What you can get help with
Contact the ombud for students if you are unsure about your rights, or if you face a difficult situation in your studies. You will get advice and guidance, and help to work out what you can do next.
Common matters include:
- appeals about grades, exams or admission
- suspicion of cheating, fitness-for-profession assessment or expulsion
- harassment or bullying by other students or staff
- conflict with the university or questions about how your case is handled
- general questions about your rights and obligations as a student
What the ombud does not do
The ombud for students is an advisory body. This means the ombud does not make decisions in your case and is not a representative for you or the university in individual matters. You decide yourself what to do with the advice you get.
How to write a good complaint
Do you want to appeal a decision or raise a problem with your learning environment? These tips make your complaint clearer. The ombud can read through it and advise you before you send it.
Think through your case first
Be clear about what you are complaining about, why, and what you want to achieve. Write down keywords before you start. Note whether you are complaining about a formal decision or about something else, as this shapes how you build the complaint.
Write a clear heading and introduction
Use the heading "Complaint about …" followed by the decision or matter. In the introduction, state briefly who is complaining, what about, where it happened and the main reason. The more precise you are, the easier your case is to understand.
Describe the situation precisely
Explain what happened as accurately as you can, and keep to what is relevant. For complaints about decisions, focus on the facts. For learning environment cases, how you experienced the treatment can also matter.
Suggest a solution
Be clear about what you want to achieve. A concrete suggestion makes it easier for the case handler to understand your request and respond well.
Give strong reasons
Use factual arguments rather than emotion. Show that your arguments are relevant to the decision, accurate, and lead logically to the solution you propose.
Keep it short and factual
A good complaint is often one to two pages. Read it through and tighten the text, and avoid writing while you are angry. The case handler is a person trying to do their job – not an opponent.
Others who can help you
If your case falls outside what the ombud for students can help with, these independent ombuds may be able to assist.