Disability & Accessibility Services

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

By working with one of our Accessibility Liaison Officers (ALOs) to create an Access Plan, you can access support services and resources, and reasonable adjustments for study and assessments.

The Disability and Accessibility Services team are not available for drop-in appointments. If you require immediate support, please email your ALO directly or call Student Wellbeing reception on +61 3 9919 5400 to schedule an appointment.

How can I request support?

If you would like to receive assistance from Disability and Accessibility Services, follow the steps below to register for support.

: To register with Disability and Accessibility Services and get an Access Plan you must:
be currently enrolled as a student at VU
have a disability or health condition that impacts your studies, or provide personal support as a carer for someone with a disability or health condition
provide relevant health documentation from a qualified professional.
: Your supporting documentation should:
specify the name and type of the specific disability or condition
state the nature of the condition as permanent or temporary (include dates if applicable)
describe how the disability or condition impacts on learning and participation in education, and the strategies recommended for minimising this impact.
We can accept any documentation which addresses the above, including a written letter from a health professional (like a doctor, psychologist, audiologist, or speech therapist) or a diagnostic report (like an Educational Psychologist Assessment or an ADHD/autism assessment report).
Health practitioner report
You can also ask your health practitioner to complete a digital or hard copy of our Health Practitioner Report:
Health Practitioner Report (PDF, 89.5 KB)
Your health practitioner must include their title, credentials, and dated signature. If your health practitioner completes the report by hand, their handwriting must be legible.
Your health practitioner report is valid for:
two weeks for temporary conditions
duration of your enrolment for permanent conditions.
Your health documentation will be kept private and safe. Only Disability and Accessibility Services staff can view your health documentation.
: Login to the Access Student Portal to lodge your registration request and submit your documentation online.
You will be asked to briefly describe your disability or condition and its impact on your study. You will also be required to upload your supporting documentation, specify your appointment preference (in-person, phone or Zoom) and sign the privacy statement by ticking a box.
Access Student Portal
: You will be assigned an Accessibility Liaison Officer (ALO) and an appointment will be booked for you based on your specified appointment preferences. You will receive an email confirmation with details of your appointment. You may bring your carer, support worker or parent if you wish. Let us know if you need an Auslan interpreter for your appointment.
Your ALO will guide you a conversation about you as a learner. They may help you identify your strengths, any challenges you experience in your studies, and the study-related tasks you enjoy doing or need further support with.

Your ALO will actively listen to you and is here to support you. Your ALO may ask questions or make suggestions based on their experience supporting students with disabilities at VU. However, we understand that you are the expert on how your disability may be impacting you.
Your ALO will document their recommendations for reasonable adjustments in your Access Plan in the Access Student Portal.
Your Access Plan may include recommendations for academic support workers and/or assistive equipment and technology, if required.
It can outline reasonable adjustments to:
assessable tasks (eg. quizzes, assignments, presentations, exams)
Work Integrated Learning (placements)
teaching practices
Once your Access Plan is published, you can login to the Access Student Portal at any time to see your recommended reasonable adjustments.
: Your Access Plan will be automatically shared with relevant staff (such as your teachers, your course chair, and the exams team) for each study period. No action is required from you to share your Access Plan with your teachers.
Occasionally, recommended adjustments may be unsuitable for some units or assessments. In circumstances where the recommended adjustments may compromise inherent requirements or academic integrity, your teacher can contact Disability & Accessibility Services regarding alternative options for reasonable adjustments.
For permanent conditions, your Access Plan is valid for the duration of your course enrolment. For temporary conditions, there will be an expiry date on your Access Plan.
If your Access Plan needs to be reviewed or the recommended adjustments no longer reflect your needs, please call +61 3 9919 5400 to book an appointment with your Accessibility Liaison Officer (ALO).

What support services can we provide?

Support doesn’t look the same for every student. Depending upon your needs, Disability and Accessibility Services can assist you to access the following supports and adjustments.

: Note takers create clear notes that are tailored to your needs to provide clarity on the key points of the class, including key concepts, examples, and any visual aids used.
Participation assistants help you to understand procedures or instructions, provide physical assistance where required, and help you to develop independence in a classroom setting.
Lab assistants provide physical assistance in a lab setting, help you to understand procedures or instructions, and help you to meaningfully develop independence in a lab setting.
: Auslan is Australian Sign Language – a language of the Australian Deaf Community.
An Auslan interpreter is someone who interprets between English and Auslan. Auslan interpreters are available for classes, assessments, and consultations with student services for students who use Auslan as their primary language.
Unfortunately, we cannot provide interpreters for international sign languages such as ASL or BSL.
: We can help you to source and access assistive technology, physical equipment, and accessible format materials to make your learning experience more accessible.
Examples of assistive technology include (but are not limited to):
audio-notetaking software
dictation software
screen-reader software
screen-magnifier software
Examples of assistive physical equipment include:
height adjustable desks
ergonomic seating
wheelchair/low-mobility accessible classrooms
Examples of accessible format class materials include:
live captioning for online classes
alternative-format texts (large print, Braille)
printed materials.

Reasonable adjustments & inherent requirements

Reasonable adjustments are changes or supports put in place to help students with a disability participate in their studies on the same basis as other students. Reasonable adjustments are designed to reduce the impact of a health condition or disability, without compromising academic standards and inherent course requirements.

Inherent course requirements are the abilities, attributes, skills and behaviours needed to meet the learning outcomes of a course. Students who can meet an inherent requirement with the application of a reasonable adjustment are considered to be able to meet the inherent requirement.

: Reasonable adjustments are changes or supports put in place to help students with a disability participate in their studies on the same basis as other students.
An adjustment is considered reasonable if it achieves this purpose while balancing the interests of all parties affected, including those of the student with disability, the education provider, staff and other students.
If you have a disability or health condition, we will consider a variety of factors when recommending reasonable adjustments for your study. These may include:
the nature and onset of your disability or health condition
documentation from your health practitioner about the impacts of your disability or health condition
your experiences accessing support for your disability or health condition during previous study
the inherent course requirements of your enrolled course
the course delivery modes and assessment formats of your enrolled course
your usual work methods and ability to achieve learning outcomes
the effect of the proposed adjustment on anyone else affected, including staff and other students
the cost of making the adjustment.
The Australian Education Clearinghouse on Education and Training (ADCET) publishes useful information for staff and students about supporting students with disability and making reasonable adjustments.
: To successfully complete a course, you must demonstrate through assessment that you have met the inherent course requirements and fulfilled the learning outcomes specific to your enrolled course.
Find information about the inherent requirements for your course.
If you can meet an inherent requirement with the application of a reasonable adjustment, you are considered to be able to meet the inherent requirement. Many students with disabilities or other circumstances that impact on their studies have successfully completed their enrolled courses with reasonable adjustments made to their learning conditions.
Reasonable adjustments can be made to any aspect of your educational experience, but they must:
not fundamentally change the nature of the inherent requirement
be consistent with any restrictions imposed by a relevant professional accreditation body
be consistent with legislative and regulatory requirements, and not compromise workplace health and safety, or any relevant codes, guidelines and policies
not enable unethical or unprofessional behaviour
address the need to perform the full range of tasks involved in the course program, including undertaking learning activities in mixed gender environments, which reflect the Australian context
ensure that performance is consistent and sustained over a given period.
The University has no requirement to adjust for conditions that it is not aware of. You need to disclose any circumstances that pose a health or safety risk to yourself or others.
If the inherent requirements cannot be met with reasonable adjustments, University staff can provide guidance regarding other study options.

Specialised support

Support for school students transitioning to TAFE

We are committed to providing personalised support to students with a disability transitioning from secondary school (including specialist schools and alternative education settings) to a TAFE environment.

A VU staff member in a blue VU shirt talking with a prospective student at the other end of the table.

Support for neurodivergent students

We offer an online support space created by neurodivergent student mentors. Find tips, tools and personal stories to help you navigate university in a way that works for you.

Student mentors

Our student mentors are experienced VU students who can help you settle into VU, and pass on knowledge in our specialised areas.

Visit a quiet room on campus

Quiet rooms are designated spaces on campus where you can retreat when you feel overwhelmed. Our quiet rooms are designed to support students in reducing anxiety and promoting self-regulation. All quiet rooms are quiet, calming spaces fitted with comfortable furnishings, fidget tools and adjusted lighting.

Fob access is required for the quiet rooms. Fob access is required for the quiet rooms. Current VU students can login to VU Support Hub to request an access fob for the quiet rooms.

Request a fob

Campus	Location	Opening hours
City Campus	Room CT0129, Level 1, City Tower. Next to the Student Wellbeing waiting area.	8am–6pm
Footscray Park	Building E, Room E106, Ground floor Near the recording studio.	8am–6pm
Footscray Nicholson	Building N, room N110, Level 1	8am–6pm
St Albans	Building 10, Room 10121, Level 1 Next to the security office.	8am–6pm

: Please follow our guidelines to help us maintain these spaces:
Keep your personal belongings with you so the space remains available for everyone.
Help us maintain a clean environment by keeping food out of the rooms.
These rooms are designed for specific use, so we encourage using other areas for study.
Use the signage to show when the room is “in use” and switch it to “available” when you’re done.
Be mindful of time to help us ensure everyone has fair access.
Leave the space clean and tidy to create a welcoming environment for all.
: Report any damage or issues to one of the following:
Campus security + 61 3 9919 4999
Disability & Accessibility Services + 61 3 9919 5400

Sensory maps

This is a sensory map created to help you find your way around Footscray Park Campus. It can help you understand the sensory environments and assist you with accessible wayfinding.

Footscray Park Campus sensory map (PDF, 2.24 MB)

: The Footscray Park sensory maps highlight low, medium, and high sensory environments.
They note the expected smells, sights, loud noise, and crowded areas.
It can also help you identify any quieter areas and sensory friendly spaces on campus.
Our sensory maps were created through the contributions of VU staff and students with disability, aiming to capture a broad range of lived experiences. However it is important to know, all sensory experiences that you may experience on campus are unique and valid, and naturally change day-to-day.
These maps were designed in collaboration between Student and Staff, Disability and Accessibility Services VU and designed by Bryce Pace.
: Footscray Park Campus is built on a steep hill, and because of this, entry levels to buildings can vary between each building.
You may notice some buildings not mapped on every level, and wayfinding guidance goes into a building on one level, and out on another (this indicates the need for lift to navigate to the entry/exit points).
In general:
Level 1 is considered the 'ground floor' for buildings M, P, L, E and G
Level 2 is considered the 'ground floor' for Buildings D, C, A and K
Grey indicates an area currently under construction
White areas indicate staff office spaces or classrooms

Disability Action Plan

Victoria University aims to be a leader in inclusivity for people with a disability. In 2025 we published the first whole-of-organisation Disability Action Plan co-designed with staff and students with living experience of disability.

The Disability Action Plan, part of VU’s Progressive Inclusivity Framework 2026 – 2030, replaces the previous Student Accessibility Action Plan which was designed to remove barriers to access and participation for students with a health condition or disability.

Our new whole-of-organisation Disability Action Plan will continue to guide Victoria University in providing a supportive and inclusive educational experience for students and staff through specific actions addressing key priority areas.