Spending her retirement having coffees with friends wasn't stimulating enough for western Sydney resident Stephanie Adam.
The 61-year-old decided to study and now says her brain is "on fire".
"The more I'm studying the more I want to learn," she said.
"I'm still thirsty for education and people should know that age is not a problem."
Ms Adam emigrated from Iran in 1977 and had never studied in Australia.
"I was young in a new country and I was busy working really hard and enjoying life," she said.
The Edensor Park resident enrolled at Evocca College in Merrylands to study business administration last year.
She graduated in June ahead of schedule and is now studying business management.
"I'm proud of myself and I would say to others: go for it."
Ms Adam plans to work as a restaurant or hotel manager.
Technically a mature-age student is any student who is not a school leaver. So whether someone is aged 25 or 65, he or she is classed as such.
Mature-aged students from the University of Western Sydney (UWS) have put together an "honest and practical" guide called Top Tips from Students, available free online.
UWS chancellor Professor Peter Shergold said the idea behind the peer group guide is "exciting".
"Many years ago I remember going to university and those first weeks were quite stressful," he said.
"I was very grateful for a friend who taught me how to take notes at lectures and then a couple of years later helping a friend who struggled preparing for exams — that's what this guide is about."
■ TAFE Western Sydney Institute has campuses in The Hills, Mt Druitt, Blacktown.
■ Evocca College has facilities in Seven Hills, Blacktown, Parramatta, Merrylands and Penrith.
■ University of Western Sydney has campuses in Parramatta, Penrith and Blacktown.
■ Open Colleges has options for online qualifications.
