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

You 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

If you are new to CAPS or haven't attended an appointment this year, book an appointment by calling us.

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

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Counselling appointments

We currently offer most appointments online. In person appointments are progressively being made available at Parkville, Southbank, Werribee, and Creswick campuses. If you are unable to book your preferred appointment type, please call or email us for assistance.

Appointment types

Initial consultations

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

  • Questionnaires about your health and wellbeing (15 mins)
  • A consultation with a counsellor (30 mins)

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.

If a suitable appointment time is not available, contact us during business hours. We can arrange for a counsellor to provide a brief triage phone call to work out options.

You can also check out what you can do while you are waiting, or if you need urgent assistance.

If you 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 continue 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.

To find out more about what to expect at your initial consultation or from short-term counselling, see our what to expect from counselling page.

International student counselling and support

Making the transition from another country to study in Australia can be an enriching experience and also bring challenges to wellbeing. This can include stress that comes with culture change, or feelings of loneliness when leaving behind your usual support network such as family and friends.

Our counsellors come from a variety of cultural backgrounds and are familiar with issues of adjusting to a new culture. They are committed to being respectful of cultural differences, and are experienced in working collaboratively with people from different cultural groups. We also have dedicated International Student Counsellors, Yuyang Liu and Effie Chen. You can learn more about our counsellors.

Appointments are booked online or by phone. If you would like to see a specific counsellor, you can request this.

LGBTQIA+ 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 counsellors.

Appointments are booked online or by phone. If you would like to see a 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.

Contact CAPS

More information