to-one consultations focus on skills and structure, not content.
- Proof-read or edit your assignment or thesis.
- Offer subject tutoring. Please refer to your lecturer or tutor for questions about your subject.
- Estimate the final grade of the assignment - this depends on your marker.
- Correct grammar or spelling.
- Advise on resumes or cover letters. Visit UNSW Employability for expert advice.
- Help with correspondence or applications.
- Offer individual sessions on exams.
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Please bring:
- A notepad and pen, or a laptop to take notes with.
If you’d like to discuss an assignment, please have ready:
- The assignment instructions/task brief
- Any samples your lecturer provided
- The marking criteria
- Your draft assignment (if you have one).
GENY0001: Academic Skills Plus
What if the rules of academia became tools you could shape and adapt to your thinking?
Academic Skills Plus is a General Education course open to all UNSW undergraduate students. It explores the hidden curriculum of university.
Inspired by the idea "Learn the rules like a professional, so that you can break them like an artist" (attributed to Picasso), this course helps students learn how to engage with academic literature, evaluate sources, understand feedback, develop their voice and communicate effectively across different contexts.
Each week introduces a new academic 'rule', from understanding how you learn to translating the language of academia. By exploring, questioning and applying these conventions, students build a flexible toolkit that supports their success at university and in their future careers.
- Course details
- Key skills developed
- Eligibility
- Registration process
Course codes and terms offered:
- GENY0001: Term 1, Term 2, Term 3
Duration: Week 1–10 (10 weeks)
- One-hour lecture and two-hour tutorial per week
- Approximately seven hours of study per week, including independent research and weekly readings.
The course provides students with practical skills to enhance academic, professional and personal success. By the end of the course, you will be able to:
- Develop study strategies that work for you
- Critically evaluate sources, ideas and information
- Use academic conventions, referencing and AI tools responsibly
- Develop their academic voice in writing and presentations
- Interpret and apply feedback to improve your academic skills
- Communicate clearly to different audiences and purposes.
Academic Skills Plus is open to all local and international undergraduate students. No prerequisites are required.
If you have any questions or need more information about the course, feel free to reach out to:
- Louisa (Lou) Cardinale (l.cardinale@unsw.edu.au)
- Academic Skills (academicskills@unsw.edu.au)
GENY0001: Academic Skills Plus is offered as a General Education course at UNSW.
- Enrol and register for GENY0001: Academic Skills Plus in myUNSW. Follow our step-by-step enrolment instructions for guidance.
- If you require assistance with the enrolment or class registration process, contact The Nucleus: Student Hub.
Academic integrity and plagiarism
Safeguarding your academic integrity by understanding and avoiding common forms of plagiarism.
Academic skills toolkit
Browse our library of resources on academic skills from reflective writing to referencing.
Resource Library
Access all our academic skills and career development programs, activities and resources in Moodle.
Academic Skills offers a range of self-access guides to help you build essential academic and communication skills, including referencing, reading, notetaking, assignment writing, critical thinking, and reflective writing.
🔑 Student enrolment key: ResourceAccess
Resources for writing
Your go-to hub for academic writing, referencing, study tips and more.
Research and referencing
Class, presentation & time management
- Class
- Presentation & delivery
- Time management
Exam preparation and tips
Contact the UNSW Academic Skills Team
Have questions? Want to book a one-to-one? Contact our team: academicskills@unsw.edu.au