Social mentoring and connection for international students
The International Student Buddy Program is hosted by Griffith Mates from Week 1 to Week 4 during each trimester. Senior Buddies provide Junior Buddies (you!) with English language support, networking opportunities in small social group settings, and chances to explore highlights of your local city, helping you make a smooth transition to university life in Queensland. This program will be held at the Gold Coast and Brisbane South (Nathan) campuses, and participants will be encouraged to communicate and connect with fellow buddies in the program via dedicated Teams channels.
Join the Buddy Program with Griffith Mates
This a fantastic program for new international students who would like to receive peer-to-peer mentoring during your first four weeks at Griffith. You must be an international student, studying your full degree at Griffith University in your first trimester of study.
Please note: Registrations are essential to participate in this program.
What you will gain:
- Make new friends
- Learn about life in Australia
- Practice English and enjoy great conversations
- Access to a larger network of Senior and Junior Buddies
- Attend fun events and activities hosted by Griffith Mates
- Get advice and information from current Griffith University students
- Be part of a supportive network to guide you through the start of your university journey.
To participate as a Junior Buddy in the International Student Buddy program, you MUST:
- register for the program
- attend the Buddy Meet & Match event during O-Week
- be able to commit to weekly meetings with your buddy group through weeks 1-4.
The Trimester 1 2025 Buddy Meet and Match event will be held:
- Thursday 27 February 2025
- 11am - 12:30pm
- Gold Coast - for Gold Coast based students only
- Brisbane South (Nathan) - for Brisbane based students only (incl. Logan, Mt Gravatt, Nathan, and South Bank)
The registration form will open on Monday 3 February 2025 at 9am and will close on Wednesday 19 February 2025 at 5pm.
Buddy Program Event Schedule
We recommend attending at least 3 meetings or events with your buddy group to get the most out of the program.
O Week Program Launch
Buddy Meet & Match | Gold Coast and Brisbane South (Nathan)
Thursday 27 February, 2025
11am - 12:30pm
Gold Coast & Brisbane South (Nathan) campuses
Meet the Senior Buddies, share your interests and get matched with your new buddy group!
It is compulsory to attend this event to participate in the International Student Buddy Program. Room details will be sent directly to successful junior buddies.
Weeks 1 - 3
Following the O Week Buddy Meet and Match event, Senior and Junior Buddies are responsible for staying connected with each other to organise their own group activities or meet ups during weeks 1-3.
As a Junior Buddy, you are also encouraged to attend Griffith Mates events with your Senior Buddy.
Week 4
Final week of buddy program | End of Program Celebration
Join your fellow Senior and Junior Buddies on campus to celebrate the connections you have made with your peers during the start of your journey at Griffith University.
During this final meet up, we encourage you to participate in fun group activities, as well as share stories of your experiences, memorable moments and friendships you have made and exchange contact details with your new friends to stay in touch if you wish to!
Example Weekly Discussion Topics
Living In Australia
Discuss the essentials for getting started at Griffith and life in Australia.
Social Connections
Get the inside scoop on how to get involved in social activities and events on campus.
Life Hacks
Senior Buddies can share how to make budget friendly choices for students.
Cultural Exchange
Each session offers the chance to share your culture with the group.
This program is very helpful for new international students. We can talk with current Griffith students and also meet other international students. It's good opportunity to get to know Australian culture and make friends. Thanks to this program, I really enjoyed my first few weeks at Griffith University.
Haruka, Junior Buddy
I am an International student from Sri Lanka and I remember how daunting it was to move away from family, friends, and my comfort zone to a new country with new people living a different way of life. This is why I signed up to be a Senior Buddy to be able to help new International students transition into university life while reassuring them that everything will be alright and that they are not alone. I have held the role of Senior Buddy four times, and through this program I have gained friends from different parts of the world, learnt so much from them about their different cultures, and it has definitely positively impacted my leadership and communication skills. The International student buddy program is such a rewarding and great learning experience all around.
Raeezah, Senior Buddy
Being a Senior Buddy is incredibly rewarding. You can walk away with the knowledge that you actually made somebody's transition to university easier, plus you make amazing friends and often learn things from your buddies too.
Hayley, Senior Buddy