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How to talk about sex

Have you ever wanted to talk about sex with your friends or peers and didn’t know how or where to start? Maybe you had a question about a sexual experience, or you wanted to hear their thoughts.   Some international students have shared with us that they felt unsure on […]

Busting myths about hepatitis B

Hepatitis B can be confusing, and that’s led to some common myths. This Hepatitis Awareness Week (28 July – 3 August), let’s look at the facts to clear things up.  Firstly, what is hep B?  Hepatitis B (hep B) is a liver infection caused by the hep B virus. It’s […]

Five tips for finding trustworthy information on social media

Do you ever find yourself looking for sexual health information online and even on social media? How can you tell if the information you are seeing is credible, reliable or really not the best? This month, the International Student Health Hub sat down with Aiman Rizal, a PhD researcher and […]

Visit the blog
How to talk about sex

Have you ever wanted to talk about sex with your friends or peers and didn’t know how or where to start? Maybe you had a question about a sexual experience, or you wanted to hear their thoughts.   Some international students have shared with us that they felt unsure on […]

Busting myths about hepatitis B

Hepatitis B can be confusing, and that’s led to some common myths. This Hepatitis Awareness Week (28 July – 3 August), let’s look at the facts to clear things up.  Firstly, what is hep B?  Hepatitis B (hep B) is a liver infection caused by the hep B virus. It’s […]

Five tips for finding trustworthy information on social media

Do you ever find yourself looking for sexual health information online and even on social media? How can you tell if the information you are seeing is credible, reliable or really not the best? This month, the International Student Health Hub sat down with Aiman Rizal, a PhD researcher and […]

Mardi Gras: Free to Be and community supports

The iconic Mardi Gras Festival is back from 14th February to 2nd March 2025! Celebrating its 47th year, the festival’s theme is Free to Be.   “Free To Be is a manifesto of what our community has desired and fought for dozens of decades, and the reason why we will […]

Whether you are sexually active or not, it’s important to know how to look after your physical and mental health.

What is safe sex? 

Safe sex means keeping yourself and others safe from infections like sexually transmissible infections (STIs), HIV, blood borne viruses, unplanned pregnancy and other serious illness. Importantly, safe sex is more than just about whether you’re being safe, it’s about feeling safe, respected, and comfortable. 

Safe sex involves:  

  • consent for every type of sexual activity, every time  
  • condoms being used as a barrier to prevent most sexually transmissible infections  
  • contraception when needed to prevent unplanned pregnancies 
  • communication before, during and after sex. 

Safe sex can also include the use of PrEP and PEP (these medications help to prevent HIV).  

What is a sexual health check? 

A sexual health check is an appointment with a doctor or nurse where you can: 

  • have a test to check for STIs or HIV  
  • get treatment for STIs or HIV 
  • talk about your sexual health or concerns 
  • talk about contraception
  • talk about relationships  

STI and HIV tests are easy and a normal part of taking care of your health. STIs are tested for by a urine sample, a self-collected swab, or a blood test. HIV is tested for by a blood test. 

Sexual health checks are confidential, this means everything you talk about is private between you and your doctor or nurse. 

How often should I have a sexual health check? 

You should get a sexual health check: 

  • every 6-12 months 
  • when you have a new partner 
  • if you notice any unusual pain or symptoms 

You can get a sexual health check at your local doctor, a sexual health clinic and at some university health clinics. Use our handy STI/ HIV testing service finder to find services near you. 

What other health checks should I do? 

Keeping up with regular health checks is an important part of staying healthy and well. 

Some key ones to keep in mind are: 

  • Breast awareness: Get to know what’s normal for your body. Performing regular breast self-checks can help you notice any changes early.  
  • Cervical screening: If you are a woman or a person with a cervix and are 25 years or older, you should do this test every five years. The cervical screening test looks for signs of the human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause cervical cancer. Regular screening helps to find any problems early which makes it easier to treat.  

If you have a question about safe sex or sexual health, you can talk to your doctor or a nurse at the Sexual Health Infolink, call 1800 451 624 (free call). 

If you would like an interpreter to help you access health services or information, you can contact the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450.

To learn more about safe sex, STIs and HIV visit the learning hub. 

What you need to know

STIs

What is a sexually transmissible infection (STI)?

HIV

What is human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)?

HIV

What is PEP?
(Post Exposure Prophylaxis)

HIV

What is PrEP?
(pre-exposure prophylaxis)

Safe SexSafe Sex

More Resources

Sexually Transmissible InfectionsSTIs

More Resources

HIVHIV

More HIV

Breast Screening Breast Screening

More Breast Screening

Cervical ScreeningCervical Screening

More Cervical Screening

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