Superannuation

UniSuper is the industry super fund dedicated to all who work in Australia's higher education and research sector. UniSuper offers competitive fees, education and advisory services, flexible superannuation and pension products.

New staff members will be required to complete a UniSuper membership application form and read the supplied superannuation product disclosure statement (PDS).

Staff covered by the Academic and General Staff Employees (2023-2026) enterprise agreement are generally required to become members of UniSuper, however, staff who do not wish to join UniSuper and prefer an alternative superannuation fund may do so by completing a standard choice form and attaching the chosen fund's compliance certificate.

UniSuper host a monthly webinar for new members which seek to introduce (primarily) new employees to the basic fund offering, including details of the defined benefit option versus accumulation alternative.

• Get your super sorted (pdf, 505kb)
• UniSuper's webcast library
• UniSuper's seminar schedule

Visit the UniSuper website to find out more about the ways they can help you

Prefer to speak to someone?  You can also book an appointment with the on campus super consultant

Defined Benefit Division and Accumulation Super (2)

Full-time or fractional staff covered by the Academic and General Staff Employees (2023-2026) enterprise agreement employed on a continuing basis or a fixed-term contract of employment of 10 months or more in duration, are typically required to seek to join UniSuper, Defined Benefit Division and Accumulation Super (2). Normally membership to the UniSuper, Defined Benefit Division and Accumulation Super (2) is not available to staff members under 21 years of age.

Employees in the defined benefit division:

• receive 17% employer contributions (14% contribution to the defined benefit division and a further 3% of salary to the accumulation division)
• have a period of 24 months from date of joining to decide whether to opt in to the Defined Benefit Division and join the Accumulation 2 division
• can contribute at a rate of 7% post tax (or 8.25% pre tax) member contributions into their account - this can be reduced under contribution flexibility: Fact Sheet: Contribution Flexibility (pdf, 141kb)
• receive inbuilt death and disablement insurance cover with an option to apply for additional cover
• investment choice on accumulation accounts only.

Accumulation Super (1)

Employees in the Accumulation Super (1) applies to those staff members not granted entry into UniSuper, Defined Benefit Division and Accumulation Super (2) and it remains a compulsory, non-contributory scheme. It applies to some short fixed-term contract staff members and to most casual and sessional staff members (except those occupying very short term casual appointments).

Employees in the Accumulation 1 Division:

• receive Superannuation Guarantee employer contributions
• full investment choice
• optional death and disablement insurance cover
• voluntary member superannuation contributions.

TAFE teachers are typically required to join the Aware Superannuation Scheme, which provides statutory superannuation cover. The University, as your employer, makes Superannuation Guarantee (SG) contributions to this scheme.

From 18 January 2009, full-time and part-time TAFE general staff who are current members of Aware Super, as well as new TAFE general staff, can choose to join either UniSuper (subject to eligibility criteria and legal obligations) or Aware Super. The University, as your employer, makes Superannuation Guarantee (SG) contributions to your chosen superannuation provider.

While TAFE teachers may nominate a different superannuation fund, the employer contribution rate follows SG requirements.

Visit the Aware Super website to find out more about the ways they can help you.

Current staff 'New scheme' members

Staff members (other than TAFE teachers) who are currently members of the now closed State Government 'New scheme' may, from 18 January 2009, choose to transfer their superannuation membership to UniSuper (as provided above), subject to eligibility and legal obligations being met.

• Choice of Superannuation Fund Standard Choice Form (pdf, 4.9MB)
• Choice of Superannuation Fund Standard Choice Form (if nominating Aware Super) (pdf, 270kb)

Salary packaging/sacrificing arrangements may also be available for staff members making superannuation contributions.

• Superannuation - member and voluntary contributions form (docx, 56kb)

Under UniSuper Fund’s Trust Deed, there is a Consultative Committee (USCC) which comprises approximately 140 employer and member representatives. Its role is to give consent to Trust Deed amendments and to elect some directors to UniSuper Limited’s Board.

Federation is entitled to elect two staff representatives to this committee (one academic and one general/professional staff representative) every four years.

Staff representatives

Academic staff representative (September 2021 - September 2025)

Mr Kieran Thorpe
Lecturer, Psychology
03 5327 6174

General/professional staff representative (March 2022 - March 2026)

Mr Steven Linane
Program Support Officer - Work Integrated Learning
03 5327 9936

The introduction of Commonwealth legislation, including the Treasury Laws Amendment (Your Superannuation, Your Choice) Bill 2019 and the original Choice of Fund legislation effective 1 July 2005, enables employees to choose which superannuation fund their employer will make Superannuation Guarantee (SG) contributions into on their behalf.  These new provisions are known as 'Choice of Fund'.

Staff eligible to access 'Choice of Fund' provisions

Academic and general staff

Staff covered by the Academic and General Staff Employees (2023-2026) enterprise agreement are generally required to become members of UniSuper, however, staff who do not wish to join UniSuper and prefer an alternative superannuation fund may do so by completing a standard choice form and attaching the chosen fund's compliance certificate.

TAFE teaching staff

TAFE teachers covered by the TAFE Teaching Staff Agreement (2019) at the University are eligible to access 'Choice of Fund' arrangements by completing a standard choice form and attaching the chosen fund's compliance certificate.

Government Superannuation Office (GSO) Revised and 'New Scheme' members

Employees who are members of defined benefit superannuation schemes such as the GSO Revised and New Schemes are not eligible to participate in the 'Choice of Fund' provisions.

To access the 'Choice of Fund' provisions

The Choice of superannuation fund standard choice form (pdf, 349kb) provides employees with information about 'Choice of Fund' and clearly sets out the information that needs to be provided to the University should staff wish to exercise 'Choice of Fund'.

Staff wishing to access the 'Choice of Fund' provisions should complete and return the Standard Choice Form and submit it to Payroll via Workday Help.  To do this, create a Help Case (using the case type: 'Update superannuation).

Once an employee provides the University with all the required information for their chosen complying fund, the University has two months in which to prepare for contributions to be made to that fund.  After this, any contributions made will be to the chosen fund.

If eligible staff do not make a choice, i.e. do not return the Standard Choice Form, the Superannuation Guarantee contributions will continue to be made into UniSuper (for academic and general/professional staff) or Aware Super (for TAFE teaching staff), as the University's default superannuation funds.