Special Consideration

Dear Counselling,

I have been suffering with mild depression for the past 4 years and have only spoken out about it to my doctor last year. Over the last three sessions I have noticed the impact on my studies but I don't want to use it as an excuse. This session has proven to be the worst. How do I go about applying for Special Consideration for the whole session? - Anonymous

It’s great that you’re persevering with your studies even though you’ve been facing the hurdle of studying with depression.

Seeking support and applying for Special Consideration isn’t using depression as an excuse. I see it like this; some students might need glasses to read the lecture notes or even have someone else to read them so they can study effectively. Your needs might be different, but are no less legitimate. 

You can pick up a Special Consideration form from any Student Central or download it at the student forms page. Your doctor must support your application and complete the section for health professionals on the form. You’ll need one form per unit. So, if you want to apply for three units, you’ll need to submit three separate forms – and all of them must be filled in by your doctor.

Instead of applying for Special Consideration, it’d be worth looking into what support is available. The Disability Service can help with ongoing adjustments for any students studying with a disability or chronic health condition. Being registered with the Disability Service means they can put adjustments in place and you won’t have to apply for Special Consideration every session. Details of how they can help are on the Disability Service page.
Depression can be a really lonely and isolating experience and talking about it can help to overcome this – so it might be worth making an appointment. Beyond Blue also has some great online resources that might help.

(This question and answer is a part of eCounselling. If you have a question please submit it online. Please note this is not a good way to deal with crisis situations. If we are concerned about your safety we may call you to check on your welfare. If you need to make an appointment, please call (02) 9852 5199 or visit the Counselling Service on your campus. Lifeline is also available 24 hours a day on 13 11 14)