Disability & accessibility services

If you're a VU student with a disability or medical condition that impacts your studies, Accessibility Services can support you. 

By working with one of our Accessibility Liaison Officers (ALOs), you can access support services and resources, and adjustments for study and assessment.

What is an Access Plan?

An Access Plan is a document that is produced by an Accessibility Liaison Officer with you as a registered student. It summarises the following:

  • recommendations for teaching adjustments
  • assessment and examination adjustments
  • placement support (if required)
  • the impacts of your health condition or disability on your learning
  • your responsibilities
  • referrals for learning support and other factors for independent learning.

Further information about registering is in the section ‘Eligibility for accessibility support’ on this page.

Accessibility services we can provide

Student Amy Marks has benefited from VU's accessibility support services.

Eligibility for accessibility support

To be eligible for accessibility support, you must:

  • be currently enrolled as a student at VU
  • have a disability or health condition that impacts your studies
  • provide a Health Practitioner Report from a qualified professional.

Your health practitioner report should include:

  • the nature of the specific impairment or condition
  • the duration of the disability as permanent, ongoing or temporary
  • details of the impact the condition is likely to have on your learning
  • recommended support services and/or reasonable adjustments to minimise impact on your study
  • medical professional's title, credentials and stamp
  • legible hand-writing, dated and signed by your practitioner.

Your health practitioner report is valid for:

  • one month for temporary conditions
  • twelve months for ongoing conditions
  • the duration of your enrolment for permanent conditions.

Registration process

  1. Download and print the Health Practitioner Report (PDF, 188.93 KB).
  2. Arrange for your Health Practitioner to complete the report, or use your diagnostic report (eg Educational Psychologist Assessment)
  3. Fill in the online form to contact accessibility support, and we'll contact you to make an appointment
  4. Meet with an Accessibility Liaison Officer. They will assess the support services best suited to you. Please bring the following documents:
  5. Negotiate a learning Access Plan with your Accessibility Liaison Officer.
  6. Keep in touch with us and give us feedback.

Accessibility Action Plan

Victoria University aims to be a leader in inclusivity for people with a disability. We’ve committed to this goal by establishing a Student Accessibility Action Plan (AAP) 2021–2023 which spells out our equity and diversity values for students with a disability.

The AAP 2021–2023 is the fifth of its kind. The first was lodged in 2001 with the now-named Australian Human Rights Commission. The AAP is designed remove the barriers to access and participation for students with a health condition or disability and develop new strategies to provide a supportive and inclusive educational experience for them.