The University of the Sunshine Coast will welcome more than 40 new students to its growing Gympie campus with a special Semester 2 Welcome Day on Thursday 16 July.

Festivities from 9.45am to 3.30pm will include an official welcome from USC Vice-Chancellor Professor Greg Hill, a student experience forum and a celebratory lunch with live music between noon and 1.30pm.

USC Gympie Manager Graham Young said students could also attend information sessions on degrees in Nursing Science, Business and Accounting, Social Sciences and the tertiary bridging program, Tertiary Preparation Pathway.

Mr Young said the new student cohort had shown particular interest in the Nursing Science and TPP programs and represented a 25 percent increase in total enrolments for the campus over last semester.

"In the two years since we officially opened, we’ve grown from 43 students to almost 250," Mr Young said.

Other activities include campus tours led by USC student mentors, IT and library workshops and an opportunity for students to purchase textbooks for the semester ahead.

Mr Young said Welcome Day was designed to give students starting study in Semester 2 an introduction to university life before classes begin on 27 July.

"Welcome Day is a great opportunity for new students to meet their lecturers and mentors, explore the campus and start to experience university life," he said. "A large number of our continuing students come along to purchase textbooks and join in the fun, so it’s good way for new students to connect with their peers.

"We have students who comment that Welcome Day helped them make friends right from the start."

USC Gympie has a 75-seat lecture theatre, tutorial rooms, study areas and interactive learning technology connecting with USC’s Sippy Downs campus.

— Jarna Baudinette