Charlie the Chatbot
At La Trobe, our chatbot, Charlie, connects you with information from our website, the MyLaTrobe Hub and our FAQs.
What does Charlie do?
Charlie is La Trobe's virtual assistant for students and staff and is available 24/7 to connect you with the information you need, when you need it.
When you click on Charlie, you will be prompted to log in. We recommend you log in to get the best experience. Once you've opened Charlie, all you need to do is ask a question!
Charlie finds answers based on sample questions, and uses keywords in your query to scan La Trobe’s website, the MyLaTrobe Hub and our FAQs to display information that matches the keywords in your query.
Charlie is a helpful way to get instant answers to your questions, but it's not a generative AI assistant. Charlie will answer your questions by providing you relevant general information, but cannot provide specific information unique to your circumstances. For example, Charlie will tell you how to find your Subject or Course Coordinator in the Handbook, but cannot give you a specific coordinator's name or email address.
Charlie will always ask, “Do you need further assistance with this?,” allowing you to type in another question or select LiveChat with ASK La Trobe during ASK La Trobe business hours, or submit an online enquiry.
Frequently asked questions
- Charlie is always available
You can access Charlie 24/7 to ask questions, no need to wait for business hours. - Skip the queue and get instant responses
Avoid waiting in line or scrolling through our website. Charlie streamlines your search process by giving you instant responses to your questions, saving you time. - Your questions help Charlie learn
Charlie is trained by staff at La Trobe and follows rules based on sample questions and website information. The more questions you ask Charlie, the better Charlie will get at recognising keywords and finding information. - Access LiveChat
If you need more assistance than Charlie can provide, Charlie will direct you to LiveChat, where you can speak with a member of the ASK La Trobe team during business hours.
When you browse our website, you will notice Charlie on some of our pages. Charlie will introduce themselves on the bottom right corner of the screen.
Getting help from Charlie is easy, to get help from Charlie, simply:
- Click on the icon that says 'Hi, I'm Charlie the chatbot. Can I help?'
- Log in using your username (student ID@students.ltu.edu.au) and password. You can use Charlie without logging in but you won’t be able to access LiveChat without logging in.
- Type your query in the 'Type something...' field, then click the arrow icon, or hit enter
- Charlie will provide information to answer your question and ask if you need further assistance. You can continue to respond to Charlie's prompts or type a new question.
If Charlie's answer includes a link, it will open in a new tab. Your chat with Charlie will stay open so you can keep asking questions.
If you are logged in as a student, Charlie will give you the option to get help from ASK La Trobe. Charlie will present the option to choose 'LiveChat with ASK La Trobe' (during business hours), 'Ask a Question Online' or 'Other contact options'.
Where can I find Charlie?
Charlie can currently be found on our Students homepage, ASK La Trobe homepage and the following key pages:
Charlie understands common questions, tasks or keywords that have predictable answers. For example, Charlie can tell you how to find out who your Course Coordinator is but does not have enough context to provide the name of a particular Course Coordinator.
Your question can be a statement or a question. To get the best results, it should be at least three to six keywords.
If Charlie doesn’t give you the answer you’re looking for, try changing your keywords to ask your question in a different way. Charlie may ask a follow up question such as ‘did you mean…’ or ask you to provide specific information based on the type of student you are, for example: part time, full time, graduate, undergraduate, international or domestic. Simply select your answer from the options provided to continue using Charlie.
Example topics and questions
| Topic | Example questions |
|---|---|
| Getting started (e.g. accepting your offer) |
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| Enrolment (e.g. how to enrol in subjects, enrolling in electives) |
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| Timetabling (e.g. swapping classes in Allocate +) |
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| Results and grades (e.g. what your results mean, how to find your results) |
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| Fees and financial support (e.g. deferring your fees) |
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| Support services (e.g. mental health support) |
|
Charlie is not a generative AI chatbot and cannot understand context or complicated questions that require reasoning or creativity. Make sure your questions are clear, concise and spelled correctly or Charlie might not be able to provide the right answers. Charlie cannot make changes to your information in your StudentOnLine (including your enrolment).
Here are some examples of some of the ways Charlie can and can't help you:
| Charlie can | Charlie can't |
|---|---|
| Tell you how to find your Subject Coordinator in the Handbook | Provide your Subject Coordinator's email address |
| Help you learn how to find your results or grades | Tell you your grades |
| Provide you steps to enrol in StudentOnLine | Enrol you in subjects |
| Tell you how to submit a form (e.g. Leave of Absence) | Submit forms for you |
| Help you find your timetable | Tell you where your classes are |
| Help you identify support services to assist you (e.g. where to get help with your enrolment) | Give you course or subject advice |
Charlie can answer most common questions, but there are times your question might need advice from a member of our support teams.
When Charlie asks if you need more help, simply say 'yes', and Charlie will present the option to choose 'LiveChat with ASK La Trobe' (during business hours), 'Ask a Question Online' or 'Other contact options'.
Select the option that best suits you.
Please note, you must be logged into your student account to access LiveChat. If you choose not to log in, or are unable to log in, select 'Ask a Question Online' or 'Other contact options'.
Charlie is a gender-neutral name inspired by Charles La Trobe, whom the University was named after.