Registration for ongoing support

If you have a disability, health condition or eligible commitments, registering for ongoing support can provide study adjustments to enable you to succeed at University.

How to register

To register, submit an online application with your supporting documentation (requirements outlined below).

Register now

Login issues for Special consideration and Ongoing Support applications

If you are experiencing issues logging in to submit your Special consideration or Ongoing Support application, please follow these steps:

  1. Reset your password at https://accounts.unimelb.edu.au/
  2. Wait 30 minutes for the new password to synchronise.
  3. After this time, you should be able to log in successfully.

If you can’t login after trying the above steps, contact Student IT for further assistance.

What support is available

Once you have successfully registered, you will receive an Academic Adjustment Plan (AAP). This plan is based on the impact of your circumstances and provides recommended reasonable adjustments for your study. Adjustments are made on a case-by-case basis and may include:

  • Alternative assessment arrangements
  • Alternative exam arrangements (AEAs)
  • Assistance from an academic support worker (ASW)
  • Equipment loans
  • Assistive technology
  • Accessible formatting of course reading materials
  • Extensions to assignments
  • Flexibility in attendance requirements
  • Accessible teaching spaces and ergonomic furniture.

Implementation of reasonable adjustments are dependent on faculty guidelines considering academic integrity, inherent requirements and your individual needs.

Adjustments can be applied to your subjects in advance of assessments; adjustments cannot be retrospectively applied to previous assessment tasks or attendance requirements.

Other processes that offer study adjustments

There are other processes that offer study adjustments that you may want to consider.

  • Apply for an extension

    If you need more time to complete an assessment, your faculty or school may be able to grant an extension of up to 10 business days without requiring you to go through the formal registration process.

  • Apply for Special consideration

    If you experience circumstances not covered by ongoing support, such as an exacerbation of your medical condition or disability, you can apply for Special consideration.

    Special consideration provides one-off adjustments to specific assessments or exams and is applied close to or shortly after the assessment.

When to register

We encourage you to register after accepting your University offer, to have adjustments in place as early as possible. However, you may register anytime during your studies.

Alternative Exam Arrangement (AEA) deadlines

To have your AEAs in place for your exams, you must be fully registered before the AEA deadline for your exam period.

AEA deadlines:

  • Summer 2024 exams: Tuesday 9 January
  • Summer 2024 special and supplementary exams: Friday 16 February
  • Semester 1, 2024 exams: Monday 8 April
  • Semester 1, 2024 special and supplementary exams: Monday 17 June
  • Semester 1, 2024 late special and supplementary exams: Thursday 18 July
  • Semester 2, 2024 exams: Monday 9 September
  • Semester 2, 2024 special and supplementary exams: Monday 11 November

Required supporting documentation

View the requirements for your circumstances or commitments:

  • Disability and/or ongoing medical condition (including mental health)

    Health Professional Report (HPR) (PDF 136.8 KB) is our preferred document.

    It can be completed by a range of accredited health care professionals who are registered with the Australian Association of Social Workers or Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency such as medical doctors and psychologists.

    If you cannot provide an HPR, please provide:

    • A medical certificate or supporting letter on official letterhead from an accredited treating health practitioner.

    The following forms of documentation will not be accepted:

    • Medical test results
    • Photos of your medication or injury
    • Letters of reference or support from University or College staff (other than Health Service or Counselling and Psychological Services staff).

    If your supporting documentation is provided by an overseas practitioner and/or not available in English, you'll need to provide a NAATI-accredited translated copy.

  • Carers

    An official Centrelink document or a letter from a GP to verify carer responsibilities and the impact on your studies.

    This may include:

    • A Centrelink document showing evidence of a Centrelink benefit.

    If your supporting documentation is provided by an overseas practitioner and/or not available in English, you'll need to provide a NAATI-accredited translated copy.

  • Defense reservist or emergency volunteer

    Defense reservists

    A letter on official Australian Defence Force letterhead outlining your duties and obligations. The letter must be written and signed by an official authority on behalf of the Australian Defence Force.

    Emergency volunteers

    A letter on official letterhead outlining your duties and obligations. The letter must be written and signed by an official authority from Victoria State Emergency Service (SES), the Country Fire Authority (CFA), or a similar organisation.

    If your supporting documentation is provided by an overseas practitioner and/or not available in English, you'll need to provide a NAATI-accredited translated copy.

  • Elite athletes and performers

      A letter of support from your eligible sporting or performance organisation outlining your professional obligations.

      If your supporting documentation is provided by an overseas practitioner and/or not available in English, you'll need to provide a NAATI-accredited translated copy.

      Elite athletes

      First, apply for Elite Athlete Recognition through the Melbourne University (MU) Sport Elite Athlete Program.

      Once registered with MU Sport, you can provide us with your completed Elite Athlete Recognition form as supporting documentation to register for ongoing support.

      Contact MU Sport for more information about the Elite Athlete Program.

      Elite performers

      Please provide a letter on the official letterhead of your recognised performance organisation which outlines your professional obligations as an elite performer.

  • Religious/cultural observance

    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.

    This might include:

    • A religious authority such as a rabbi, minister, priest, imam, monk or simila.
    • A cultural authority such as a director, manager, organiser or similar. For example, a letter from Murrup Barak.

    If your supporting documentation is provided by an overseas practitioner and/or not available in English, you'll need to provide a NAATI-accredited translated copy.

Registration process

Application received

When you submit your completed registration form and supporting documentation, you’ll receive an email confirming your application has been received.

Book an appointment

Once we've assessed your application, you'll receive an email inviting you to book an appointment to discuss and develop your AAP. The booking link will be supplied in this notification.

Phone, in-person and online appointments are available.

In your appointment, your advisor will check with you about what information you consent to releasing as part of your AAP.

Registration

You will receive an email confirming your registration with a link to your AAP.

We encourage you to share your AAP with your lecturers, tutors, and other relevant academic staff, so they can work with you to implement adjustments for your subjects.

If you have AEAs, you must share your AAP with your Faculty so that arrangements can be put in place for your exams.

Reviewing your registration

Annual reviews and updating of AAP are highly recommended, particularly as course requirements from year level to year level can change.

The length of time that you are eligible for support will depend on your circumstances.

In some circumstances you may need to re-register for support as required such as changing courses or moving to a research only higher degree. Updated documentation will be required to meet the changing needs of your adjustments.

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, faculties 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