Mental health condition

This includes mental health conditions, such as severe anxiety and depression.

Acceptable supporting evidence:

• Medical certificate (preferred document)
  • A medical certificate must state that you were unfit to complete your assessment on or before the date you were meant to complete it, and for how long.
  • Your psychiatrist or other medical doctor can provide the medical certificate right after a consultation (including a telehealth appointment). The certificate must be dated. (If the certificate has been backdated, your psychiatrist or other medical doctor must explain why, and give the reason they believe you were unfit at that time.)
• Hospital discharge form
  • A hospital discharge form should state how long you were hospitalised and on what dates.
• Practitioner certificate (preferred document)
  • You can provide a certificate from a practitioner (e.g. psychologist or counsellor) registered with a relevant professional body. The certificate must state that you were unfit to complete your assessment on or before the date you were meant to complete it, and for how long.
  • The practitioner provides the certificate right after a consultation. The certificate must be signed and dated. If the certificate has been backdated, your practitioner must explain why, and give the reason they believe you were unfit at that time.
  • The certificate must be on the medical centre/practitioner’s letterhead.

If unable to obtain a medical certificate or practitioner certificate, other acceptable evidence as outlined below:

• Medical letter of support
  • You can get a medical letter of support if you couldn’t get a medical certificate when you were unwell.
  • The letter must state that you were unwell on or before the date you were meant to complete your assessment, and for how long. The psychiatrist or other medical doctor writing this letter must have knowledge of your mental health history and/or condition. Additionally, they must explain how they concluded that your condition has prevented you from completing your assessment when they had no consultation with you at that time.
  • The letter must be on the psychiatrist’s/other medical doctor’s letterhead, signed and dated.
• Certificate of attendance, along with a Victorian Government statutory declaration (in person or online). A statutory declaration cannot be accepted alone. (Collapsible)
  • A statutory declaration is a written statement that you (the declarant) sign and declare to be true and correct in the presence of an authorised witness. In the statutory declaration, you should declare and explain your specific circumstances and how they have affected your studies and your ability to complete your assessment on or before its set date. You must state when you’ve been affected and for how long, and explain the significance of your relationship to the deceased person.
  • A statutory declaration (or equivalent) must be signed and declared to be true and correct in the presence of an authorised witness. By signing it, you agree that the information in it is true. You can be charged with a criminal offence if the information is false.
  • To find out more about statutory declaration, including step-by-step instructions for obtaining a statutory declaration and details about who is authorised to witness it, visit the Victoria State Government web page.