U:PASS - Peer Learning That Works

Struggling with a tough subject? You’re not alone — and you don’t have to go it alone.
U:PASS (UTS Peer Assisted Study Success) is a free, peer-led learning program designed to support students in subjects that are historically challenging. Whether you're aiming to boost your grades, build confidence, or just stay on top of your coursework, U:PASS can help. We are part of HELPS, which provides English and academic support to all UTS students. 

Why join a U:PASS session? 

U:PASS is different from lectures and tutorials. It’s:

  • Peer-led: Sessions are run by experienced students (U:PASS Leaders) who’ve successfully completed the subject. U:PASS leaders are flexible and responsive to students' abilities and needs.
  • Collaborative: Learn with and from your peers in a relaxed, informal setting. U:PASS is your chance to ask questions without feeling embarrassed!
  • Effective: Students often say one hour of U:PASS equals several hours of solo study.

Essentially, we try to promote a deeper understanding through active learning and engagement with the course material.  We’re proud of the real difference U:PASS has made to student learning and development at UTS. Find out more about our expectations of you, background and philosophy. 

What you'll gain

We’ve found students can benefit in a range of ways from the U:PASS program, including:

  • Better grades
  • A deeper understanding of subject content
  • Study strategies tailored to your course and improved learning techniques
  • Confidence to ask questions and engage
  • Improved communication skills
  • Access to practice questions, exam prep and other resources
  • New friendships and a supportive learning community

Who can join? 

U:PASS targets high-risk subjects, not students - so anyone enrolled in a supported subject is welcome. Whether you're struggling or striving for a distinction, U:PASS is for you.

Watch some U:PASS leaders and academics talk about U:PASS below. 

For feedback, comments or questions, send us an email.

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Transcript

[Upbeat music plays]

MERLYN: It’s a group study session, but it’s led by a student who has done the subject and gone well in the subject before.

STEVEN: U:PASS is facilitated learning. It’s not a tutorial, it’s not a lecture.

RAZIA: Our aim in U:PASS is to help you become an independent learner, rather than feeding you the answers all the time.

DR LES KIRKUP: Students that have achieved and are able to communicate and have a view of the subject and have been through it are on the same wavelength and appreciate the challenges. So this is quite a different dynamic from an academic.

MERLYN: The best thing it offers is a really comfortable environment to learn.

MERLYN: It also offers an opportunity to interact with other students and peers in a way we wouldn’t in a normal tutorial.

ETHAN: Meeting friends, interacting with people in your course, helping each other with problems or difficulties.

[On-screen text: HOW IS U:PASS DIFFERENT FROM A LECTURE, LAB OR TUTORIAL?]

DR JULIA PRIOR: Because the leader of that class is not involved in the student’s assessment in any way, I think it probably creates a different kind of environment for students to ask questions and to grapple with things.

STEVEN: It’s not passive learning. You’re not sitting there with somebody dictating to you. You’re playing a big part in your own learning experience.

MERLYN: No one is there to, I guess, be better than you. It’s not really a competitive atmosphere.

STEVEN: It’s so much fun and so informal that people don’t feel like they’re actually studying, whereas in a tutorial it’s more structured.

DR LES KIRKUP: It’s very much a complementary thing. It’s not trying to replace what the academics do, and certainly academics can’t replace U:PASS. I think both have got very positive things to contribute.

[On-screen text: WHO SHOULD ATTEND U:PASS SESSIONS?]

STEVEN: It’s beneficial for any student, from ones who are feeling like they may not pass, to ones who are aiming to get 100%.

ETHAN: Anyone should attend that’s enrolled.

MERLYN: Anyone. You don’t have to be struggling.

[On-screen text: WHAT KIND OF STUDENT WORKS AS A U:PASS LEADER?]

RAZIA: These are students who have great interpersonal and communication skills. They’re also very involved and motivated, which helps them become a better leader. They’re also very empathetic and have the ability to help people.

DR LES KIRKUP: The way people have been prepared for this—the rigour, the care and attention to prepare people—is absolutely fantastic.

[On-screen text: WHAT HAPPENS DURING A U:PASS SESSION?]

MERLYN: We start off revising the previous week’s material.

ETHAN: It’s semi-structured, so you attend, you can do activities, games, worksheets—anything course related.

STEVEN: Tables of four to six people in little islands around the room, so you have your little session group that you collaborate with for the hour-long session.

ETHAN: U:PASS covers subjects through a range of faculties, primarily based in first year. If a student wants to find out more about that, the best way is to go onto the university website and check out U:PASS on there.

ETHAN: But if they still want to know more, they can go into the student centres, or talk to academics about it.

Join a U:PASS session here!

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