QUT Arvostelua 

I am writing this to warn other students, particularly those who may have complex support needs or a disability. After years of engagement with QUT, I have been formally excluded from the university under their "Suitability to Study" policy.

In my experience, once the university decides you are a "burden" or "too much work" for their administration, they stop acting as educators and start acting like a wall. Despite my history as a dedicated student in the creative arts, the Associate Provost, Cameron Newton, has closed my case and refused further engagement, citing "administrative burden" and "inappropriate communication."

While they claim to support students with disabilities, my experience felt like the opposite. Instead of working with me to find a middle ground or a way to continue my education, they used their policies to permanently ban me from studying. They were quick to cite rules and codes of conduct but slow to provide the actual flexibility required for a student in my position.

If you want a university that values you as a person and works through challenges alongside you, QUT is not it. They will wash their hands of you the moment you become "difficult" for their system. I will be taking my future studies elsewhere and pursuing this through the Ombudsman.

A Warning to Prospective Students: My Experience at QUT
While the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) often promotes itself as a "university for the real world," my personal experience at the Kelvin Grove campus was one of negligence, a lack of empathy, and a toxic environment within the Creative Industries faculty.
Systemic Failures in Student Welfare

My name is Michael J Brealey I attended QUT to study a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film) in 2016, hoping for a creative and supportive atmosphere. Instead, I was met with a culture that felt indifferent to student well-being. During my time there was

*Staff Bullying: I was a victim of bullying from staff members within the faculty. Instead of being mentored, I felt targeted, which significantly impacted my mental health and academic performance.

* Poor Disability Support: As a student with autism, I require a baseline of understanding and accessibility. QUT failed on both fronts. The support was virtually non-existent, leaving me to navigate complex academic hurdles without the necessary adjustments.

* Lack of Basic Compassion: The lowest point of my experience occurred when I was visibly distressed and crying on the floor outside the library after failing a subject. A Disability Advisor walked directly past me without offering help or even acknowledging my presence.
Academic Decline

The lack of a safe environment led to a decline in my results. Unlike my experience at other institutions where I felt empowered to succeed, the atmosphere at QUT contributed to me failing subjects and eventually suffering a total mental health breakdown.

I re applied for return to study in 2025 but I was knocked back even though I have a GPA of 5 from another university and a ATAR score of 84.

Final Verdict: Highly Discouraged

A university should be a place of growth, but QUT felt like a place of exclusion. If you are a student with a disability, or if you value a supportive and respectful learning environment, I highly DO NOT recommend Queensland University of Technology. For those who require genuine disability advocacy and a friendly, professional teaching staff, there are far better options in Queensland that treat their students with the dignity they deserve. You’re treated like a number not a person.