Registration
You can register with SAWO to receive a Study Access Plan (SAP), at any time throughout your studies. We strongly encourage you to register with us as early as possible in your studies, so we can provide you with the most appropriate adjustments in a timely manner.
Reasonable adjustments are determined in accordance with your individual needs, your course and mode of study and the documentation you provide.
Documentation Needed
When you register for support, you will be required to provide us with sufficient documentation to receive a SAP.
If you require another person to act on your behalf, you will need to complete an Authority to Act Form.
Below is an outline of documentation accepted by SAWO.
For students who are caring for a family member with a disability or health condition, the documentation provided should come from a health professional or case worker who is familiar with either your health and/or the person you are caring for. The letter should be no more than 12 months old and:
- indicate the connection between you and the person you are caring for on the form (e.g. full-time carer for Mary Joe);
- state the health condition of the person you are caring for;
- outline the impact that the caring duties are likely to have on your study; and
- indicate the anticipated time frame of your caring role (we understand that this is often for the duration of your degree).
You may also have your health professional or case worker complete a Health Professionals Report.
If you also experience a health condition or disability in addition to your caring responsibilities, you can choose to supply Health Professional documentation to receive additional adjustments for your own health condition.
Additional Supporting Documentation
- Centrelink documentation, which outlines your caring responsibilities.
- If you have received a Study Access Plan (or similar) from another university, you may also supply this to assist us with our assessment.
Download the UNE Health Professionals Report here
Documentation provided by students must be dated and signed by the appropriate health or disability professional (see examples of health professionals).
Any documentation should be:
- no more than two weeks old for temporary conditions; and
- no more than twelve months old for emerging degenerative or fluctuating conditions.
There is no restriction on the age of documentation for permanent disabilities and health conditions, as long as it is sufficiently detailed and relevant to the student's current studies.
As technology develops and teaching methods at UNE change, the impact of a person’s disability on their study may change. We may therefore need to request updated health professional documentation from students with permanent disabilities/health conditions.
To assist your treating health professional in outlining your needs for university study, SAWO have prepared a Health Professional Report they can complete. It is not compulsory for this specific form to be completed, however if supplying documentation it should:
- state the health condition;
- indicate the time frame that this condition is likely to impact on the student’s study;
- outline the impact on the student;
- recommend reasonable accommodations;
- clearly identify the health professional and their credentials; and
- be legible, on a letterhead, dated and signed.
In addition to your health information, if you have received a Study Access Plan (or similar) from another university, you may also supply this to assist SAWO to prepare your adjustments here at UNE.
If you require another person to act on your behalf, you will need to complete an Authority to Act Form.
Examples of health professionals
| Disability/Health Condition Type | Appropriate Professional |
|---|---|
| ADHD/ADD & others | Registered Psychologist, Psychiatrist or other specialist providing ongoing care. |
| Learning (including Irlen Syndrome) | Registered Clinical or Educational Psychologist (complete copy of the results of psychometric testing) or other specialist providing ongoing care such as Occupational Therapist, Behavioural Optometrist or Speech Pathologist. |
| Neurological, including Acquired Brain Injury, Cerebral Tumour | Neurologist, Neuropsychologist, Clinical Psychologist, Psychiatrist |
| Hearing | Registered audiologist |
| Mental Health, including depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic/anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, bipolar disorder | Registered psychologist, Psychiatrist or other specialist providing ongoing care. or A General Practitioner who has a clinical history of treating you for at least 2 years |
| Medical, including chronic fatigue, diabetes, epilepsy, arthritis, Crohn’s disease | General Practitioner (who has a clinical management history of at least 2 years and your history of specialist visits) or medical specialist |
| Medical and physical impairment/difficulty, including cancer, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, paraplegia, cystic fibrosis etc | Chronic Condition: Appropriate specialist with management history, visits and tests, or a General Practitioner who has a clinical history of treating you for at least 2 years Temporary Condition: General practitioner |
| Vision | Ophthalmologist or specialist service, such as Vision Australia |
| Temporary Condition or Injury | General Practitioner, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist |
Students eligible for a SAP with adjustments related to their employment include students who are
- members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), including reservists,
- members of Emergency Services, including the Australian Federal Police and Customs, as well as ambulance and other emergency services, and
- students who work in Fly-in, Fly-out employment in any industry.
Study adjustments are predominantly for unplanned and extended absences from study, due to deployment and unplanned calls to service.
If you think you are eligible, please email accessinclusion@une.edu.au with a letter from your employer confirming your regular and potential duties that may impact on your studies.
To be eligible for the Elite Athlete Program (EAP) you must:
- complete the online form ; and
- attach your training and competitive program endorsed by the Athlete Career Education (ACE) Advisor of your sporting body.
For more information, visit the EAP page.
Incarcerated Students
To receive study adjustments, you will need to provide to SAWO :
- Written permission via an Authority to Act Form for your Education Officer to manage your enrolment and access to study material on your behalf.
- Written permission from the Education Officer advising of their contact details and that the Correctional Centre supports your enrolment at UNE. This letter should also list any restrictions you may have which impact on your studies, for example limited/no computer access, and/or limited/no internet access.
- The Education Officer needs to apply for admission on behalf of you through the UNE online process.
- Once the Education Officer has accepted your offer, they can enrol you in units online. To discuss a study plan, the Education Officer may call UNE Student Connect on 02 6773 2000 from 8am-6pm Monday to Friday, as our Office does not have the expertise to discuss course information in detail.
- Once enrolled, the Education Officer needs to contact SAWO on accessinclusion@une.edu.au, so we can develop a Study Access Plan to assist with liaising with unit coordinators.
- You may provide other supporting documentation that outlines your circumstances, such as evidence from your employer about your limitations.
- If approved, you will receive a Study Access Plan (SAP), which will assist you in working with our office and your unit coordinators to provide study materials to you in an alternative format.
- Please be aware that some unit materials and assessments can only be provided online, due to the inherent requirements and/or unit learning outcomes of particular units. It is your responsibility to then withdraw from that unit or make other arrangements to access the material online.
** If an incarcerated student also experiences a disability or health condition, they may also provide a Health Professionals Report.
Internet Exempt
If you would like to apply for a partial computer exemption, you will need to supply to SAWO:
1. Evidence that your residential address is in a remote area that does not have adequate internet service. UNE IT services has information here about the required internet connection for study.
Documentation Review
Please note that as technology and teaching methods regularly change at UNE, the impact of a person’s situation on study may change. Depending on the nature of your situation, and the degree you are studying, updated medical documentation may be requested when your SAP expires or in some cases earlier.
Inherent Requirements
All students, including students with a SAP, must meet the inherent requirements and/or Learning Outcomes of their individual course, as they are fundamental components of each degree.
We strongly encourage both prospective and current students review the inherent requirements and/or Learning Outcomes in the UNE Course Handbook (please make sure to select the correct commencement year at the top of the Catalogue, as you are obliged by the course rules of that year).
Any adjustments throughout your studies are at the discretion of each unit coordinator. In addition, before accepting a course offer, you are responsible for checking the eligibility criteria for registration with professional registration boards.
