New to Uni?

Christians at Uni is a friendly place to explore faith and meet people

Starting Fresh

Starting uni can be exciting — and a bit overwhelming. New people, new routines, new questions about who you are and what matters. If you’re exploring faith, or just curious about Christianity, you’re not alone.

At FedUni CU, we’re a group of students who meet to explore life and faith together. You don’t need to have it all figured out, and there’s no pressure to pretend you do.

Get Known as a Christian

The best tip ever: get known as a Christian from early on.

Not in an annoying way, but a natural way, like: “Just heading off to the Christian uni group at lunch time. I’ll join you another time.”

You can do this as you introduce friends: “We met at church”, or “we met at the Christian uni group.”

Getting known as a Christian is simple; everyone can do it. It starts your journey as an active believer at uni

unshakeable truth

uni-level exploration

unconditional community

unmissable presence

What to expect

Here’s what usually happens when you come along to something:

  • You’ll be greeted by friendly students (we remember what it’s like to be new!)
  • There’s time to chat, hang out, and get to know people
  • We might read a part of the Bible or hear a talk
  • You can listen, ask questions, or just observe — that’s completely fine

You won’t be put on the spot, asked to pray, or expected to sign up for anything. Many people come once or twice just to see what it’s like.

I’m an international student — is this for me?

Yes! Uni can feel especially unfamiliar if you’re new to Australia. We have a group especially for international students, and many also take part in our other meetings.

It’s a welcoming place to meet people, make friends, and explore Christianity alongside others. We aim to create spaces where you can feel at home and get connected at uni.

Arinola, Chemical Engineering (PhD)

I thought transitioning from a new country could be a little difficult, so I really wanted to find a group where I could identify with people on the basis of my faith.

You’re at uni for more than a degree

What if uni isn’t just about your degree, but discovering something bigger? Your plans, your future – they’re not meant to be detached from the one who made you.

Joining Ballarat CU is like finding solid ground. We’ll help you lift your eyes up from uni’s daily hustle to see Jesus, the one who gives meaning to it all.

Get Connected

Common Questions

Yes! Ballarat Christians @ Uni is affiliated with Federation University as an official club.

You’re very welcome to come – regardless of your experience of church or christians (or if you have no experience of church or ever met a Christian!). CU is a place to make friends and discover more about Jesus.

“I joined CU because they promised serious religious conversation and pizza. They delivered on both.” Thomas: Agnostic and studying Information Technology

That’s great! AFES groups aren’t trying to replace church. They bring Christian community and the Bible into the place where students spend much of their time — uni.
CU helps you think through what following Jesus looks like in lectures, friendships, and everyday student life. It’s also a natural place to invite classmates to explore Christianity in a familiar setting, alongside your involvement in a local church.

“I find the people really encouraging at Ballarat CU because no matter where I go throughout the University I’m always bound to find a CUer and it’s just really good to have someone with the same faith as you around for a chat.” Paige: Nursing

AFES stands for the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students. We’re a movement of student groups from across the country, associated with IFES (the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students).

We understand the pressures on uni students – exams, assignments, work, and more. It can be hard. We don’t want to overload your schedule, but we really do want you to make the most of your time at uni by exploring faith together with us. We run several events a week, mainly Tuesday nights but can meet during the day, on or off campus at a time that works for you. Just start off small. Perhaps there is just one event that you can make it to?
There are also opportunities to connect outside of semesters, including two weekend conferences and our midyear camp in June during the winter break, and NTE (our National Training Event) in December once your exams are over. 🙂

Totally valid question. There’s an increased awareness of questionable sects operating on university campuses and they have visited Fed Uni a number of times, and even tried recruiting a number of CUers. At CU, we’re NEVER okay with manipulating or coercing people. We are totally open to anyone asking questions and to their own further research. We don’t convince people to keep secrets from their parents or pastors or for students to give money to AFES staff. People are free to come and go as they please and we don’t claim to know everything. We strive for transparency: we openly name our beliefs, affiliations, leaders, churches that we attend and are affiliated with Federation University.