Lucy Vance is among University of Wollongong students being repaid by restaurants and cafes after they were each short-changed hundreds to thousands of dollars in wages.

Initially nervous about speaking out, she now believes it was necessary to confront the rampant exploitation of students in the university city.

On Tuesday, she received about $600 in her bank account after Fairfax Media highlighted her case and many others involving restaurants and cafes in Wollongong.

"It's obviously a nice start to uni. I can buy a few textbooks now," she said.