Deciding to attend university at any point in life can be daunting. Whether you’re straight out of high school, returning from a gap year, or a mature age student. 

Mature age students are anyone who begins their uni journey with us at any age after 21. Generally mature age students are not recent Year 12 graduates and therefore admission criteria can look a little different.  

If you are exploring university as a mature age student, we have the ultimate guide to help you navigate the application process, everything you need to know about fees and what you can expect in your first year at Charles Sturt.  

We know how daunting it can be to start from scratch and to leave your old career behind. We also know sometimes you need a little encouragement or to hear from someone who has actually done it. That’s why we spoke to a past Charles Sturt student who took the step towards his dream career in teaching as a mature age student.  

Meet Jason 

Jason Hollard owned a screen-printing business alongside his wife, Mandy, for fifteen years before he decided to make a career change to teaching and attend university at 38 years old. While raising two very sport orientated boys, Jason was also an off-field assistant coach for an Aussie rules football team. He recalls it was in this role where he found a love for leading and teaching.  

I was starting to get really positive feedback from mums in particular about the positive influence that I was having on their sons. I guess I was looking for a fulfilling occupation, and I thought that being a mature age, male teacher would give me a platform to continue to give children both a consistent, respectful and fun education and guidance with high values and morals.” 

The journey to uni 

Jason never expected he would end up in university. While attending boarding school in Melbourne, Jason says his dedication to cricket and football came before studying. Once he decided to sell his business, he started to explore uni degrees. That’s when he decided a Bachelor of Education (Early childhood and Primary) would provide him with a fulfilling career that he was searching for.  

Being local to the area meant it was a no-brainer for Jason to attend our Albury campus. But the glowing recommendations and experiences of his peers were the deciding factors for him.  

The fact that Charles Sturt was situated in Albury was a positive, but so was the feedback from friends in regards to the positive experience they were having at the campus.” 

Uni as a mature age student  

Jason thought applying was easy, and allowed him to present the reasons that he wanted to enrol in the degree. 

He admitted that when he first started classes, he felt a little overwhelmed.  It had been exactly two decades since he completed his VCE. He found his computer knowledge and understanding of the language used in the syllabus and assessment requirements was lacking. Jason vividly recalls the help he received from a guest lecturer in his first weeks at uni.  

She basically asked me what my story was, and I told her. She spent approximately 20 minutes discussing the need to plan my time, to use rubrics for my assessments and although she didn’t know me – that male schoolteachers were important. It resonated and inspired me to finish my degree to help make a positive difference in education. That chat changed my mindset from thinking that I had gone in way too deep, to knowing that there was support for me if I ever required it.”

A week in Jason’s world  

Jason shared with us what a week in his life looked like while studying, owning a business and raising a family. 

The honest truth was that I was able to be selfish and do what I needed to do and be where I needed to be because Mandy was the backbone to whatever else needed to happen at that time. We, together, had a bigger picture in mind for our family for the time after we sold our business. When that would be was unknown. There were some extremely busy weeks. 

I would regularly be up at five o’clock to either start work if I had university throughout the day, to get some hours back, or to work on assessments or presentations. Footy was three nights a week and then Saturdays, with the boys’ football on Sundays. Planning my time was the best advice that I ever got. I mapped out my time a fortnight ahead, as it allowed us all to know where I needed to be.

I always placed the due date of assessments a week prior to their due date. It gave me some breathing space if life got too busy.”

How to balance studying with life 

Jason gives a lot of credit to his family, especially his wife, for the support he received while completing his degree. This support allowed him to balance all his commitments, while also getting the course done.  

The course did allow a life balance. You get into a routine, and so long as you are organised, it gets into a rhythm. There was a purpose to what I was doing, so the fact the result was meaningful meant that the process to get there was what it had to be.” 

He admitted that as his schedule picked up and he knuckled down on uni work, he was not as available as he once was. Jason says there wasn’t going to anything that stopped him from being there for his family when they needed him.  

Life certainly got busy, but nothing worthwhile is achieved without some sacrifices.”

Jason’s life since uni  

Jason graduated from Charles Sturt at 41 and quickly stepped into a teaching role at a local primary school in Albury.  

I have felt completely fulfilled in my role as a primary school teacher. My pedagogy is based around relationships. Students may not remember everything that you teach them, but they will always remember how you made them feel. To know that you have treated every child equally, with care and compassion, with belief and have invested in their holistic development means that you make a positive impact on their daily life is a rewarding feeling.”  

Jason reflected on his decision to complete his degree in teaching and how being a mature age student felt.  

I had a purpose for completing it. This made the journey easier, as I had a focus. Maybe as an 18-year-old you attend university just because that’s the next step after high school, but as a mature age student – you have to make some sacrifices, and it affects others close to you, so you are there for a purpose.” 

Study with Charles Sturt  

If you have already been considering starting your uni journey, or maybe Jason’s story has inspired you, you aren’t alone. Many of our students are mature age students who balance work, family and life commitments with their studies.  

Not only will you connect with peers, but you can also speak with our support team at any time. We’re here to make your transition into uni as easy as possible! 

We also have plenty of short courses over a wide range of different subjects in case you aren’t ready to dive into a full degree.