Whether you’re after adventure and new experiences, making friends and meeting new people, or if you just want to indulge in something you love, while making friends along the way, explore your options from the wide range of extra-curricular activities available to you.
You can express your creative side or play social sport; find spiritual enlightenment or experience the great outdoors; build on what your studying or air your opinions with like-minded people. There are so many ways to make new friends at uni – and many of the friends you make now will be friends for life!
Making Friends
The RMIT Kirrip community helps you connect with other students, explore Melbourne and talk about the things that matter to you. 'Kirrip’ means ‘friend’ in the Woiwurrung and Boonwurrung languages of the Eastern Kulin Nation, the Traditional Owners of Naarm (Melbourne).
Meeting new people can be weird and kind of awkward sometimes, so RMIT Kirrip is designed to help you ease in. Our leaders (Kirrip Stewards) span the social spectrum from introvert to extrovert, so whether you are shy and need a hand to find your flock or want to be directed to communities who share your interests or hobbies, there’s something for everyone.
RUSU is rightfully famous for our amazing events! From Welcome Bash to End of Exams, they are the HOT ticket on campus. Sadly, our events took a back seat in 2020, thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. But we are gradually making a comeback! And we will bringing you incredible events on campus again, as soon as it's safe for us to do so. In the meantime, look out for our smaller, more intimate RUSU events (for 50-100 people), as well as online activities such as quiz nights.
Follow RUSU on social media to keep ahead of what's happening, or keep our Eventbrite page in your favourites list so you know about everything that's happening!
Volunteering gives you a chance to develop new skills and socialise with fellow students as you gain practical experience in a supported environment. Take a chance to do something different as you expand your social and professional networks. All skills developed through volunteering can assist you in preparing for paid work outside of uni – win, win!
RUSU trains volunteers across our Compass welfare drop-in, admin offices, activities and events, student rights, healthy breakfasts, Realfoods cafe and the Sustainability Department’s Grow Team that helps maintain our Edible Gardens. As a RUSU Volunteer, you’ll get access to:
Accredited training related to your volunteer role, such as RSA, Food Safety and Youth Mental Health First Aid.
Supervision and support from RUSU staff.
Professional and leadership development opportunities.
Social activities and events just for RUSU Volunteers.
Recognition on your RMIT transcript and a certificate if you complete at least 15 hours of volunteer work with RUSU.
There are also a range of RMIT endorsed volunteering opportunities available, including academic mentoring, Student Staff Consultative Committee representatives, Student Ambassadors, Mates at RMIT, and many more.
Following your interests is a great way to meet new people. Through our clubs, you will meet people who share the same interests as you, and if you are exploring new interests for the first time, you may even pick up some skills along the way! There are so many different clubs at RMIT, so whether your interests are academic, cultural, spiritual, or sporty, we've definitely got the club for you. Whats more, if you can't find something you really like, you can even start a club of your own!
Academic & Industry Clubs
RUSU has over 60 Academic and Industry Clubs, with a wide array of subject areas, from Technology, Science, Business and Humanities.
Starting or maintaining a creative club or collective is an additional opportunity at the university for students to engage in a creative network, and to develop their creative ideas.
RUSU has several spiritual clubs that focus on many different aspects of the spiritual experience, from social life to spiritual wellbeing. Take a look at what's on offer.
RMIT Sport Clubs play anywhere! On the field, in the water, on the court and in the great outdoors. You will find fun, friendship, and fresh air, while staying fit and healthy. Win!
RMIT's Media Collective has been running since late 2019. The Media Collective is a brand new co-working and training space for three RMIT student and youth media organisations: SYN Radio, Catalyst Magazine, and RMITV. This shared space houses an independent community of young media-makers sharing resources, spaces and knowledge. The Media Collective is located in Building 12, Level 3.
This Collective space provides the opportunity for these organisations to thrive and equip their volunteers with all the necessary skills to work and lead in media industries of the future. If you’re interested in media, and would like to meet friends, enhance your skills, and broaden your networks, sign up to volunteer at the media collective today.
SYN is a media organisation run by a community of young people that provides broadcasting and training opportunities for young Australians. We believe young people should be creators, not just consumers of media. Here's what student's say about SYN:
"SYN is a home, filled with incredible people that have become some of my closest friends. It allows me to do things I never knew I could, things I enjoy doing more than anything else."
"SYN is an incredible organisation that gives access and opportunity for young people to make media content that they know and love. It matters to me because I love being involved in a community that shares the same values as myself, while also allowing myself to make radio content that has a place in the Melbourne, Australian and international music scene."
"SYN matters to me because it has supported me to go ahead with my radio show, which is teaching me so much, giving me a voice, and allowing me to give others a voice. Presenting on SYN has given me something to be extremely proud of."
Catalyst is RMIT’s very own student magazine, and has been in print since 1944. Run exclusively by an editorial team of elected student representatives, Catalyst focuses on creative writing, high quality journalism, news, photography, and the arts, as well as producing digital content.
Catalyst loves volunteers, and whether you wish to contribute to the content of the magazine, sit on the editorial board, or work in design and production, Catalyst would love to hear from you.
“Working as the 2019 Catalyst News Editor has complemented and extended my studies in journalism at RMIT. Being able to put theory into practice and write pieces for publication in the magazine has been a rewarding and challenging experience. “
“Catalyst has provided me with the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded students and gain invaluable industry experience in media and print. Nothing ever competes with the feeling of opening up a newly-published Catalyst magazine and seeing your printed piece, ready to be shared with the RMIT community and beyond.”
RMITV is RMIT University’s student-run television production house. RMITV produces content for both online and broadcast platforms. The majority of content is broadcast on C31 Melbourne and Geelong (digital 44). RMITV provides hands-on television experience to RMIT students and members of the local community. Many ex-members have gone on to paid employment in the TV and AV industries.
Interested students and community members can run for election to the board of directors of Student Community Television Inc. at the Annual General Meeting. Keep an eye on the newsfeed for when and where this happens each year!
“RMITV has a long history of producers and practitioners moving into professional employment. Our alumni include Rove McManus (Roving Enterprises), Hamish and Andy (Fox FM), Shona Devlin (JTV – Triple J) and Andrew Tacon (Foxtel). We’ve also had crew members go on to work at the ABC, Network Ten, Videoworks, AusStage, Staging Connections and many more.”
“Crewing on an RMITV production will give you invaluable skills and experience, so go on and get involved!”
Everyone who shares an interest in arts and culture is invited to get involved with RMIT Creative! Get together with other students to explore your shared creative interests. Arts collectives are important in boosting the creative culture on campus and building a thriving community that will last beyond university.
Arts Collectives are student-run groups, that work across a wide range of art forms and areas of creative interest: such as music, craft, dance, the visual arts, design and creative writing. RMIT Creative supports collectives financially in addition to assisting in the development and promotion of their projects.
The Ngarara Willim Centre is a place for RMIT's First Nations People to get together, and to find support. Ngarara Willim means ‘gathering place’ in the language of the Wurundjeri, the traditional custodians of the land where RMIT stands. The centre supports and encourages First Nations students throughout their studies. Our staff can assist students to engage and re-engage with education, and the centre offers ongoing guidance with study, living and cultural needs. Join the Ngarara Willim Centre community where we challenge you to reach your potential.
RUSU has been an active voice for more video games on campus and games rooms on campus, as a means of rest and relaxation for our students. You can access game controllers and play your mates, or try your hand at poker or board games.
Studying at the City campus? The Melbourne City Baths is RMIT’s city campus fitness centre and has you covered with its special Active Melbourne RMIT student membership, right across the road on Swanston St. Sign up for unlimited gym access, group fitness classes, access to pool, spa, sauna and more!
RMIT Sports Centre has a huge range of facilities available, from gym equipment to sporting courts, to personal training. For students based in Bundoora, this amazing facility is well worth joining.
If you are not ready or willing to commit to a full sports team, you can join in RMIT social sports, which allow you to drop in and out of sessions, depending on your schedule. There are lots of things to try, from yoga and fitness classes, to social cycling, to street cricket or volleyball.
RMIT has been running free fitness and dance classes for a few years now, and they are a great way to get fit, have fun, and learn new skills. While all in-person classes are currently paused, classes are still going strong online! So you can learn to dance in your own home, before you wow the crowds on the dance floor when things open back up!
If you aren't so into fitness, how about a quick game of frisbee or hacky sack on the lawn? Or there's pool tables and giant Connect 4, too. Find your favourites for when you need a study break!
