I know this is kinda silly but what is a tutorial? based on my research it says it's a period of tuition given by a uni tutor and if so..are they free?
Hi there! You can actually read about tutorials (aka tutes) in the opening post
here - you just have to scroll down a bit
There's a difference between a uni tutor and what you'd usually call a tutor who'd give you extra tuition outside of school. Tutes are run by tutors, who are essentially the uni version of teachers, if you like
Tutes are a part of your uni timetable - they're not extra sessions that you have to pay for, they're incorporated into your course.
It's probably the closest thing you'll get to what a high school classroom is like in uni! What you do in a tute varies depending on what subjects you're taking and what faculty they're in (eg: health sciences, maths, chemistry, etc.). Generally, you have to do readings in your own time, and then you might either have to prepare answers to questions based on the readings and bring them to the tute (and you'll discuss them as a group), or you answer questions in the tute. If you're doing something like maths, you'll probably work through problems that you're given in groups. Or, you might just do discussions in your tutes.
Overall, they generally involve discussion and maybe answering some questions or doing some activities. Tutors don't stand up there teaching like you'd see in a high school classroom - you generally cover the material in lectures, and the tutes also provide a chance to ask questions about content and stuff.
That probably wasn't a great explanation haha, but you'll understand more once you've been to one!
so um you both go to lectures and tutorials - which are compulsory? And also what are the things that will be covered in the cost of studying a particular course or it varies differently?
Yep, you go to lectures and tutes. Whether they're compulsory or not depends on the course you're doing! Some courses have absolutely no attendance requirement, but others require you to have 80% attendance at tutes (lectures are generally non-compulsory, they're only compulsory for a select few courses, and I think at some unis they might be compulsory - potentially ACU?) - obviously absences where you have a medical certificate or whatever aren't counted. I think the 80% attendance requirement is a common one for a lot of courses.
Just about everything is covered in your fees, but if you have placements (say you're doing a health-related course), your fees don't tend to cover placement uniforms or equipment (eg: stethoscopes). You also have to pay for textbooks and such (but generally you don't even need to buy them).