Financial Counselling for Deakin Students

Having the support of a financial counsellor can relieve your money woes. We are here to inform and support you during any financial difficulty you may be facing. Contact us to arrange a free appointment.

Our Financial Counsellor is here to help Deakin Students.

DUSA Financial Counselling is a non-judgmental, independent, confidential and free service provided to inform, support and advocate for students experiencing financial difficulty. Having the support of a financial counsellor can relieve your money worries.

“I am so overwhelmed with gratitude for the support I have received. Everyone I spoke to was so friendly and I felt really safe and respected. As someone that has worked so hard and multiple jobs for so long, I was terrified to reach out for financial support as I have never been in financial hardship before. I definitely had a fear of stigma but the whole process was very non-judgemental and helpful. Thank you :)”

The DUSA Financial Counsellor will…

Assess your financial situation and understand which debts are priorities
Understand other factors affecting your situation such as health, abuse, stability of employment, relationship status, and housing situation
Assist you to develop a budget and provide information about government assistance
Identify your options and the advantages and disadvantages of each option
Advocate and negotiate on your behalf e.g. reduce/defer/waive payments with creditors, access grants or concessions
Provide information on your legal rights, such as hardship variation, how the credit reporting system works or what is acceptable behaviour of debt collectors, and the impact of bankruptcy
Identify if you need referral to legal advice or other services.

To help our Financial Counsellor understand your situation, it is helpful to bring the following items to your first appointment:

Details of your income or Centrelink statement
Bank statements
A list of all debts
Information about all loan agreements you have
Details about current or outstanding bills
Any court documents you may have received
Any other letters about bills or debts that are worrying you.

“I contacted the Financial Counsellor because I have felt overwhelmed about my situation. She gave me some advice which I followed, such as phoning my bank for details on an account and advised me on ways to get organised and keep track of expenses in order to start a budget. I was nervous, but she spoke to me in a supportive and kind way. I feel now like my situation is manageable and I have a plan.”