Frequently Asked Questions 
Click on the questions below to be taken to the relevant section.
- What is SUPRA?
- How do I sign up to be a SUPRA Subscriber?
- What are the benefits of Subscribing?
- Why do you need my personal details?
- What's the catch?
- When does my subscription expire?
- Why should I become a SUPRA Supporter?
- How much does it cost?
- Why should I pay?
- What happens if I choose to remain a Constituent?
- More Questions?
SUPRA is the postgraduate student organisation at The University of Sydney run by postgrads for postgrads. SUPRA represents the interests of all postgraduates within the University. All postgraduates at Sydney University are Constituents of SUPRA and can look to us for assistance with any issues that may confront them - both academically and personally - during the course of their candidature. For more information click here.
With the introduction of Voluntary Student Unionism in July 2006, SUPRA has had to significantly change the way we engage with postgraduate students. Under changes to our Constitution we now have three options available to students:
All candidates for a postgraduate degree, postgraduate diploma, or postgraduate certificate within the University of Sydney are SUPRA Constituents.
SUPRA Subscribers are SUPRA Constituents who choose to become Subscribers by providing their contact details to SUPRA or a third party acting on behalf of SUPRA for this purpose.
SUPRA Supporters are Subscribers who choose to contribute financially to the Association in a given calendar year.
How do I sign up to be a SUPRA Subscriber?
Subscription is easy – you simply fill in the details on our website here or fill in a form at O-week, enrolment, inductions or by dropping into the SUPRA Office. There is no cost involved. Don’t forget to tick the box indicating you wish to Subscribe!
What are the benefits of Subscribing?
By becoming a SUPRA Subscriber you will be able to:
Access our free, confidential student advice and advocacy service
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Participate in SUPRA events and activities
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Receive regular email updates and electronic publications including SUPRA’s weekly email bulletin eGrad
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Use the SUPRA Resource and Meeting Rooms
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Vote in and run for the SUPRA Council
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Actively participate in your representative student association
Why do you need my personal details?
We need your personal details so we can advise you of information and events relevant to postgraduate students. By providing the optional details it allows us to better tailor the information sent.
All information provided is kept only for the purposes of SUPRA in accordance with the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 and will not be distributed to outside organisations.
There is no catch. By becoming a Subscriber you will be eligible to access the services, events, activities and resources offered by the Association the same as prior to the introduction of VSU at no cost.
When does my Subscription expire?
Under the current system your subscription will last for the length of your study or until you tell us you no longer wish to be a subscriber.
Why should I become a SUPRA Supporter?
By becoming a Supporter you will ensure an ongoing independent voice for postgraduate students at the University of Sydney and show the Rudd Government that you are against VSU.
SUPRA Supporters will also receive a SUPRA Supporter Welcome Pack which includes merchandise and lots of information about how to get involved with SUPRA and your postgraduate community.
Any amount between $20 and $80 will make a difference to the financial security of the Association. Given the voluntary nature of the payment and the fact that the incomes of postgraduate students vary so greatly we have decided to allow students to choose the amount they wish to contribute within this range. Therefore we encourage you to pay as much as you can afford.
If you oppose the introduction of VSU we recommend you pay $80, as this was the amount of money all postgrad students paid pre-VSU. If you object to VSU and don’t support the Rudd Government’s agenda then $80 is the amount for you.
Before the introduction of voluntary student unionism every postgraduate student at the University of Sydney contributed $80 to SUPRA each year. This ensured that the representation, advice and advocacy services offered by SUPRA were available for the benefit of all students.
Now that VSU has been introduced our future is uncertain. We have managed to secure assistance from the University for 2007 but no commitment has been made beyond this.
By becoming a SUPRA Supporter and making a financial contribution to the Association, as all students did in the years before, you will help to ensure SUPRA’s long-term survival.
What happens if I choose to remain a Constituent?
All SUPRA Constituents will be provided with notice of elections and general meetings and be given the opportunity to participate in these processes by becoming a SUPRA Subscriber. You can become a SUPRA Subscriber at any time during your period of study and always have the option to ‘opt-out’ available.
If you require any more information or have any questions please contact admin@supra.usyd.edu.au or 9351 3715.
