Making an appointment

Counselling and Psychological Services (CAPS) provides free, confidential, short-term professional counselling to currently enrolled domestic and international students and staff. CAPS is committed to providing quick access to our service for those in need.

For all appointments

Students

All students can book, check-in for, reschedule or cancel an appointment using our online appointment portal.

Book, check-in for, reschedule or cancel an appointment

Staff

Staff who are new to Counselling and Psychological Services or haven't attended an appointment this year should book an appointment by calling us on +61 3 8344 6927.

Staff who are existing clients can book, check-in for, reschedule or cancel an appointment using our online appointment portal.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Counselling support

The health and wellbeing of our students and staff is of paramount importance to us. In line with government policy and the University’s response to reduce rates of infection in the community, CAPS is offering telecounselling appointments via Zoom. If you have any questions or issues connecting with us, please phone or email our Reception at 03 8344 6927 or caps-reception@unimelb.edu.au. Our current opening hours are 9am - 5pm (Monday - Friday) until further notice.

Appointment types

Initial consultations

Getting support at CAPS begins with an initial consultation. An initial consultation appointment is up to 45 minutes and includes:

A questionnaire about your health and wellbeing
A consultation with a counsellor

The consultation is designed to cover a brief overview of your current situation and address any immediate concerns.

Initial consultation appointments are available Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm. They can be booked on the day, or the next day. During semester, with increased demand, wait times can increase. Check out what you can do while you are waiting, or if you need urgent assistance.

If you would feel more comfortable speaking with a male or female counsellor, or have particular preferences in your choice of counsellor, see our staff page for more details. We will endeavour to place you with someone of your choice, but this may not always be possible.

A counsellor making notes while talking with a client — Counselling appointments start with an initial consultation

Short-term counselling

At the end of your initial consultation, your counsellor will recommend some support options. Some people find that the initial consultation is sufficient for their needs, while others may proceed with short-term counselling.

Return appointments are up to 50 minutes and are arranged through your counsellor. Majority of students attend between one to four sessions. A small number of students may require up to six sessions.

For important information about what to expect at your initial consultation or from short-term counselling, see our what to expect from counselling page.

LGBTIQA+ counselling and support

At the University of Melbourne, we recognise the richness diversity brings. We pride ourselves on fostering and promoting a diverse and inclusive learning and working environment free from discrimination, harassment, vilification, or victimisation based on sex, sexuality, or gender identity.

Our counsellors are welcoming and supportive of people of all backgrounds, and many counsellors have a particular interest in supporting students of diverse sexuality and gender identity. We also have have a dedicated LGBTIQA+ counsellor, Jean Popomilkov. You can read more about our staff.

Appointments are booked online or by phone at 03 8344 6927. If you would like to see Jean or any specific counsellor, you can request this.

Learn more about LGBTIQA+ counselling and support

Special consideration

Can a counsellor help me apply for special consideration?

Students who have been seeing a CAPS counsellor in an ongoing way about issues affecting their study can talk to their counsellor about completing a Health Professional Report (HPR) to support an application for special consideration.

Before making an appointment:

Please refer to the University's policy and information on Special Consideration.
Print and complete the Student portion of the HPR. A copy of the HPR form can be found on the Special Consideration page under 'Supporting Documentation'.

What if I haven't been to see a counsellor at CAPS before?

HPR forms are best completed by health professionals who have prior knowledge of your circumstances.

If it's your first time seeing one of our counsellors, we may not be able to complete your HPR. However, you can still make an appointment to discuss personal issues that are impacting your study, and we can discuss options and support with you.