Studying well
Getting help with reading, writing and digital skills, making the time work, and keeping your work honest.
Reading, writing, maths and digital skills
Plenty of adults need help with these, and asking early makes study easier. You have options:
- Your provider. VET providers must make language, literacy and numeracy support available. Ask what they offer before you enrol.
- The Reading Writing Hotline (official site) is a free service on 1300 6 555 06 that helps adults improve reading, writing and basic maths, and can help find local classes.
- Skills for Education and Employment (official site) offers free training in language, literacy, numeracy and digital skills to eligible people.
Official sources, read on 7 November 2026: ASQA, student rights and responsibilities (official site), Foundation skills (official site)
Make the time real
Most people who struggle with a course run out of time before they run out of ability. A few habits help:
- Work out your hours a week before you enrol, using the study time planner.
- Pick the same study times each week and tell the people you live with.
- Put assessment dates, and any census dates, in your calendar as soon as you get them.
- If you study online, check your device and internet connection before you start, and find out who to contact when you get stuck.
- If you fall behind, tell your trainer early. It is easier to fix in the first week than in the sixth.
Keep your work your own
Academic integrity means acting with honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. Breaches include plagiarism, collusion, fabricating information, exam cheating and contract cheating, which means getting someone else to do your work and submitting it as your own.
Commercial cheating services are illegal in Australia, and students who use them risk blackmail. Avoid anyone who offers to write your work for money, approaches you through social media or email with "study support", or asks you to upload your work. Penalties from your institution can include failing the task or expulsion.
Official sources, read on 7 November 2026: TEQSA, what is academic integrity (official site), TEQSA on illegal cheating services (official site)
Using AI honestly
Whether you can use generative AI depends on your institution and the task. It may be banned, restricted or encouraged. If it is allowed, you need to know how to reference it. Using it against the rules can be academic misconduct.
So check each assessment task and ask if the rules are not clear. In VET, ASQA says enrolment information should state how AI tools may be used in training or assessment, so ask your provider. TEQSA's advice is written for higher education students, but the same questions are sensible anywhere.
Official sources, read on 7 November 2026: TEQSA, AI advice for students (official site), ASQA guide on student information (official site)