On track: Uni journey begins for first-years
About 14,000 new students from across Queensland and beyond will start their QUT journey this week, with the university hosting orientation and social events during its 2026 Welcome Week at Gardens Point and Kelvin Grove campuses.
While many of the new students will be going to uni in their home city, others will be moving hundreds or thousands of kilometres to Brisbane or commuting from around south-east Queensland – or studying partially or entirely online.
For 18-year-old Portia Gould (pictured at top of page and below), starting university means a big commute from her Sunshine Coast home to Gardens Point campus in the Brisbane CBD.
She has enrolled in a Bachelor of Architectural Design / Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) – a five-and-half-year double degree – after graduating from Chancellor State College at Sippy Downs last year.
“I have decided to commute to uni from the Sunshine Coast by train, but the trip is nearly two hours so I’m planning to move to Brisbane half-way through my studies,” Portia said.
“Luckily, I got my preferred timetable and I’ve been able to fit everything into two back-to-back days on campus, plus an online lecture on Fridays.
“I’m really excited to meet new people, make friends, and make the most of the opportunities that will open up.
“I want to get back into a routine, have something to work towards, and learn again.”
Portia’s decision to put QUT at the top of her QTAC preferences was influenced by the university’s strong reputation for practical, handson learning and her experience at the on-campus Future You Summit for Year 11s and 12s last year.
“When I was younger, I always wanted to be an architect due to a passion for designing, art, and interior design,” she said.
“At the Future You Summit, I met new people and got to experience what university is like – it really opened up my eyes up to engineering, and I knew QUT was the place I wanted to go.
“During Welcome Week, I'll be attending the Welcome to Architecture and Welcome to Engineering sessions and the Future You Summit coffee catch up … and hopefully meeting people who will be in my classes.”
Welcome Week will feature a packed program at Gardens Point and Kelvin Grove campuses, including:
- orientation sessions for all courses
- information stalls on student clubs and societies
- live entertainment
- coffee catch-ups and bubble tea catch-ups
- meet Aussie animals
- Beat Saber competition
The QUT School of Creative Arts, QUT’s Vermilion Records and Brisbane City Councillor Seal Chong Wah will also host a Sunset Session in McCaskie Park at Kelvin Grove on February 19 (4pm to 7pm) with free music and short films.
The university has held a series of orientation events over the past few weeks for regional and remote students and international students to help them settle into university and life in Brisbane and get to know the Gardens Point and Kelvin Grove campuses.
QUT’s Oodgeroo Unit also hosted its popular five-day Pre-Orientation Program (POP) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students last week.
After this week’s final orientation activities, Semester 1 classes will kick off on February 23.
The QUT Guild will celebrate the start of the uni year with the QUT Guild 2026 Block Party on the sport courts at Gardens Point on February 26 with a stacked lineup of live music, dance performances and immersive activations from 4pm to 8pm.
QUT Media contacts:
- Mechelle McMahon, media@qut.edu.au
- After hours, 0407 585 901 or media@qut.edu.au
