UMAS (U3A Member Administration System) is software to manage our database of members, programs
and enrolments. U3A Port Fairy members will transition to UMAS for all their membership requirements, including joining or renewing memberships, enrolling in courses, viewing and downloading their enrolments and invoices, and updating their personal details.

The UMAS membership management system is widely used by over 50 U3As in Victoria over the past 10 years. UMAS is coordinated by U3A Network Victoria, where a committee of volunteers manage the enhancements and keep the product standardised. 

Running a U3A is a large undertaking. With over 260 members and over 40 courses, it has been increasingly difficult for the volunteers running U3A Port Fairy to manage the membership database and enrolments using the paper and spreadsheet model that was used in the past. Rather than changing data on members and courses on multiple databases and spreadsheets (with emails and bits of paper flying between course and membership coordinators), UMAS centralises all the membership and courses data in a single spot. Changes only need to be made once.

UMAS also makes the process of enroling in courses considerably easier to manage. Course leaders can download class lists and email members of their class from within UMAS (without having to read handwritten email addresses).

UMAS will guarantee the future of U3A Port Fairy by preventing burnout of volunteer members of the executive who spent a considerable amount of time managing memberships and courses in the past.

In UMAS, you can:

• Renew your membership online or join U3A Port Fairy if you are a new member.

• Update your data if you change your address, phone number or email.

• Pay your annual membership online.

• See all the available courses online; when and where they are held; who is the course leader.

• Enrol in your chosen courses online. If the course is full, you will go on a waiting list.

You will need a password to connect to UMAS. If you do not have one already, see the How do I get a password? FAQ in this section.

You need a password to access the UMAS system. Having your own password means that only you can access your data (except for the system administrators). No other member can access or change your data.

The first step towards using the UMAS system is for all current members who are considering rejoining next year to create their own personal password.

Memberships for 2026 will open on 1 December 2025. To join, please follow the following instructions.

You will then be issued an invoice for the annual fee. You will be able to pay with a credit card through our PayPal account (you do not need a PayPal account of your own). You also have the option of paying by EFT, in person at the bank or with a credit card at the Course Expo/Enrolment Day.

Membership renewals for 2026 will open on 1 December 2025. You cannot renew your membership before this date.

The annual membership renewal is now integrated into the enrolment process. To renew your membership and enrol in courses though UMAS, you will first need to select a password (Go to the FAQ on How do I get a password?)  if you haven’t already done this.

You can then connect to your file in UMAS (See the FAQ on How do I connect to UMAS?).

As part of the enrolment process, you will be able to pay with a credit card through our PayPal account (you do not need a PayPal account of your own). You still have the option of paying by EFT, in person at the bank or with a credit card at the Course Expo/Enrolment Day.

Full details on the renewal enrolment process is in the FAQ How do I enrol in courses for 2026?

You will be able to enrol in classes for 2026 online through UMAS on 1 December 2026 after 9:30 am.

Of course, you can enrol in courses any time after 1 December if you like but be aware that popular courses may be full and you will be put on a waiting list.

Details on how to enrol and pay the membership fee can be found here.

Details on how you can check what courses you have enrolled for can be found here:

In UMAS, only the Course Coordinator can withdraw your name from a course. You need to let the Course Coordinator that you wish to withdraw. When this is done, your Course Leader will automatically be informed. Details on how to let the Course Coordinator know you wish to withdraw from a course can be found here:

If you need help, send a request to membership@u3aportfairy.org.au

Yes. Before the start of each semester, there will be a Course Expo/Enrolment Day. Keep watching the website and your emails for details as they become available.

UMAS has been developed for U3As across Australia by Soft Sys, a company involved in the software development business for over 20 years.  UMAS is endorsed by the U3A Network Victoria as having “strong security” to ensure the protection of member’s information. In UMAS, your data is certainly more secure than the previous system where data was held on Executive member’s private computers.