Registration for ongoing support

Assistance from the University is available when an ongoing circumstance or an official commitment affects your ability to perform your studies and assessment tasks, and the expected duration is longer than six weeks.

If your studies are affected by ongoing circumstances such as a disability, mental health condition or ongoing eligible commitments, you can register for an Academic Adjustment Plan (AAP), containing reasonable adjustments (Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005), which may include, for example, alternative assessment arrangements.

If you have an AAP in place, and you experience additional circumstances that impact your studies for less than six weeks, you may also need to apply for special consideration.

Disability
Students with disability, as defined in the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.
- Required supporting documentation: A Health Professional Report form (PDF 136.8 KB) (preferred document), medical certificate or supporting letter on official letterhead from a treating health practitioner stating impact.
- More information: Disability services.
Chronic medical or mental health condition
Students with an ongoing medical or mental health condition which will impact their studies for six weeks or more.
- Required supporting documentation: A Health Professional Report form (PDF 136.8 KB) (preferred document), medical certificate or supporting letter on official letterhead from a treating health practitioner stating impact.

Eligibility

Circumstances that may be eligible	Definition	Required supporting documentation	More information
Disability	Students with disability, as defined in the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. This includes disabilities related to sensory, physical or mental health.	A Health Professional Report form (PDF 136.8 KB) (preferred document), medical certificate or supporting letter on official letterhead from a treating health practitioner stating impact.	Disability services
Chronic medical or mental health condition	Students with an ongoing medical or mental health condition which will impact their studies for six weeks or more.	A Health Professional Report form (PDF 136.8 KB) (preferred document), medical certificate or supporting letter on official letterhead from a treating health practitioner stating impact.	Medical and mental health support
Carer responsibilities	Students who have ongoing carer responsibilities, as defined in the Carers Recognition Act 2012 (Vic).	Documentation to verify that you have significant carer responsibilities, such as an official Centrelink document or a letter from a GP.	Support for carers
Elite athletes or performers	Elite athletes or performers associated with approved organisations.	A completed Elite Athlete Recognition form. A signed letter from your performance organisation outlining your professional obligations as an elite performer.	Support for elite athletes or performers
Defence reservists or emergency volunteers	Members of the Australian Defence Reserve Service Volunteers for the Victorian State Emergency Service, the Country Fire Authority or similar.	A signed letter on official letterhead from relevant organisations outlining your duties and obligations.	Support for defence reservists or emergency volunteers
Cultural or religious observance	Students who participate in ongoing religious or cultural observance whose participation may impact their studies.	A signed letter on the official letterhead of your religious congregation or cultural authority outlining the nature of your observances and impact on your studies.	Support for religious or cultural observance

How to register

Step 1: Understand eligibility and documentation requirements

Review the eligibility and documentation requirements. Please note that because every situation is unique, eligibility for ongoing support is determined on a case-by-case basis.
Step 2: Know the deadlines

We encourage you to lodge an online registration application at the start of your course, or as soon as your circumstances become known, to ensure adjustments and supports are in place as soon as possible.
While you are welcome to register at any time during your studies, there are deadlines for when you need to submit alternative exam arrangements (AEA) requests for each exam period.
To have your AEAs in place for your exams, you need to register and book an appointment with a Student Equitable Learning Adviser, (Step 3) before the deadline in the table below:
Exam period Deadline to finalise AEA requests
Semester 2 2023 exams Friday 1 September
Semester 2 supplementary exams Monday 20 November
Semester 2 late supplementary exams To be confirmed
Step 3: Register online

Fill out the online registration form and submit your application with relevant supporting documentation. To ensure your registration is processed smoothly, please include as much information as possible.
Register now

Exam period	Deadline to finalise AEA requests
Semester 2 2023 exams	Friday 1 September
Semester 2 supplementary exams	Monday 20 November
Semester 2 late supplementary exams	To be confirmed

Outcomes

Once you have submitted your application to register, you’ll receive a submission acknowledgement email to let you know your registration has been received. You will later be advised by email of the outcome of your registration application.

Following this an email will be sent to you with a link to book an appointment with a Student Equitable Learning Adviser to create your Academic Adjustment Plan (AAP). Appointments can be by phone, in-person or virtual. Your registration will only be finalised after your appointment has been completed and we have received all relevant supporting documentation.

As part of your appointment, your advisor will check with you about what information you consent to releasing as part of your AAP. Your AAP will include the impacts of your condition on your study and suggested adjustments. Your AAP will be based on this discussion with you and reference relevant documentation you provide from health practitioners.

You will be asked to advise us what information, if any, you wish to share about your condition. No medical information is released to others in the University unless you specifically provide consent for your Equitable Learning Adviser to do so.

Please note, if your registration is not approved, you will receive an email with the outcome details.

Your Academic Adjustment Plan (AAP)

Your AAP is an official document that:

Details the impact of your circumstances
Outlines educational adjustments to assist with your studies that also meet the course inherent requirements
Supports you when negotiating your educational adjustments with academic staff.

Educational adjustments for your study and assessments will be discussed with you during your appointment with a Student Equitable Learning Adviser to assist in developing your AAP. For some subjects and courses, we will need to check with the relevant Faculty staff to ensure the suggested adjustments meet the inherent requirements of your course prior to them being listed in your plan.

These adjustments will then be documented in your final AAP.

Your AAP is a confidential document, however, you are encouraged to share your plan with your lecturers, tutors, and other relevant academic staff in order to have your educational adjustments in place.

You will need to share with your Faculty your alternative exam arrangements (AEAs) for any Faculty run exams as only centrally run exams are provided with your AEA requirements from Student Equity and Disability Services (SEDS).

You have the right to disclose to SEDS only the information you feel comfortable to release. You can limit the information you provide SEDS or choose not to provide consent to share information, although this may restrict the University's capacity to provide educational adjustments.

Requesting a specific educational adjustment

Educational adjustments are not automatic or granted to you on request. All educational adjustments must be discussed with a Student Equitable Learning Adviser and may include discussions with the relevant Faculty. The Faculty makes the final decision on academic integrity and what educational assessment adjustments can be made.

In assessing whether an educational adjustment is reasonable, the University considers:

Your circumstances
The benefit of the adjustment on your ability to achieve learning outcomes and participate in your course or program, maintaining academic integrity
The impact of the adjustment on the University, including staff and other students

Retrospective educational adjustments

Your Academic Adjustment Plan cannot be retrospectively applied to previous assessment tasks or attendance requirements.

If any previous assessment tasks have been affected by your circumstances, or may be impacted upon prior to your appointment with a Student Equitable Learning Adviser, you will need to apply for special consideration.

Privacy

Why we collect your personal information
SEDS is collecting and processing your personal information for one or more of the following:
- To determine eligibility for Special consideration and/or Registration for ongoing supports
- Inform available outcomes available for Special consideration
- Develop and implement Academic Adjustment Plans (AAPs) when registering for ongoing support including alternative exam arrangements and accessibility supports
- Inform reporting and planning activities including for government funding reporting requirements, and to improve student services in relation to Special consideration and Registration for ongoing supports (non-identifying information only).
How we process your personal information
We will process your personal information as necessary for our legitimate interests, in accordance with applicable privacy laws, and only under the following circumstances:
- For the purpose for which it was collected; or
- A related purpose which you might reasonably expect; or
- Where you have consented to the processing; or
- If we are required or permitted to do so by law.
We collect your personal information directly from you. In some cases, we source some information (e.g., your subject enrolment details and results) from the University’s student database, and if required we will validate curriculum and assessment details with the relevant faculty.

We will only share your personal information with the University of Melbourne staff members who are directly involved in the assessment of your application and in determining the appropriate outcomes. The information may also be made available to authorised staff in your Faculty to aid in determining special consideration outcomes, and also with the centrally organised exams team when it involves alternative exam arrangements (AEAs) including accessibility adjustments when registered for ongoing support.
Where relevant, sharing of your Academic Adjustment Plan (AAP) with others such as academic staff will be done with your consent. If you choose not to share your AAP, this may limit what adjustments can be made.

There may be some instances where your personal information may be transferred outside of Victoria or Australia (for example, where providers are located internationally or use a cloud-based system with servers based in international jurisdictions). We take all reasonable steps to ensure that the interstate or overseas transfer of personal information is in accordance with our privacy obligations as outlined in the University’s General Privacy Statement.

If you choose not to provide requested information, it may mean that your application is deemed ineligible and/or cannot be approved and implemented by SEDS, Academic Divisions or other services or programs at the University.
Further privacy information
Refer to the University’s General Privacy Statement or other privacy statements for general information about how we process and protect personal information, including:
- Our lawful basis for processing personal information;
- Collection, use and disclosure of personal information;
- Accuracy, security and storage of personal information;
- Retention and disposal of personal information;
- Your individual rights; and
- Applicable privacy laws.
Your rights
You may request access to, or correction of, your personal information we hold, or exercise your individual rights as applicable under relevant privacy laws, unless this would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of others or would contravene the University’s other legislative obligations.
If the lawful collection of your personal information is based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. However, this will not affect the lawfulness of our processing of your information prior to you withdrawing your consent.
Privacy contacts
For further information you can contact us at Equity and Disability Support equity-disability@unimelb.edu.au.

For further information about how the University manages personal information, and for details of how to make an enquiry, lodge a complaint, or to contact the University’s Privacy and Data Protection Officer, please refer to our Privacy webpage, view the University's Privacy Policy or contact privacy-officer@unimelb.edu.au.
Last updated: Wednesday 16 August 2023

Re-registering for support

The length of time that you are eligible for an educational adjustment will depend on your circumstances. In some circumstances you may need to re-register for support as required to ensure currency. Circumstances such as changing courses, moving to a research only higher degree or progressing through a course with different study requirements should be reviewed at least annually. Updated documentation will be required to meet the changing needs of your adjustments.

For example, if you are an elite performer with commitments that are short-term or sporadic, your registration will last for the relevant period only. However, for example if you are a person with an ongoing vision impairment, your registration will be sustained throughout your studies. Annual reviews and updating of Academic Adjustment Plans are highly recommended, particularly as course requirements from year level to year level can change.

You may also need to apply for Special consideration in situations where your AAP does not already provide support. If you fall ill and miss an exam or assessment, you are able to apply for special consideration within four working days of the exam or assessment due date.