/Institutions/University-of-Dubai/json/2025-2026/Student-Handbook-2025-26-local.json

/Institutions/University-of-Dubai/json/2025-2026/Student-Handbook-2025-26.json

Student Handbook 2025-26 > Student Counseling

Student Counseling

Policy 

The University of Dubai offers its current students some counseling services aiming at helping students overcome some of the challenges accompanying their education.

1. Student Counseling
Students often experience stress (e.g., personal, social, and financial) during their university life. While many students cope, others feel frustrated and overwhelmed. The counselor at the Student Counseling Unit (SCU) is expected to support UD students by addressing and helping them successfully overcome academic, psychological, social, relational and personal challenges at UD. 

2. Services
The Student Counseling Unit offers, within the limits of its resources, confidential and culturally appropriate counseling services to all registered students experiencing problems or concerns that affect their personal academic progress and sense of well-being. Students often seek counseling to examine issues such as relationships, family problems, stress, cultural differences, assertiveness, self-esteem, depression and anxiety. The services include: 

1. Individual Counseling: To ensure equitable access and maintain service effectiveness, students may receive up to six (6) individual counseling sessions per academic year, unless additional sessions are recommended by the counselor based on clinical need and availability of resources. Referrals to external support services may be provided when long-term or specialized care is required.

2. Group Counseling: This is provided to students with similar concerns but in a group format. Groups are typically formed of 6 to 8 students, and meet weekly, for a period of 60 to 90 minutes.

3. Consultations: These are usually one-off sessions for urgent matters to help students in making the right decisions. 

4. Training programs and life skills workshops include such topics as: exam stress, time-management skills and social skills.

5. Additional/Other: Coordinate with colleges to accommodate special requests case by case.

3. Counseling Procedure

3.1 Steps  

1. Pre-counseling: 

   • The student sets a time to meet with the counselor, this could be on their own accord or by referral from faculty or staff.

   • The student reads and signs the Consent Form, which is valid for two years, if the consent form is signed more than 2 years ago a new consent form must be signed. 

2. Primary Session: 

   • The counselor introduces him/herself and the services and collects general information about the student and his/her concern(s).

   • The student defines his/her objectives for the session and expectations from the counselor.

   • The counselor clarifies the professional relationship between the counselor and the student.

   • The counselor conducts an assessment of the situation and identifies a service or approach that will best assist the student. 

   • The counselor and the student set a time frame for the case (number of sessions, duration, and place). 

3. Post-counseling: 

   • The student completes the feedback form.  

   • The counselor evaluates the student’s satisfaction level with the service and prepares a case file.

    

3.2 Student Rights

1. UD students have the right to fair, appropriate and confidential counseling services.

2. UD students have the right to halt the counseling process at any point in time.

3. All records and information revealed in counseling remain confidential except in the following conditions:

• When protecting the student or someone else from immediate harm. 

• When required to do so by a court order. 

• When authorized in writing by the student to release information to a specified college/ department/or other third party.

 

3.3 Shared Responsibility

1. Visitations to the SCU will take place outside the student’s class schedule.

2. Students are encouraged to come on time, or contact the counselor by email or by phone if they are unable to come to their appointment.

3. Students are encouraged to be honest and open with the counselor regarding details of their case.

4. The student’s personal commitment is crucial to an effective counseling session.

5. The student counselor can help students only if they are willing to receive help and support. 

 

3.4 Student Counseling Forms

Each case file will contain the following forms:

1. Consent Form (Appendix I).

2. Primary Session Report (Appendix II).

3.  Feedback Form (Appendix III)

 

 

3.5 Case Closure

Each case will be considered closed:

1. By default, at the end of each semester, unless it requires ongoing support.

2. When so agreed by both counselor and student. 

3. At the student’s request.

4. Upon referral to a specialized psychologist if the case requires treatment beyond what SCU can provide.

 

4. Referring Students for Counseling

To refer a student to the SCU, faculty and staff members should send an email to scu@ud.ac.ae.

5. Office Hours
The office hours for SCU are Monday to Thursday. Any student in need of an urgent appointment will be given priority in meeting with the student counselor. Walk-in visits or self-referrals by phone or email are also welcome.