Complaints process

What is a complaint?

A complaint is a request that you make to the University to take action about a specific concern – for example, a problem with your studies, someone's behaviour or your experience on campus.

Addressing a complaint involves a detailed assessment and response, guided by our policies and procedures, as outlined in the process below.

How we handle your complaint

We seek to handle complaints with care, respect and fairness.

The Students Complaints Procedures sets out how you may make a complaint and how it will be assessed by the Student Affairs Unit (SAU). Our goal is to create a safe, inclusive, and respectful place where everyone feels supported and confident to speak up.

Generally, we handle your complaint in the following stages. At any stage, if you're not satisfied with how your complaint has been handled, you can progress your complaint to the National Student Ombudsman (NSO).

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Receiving your complaint

Once you have submitted your complaint and we've assigned to a Case Manager, you will receive an email with your complaint reference number and the name of your Case Manager.
Understanding your situation

Your Case Manager will carefully consider the details of your complaint and assess those details against University policies and procedures. They may contact you for further information or invite you to a meeting to discuss your complaint.
Keeping you updated

Within 20 working days of receiving your complaint, we’ll send you an update on what’s happening. If we need a little more time to properly assess your case, we’ll contact you about the delay.
Resolving your complaint

Depending on the nature of your complaint and what outcome you are seeking, your Case Manager will work to resolve your complaint satisfactorily. Often, we'll need to reach out to our colleagues in other areas of the University to help us gather information, which can take some time. If the University is at fault, we'll seek to rectify the situation. If your complaint is of an interpersonal nature there are various ways the University can take action, such as implementing an agreed plan of action to avoid further incidents, awareness-raising, mediation or conciliation or undertaking a disciplinary process. In some cases, your complaint may not be considered University-related and we may not be able to take action. If you believe there was a problem with how your complaint was handled and the University didn’t follow its policies or acted in a way that was procedurally unfair, you can <a href="/content/students/complaints/appeal-outcome.html">appeal the outcome</a>.
Investigating (as needed)

If an investigation is required, the University will ensure your complaint is investigated in accordance with the principles of procedural fairness. Your Case Manager will stay in touch and give you an idea of the timeline, taking into account any complexities or academic schedules.

Protecting your privacy

Confidentiality

We handle all complaint information confidentially, and in line with our policies and privacy laws, using it only for managing and resolving the complaint. Leaving us your contact information means we can reach out to you to follow up or seek more information to help us address your concerns.

You should be aware that if your complaint relates to a serious offence such as sexual or physical assault, the University is bound under The Crimes Act 1958 and in most circumstances will need to make a report to the Police. This means that in such cases, the University may also be obliged to take further action with or without your agreement, even if you had intended this for the University’s information only.

Your complaint will be formally recoded in the University's Complaints Management System and your privacy will be maintained in accordance with the University's Privacy Policy and Procedures. Your complaint submission will be retained in accordance with our Recordkeeping Policy and is stored securely in accordance with our Cyber Security Policy and Acceptable Use of ICT Resources Policy.

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Anonymous complaints

You can also choose to make an anonymous complaint, but this means we may be limited in what action we can take. Be aware that an anonymous complaint can only be investigated in the following situations:

if it relates to University policy or procedure generally
if there is independent documentary evidence to support the complaint and the allegation can be fairly tested
if it is not necessary for a respondent to be aware of your identity in order for the complaint to be responded to.

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Withdrawing a complaint

You can withdraw your complaint at any time by notifying the Student Affairs Unit (SAU).

You should be aware that we may need to proceed in certain circumstances even if you have withdrawn your complaint.

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Policies and procedures

Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination Prevention Policy false
Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination Resolution Procedures false
Campus Access Policy false
Charter of Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom false
Conditions of Enrolment false
Resolution of Complaints Policy false
Sexual Harm and Gender-based Violence Prevention and Response Policy false
Student Sexual Harm and Gender-based Violence Response Procedures false
Student Charter false
Students Complaints Procedures false
Student Sexual Misconduct Policy false
Student Sexual Misconduct Response Procedures false
Support for Students Policy false
University of Sydney (Student Discipline) Rule false

The University Policy Register is the single source of truth for University rules, policies, procedures and local provisions. Information found elsewhere may not be correct.

Current students