The National Student Ombudsman (NSO) is a free, independent and impartial service for higher education students that provides information, guidance and support to students who have concerns about how universities have handled complaints or decisions, including whether processes were fair and reasonable.
You can contact the NSO at any stage of having a complaint, but you may be directed to complete an internal process before the NSO can consider your complaint. Early contact is permitted but early escalation is not guaranteed. If you’ve been through La Trobe’s complaint processes and would like an external service to review how your complaint was handled, NSO may be able to help.
What is the National Student Ombudsman?
The NSO is a free, independent and impartial service for higher education students.
The NSO does not replace La Trobe University’s internal complaints processes. Instead, it provides an external option to consider how a complaint or decision was handled and whether the actions taken were reasonable and fair.
Who can contact the NSO?
The NSO is available to all higher education students, including:
- Domestic and international students
- Undergraduate, postgraduate and Higher Degree Research students
- Students studying full time or part time
- If you’re not sure the NSO is right for you, you can contact them for more information.
What issues can the NSO consider?
The NSO can consider complaints on a range of issues, including student safety and wellbeing, gender-based violence, racism and racial vilification, discrimination, the fairness and effectiveness of student complaints processes, and administrative issues like the timeliness and accuracy of information provided to students about their courses.
When should you contact the NSO?
The NSO is an external escalation option, which means you would normally contact them after raising a concern with La Trobe University.
If you are a student who has made a complaint to La Trobe University and would like an external service to review how it was handled, you can talk to the NSO.
How can the NSO help?
The NSO can’t make a new decision about a complaint, but they can consider if the decision or action taken was unreasonable or unfair. The NSO resolution pathways may include written recommendations to providers, opportunities to participate in restorative engagement, or alternative dispute resolution processes, including mediation.
How do I contact the NSO?
You can find out how to contact the NSO via their website.
They take complaints in a range of way so that you can make your complaint in a way that is safe for you. The NSO will work with you to consider the best resolution pathway, and if their services aren’t right for your situation, they can refer you to a service that is more appropriate.