Support for Iranian students and Graduate Researchers

Page updated: 12 May 2026

Supporting your health and wellbeing

Our Counselling and Psychological Services staff are available to support you, with new client appointments available each day. This free, confidential service is available for students and graduate researchers to access throughout the year.

The service includes individual appointments as well as a range of workshops, mental health training, and helpful resources.

If you have not previously used this service, please take a look at the what to expect page for a guide to how the service operates.

Support with your studies and research

There are a range of ways that the University can support you with your assessments or other research requirements if you need additional assistance.

Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for support regarding assessments, including a short extension. In some cases, you may be eligible for Special consideration.

If you are in need of ongoing support you can apply to Student Equity and Disability Services.

There are also a range of Academic Skills resources that can help you better manage your studies or research, including resources to improve your time management, or studying effectively.

For Graduate Researchers in particular, there are a range of different resources and supports available via the Graduate Research Hub. This includes a dedicated section on managing difficulties.

Support with your graduate research – know your options regarding leave

In some situations, you may need to take a leave of absence.

As an international student visa holder there are a range of supports available to you, especially where you can demonstrate compassionate and compelling circumstances.

You can also seek support from your research supervisors, and a range of key contacts are also available to you.

Fees payment date extension

If you are having difficulty with meeting your fee payments for Semester 1, the following arrangements for Iranian citizenship students are now in place:

• A fee extension up to 20 March 2026 for Iranian citizenship students (noting that the standard payment due 13 February 2026)
• To activate this extension, please submit a request for fee payment extension via ask.unimelb: FAQ / Fee Date Extensions noting you are an Iranian citizenship student
• The $50.00 extension application fee will be waived
• This will activate a Final Notice of Enrolment cancelation by the Semester 1, 2026 census date – 31 March 2026. This provides eligible students with a further 20 business days (to end of April 2026) to finalise the payment for outstanding fees
• Students who do not pay their fees by the end of April 2026 will have their enrolment cancelled. Students will be early withdrawn to remove their debt. If any outstanding debts are paid within 2 weeks (mid-May 2026) of enrolment cancellation, enrolment will be reinstated.

Your visa and Arrival Control Determinations

Following recent amendments to the Migration Act (section 84B), the Minister for Home Affairs may now issue Arrival Control Determinations, which temporarily pause the validity of certain temporary visas during periods of international crisis.

This does not cancel visas but can prevent affected visa holders who are outside Australia from travelling to or entering the country for up to six months, after which travel rights may resume if the visa remains valid.

On 26 March 2026, the Minister published a determination applying to Iranian passport holders outside Australia who hold a Visitor visa (subclass 600) and used an Iranian passport in their application.

Affected individuals are unable to travel to Australia while the determination is in place, noting there are exemptions (including for people already in Australia, certain family members, humanitarian visa holders, and those granted a Permitted Travel Certificate on compelling or compassionate grounds).

If you are planning international travel as part of your studies during the next 6 months you are strongly encouraged to talk with your research supervisor or course coordinator about making alternative arrangements (such a requesting remote attendance or enabling email introductions to presenters in lieu of attendance) or rescheduling the travel to a later date.

Please see the Arrival Control Determinations and Australian Government advice website for the latest details on this topic.

Your safety

University Security provides a range of services to the University community, including a 24/7 control room which can be contacted by calling 834 46666 or 1800 246 066 (free call).

All students and graduate researchers are strongly encouraged to download the SafeZone app, which can be used whenever you are at a University of Melbourne location, including regional and metropolitan campuses, affiliated hospitals, and residential colleges. When travelling for work or study, you can also use SafeZone to contact local emergency services.

If you have general concerns about your safety and would like to speak to a staff member, please contact the Safer Community Program.

Understanding your responsibilities and entitlements as a member of our university community

As members of the University’s community, you need to be familiar with the key principles underpinning the partnership between students and the University.

The Student Charter reflects the values of the University of Melbourne. It sets out what students are responsible for and what they are entitled to expect. We are a scholarly community committed to the common enterprise of learning in an environment that respects diversity in all its forms, and to the principles of justice, equity and the pursuit of excellence.

You are encouraged to read and reflect on your responsibilities, your entitlements, and the commitments that the University has made to you as a member of our community.

Engaging with your community

There are a range of different student communities you are encouraged to connect with, including the University of Melbourne Student Union (UMSU), the Graduate Student Association (GSA), the UMSU International Committee (UMSU-I).

The University of Melbourne Iranian Society, as an UMSU affiliated student club, is also a group that all Iranian students and graduate researchers are encouraged to connect with and join.