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Disability Support Services

Disability Advisor Support

All universities have staff who are especially there to help students with disability.

These university staff are known by a few different titles like:

  • Disability advisors
  • Disability consultants
  • Disability coordinators
  • Equity officers

A Disability Advisor (DA) is a university staff member dedicated to arranging practical assistance that students with disability need to complete their university course.

What can a DA do for me?

  • The DA is the main person who can tell you about the services and facilities helpful to students with disability at that university. They can also put you in touch with other staff at university who can help answer your questions about the course and life at university
  • DAs can help you work out what practical arrangements you may need and what is available at the university of your choice
  • DAs can give you information about the steps to take and the documentation you will need to get help from that university’s disability services

How to contact DAs?

  • You will find contact information on your university’s website, where you can organise an appointment online or phone. Appointments can be scheduled face to face, online or over the phone.

Student Support Services

All universities offer some form of student support services, however supports vary between universities and campuses.

  • Details about student supports can be found at:
  • Think about what types of student support services you may need and those that would be most useful to you.
  • Compare what is available at each university you are interested in. As the types of supports offered by individual universities may play a part in your final decision about where to study.

An example of student services at university may include:

  • Counselling and mental health support
  • Academic skills development
  • Student advocacy
  • Student safety
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student support
  • Career centres
  • Faith and religion
  • Mathematics Learning centre
  • Accommodation
  • International student services

Community Support Services

Think about what type of help you might need on a daily basis while studying at university. For example, the types of help you may need could be:

  • Personal care to get ready in the morning, or personal care throughout the day when at university
  • Coaching and counselling to help you to cope with the effect of university pressures and stress
  • Help to navigate and arrange public transport options  to university

You may already have these arrangements in place to help with school life. These arrangements will probably need to be adjusted to fit university life. You may also need different types of assistance.

You should consider whether there are any ‘gaps’ in your current support arrangements which could be made easier by accessing a support person or service. If this is the case, then write it down, and seek help through university support services, health care providers, family members, or even the NDIS.

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

Depending on your ability to meet eligibility criteria, the NDIS may provide funding for supports which lessen the impact of your disability on activities that are not directly related to your education or training.

Some examples of NDIS supports could include: personal care and support, transport to and from campus, assistive technology and equipment, and specialist supports for the transition from school to tertiary education.

The Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training (ADCET) (opens in a new window) provides people with information on how the NDIS can help support your needs for post-secondary education. A NDIS pre–planning toolkit has been made to guide people through their transition into post-secondary study, and help them to consider their rights and responsibilities when participating in higher education.

Find out about NDIS eligibility and how to apply (opens in a new window).

Resources and other services