Services funded by the Student Services Fee

The Student Services Fee that you pay helps cover the cost of providing a wide range of student services and facilities. You can find a full list of services supported with SSF funding in Appendix 1 of the Student Services Fee Procedure (PDF).

You can access the services and facilities supported by the SSF for free or at a heavily subsidised rate. The money raised by the SSF is used for daily running costs, staffing, and use of space for these services. It is also used to provide grants and services delivered through a contract with the students' association VUWSA.

We have estimated the percentage of the SSF that is allocated to seven different areas, as described below.

Student Services Fee funded services

• Advocacy and legal advice—7.0%
• Health services, counselling, and pastoral care—55.2%
• Career and employment guidance—7.3%
• Financial support and advice—4.0%
• Clubs, societies, sports, recreation, fitness, wellbeing, and cultural activities—24.4%
• Student media—1.0%
• Childcare services—1.1%

Advocacy and legal advice

We spend 7.0 percent of your Student Services Fee on advocacy and legal advice services.

• Our Tauira—Student Interest and Conflict Resolution team offers support for students when making complaints, appealing academic decisions, or resolving pastoral or accommodation issues.
• The SSF pays VUWSA to deliver an independent advocacy service to help students with academic or personal problems. VUWSA also offers training and support for class representatives and Faculty delegates.
• The SSF also supports and funds student representation and activities by Ngai Tauira, Postgraduate Students’ Association (PGSA) and Pasifika Students’ Council.

Health services, counselling, and pastoral care

We spend 55.2 percent of of your Student Services Fee on providing health services, counselling, and pastoral care.

• Our Mauri Ora—Student Health and Counselling service provides primary medical care, health education, and counselling services for students.
• Our Manawa Ora—Student Wellbeing team promotes wellbeing, and provides guidance on staying connected, resources, and workshops. The SSF also funds a Rainbow and Inclusion Adviser and a Refugee-background Student Adviser.
• Our Te Amaru—Disability Services assists students with temporary and ongoing impairments, so that they can fully engage and achieve in their studies.
• Our Awhina—Maori student support team offers specialised support and connections for our Maori tauira.
• Our Pasifika Student Success team provides our Pasifika students with tools and support services.
• The SSF also funds welfare services such as VUWSA’s community pantry delivery.

Career and employment guidance

We spend 7.3 percent of your Student Services Fee on career and employment guidance services.

• Te Ratonga Rapu Mahi—Careers and Employment connects students with employers, provides careers advice, runs career expos, and helps with CVs and job applications.
• The Careers and Employment team also delivers two programmes. The Wellington Plus Programme connects students with volunteering and leadership opportunities. The Alumni as Mentors programme connects final-year students with alumni who can help them transition into employment.

Financial support and advice

We use 4.0 percent of your Student Services Fee to provide financial support and advice.

• Our Student Finance team helps students with budgeting, StudyLink issues, and provides financial mentoring and advice.
• The Student Finance team also administers the Hardship Fund—an emergency fund to help students facing financial difficulties.

Clubs, societies, sports, recreation, fitness, wellbeing, and cultural activities

We spend 24.4 percent of your Student Services Fee on clubs and societies, sports, recreation, and fitness, student wellbeing, and cultural activities.

• The SSF helps support more than 130 political, cultural, sports, faith-based, and academic clubs and societies on campus. Clubs use facilities including the Hub, the Recreation Centre activity spaces, and meeting rooms across three University campuses.
• University Recreation offers an extensive range of fitness services, group exercise classes, and wellbeing initiatives. Students can use fitness spaces and facilities at Kelburn and Pipitea—these facilities can either be used for free or hired by members. Our Kelburn facility also includes a newly renovated functional training room and private amenities suitable for gender-diverse people.
• Sports at University Recreation vary from casual to competitive. We offer on-campus social sports leagues, casual and 'just play' sessions, participation in tertiary sports tournaments (through University and Tertiary Sport New Zealand), and scholarships that support athletes.

Student media

We use 1.0 percent of your Student Services Fee to support student media.

• The SSF funds Salient, a weekly magazine produced entirely by students. It is published and circulated by VUWSA.

Childcare services

We use 1.1 percent of your Student Services Fee to support childcare services for students.

• The University Kids Wellington early childhood education service provides up to 77 full-time equivalent places for the children of our students.

You can find information on all of the student services and support available at our University on the Student services and support webpage.