Support resources

Whether you need counselling, coaching, or other support, find what you need and find it fast.

Need help now

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 000. For other urgent support needs, choose from the services listed below.

Emergency

NOW Immediate danger
When: Life-threatening emergency
Call 000

If on campus, also call ANU UniSafe.

ANU UniSafe

24/7 On-campus security
Hours: 24/7
Call (02) 6125 2249

Urgent on-campus assistance.

Police Assistance Line

24/7 Non-emergency police
Call 131 444

If on campus, also call ANU UniSafe.

ANU Wellbeing & Support Line

24/7 Students
Call 1300 050 327 Text 0488 884 170

Crisis counselling for students.

Staff & Family

24/7 EAP
Call 1300 687 327 (Converge) Call 1800 808 374 (Assure)

Crisis counselling services.

Domestic Violence Crisis Service

24/7 Canberra based
Call 02 6280 0900 Email crisis@dvcs.org.au

Support and intervention for domestic violence.

Access Mental Health

24/7 Immediate support
Call 1800 629 354

For concerns about your own or someone else’s mental health.

Canberra Rape Crisis Centre

7am–11pm Crisis support
Call (02) 6247 2525 Text 0488 586 518

Supporting victim survivors of sexual violence.

Kids Helpline

24/7 Up to 25 years
Call 1800 551 800

Counselling support line for young people up to 25 years.

13 YARN

24/7 Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis support
Call 13 92 76

Aboriginal & Torres Straight Islander Crisis Supporters who provide a safe space to yarn.

Suicide Call Back Service (On the Line)

24/7 Crisis counselling
Call 1300 659 467 Online chat / video chat

Counselling support for people at risk of suicide, concerned about someone at risk or bereaved by suicide.

Lifeline

24/7 Crisis support
Call 13 11 14 Text 0477 13 11 14 Online chat

Help for anyone who is feeling overwhelmed, emotionally distressed or thinking about suicide.

Support services

Use the search and quick filters to find the right support option.

Some services treat students doing paid work at ANU (e.g. casual hours) as staff . If unsure, check the service details.
For
Mode
No matches found
Try a different keyword (e.g. counselling , legal , 24/7 ) or hit Reset to clear your search and filters. If you still can’t find the right option, students can contact the ANU Wellbeing and Support Line (24/7) . For urgent help, see the contacts at the top of this page.
Call 1300 050 327 Text 0488 884 170

Adviser to Staff (ANU)

Counselling Weekdays Free
Hours: Weekdays 9am–5pm
Session limit: Max 6 sessions per semester
Mode: Call, online, in person
Provider: Registered psychologists (ANU internal service)
Who can use it: Staff
What you can get help with
  • Confidential counselling
  • Career advice
  • Conflict mediation
More information

Staff Respect Consultant (ANU)

Workplace support Weekdays Free
Hours: Weekdays 9am–5pm
Session limit: Varies
Mode: Call, online, in person
Provider: Staff Respect Consultant (ANU internal position)
Who can use it: Staff
What you can get help with
  • Support for work related issues
  • Triage to the right service
Bookings More information

Legal referral (Assure)

EAP Legal Weekdays Free
Hours: Weekdays 9am–5pm
Session limit: Up to 2 sessions (introductory legal referral; limitations apply)
Mode: Call, online, in person
Provider: Registered lawyers (Assure, external provider)
Who can use it: Staff, Family
What you can get help with
  • Introductory legal referral
  • General legal advice (limitations apply)
More information

Specific coaching (Assure)

EAP Coaching Weekdays Free
Hours: Weekdays 9am–5pm
Session limit: Varies
Mode: Call, online, in person
Provider: Dietician, finance coach (Assure, external provider)
Who can use it: Staff, Family
What you can get help with
  • Nutritional coaching
  • Financial coaching
More information

Counselling (Assure)

EAP Counselling 24/7 Free
Hours: 24/7 (critical incident support)
Session limit: 4
Mode: Call, online, in person
Provider: Registered psychologists (Assure, external provider)
Who can use it: Staff, Family
Good to know: For regular appointments, weekdays 9am–5pm (some early/late appointments may be available).
What you can get help with
  • Confidential counselling
  • Coaching (career, relationships, etc.)
  • General support
More information

Counselling (Converge)

EAP Counselling 24/7 Free
Hours: 24/7
Session limit: 2–4*
Mode: Call, text/chat, online, in person
Provider: Registered psychologists, lawyers, dietitians (Converge, external provider)
Who can use it: Staff, Family
Good to know: Appointments are available 24/7 Australia-wide; in-person options are more restricted at irregular hours.
What you can get help with
  • One-on-one counselling
  • Group counselling
  • Additional options: neurodiversity, legal, manager support, employee support, career, conflict, family, nutrition, finance
More information

Specialist helplines (Converge)

EAP Helpline 24/7 Free
Hours: 24/7
Mode: Call
Provider: Converge specialist helplines (external provider)
Who can use it: Staff, Family
Good to know: Numbers for each specialist helpline are listed on the ANU Converge page. These helplines can also triage to counselling and support services.
Topics supported
  • Aged care support
  • Disability & carers
  • Domestic & family violence
  • First Nations
  • LGBTQIA+
  • Spiritual & pastoral care
  • Young people & young adults
More information

Counselling (ANU)

Counselling Weekdays Free
Hours: Weekdays 8am–4pm
Session limit: Short-term
Mode: Online, in person
Provider: Registered psychologists (ANU)
Who can use it: Undergraduate, Honours, Postgraduate
What you can get help with
  • Free, short-term, confidential counselling
  • Workshops, online courses and resources
More information

Wellbeing and Support Line (ANU)

Helpline 24/7 Free
Hours: 24/7
Mode: Call, text
Provider: Registered psychologists (ANU)
Who can use it: Undergraduate, Honours, Postgraduate
What you can get help with
  • Hotline support for situational stress, emotional difficulties, and mental health concerns
Call 1300 050 327 Text 0488 884 170

Chaplaincy (ANU)

Chaplaincy Weekdays Free
Hours: Prayer/chaplaincy space access is generally weekdays during term time (check current hours)
Appointments: Flexible & ad hoc
Mode: Call, online, in person
Provider: Multifaith chaplains (ANU endorsed; mainly volunteers)
Who can use it: Undergraduate, Honours, Postgraduate
What you can get help with
  • Chaplain appointments (flexible, ad hoc)
  • Support for wellbeing, meaning, faith/spiritual care (multi-faith)
Notes
  • Multifaith team (women and men, lay and clergy)
  • Diverse cultural, linguistic and educational backgrounds
More information

Psychology Clinic (ANU)

Clinic Weekdays Low cost / varies
Hours: Most weekdays 9am–5pm (Closed Tuesdays); Fri 9am–4pm
Mode: In person
Provider: Provisional psychologists supervised by registered clinical psychologists (ANU)
Who can use it: Staff, Undergraduate, Honours, Postgraduate, Family
What you can get help with
  • Assessments
  • Therapy
  • Counselling
What to know
  • Training clinic for provisional psychologists
  • Can’t assist with complex or chronic mental health conditions
  • Waiting list may close periodically when capacity is reached
More information

LGBTIQA+SA Peer Support (QLife)

Peer support Every day Free
Hours: Every day 3pm–9pm
Session limit: N/A
Mode: Call, online
Provider: Free and anonymous peer-support and referral service run by staff and volunteers with lived experience as LGBTIQA+SB people (external entity)
Who can use it: Staff, Undergraduate, Honours, Postgraduate, Family
What you can get help with
  • Peer support for LGBTIQA+SB individuals and their support people
  • Anonymous support and referral
More information

Student Assistance (ANUSA)

Counselling / student support Weekdays Free
Hours: Weekdays 9am–5pm
Session limit: N/A
Mode: Call, online, in person
Provider: Student Assistance Advisors (ANUSA)
Who can use it: Undergraduate, Honours, Postgraduate
What you can get help with
  • Empowering support, advice and assistance for students
  • Triage services
  • Professional and confidential support
More information

Legal Service (ANUSA)

Legal Weekdays Free
Hours: Weekdays 9am–5pm
Session limit: N/A
Mode: Online, in person
Provider: Professional lawyers (ANUSA)
Who can use it: Undergraduate, Honours, Postgraduate
What you can get help with
  • Free and confidential legal advice to all ANU students
  • Legal referrals and document witnessing
  • Legal advice on tenancy, migration, intellectual property (IP), employment, traffic infringements and discrimination law
More information

Additional Resources

Posters

Support @ ANU (A3 Landscape) Poster
A printable poster for your office space so that you can easily triage through available support services at ANU. The poster also contains QR codes leading to each listed support service as well as a separate QR code leading to the Support Services webpage.

Urgent Support @ ANU (A4 Landscape) Poster
A printable poster for your office space so that you can easily access key contact numbers for Urgent Support services in ANU and external to ANU. The poster also contains QR codes leading to the Support webpage. 

Support Services (A4 Landscape) Poster
A printable poster for your office space or digital displays with a QR code leading to the Support webpage.

ANU Resources

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion | Services
Landing page for the Anu Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Services Division. Contains useful links to factsheets, disclosure and reporting tools, action plans, legislation and University policy documents relevant to diversity equity and inclusion.

ANU Supporting Students in Distress (Guide)
Topics covered:

  • Trauma-Informed Support at ANU
  • Managing your own wellbeing
  • Death of a Student
  • Disengaged Student
  • Missing Student
  • Bully, Discrimination or Harassment Disclosure
  • Sexual Assault or Sexual Harassment Disclosure
  • Supporting a student in distress
  • Suicidal or Self-Harming Risk
  • Key ANU Student Services Contacts
  • ANU On-Campus Residences

LGBTIQA+ support | Australian National University
Compilation of different LGBTIQA+ support networks, contacts, and services, internal and external to the university.

Anti-Racism Factsheet
A factsheet developed by the ANU Staff Respect Consultant to help individuals navigate, mitigate, prevent and eliminate racism at the ANU. The factsheet contains a mixture of resources, advice and context in reference to Australian and ANU policy.

Family and Domestic Violence Factsheet
A factsheet developed by the ANU Staff Respect Consultant to help ANU members understand how Family and Domestic Violence Leave works at the ANU.

Gender Equity and Gender Identity Factsheet
A factsheet developed by the ANU Staff Respect Consultant to help ANU members understand how Gender Affirmation Leave works at the ANU, help individuals engage with gender at the workplace, while further clarifying what gender actually is and why it's important.

Urgent Support - Students
A page developed with contact details for providing urgent support to students.

Student Support - wellbeing, medical, academic
Compilation of descriptions of ANU service providers and their contact details for supporting students with academic, wellbeing and medical issues.

Mental health support for students outside Australia

Many of the counselling services listed on this page only cover services provided within Australia, here are additional resources that students (and staff) can access abroad:

Suicide Hotlines & Crisis Helplines | Free, 24/7 Chat, Text & Phone (findahelpline.com). 
If you require urgent support, please contact your nearest crisis service and ask them about options for ongoing assistance in your area.

Contact your local doctor 
Your local doctor can help with treatment for mental health symptoms and also provide a referral to local services.

Mental Health Resources 
ANU Counselling provides free online Mental Health Resources including handouts, talking tips, and their online mindfulness course. 

Moodgym, Ecouch & Centre for clinical interventions
Free self-help & mental health programs available online.

TalkCampus
The TalkCampus app enables you to talk anonymously to students from universities and colleges around the world going through similar struggles and offers instant support for your mental health any time of day and night. You can also find information about other mental health apps here with eMHprac recommendations for tertiary students. 

Uni Virtual Clinic (ANU) 
Is an online platform designed to provide university students with easy access to information and tools to support their mental health. This includes tips to manage stress, resources for dealing with anxiety, or strategies to tackle study issues. 

We thank The Research School of Biology for compiling these resources and allowing us to share them here.