Leave of Absence Procedures

Before Friday, 5pm in Week 3* (also known as the census date)

1.2 For breaks longer than two weeks, all students must request a leave of absence before Friday, 5pm in Week 3 of the relevant trimester.

1.3 Domestic students are not required to submit documentary evidence for a leave of absence request.

1.4 As defined under Standard 9 of the National Code, international students are only permitted to apply for a leave of absence with supporting evidence of compassionate or compelling circumstances including (but not limited to):

a. serious illness or injury affecting a student’s ability to study;

b. witnessing or being the victim of a serious crime;

c. bereavement of close family members (e.g., parents or grandparents);

d. major political upheaval or natural disaster in a student’s home country; or

e. traumatic upheaval impacting the student’s health, wellbeing, or ability to continue studies.

1.4.1 Supporting documentary evidence may include (but not limited to):

a. medical certificate/letter from a registered health practitioner;

b. a death certificate;

c. a police report; and/or

d. other supporting documentation, including return air tickets to home country, as applicable.

1.4.2 Any supporting evidence not issued in English must be translated by an official translator. Translators in Australia must be certified by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI).

1.5 There are no financial or academic penalties for students who have been approved for a leave of absence.

1.6 Students are required to apply for a leave of absence by completing the  ONLINE FORM.

After Friday, 5pm in Week 3*

1.7 Leave of absence requests submitted after Friday, 5pm in Week 3 for a given study period are not permitted.

1.8 Domestic students may withdraw from subjects after Friday, 5pm in Week 3 and up to the Academic Withdrawal Date (typically Friday 5pm of week 8, unless otherwise advised) in accordance with the Withdrawal Procedures. If withdrawal occurs within this period, students will not incur academic penalties. However, they will not be eligible for a refund of fees.

1.9 Domestic students who withdraw from subjects after the Academic Withdrawal Date and no later than Friday, 5pm in Week 11, will incur academic penalties and will not be eligible for a refund of fees.

1.10 International students are not permitted to withdraw from subjects after Friday, 5pm in Week 3 unless compassionate or compelling circumstances are demonstrated through appropriate documentary evidence. See clause 1.4.

1.11 International students who are permitted to withdraw from subjects after Friday, 5pm in Week 3 on the basis of clause 1.10, are subject to the same academic and financial penalties outlined in clauses 1.8 and 1.9.

1.12 Refund information is outlined in the Refund of Fees Policy – Domestic Student and Refund of Fees Policy – International Student.

1.13 Academic penalties are outlined in the Grading Policy.

* This date will differ for students enrolled as part of a mid-trimester intake.

Student Services

2.2 Applications will be rejected where:

a. The Institution determines there are no compassionate or compelling circumstances to support the application (international students;

b. insufficient supporting evidence has been provided; or

c. the leave of absence request is for more than 12 months, in which case a student must withdraw from studies and reapply for admission.

2.3 The Institution retains the right to approve or reject a request on a case-by-case basis.

2.4 Students are notified of the outcome via email within 10 business days of submitting their request.

2.5 If the leave of absence request is approved, the notification includes:

a. the approved period of leave; and

b. advice for international students to contact the DHA to understand any potential impacts on their student visa;

2.6 If the leave of absence request is rejected, the notification includes:

a. the reasons for decision; and

b. information regarding the student’s right to lodge a complaint about the decision within 20 business days as per the Complaints and Appeals Policy and Complaints and Appeals Procedures.

3.2 Student Services is notified of the outcome of the complaint.

3.3 If the refusal decision is upheld, no further action is required from Student Services.

3.4 If the outcome results in the leave of absence request being granted, Student Services proceeds to Step 2.3 to notify the student of the approval.

4.2 For international students, the Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) is reported in PRISMS within 31 days of the leave of absence (suspension) date. Anew COE is then issued for the intended return to study date and provided to the student.

4.3 All leave of absence documentation is stored in the student management system.

5.2 Once the student confirms their intention to recommence studies, Student Services updates the enrolment status to enable pre-enrolment for the upcoming study period, once pre-enrolment is open.

5.3 After Friday, 5pm in Week 3 of the subsequent study period, Student Services reviews the list of students scheduled to recommence and checks the student management system to identify those who did not enrol in subjects.

5.4 For students who did not return to study, their enrolment status in the student management system is updated to reflect the student’s abandonment of studies, and their enrolment at the Institution is cancelled.

5.5 The Associate Vice President (Student Administration) (or delegate) must then report each international student who did not return to their studies to the DHA via PRISMS.

5.6 PRISMS reporting must be completed within:

a. 14 days after 5pm on Friday of Week 3 (termination of studies date) for students under 18 years of age; or

b. 31 days after 5pm on Friday of Week 3 (termination of studies date) for students above 18 years of age.

5.7 The student’s COE must be reported through a Student Course Variation (SCV) and selecting the reporting option “termination of studies prior to completing the course” and reason type “student notified cessation of studies” which results in cancellation of the COE.

5.8 Students are notified via email that their COE has been cancelled and that they have been reported to the DHA for cessation of studies.

After Friday, 5pm in Week 3

·  A LoA to not exceed a cumulative total of three trimesters, up to 12 months. This may be taken as a single continuous period or divided across multiple trimesters

·  For separate study periods, approval must be granted each study period

·  LoA requests must be applied for by Friday 5pm Week 3 for ALL students. International students must have compassionate or compelling reasons

·  LoA required for periods more than 2 weeks

·  After week 3 and up to the academic withdrawal date (typically Friday of week 8), domestic students can drop/withdraw subjects with no academic penalty. No refund eligible.

·  After the academic withdrawal date and before Friday week 11, domestic students can withdraw from subjects but with both academic and financial penalties.

·  After week 3, international students cannot withdraw from subjects unless there are compassionate and compelling circumstances