Contact us
Via phone
To make a complaint by phone, please call 1300 395 775.
Please note:
Our staff are available during the following hours:
- Monday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Tuesday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Wednesday 10:00 am – 2:00 pm (Wednesday 17 June 2026 – Phone lines close at 1:00 pm)
- Thursday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Friday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Note: The times outlined above are AEST, or AEDT during daylight savings hours (October to March).
Our phone lines are closed on national public holidays and may be closed at other times, including on some state or territory public holidays. We will provide advance notice on our website when this this occurs.
Online form
Our online form can be completed anywhere, anytime.
You will need to select “University or Higher Education Provider" from the first drop down “What is your contact about”.
The form will ask for your personal details, as well as details about the complaint.
You will need to provide enough information for us to understand your complaint and decide on how to proceed.
In person
You can make a complaint in person at the following Commonwealth Ombudsman office locations between 10am and 4pm Monday – Friday.
- Adelaide - Level 11, 25 Grenfell Street
- Canberra - Level 5, 7 London Circuit
- Brisbane - Level 22, 215 Adelaide Street
- Sydney - Level 20, 60 Castlereagh Street
- Melbourne – Level 2, 452 Flinders Street
Note: Appointments are not required but we encourage you to call ahead to ensure a staff member is available to discuss your complaint.
Please call ahead on 1300 395 775 if you would like to make an in-person appointment.
For students who cannot access one of the above locations, you will need to lodge your complaint via phone or through our online form. The NSO undertakes regional visits, for the purpose of education, outreach and in-person complaints. If you’d like the NSO to consider attending a specific location for the purpose of in-person complaints, please email us.
Write to us
You can write to us by sending your enquiry to:
National Student Ombudsman
GPO Box 442
Canberra ACT 2601
Note: Please include your phone number so we can contact you.
International enquiries
For enquiries made from outside of Australia, please call +61 2 5117 3600.
Services available to help you
First Nations people can contact us on our Indigenous line on 1800 060 789.
If you are Deaf/deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech difficulty, you can use the National Relay Service to contact us.
If English is not your first language, the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) is a free-of-charge service available on 131 450.
Seeking information from the Commonwealth Ombudsman
Guidelines on seeking information from the Commonwealth Ombudsman including Freedom of Information requests.
Scheme for Compensation for Detriment caused by Defective Administration (the CDDA Scheme)
To submit a claim that relates to defective administration or inaction specifically caused by the Commonwealth Ombudsman, visit Claiming compensation from us.
Media Enquiries
For any media enquires please email us at media@ombudsman.gov.au