The Future Student Podcast

Most students think choosing a uni starts with one big question: “Which campus do I want?” But what if the better starting point is actually: “How do I want uni to fit around my life?” In this episode, Rob Malicki chats with Skye from CQUniversity, recorded in Melbourne, where plenty of people are surprised to learn CQUniversity has a campus right here. And once you hear how the uni works, that su...

Lilly turns up on the Choosing Your Uni podcast with a story you do not hear every day: she’s a UTAS student ambassador… who is not actually a student right now. She graduated with a Bachelor of Psychological Science, spent the year gearing up for a new allied health path, started it, and then made the call to withdraw in week one. Not because she “failed”, but because she realised it was not wher...

Canberra gets a weird rap. Too cold, too boring, too “public service-core”. So we took the Choosing Your Uni podcast somewhere we’ve never recorded before, a literal wine bar on campus at ANU, to test the myths in real time. In this episode, Rob chats with Alyssa Ingham, who moved from Sydney at 18 chasing the closest thing Australia has to that classic “campus uni” vibe, where class is a short wa...

On the University of Notre Dame Australia’s Sydney campus, Rob Malicki sits down with Deanne (School of Nursing and Midwifery) and Maddie (final-year student) to unpack what nursing really looks like beyond the brochure. They talk about the hands-on side of the degree (including a big focus on clinical placements and simulation training), what surprised Maddie most once she started learning real s...

Somewhere between the palm trees and the bright Gold Coast sun, a Bond University graduate drops a line of advice that sounds almost too simple to be real. Say yes to everything. Not in a hustle-culture way. More in a deeply human way. The kind of yes that feels awkward. The kind of yes that makes your stomach flip. The kind of yes that stops you from hiding in your room and instead pulls you into...

In this episode, Ruby takes us through the moments that shaped her decision to study marine science in Tasmania. The careers expo poster that caught her eye. The legendary Maria Island Experience that helped put UTAS on the map for her (even though she applied three times and never got in). The serious comparison between James Cook University and UTAS, and why she ultimately chose to come south, n...

Should you take a gap year after high school? It’s a question thousands of students ask every year, and the answer isn’t always clear. In this podcast, Rob Malicki from Choosing Your Uni breaks down the real reasons to take a gap year (and the times you probably shouldn’t). We cover: ✔ Why friends, independence, and travel can make a gap year life-changing ✔ Why you don’t have to fear “missing out...

When Aavash left Kathmandu, Nepal for Australia, he wasn’t just chasing a degree—he was chasing a feeling of home. In this conversation, he shares how Toowoomba’s crisp winters and breezy summers drew him to the University of Southern Queensland, and how a love of coding and community is shaping his future. Highlights from our chat: Why USQ stood out – From its top-400 world ranking to Australian...

When Anita Van Rooyen tells you she used to be cripplingly shy, it’s hard to believe. Today she’s a dynamo of confidence—helping students everywhere discover their own courage and voice. I met Anita at a conference and was instantly struck by her energy. In this conversation she shares the turning points that took her from saying “no” to everything to becoming a sought-after coach transforming stu...

Blue skies, budding trees and the buzz of Open Day set the scene as Rob chats with two students—both coincidentally named Maddy—who are thriving at the University of Notre Dame, Sydney. Madi, a Bachelor of Arts student diving deep into philosophy and history, reveals how a teenage curiosity about “jobs for antisocial people” led her to archiving and, eventually, a love of big questions and academi...

What happens when life doesn’t go according to the script? For Dani and Amy, two student ambassadors at Southern Cross University, the answer is resilience, discovery, and finding purpose in unexpected places. In this episode, Rob sits down with Dani and Amy on the Gold Coast campus to hear their raw and inspiring journeys through uni. Dani’s story is one of second chances: after years in sales an...

Picture this: the sandstone arches of Sydney Uni’s quadrangle are buzzing with students, the spring air is alive with chatter, and tucked away in a booth Rob sits down with Steph from the Student Life team. Most people think of clubs, societies, and late-night study sessions when they imagine uni life. But behind the scenes, there’s a whole world of support that can make or break a student’s exper...

What does it take to thrive in one of the fastest-growing and most in-demand fields in the world? In this episode of the Choosing Your Uni podcast, Rob Malicki heads to Perth’s Edith Cowan University to uncover the answer with Elliott, a current student of the Bachelor of Cybercrime, Security and Intelligence . Elliott’s story is as global as it is inspiring — with roots in Spain, Italy and Englan...

When MJ arrived at the University of New South Wales, she was full of optimism—and a touch of nerves. Like many new students, she wondered: How do I actually make friends here? (Spoiler alert: it wasn’t during lectures). In this refreshingly honest and insightful conversation, MJ joins Rob to share the ups and downs of her uni experience so far, from the awkward first weeks to finding her groove t...

From a small town in the Snowy Valleys to the bustling streets of Bangkok, students Gabbi and Lina took very different journeys to arrive at the University of Canberra — but they both found a place they could call home. In this episode, Rob heads to campus in Canberra to chat with two students — one current, one a recent graduate — about what it’s really like to study at UC. The conversation cover...

When Belle started at ANU, she was studying law. Today, she’s teaching a subject that once inspired her to switch degrees — and writing a PhD on girlhood in French cinema. Sophie moved to Canberra from Maitland, chasing a degree that didn’t exist in her local options. She thought Canberra would be all politicians and puffer jackets. What she found instead was lifelong friends, embassy internships,...

In this episode of the Choosing Your Uni podcast, Rob sits down with Georgia, a uni student currently studying a Bachelor of International Development. But what makes this conversation special is that Georgia isn't in Australia at time of recording: she's in Fiji... as part of her international development degree! International Dev is a fascinating study area that opens up lots of doors. F...

What’s it really like to live on campus when you start uni? Here’s what no one tells you. From the outside, living on campus might sound like something out of a movie — instant friendships, packed social calendars, and everything you need right at your doorstep. But what’s the reality? In this episode of the Choosing Your Uni podcast, Rob Malicki chats with Mackenzie, a university student and resi...

From no passport to the Pacific: Mikey Dyer’s global journey in environmental science What if your career took you further than you ever imagined? In this inspiring episode of the Choosing Your Uni podcast, Rob Malicki sits down with Mikey Dyer — a University of South Australia graduate whose Bachelor of Environmental Science degree set him on a path from local fieldwork to international climate p...

Medicine sounds prestigious — but is it worth the grind? In this episode of the Choosing Your Uni podcast, Rob Malicki heads to Notre Dame’s Sydney campus to chat with Altamash and James, two current medical students, about what it’s actually like behind the scenes of a medical degree. Together, they unpack the highs, lows, and unexpected lessons of studying medicine — from imposter syndrome and l...

What makes someone leave Tassie for a uni on the mainland—and fall completely in love with campus life? In this episode, Rob chats with Tom, a final-year Bachelor of Arts/Master of Teaching student at Deakin, about his move to Melbourne, his surprising academic discoveries, and what makes Deakin’s Burwood campus truly special. Tom opens up about: Settling into Deakin’s leafy campus (and how the vi...

When I first heard someone mention QUT You , I thought, “That sounds interesting…” But nothing prepared me for what I’d find when I looked into it. In this episode, I chat with Professor Gene Moyle—psychologist, former ballerina, and now the driving force behind one of the most exciting innovations I’ve seen in higher education in a long time. QUT You is a brand-new part of every undergraduate deg...

What if your uni campus was the launchpad for your startup dream? At UNSW, it just might be. In this episode, Rob and Marine dive into the world of student entrepreneurship with Victoria from UNSW Founders, exploring how students—from first-years with curiosity to founders ready to scale—can access funding, coaching, maker spaces and mentorship to bring their ideas to life. From female-led innovat...

What would make you turn down $80,000 in scholarships? For Arlene Janse van Rensburg, it came down to long-term thinking, personal values, and a university that offered more than just prestige. In this episode, Rob chats with Arlene about why she chose actuarial science at Curtin University over better-funded alternatives - and how that decision opened doors she never expected. From scoring four i...

What happens when you switch degrees, change universities, and say yes to studying in Rome—all within a couple of years? In this episode, Rob Malicki chats with Melina, a second-year nursing student at ACU’s Blacktown campus, about the power of following your gut, embracing change, and discovering your purpose along the way. Melina opens up about her unconventional path into nursing, why she chose...