Studying science, engineering, technology and maths (STEM) at QUT opens a world of opportunities to achieve your full potential and forge a rewarding career.
Why study STEM at QUT?
Discovering how to improve lives by solving a range of real-world problems will be crucial in the
future. Many of the jobs of today were unheard of a decade ago: app developers, big data
analysts and sustainability engineers.
STEM careers provide the greatest opportunities to
succeed in the future.
No university is better placed to help you launch your STEM career
than Queensland’s only university of technology.
Why study STEM at QUT?
The fundamental underpinning of the skills you need for jobs of the future is STEM.
But did you know that there’s a secret formula to getting that great-paying, in-demand and stellar career that you’ll love? We call it STEM+X - where X is your passion, another field or a world-changing goal.
To help get you started on finding your perfect STEM+X combo, we’ve created a 60-page STEM+X guide in partnership with Careers with STEM.
Think about the future. What issues do we need to address, as a society, to ensure longevity? Climate change. Water scarcity. Food shortages. Species extinction. Affordable housing. With a predicted 75 per cent of future occupations needing STEM literacy, it means that a skilled STEM workforce is central to addressing these complex issues now and into the future.
Science and Advanced Science
Understand and tackle the greatest challenges facing our world and its future.
Lauren Blackwell, Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Science student
Double your career opportunities
A double degree can help you develop a portfolio of skills and capabilities so you will be flexible, prepared for change and able to maximise your career opportunities. Create your own specialist career niche by combining your STEM degree with a complementary study area that interests you.
The Careers with STEM Job Kits are free 8-page e-mags you can download, offering a complete introduction to individual STEM careers.
Discover what a job in STEM is all about, meet real people working in the field, and find out what you can do right now to set your career on the right path.
Tune in to hear from a great line-up of guest alumni from around the world, sharing their stories about the paths they’ve taken to get where they are in their STEM careers. Hosted by QUT STEM graduate, Mackenzi Oliver, these episodes will help you find your inspiration for a STEM career.
QUT alumnus Dr Abigail Allwood is at the cutting-edge of space exploration
Women in STEM
With only one in four STEM workers being women, we recognise the importance of supporting and celebrating women pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and maths.
We're tackling this gender divide through a number of programs and initiatives, including #STEMtheTide.
Libby Hogarth is a passionate urban planner with a focus on inclusive and meaningful spaces. Libby uncovers the varied range of projects which use the expertise of urban planners to become the best possible developments for all users.
In celebration of International Women’s Day, QUT's Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Margaret Sheil sat down for an interview with Minister Karen Andrews, Australia’s Minister for Industry, Science and Technology.
Donald Piggott-McKellar is an Associate Director at Forge Advisory, and one of the minds behind the evolving infrastructure of Brisbane for over 10 years.
Dr Naomi Paxton explains what biofabrication is, the importance of being in a supportive and diverse team and how she made the leap from physics to biomanufacturing.
You’ve got ideas that can help shape the world? Our courses will give you the tools, equipment and technology to bring your concepts to life.
We're Queensland’s only university of technology - future-focused and always exploring emerging disciplines and equipment. We'll help you push the boundaries of scientific development using cutting-edge facilities housed in our specialist precincts, labs and workspaces.
Our researchers work in key STEM areas, aiming to solve some of the major challenges facing society and the planet, including:
sustainable development and climate change
energy and food security
an ageing population and chronic disease
information dissemination and security.
Many of these leading researchers will be your lecturers. Their experience, passion and knowledge will be shared with you as part of your studies. They will inspire you to reach your potential and exceed your goals.
Naomi Paxton
"Combining polymer science and engineering innovations in biofabrication research has the potential to revolutionise how we treat tissue loss and improve the quality of care for patients."
Mardi McNeil
QUT PhD student Mardi McNeil was part of a team carrying out the first ever assessment of how a particular type of green macroalgae, Halimeda, affects the marine ecosystem in the Great Barrier Reef.
Evangeline Corcoran
"A highlight of my PhD studies so far is publishing my first lead author paper and receiving international honours as a ‘Woman to Watch’ in the drone industry for my role in researching the use of drones, thermal imaging and machine learning to monitor threatened wildlife."
Scholarships
We recognise the achievements and potential of our students, and encourage you to apply for our scholarships, bursaries and development programs. Scholarships offer both financial support and a wealth of invaluable experience. They can help shape and support your time at university. All you need to do is apply.
Vanessa and Riva are both recipients of the prestigious Westpac Young Technologists Scholarship. Only five universities across Australia offer this $15,000 scholarship. The scholarship includes a personalised enrichment program, giving you access to paid internships, inspiring mentors and an international leadership development experience, and membership of the Westpac 100 Scholars Network.
Brody Foy, a QUT mathematics graduate and past Dean’s Scholar and Rhodes Scholar, is using his PhD to apply his maths skills to computational biology. Specifically, lung function testing. Brody has also co-founded a non-profit consultancy that uses data analytics and machine learning to solve problems in healthcare, energy and social services.
Saskia Mathers
Saskia Mathers, a current Deans Scholar and computer software systems engineering student, is a Women in Engineering scholarship recipient and past president of Women in Technology (WiT) at QUT. Saskia has used her experiences in the program to build networks with sponsors and combine her leadership experiences and passion for STEM.
Are you an international student?
Discover more about studying with us as an international student. Find out how to apply, information about scholarships and pathway programs, and what student life is like at QUT.
A common misconception about university is that you have to do it ‘on your own’. You’ll be relieved to know that QUT offers many opportunities to get involved, make new friends, and receive proactive and timely support services to help you succeed.
Join a range of student-led projects and clubs: QUT Aerospace, QUT Construct, Girls in Engineering Making Statements, QUT Maths Society, QUT Motorsport, QUT Planning Student Association, Women in Science, and QUT Women in Technology are just some.
Why wait until you graduate to create your business, social enterprise or side hustle? QUT Entrepreneurship is the perfect place to collaborate, network and share ideas with fellow budding entrepreneurs and like-minded students from across the university.
The Oodgeroo Unit is QUT's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student success unit, providing admission pathways, dedicated study spaces, tutors, cultural support and scholarships for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
News
8th December 2020
Year 12s will get an early Christmas present on December 19 when they unbox their ATAR and find a clearer picture of what uni courses they can get into in 2021.
For some, it will confirm course choices they’ve already made. For others, it will mean new decisions.
Queensland ATARs (Australian Tertiary Admission Ranks) are released at 9am on December 19, and recipients have until noon on December 21 to change their preferences in time for the December 23 offer round. (The next round of offers will then be on January 14, with a January 7 closing date for change of preferences.)
Just hours after ATARs are released, QUT students will be online to answer Year 12 graduates’ last-minute questions about courses and uni life as part of the university’s Real Decisions online information event on December 19.
The sessions are suitable for anyone considering bachelor degree study at QUT next year. The online nature of this year’s event makes it easily accessible for regional and interstate students too.
The Q&A session will feature current QUT students who are already studying business, creative industries, education, health, law, science and engineering.
Cain Varoy is one of the students who will be online ready to help others.
Cain Varoy will be one of the students online to answer questions about uni life.
“Initially I chose a double degree in law and IT because I couldn't pick between the two,” he said.
“My plan was to drop one after a year once I had figured out which I preferred. However, I now realise I love them both and there are so many ways I can combine my two passions that I never considered before.
“IT is such a versatile degree that is applicable to any industry, but particularly law. There are so many issues with access to justice that I think can be solved by incorporating technology more effectively within the legal industry. Legal tech is also a very large growth area within law at the moment and I am so excited to enter this space. I would recommend a double degree to anyone who is unsure of what they want to do or has multiple passions they want to pursue.”
Cain also knows what it’s like to have to move to go to uni.
He relocated from Townsville to Brisbane to study at QUT and is keen to chat with students from regional Queensland during the Real Decisions Q&A.
“I had never been to Brisbane before I moved here for uni and my first day on campus was my first day of class!” Cain said.
“But Orientation Week made it very easy for me to settle in and make friends and there were so many more people in similar situations to me than I expected.
“I am so glad I chose to make the move and it was not nearly as hard as I thought it would be.
“Earning money and finding work is definitely what I was most concerned about before moving. However, QUT is very flexible in terms of scheduling classes and I was able to easily find a job and work enough hours per week to support myself while also studying full time.
“My biggest tip for people moving to Brisbane is to research beforehand as there are many kinds of scholarships, bursaries and allowances available to students from regional areas.”
Cain was awarded a Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship (now called a QUT Excellence Scholarship) after he was accepted into QUT, thanks to his impressive school results at Townsville Grammar and his OP 1.
He said he had particularly enjoyed the practical elements of his double degree during his first three years.
Cain studies at QUT's Gardens Point campus in the Brisbane CBD.
“I work on practical exercises and projects on a weekly basis as part of my IT degree … Almost every single assignment involves creating something, whether it's a website, an app or a database,” he said.
“By the time I graduate I will have a giant portfolio of things I have done that I will be able to show to employers.
“And as part of my law degree, we are always encouraged to get as much exposure to the industry as possible. My very first assessment piece was a scavenger hunt down George Street where I had to locate legal landmarks, watch an actual court case and learn about the history of the Brisbane Courts.
“The QUT Law Society (student club) also hosts a lot of networking nights with industry members, as well as events and competitions.
“Last year I was also sponsored to go to a conference in The Hague, Netherlands, about technology and the law. I learned so much about the links between my degrees and how I can combine them in the future. There were so many interesting sessions discussing how technology can be better incorporated into the legal industry including AI, coding for lawyers and blockchain technology.”
