Helping you address cost-of-living pressures
Combining smaller savings and supports can collectively make a big difference to covering regular expenses. This is particularly important when the costs of living increase, or when income is reduced.
This page shares supports that can help you access free and cheap food, transport and other supports to help you maintain your physical and mental wellbeing.
On this page
Engaging external services
Valuable community services exist to help with cost of living. Some are shown below with a grey background and black button.
Food
Food support for cheap and healthy meals.
$5 Market day lunch vouchers
$5 lunch vouchers are available at Market days on all campuses.
Student Guild Tuesday Cook-Up
The Gold Coast Student Guild provides free dinner every Tuesday.
Registration is compulsory.
GUGC Student Guild free breakfast
Cereals, fruit and other goodies are available to all Gold Coast students every morning between 7am and 9am.
SRC free fruit and vegetables
Across the trimester, the Student Representative Council (SRC) will provide free fruit and vegetable boxes to students at Brisbane and Logan campuses.
GUGC Campus Cupboard
The Gold Coast Student Guild provides free groceries to all Gold Coast students from its Campus Cupboard (G07). The Campus Cupboard is open Mondays from 2pm until stock runs out. Please bring your own bag and student card.
Recipes for healthy eating on a budget
Developed by the Health and Medical Service at Griffith University, this student cookbook is your guide to healthy eating.
Free pancakes
Griffith Chaplaincy host free weekly pancakes across most campuses.
Cooked by local faith groups, it’s a great opportunity to enjoy a free breakfast and connect with your fellow students.
Save money on your groceries
Food Relief is a government initiative that funds organisations OzHarvest, SecondBite and Foodbank to provide cost-effective food items to those in need.
There is no shame in asking for help if you can't afford to eat—see Food Relief for details.
Free meals in emergencies
The Queensland Government funds free emergency meals that are provided by charities across Queensland. You can search the Vans And Kitchens (VAKS) website for the options closest to you.
Support for wellbeing
Check out our Online Health and Wellness Centre for affordable and accessible resources
Transport
Cheaper ways of helping you get where you need to go.
Transport to your campus
Depending on your campus, we have a range of ride-share and low-cost options for getting to campus, thanks to RIIDE, Beam and Liftango.
Brisbane South intercampus bus
The Griffith intercampus bus is a free service provided for staff, students and clients of the University travelling between the Brisbane South (Nathan) and Brisbane South (Mt Gravatt) campuses.
Brisbane South (Nathan)-Altandi free shuttle bus
Travelling between Brisbane South (Nathan) and the Gold Coast?
Our free shuttle bus runs every half hour from Altandi train station to Brisbane South (Nathan).
Public transport discounts
Catching the tram, bus or train? Apply for student concession rates on your goCard to travel at a discounted rate.
Unlimited public transport for a flat monthly fee
Griffith has partnered with OdinPass to bring students at the Gold Coast access to unlimited public transport and other mobility options for a low monthly fee.
Gold Coast Student Guild Wellbeing Check
Maintaining wellbeing can be a real balancing act that changes as our lives inevitably change over time.
The Gold Coast Student Guild have developed a free three-minute online survey based on the Connected Mind Model. This model looks at the domains of place, body, soul, people and mind, and how each domain contributes to our feelings of overall wellbeing.
This survey is a tool to help you reflect on this balance, and what strategies can help you to foster growth in each area.
General supports with life
Helping you to maintain your general wellbeing.
Connect with immediate mental wellbeing support
Griffith operates a 24/7 Mental Wellbeing Support Line that you can contact for immediate relief for emotional distress.
As well as shorter term coping strategies, you can call or text the support line to work out next steps and explore longer-term solutions.
Bulk-billed doctors on campus
Griffith University has bulk-billing GP clinics at Gold Coast and Brisbane South (Nathan) campuses. The clinics offer a range of medical and mental health services, and study-related services for students, such as vaccinations.
Counselling and Wellbeing services
Counsellors at Griffith provide helpful tools, strategies and perspectives on personal issues related to relationships, study or work life.
Feeling lost? Need someone to talk to?
Everyone hits tough times. Whatever you are facing, chaplains are an open and non-judgemental space to talk through what is on your mind and heart. No religion required.
Affordable allied health
Our world-class Health Clinics offer access to affordable healthcare while providing clinical experience opportunities for Griffith Health students.
Services include dentistry, physiotherapy, psychology, speech pathology, social work and others.
Griffith Repair Cafe
Broken belongings? Don’t toss it—fix it! The Griffith University Repair Cafe is a student-led initiative to bring new life to broken items that would otherwise be thrown away.
Get a discount on your bills
Explore the range of Queensland Government-funded savings and support services. The Queensland Savers page includes a concession and rebate finder to help you save money.
Free period care on campus
Libra has partnered with the Gold Coast Student Guild and the SRC to provide free period care products on all Griffith University campuses as part of their Period Positivity Program.