Counselling

Counselling offers free, confidential, short-term professional counselling to help you manage personal challenges affecting your study or wellbeing. Appointments are available face-to-face, online or by phone. Appointments are not available for students overseas. Visit our online booking page to book an appointment with a counsellor.  

Access and Inclusion Advisers provide advice and guidance for students who have a disability, impairment or a chronic health condition and those with significant caring responsibilities. Appointments are available face-to-face, online or by phone. Visit the online booking page to book an appointment with an Access and Inclusion Adviser.  

Counsellors offer free, confidential, short-term counselling to help you manage personal challenges that may affect your study or wellbeing. Appointments are available face-to-face, online or by phone. Appointments are not available for students overseas. Book an appointment with a counsellor via the online booking page. 

Please contact the counselling team at counselling@adelaideuni.edu.au. 

You will be contacted within 1-2 business days for a brief assessment of your needs.  

Be sure to include details of the type of support you are looking for. 

Kurraka Counselling provides a safe, private and comfortable space where you are offered support for your individual needs as a First Nations student. This is a free and confidential service available to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Our counsellors are available to chat with you and provide support with any issues impacting your study or personal life. 

First Nations students can email kurraka@adelaide.edu.au to ask any questions or arrange support. A counsellor will get back to you during business hours to arrange an appointment time and respond to any questions. 

If you are a student in Whyalla or Mount Gambier, you can access telehealth support from Adelaide University’s metropolitan counsellors via virtual (phone/ Zoom) appointment bookings using the online booking form.   

If you are a student in Whyalla, you have some options for face-to-face appointments, which you can book using the online booking form. 

University Crisis Line

For out-of-hours crisis support for Adelaide University students: 

• Call 1300 107 441 or text 0488 884 163  
• Available weekdays 5pm–9am and 24 hours on weekends and public holidays.  

Adelaide University’s graduate research students and their immediate family can also access the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), provided by Human Psychology. Call 1300 277 924 for a confidential discussion. For more information, view the short 2 minute video from Sam Young, Director, Human Psychology.  

University Crisis Line 

You can also access support from Adelaide University Counsellors. For after-hours crisis support for Adelaide University students:

• Call 1300 107 441 or text 0488 884 163 
• Available weekdays 5pm–9am and 24 hours on weekends and public holidays. 

Counselling may be able to provide support for an assessment extension or replacement exam application but only for compelling or compassionate circumstances.  

• I have a medical condition/ illness:   
  • You need your treating GP to fill out attached form.   
• I need support because a close relative has died: 
  • You may be required to provide a copy of the death certificate or funeral notice.    
• I need a supporting letter because of a personal issue not described above:  
  • Please contact the counselling team at counselling@adelaideuni.edu.au 
  • Briefly describe the personal issue/s you are dealing with (character limit)  
  • Describe how this is impacting on your studies (character limit).  

Counselling appointments are 50 minutes long. 

Your first session with a counsellor is a chance to talk about what’s going on with you in a safe, supportive and confidential space, and how we can best support you. Many students find that one session is enough to help them. Others might benefit from a few follow-up sessions or being connected with other services. You and your counsellor will decide this together. 

Yes, you will receive a reminder message.  

SMS reminders

• SMS are sent to Australian mobile numbers only 
• SMS are sent to the mobile number on your student record (Australian mobile numbers only). 
• Do not reply to the SMS. 

Email reminders

• The email reminder will be sent to your student email address. 

If you are feeling unwell on the day of your appointment, you can reschedule or convert your appointment to a phone or online appointment. Student Assist can help you on 1300 877 903 or you can email counselling@adelaide.edu.au to make any changes. 

Our counsellors are either psychologists (eligible for registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency), or social workers (eligible for registration with the Australian Association of Social Workers). Psychologists and Social workers must adhere to the professional codes of conduct set by their registering associations.  

In exceptional circumstances, counselling may be required to share information without your consent. Exceptional circumstances are:

• If there is a reasonable belief that you or someone else may be at risk 
• If there is a legal requirement to disclose, such as a court-ordered subpoena, or if you are under 18 years of age  
• If the University needs to seek legal advice. 

Counsellors must keep records of each session to monitor your progress. These records are stored securely on a web-based platform and are not part of the University’s central systems. Only counselling staff can access your file.  Under South Australian legislation, written records must be kept for 15 years. If you were under 18 years old at your last session, your file will be retained until you turn 25.