University students are skipping meals and medication as the cost-of-living crisis deepens.
QUT's Student Guild food bank fed about 900 students in 2022 — just eight weeks into this semester, they have already helped more than 1,000.
President Zoe Davidson said some students struggled to pay for the bus or train to get to class.
"They are working multiple jobs well beyond their means and ability to just afford rent, food, and then on top of it as well paying back these [HECS-HELP] loans," she said.
The Guild has had to restrict access to the food bank to once a fortnight to spread the donations to more students.
Ms Davidson said students had told her they had become vegetarian because they could not afford meat.
"I also have people who just starve and who can't afford to put a meal on the table for themselves, let alone their children," she said.
"People are going hungry."
Ms Davidson said the Guild had heard about students "putting themselves in really risky situations" like staying in domestic violence relationships because they could not afford to leave.
It's a similar story at the University Of Queensland, where student union organiser Ryley Calvert said demand for free dinners has tripled in the last year.
Almost 2,000 students queue for a free hot dinner each week
The unions are calling for urgent action from the federal government and universities to ease the pressure students are under.
Two-minute-noodle diet no longer a joke
National Union of Students president Bailey Riley said food banks at universities across the country were struggling to meet demand, particularly from international students.
"Students are surviving, but not thriving, with more and more reliant on two-minute noodles," she said.
"It is the typical joke about going to university but now it is a fact, a reality.
"So many can't afford to put a meal on the table, and if you can't get a good meal you can't study."
The issue is made worse by unaffordable and scarce housing and university loans, Ms Riley said.
Down to one meal a day
QUT student Caila Frost has not eaten fresh fruit and vegetables for at least a month. She relies on cheap freeze-dried noodles.
Ms Frost works and is on Centrelink payments while she balances her dual degree in law and creative writing.
She has to get by on just one meal a day.
"It is extremely stressful, it is very depressing, very anxiety-inducing, on top of how much anxiety university brings as well," she said.
"Healthy eating — I think I threw that out a couple of months ago — it is just what I can get now.
"It's hard to budget for how much period products cost, for example, even emergency funds. I have a car and fuel costs are insane at the moment."
The 19-year-old lives in a four-bedroom share house and pays around $155 a week.
She said her family in regional Queensland were unable to help her financially.
"I do not know a single person who is on Centrelink and living above the poverty line," she said.
"Or can eat as recommended by doctors with a healthy diet."
Ms Frost will graduate with a HECS debt of about $86,000 before it is subject to indexing.
"I think I will be paying it off until I die probably," she said.
"They always say we are so lucky to live in Australia, but it definitely doesn't feel like it right now."
Chinese students Cindy Wang and Nanya Ynom are regular customers at the student union's Kampus Kitchen.
They are both pay about $400 a week for university accommodation — up $100 on last year.
"It exceeds my budget and I fear it will be more expensive next year," Ms Wang said.
She said the free meal was a huge help, she also got "emotional support" from other students who are finding it tough.
Students forego medication
Mr Calvert said the hundreds who line up each day at UQ are "ever-thankful".
"We know of people skipping meals days on end, skipping out on car insurance or personal medication simply because they can't afford to live at the moment," he said.
Mr Calvert said many would go without if it were not for the union's free meals.
"For this to go away tomorrow it would be detrimental to hundreds, thousands of students who come here," he said.
The union also runs a food co-op offering cheap or free supermarket "seconds".
Student Erin Blythe works two jobs, but still relies on the co-op.
"Prices of everything just keep going up and we are struggling as students to keep up with it," she said.
"I can get free period products here, it makes life just a little bit easier."
Ms Davidson told ABC Radio Brisbane organisations had responded in force after reporting on the plight of students financially struggling.
"I've been in tears all morning," she said.
"I've had maybe 50 or 60 organisations reach out and look for ways to donate food, which has been beyond incredible and is really going to touch many students.
"I'd like to thank the entire Brisbane community that's reached out for support and remember it's not just QUT there's also students from every university, including TAFE that need support as well."
She said if organisations or individuals wanted to donate, they could contact Foodbank QUT directly on social media.
Review to look at affordability
The federal government committed to a broad review of higher education via an Australian Universities Accord last year, with a final report due in December.
Federal Education Minister Jason Clare said the accord would look at affordability.
"Higher Education Loan Program [HELP] is designed to remove up-front cost barriers to tertiary education," he said.
"It's important to remember that HELP loans are not required to be repaid until a person reaches the income repayment threshold."
Universities Australia chief executive Catriona Jackson said cost-of-living pressures are making life tough for all Australians.
"We recognise the problems are particularly acute for students balancing study and work commitments," she said.
"The government has a range of support measures in place for students, including youth allowance and the education entry payment.
"We encourage any student facing financial pressures to reach out to their university for assistance."
