Curtin students will start 2026 with two long-awaited changes that will make study more manageable and fairer.
The university has approved a universal 11.59pm submission time for all assessments from next year. This reform came after thousands of students backed the idea in the Guild’s survey, calling for consistent deadlines that reflect how students actually live. A single nightly deadline cuts down on confusion, reduces pressure and helps students balance study with work, caring responsibilities and the cost of living.
2026 will also see the return of a second tuition free week. Students have been asking for this for years, and the Guild has pushed strongly to bring it back. Curtin has now committed to progressively placing the break at a more student friendly point in semester over the coming years, giving students space to catch up and reset when the workload peaks.
Guild President Dylan Storer said these reforms came directly from what students have been telling the Guild for a long time.
“Most of us are workers as well as learners. We are juggling jobs, rent, caring responsibilities, long commutes and the pressure of the cost of living before we even sit down to study. When the work of learning already takes real effort, everything around it should be made as easy as possible. These changes give students a fairer chance to manage their lives and their studies without burning out.”
Dylan also acknowledged the work of 2025 Vice President Education Ben Burgess, who led much of the academic policy push this year.
“I want to thank Ben Burgess for the hours, meetings and persistence he put into securing the 11.59pm submission time reform. It’s a genuine win for students and it would not have happened without his hard work.”
These reforms continue the Guild’s focus on making the academic experience simpler, more consistent and more flexible. The goal is to shift university processes so they match the reality of student life, not the other way around.
Dylan said this is just the beginning.
“In 2026 the Guild will keep fighting for reforms that make Curtin fairer, more affordable and easier to navigate. Students have been incredibly clear about what they need, and our job is to make sure the university listens.”