Higher education research

Space, place, and pathways: How a First Nations student centre supports diverse transitions into university

Publication Date

8-10-2026

Subjects

Aboriginal students, Access to education, Equal education, Group experience, Nontraditional students, Transition programs, Undergraduate study,

Abstract

First Nations students’ transitions into university are frequently treated as linear and uniform, despite diversity across language groups, communities and life trajectories. This study examines how a dedicated First Nations student centre in a metropolitan Australian university supports students across the “university lifespan”: imagining university, application and enrolment, first year and ongoing study. The paper draws on literature, administrative completion data, and interviews with 16 First Nations students and 8 staff. Thematic analysis identified three interlocking mechanisms through which the Centre strengthened success: pathway translation, place-based belonging, and wraparound scaffolding across academic, housing/financial and wellbeing domains, especially during the first weeks of semester. Students described the Centre as their primary access point to university systems, enabling programs, tutoring, accommodation supports and health services. Findings indicate that improving First Nations participation and completion requires not only expanded entry pathways but sustained investment in culturally safe infrastructures that hold students through transition pressure points and support diverse, non-linear journeys.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Publisher

The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education

DOI

https://doi.org/10.55146/ajie.v55i1.2069

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