A look into RMC
You'll love uni life at Robert Menzies College.
Robert Menzies College (RMC) is affiliated with Macquarie University. We are a Christian residential college which combines the seriousness of academic support with the right nurturing for personal growth and opportunity within a community environment.
Our team of Residential Advisors as well as College staff live on site to provide support to students. RMC offers valuable opportunities for leadership and service.
Our diverse composition paves the way for countless cultural experiences and a variety of society events through the year, and RMC is able to respond to the particular needs of individual students so that the College is a safe and supportive environment for all.
We act as a bridge for students – from home and school to a new stage of life. Our vision is to see our residents grow into competent community leaders and global citizens with great integrity.
“Living on campus at RMC is the best decision I could have made when leaving home. There is such a strong sense of community, everyone is included and accepted and the college as a whole is a clean, safe and supportive living environment. I have very much enjoyed my years here at RMC.”Celebrating Diversity
At our College, there are opportunities for countless cultural experiences because of our appreciation and support of cultural diversity. Though our community is large, it is separated into smaller communities within blocks. The block that you choose to live in will become a neighbourhood of sorts, with residents on your floor becoming your closest friends and colleagues.
We facilitate connections between our residents through communal gatherings such as International Night, Australia Night, Reconciliation Dinner, and Christmas in Winter. These college-wide dinners allow us to reflect about culture and celebrate the mixture of backgrounds that our residents represent.
Fostering Your Interests
College should be a place where you learn about yourself – your character, interests, and goals. Intercollegiate events provide a great opportunity for you to meet students from other colleges who have the same interests. You can participate in intercollegiate sports, volunteer with the Salvation Army, or even test yourself at the intercollegiate debate.
Our College also provides a space where our creative residents can thrive. If you love the arts, there are many opportunities for you to develop and perform in your area of interest. We host the annual Revue (talent show) and Arts Week, which has offered many activities from a calligraphy class to a woodworking shop.
If writing is more your thing, you are welcome to join our talented publications team. Our resident journalists and editors produce quarterly and annual periodicals such as The Voice and The Echo, which showcase local news from around College and our community. We also have an online blog that residents can write for.
Promoting Leadership
We are committed to help our students to become leaders in the community. We do this by providing them with professional development support and training. Our student leadership positions allow residents to gain skills in various areas, while giving them the opportunity to be well-engaged within the community. These positions include Residential Tutors, Academic Tutors, Duty Officers and members of the RMC Student Association Executive team. This variety of student positions means that we are able to cater for a range of interests and needs.&;
Our College is characterised by respect and care for others, where all residents are encouraged to support the efforts of their fellow students. This attitude gives equal attention to our entire community of residents, who come from all over the world and Australia with the common goal to study.
Since our foundation in 1974 we have continued to be true to our vision of ‘Forming the person, transforming our world.’ Care is at the heart of this mission. RMC is committed to providing the care necessary to help students learn and grow during their time here. Our staff members, many of whom were University students, understand the stress and pressure common in this situation, and have years of experience helping students through those difficult times. We offer substantial residential support for our students through residential tutors, residential families, and chaplains.
Residential Tutors
Residential Tutors, or RTs, are the first point of contact for all resident issues. Two RTs per block work to foster community between residents and within the College. They are trained to assist residents in many ways, providing support in different areas of life.
Residential Families
Our College community is unique, in that we have five staff families living on-site. In addition to giving our community a special touch, this means that staff members are always available should you need them.
Chaplaincy
The College has a non-denominational Christian church called Trinity Chapel Macquarie (TCM), where residents and members of the wider community are always welcome. The Chaplains at TCM provide spiritual support, nurturing the faith of Christians at College, and encouraging all residents to explore their beliefs. The Chapel also provides valuable connections to several student Christian groups at the University.
At Robert Menzies College we actively support the learning process, providing residents with an environment conducive to study, encouraging academic achievement and providing study support. As an alcohol and smoke free college, we offer an environment that fosters academic growth and development. Our common areas are set up as study spaces, but partitioned to provide much needed relaxation time when students need a break from studying.
Our Academic Tutors provide assistance, covering a wide variety of subjects from all faculties of the University. For extra help, we also hold seminars about study skills, time management, and different types of essay writing. These seminars are adapted to the needs of our residents.
Our prioritisation of academic achievement is reflected in various prizes and awards offered to excelling residents. We recognise and value their achievements at our annual Commencement and Valedictory Dinners.
To further serve our residents, we maintain close links to the staff of Macquarie University through our Academic Dinners. These networking nights bring together RMC residents, RMC Alumni, and faculty of Macquarie University to give students the opportunity to make connections in their discipline in preparation for the workforce or further study.
“Being at RMC forced me to get to know who I was. I had to come to terms with parts of my character that I didn’t realise before. This is because you are living with and learning from people who push you to your limits.”Whether you are here for a semester on study abroad/exchange or for your entire degree we highly value and support our international students, and the contributions they bring to the RMC community!
Getting to know Australians!
You might think that studying in Australia would involve being surrounded by Australians, but that’s not always the case. In a large multi-cultural city such as Sydney and at a large university such as Macquarie, it can be quite a challenge to get to know the locals. RMC’s community means there is a great mix of Australians and overseas students. Sharing meals with your fellow members everyday also provides ample opportunity to form lifelong friendships. What’s more, you can then visit your new Aussie friends in their hometowns in the holidays! Most of our Australian members come from rural areas, so they can show you the Australia that many tourists often miss out on.
Not paying rent in the holidays!
RMC gives study abroad and exchange students the option to pack up their rooms in the long summer and winter breaks between semesters (Dec-Jan and July) and receive a rebate on their fees. This means they can use the money they would spend on rent to explore the rest of Australia or visit their Aussie friends.
Live close to campus, live among Australians and other international students, explore and experience Sydney with your new friends, and gain an experience of a lifetime while studying at Macquarie University – live at RMC on your Study Abroad program!
Living away from home from the first time can be a challenge for any young person. For international students studying at Macquarie University, it is often combined with their first experience of living in a different country, with an unfamiliar culture and customs.At Robert Menzies College we care, value and help add to an international student's experience as they live and study at University.
Click here to read about how living at RMC as an international student helped Leon to settle in, make many new friends and supports him with his studies .