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1. Prepare to register

Get ready to register for ongoing support.

About this step

This is step one of the four steps to register with Student Equity and Disability Services (SEDS).

The first step is to plan:

  • Know when to apply
  • Understand eligibility
  • Gather documents and information you'll need.

Clock Registration time: Two weeks. This may take longer in peak periods.

Clock How long this step takes: Attending appointments to gather documents may take a while. Allow 10-20 minutes once you have your documents.

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When to apply

You can apply anytime after accepting your offer, but we recommend applying four weeks before you start studying.

Keep in mind:

  • We cannot provide support for assessments already in progress or past their due date. Apply for special consideration for in progress or past assessments.
  • There are deadlines for Alternative Exam Arrangements (AEA)
  • Supports take time to set up, check the turnaround times below.

Alternative Exam Arrangement (AEA) deadlines

We need time to set up AEAs for exams. To access AEAs, you'll need to have completed all registration steps by the following date:

  • Semester 1 2025 special and supplementary exams Monday 30 June

We'll add Semester 2 dates once they're confirmed.

Turnaround times for supports

Accessible formatting:

  • Minimum of five business days
  • Allow two to four weeks in peak times (start of semester).

Academic support worker:

  • Minimum of five business days

Last updated: Monday 16 June 2025

Eligibility

We  follow the eligibility criteria in the Assessment and Results Policy. When determining eligibility, we will consider the following:

  • You must be part of the group of students we support
  • Your duration of impact must be six weeks or more
  • You can show an impact on your studies
  • You provide the information needed to assess your application
  • SEDS support is suitable for your situation.

If you're unsure about your eligibility, it's still worth applying. We can refer you to other services if SEDS is not the right fit.

Prepare documents

Your documents help us understand your circumstances.

Accepted types of documents

  • Accepted documents:

    Who can complete medical documents

    A health professional who can confirm the functional impact of your condition. Refer to guidelines below.

    It doesn't need to be your treating specialist if there's a long wait for an appointment. Your general practitioner may be able to provide documents faster.

    Documents must show:
    • Date of appointment(s) with your health professional
    • Impact to your studies for the current academic year
    • Duration of impact (this can be the length of your studies)
    • Any recommended supports
    • Health professional's stamp, signature and registration.

    Documents not accepted:

    • Medical test results or prescriptions.
    • A medical certificate if you have not had a consultation. Consultations must be in person or via telehealth.
    • Photos of your medication or injury.
    • Statutory Declaration.
    • Letter from University or College staff. Except if from the Health Service, or Counselling and Psychological Services, and you have an existing client relationship.

  • Accepted documents:

    • A letter on official letterhead from an approved performance organisation.
    Documents must show:
    • Your employment with the organisation
    • Duration of impact (this can be the length of your studies)
    • Impact to your studies for the current academic year.

    Organisations we recognise:

  • Accepted documents:

    • An official Centrelink document or
    • Letter from a health professional. The letter must be on official letterhead.
    Documents must show:
    • Carer responsibilities
    • Date of appointment(s) with your health professional
    • Impact to your studies for the current academic year
    • Duration of impact (this can be the length of your studies)
    • Any recommended supports
    • Health professional's stamp, signature and registration.
    Who can complete medical documents

    A health professional who can verify your responsibilities. Refer to the guidelines below.

    It doesn't need to be from a treating specialist if there's a long wait for an appointment. Your general practitioner may be able to provide documents faster.

  • Accepted documents:

    Documents must show:

    • Duration of any scholarship or training agreement.
    • Details of your selection for national or international event(s). Please include event date, location, and travel dates.
    • The dates, times and location of any training or other commitments (if known).

    Organisations we recognise:

  • Accepted documents:

    • A signed letter from your religious congregation or cultural authority. The letter must be on official letterhead.
    Documents must show:
    • Your name
    • Details of observance and your commitments
    • Duration of impact (this can be the length of your studies)
    • Impact to your studies for the current academic year.

  • Accepted documents

    A signed letter from the relevant organisation. The letter must be on official letterhead.

    Documents must show:
    • Your duties and obligations
    • Duration of impact (this can be the length of your studies)
    • Impact to your studies for the current academic year
    • Signature of authorised official from:
      • Australian Defence Force
      • Victoria State Emergency Service (SES)
      • Country Fire Authority (CFA), or
      • A similar emergency services organisation.

Document tips and guidelines

  • You'll need to provide a NAATI-certified translation. NAATI stands for National Accreditation Authority for
    Translators and Interpreters.

    Please provide the original as well as the translation.

  • Please do not upload any sensitive images (eg photos of medication or injury). If you include sensitive images, we will not take these into account.

    You can take a photo to scan a written document.

  • Health professionals we recognise:

    • An Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) registered health practitioner such as general practitioners (GP), medical specialists, and psychologists
    • An Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) registered social worker
    • A Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) or Australian Counselling Association (ACA, level 3 and above) registered counsellor
    • Any other AHPRA-registered practitioner qualified to diagnose and treat a health condition (such as a physiotherapist) within their area of expertise
    • A registered practitioner with equivalent overseas qualification.

    University health professionals:

  • Here are some things to check before you apply:

    • Document(s) include required dates
    • Signatory has signed documents
    • Details of impact are clear
    • Documents are in a digital format I can attach to my application.

    Still apply even if you feel unsure if your documents are right. When we review your application, we'll let you know if there's anything missing from your documents.

    We may contact the signatory or organisation on your documents if we need to confirm information.

  • We can't accept editable documents.

    Ask your signatory to provide documents in a secure format. For example, a read-only Word document or PDF.

  • We prefer documents with an issue date within:

    • Two years for ongoing circumstances
    • Six weeks for shorter-term impacts.

    If you're waiting on newer documents you can apply with what you have.

    When we review your application, we'll let you know if there's anything missing from your documents.

Information you'll need

Have these details handy when you start your application:

  • Your student username and password
  • Expected start and end date for your studies.
  • Any extra information you would like to include about your situation that is not covered in your documents.

Your application will pre-fill with personal details from your student record.

Common questions

If you have further questions, contact us for help.

  • If you miss the deadline, submit an enquiry so we can check your options. In the meantime, continue to apply so we can get future AEAs and other supports in place for you.

  • Your offer letter will show your start date and course duration. If you're not sure, you can estimate. We can confirm these details when we're assessing your application.

  • If you're waiting on newer documents, you can apply with what you have.

    When we review your application, we'll let you know if there's anything missing from your documents.

Next step: Register

Once you've prepared, you can register.

Step 2: Register for ongoing support

SEDS home

SEDS privacy information

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