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  1. Purpose

The Non-Award Courses Policy establishes the principles for the approval, delivery, monitoring and review of non-award courses offered by the Institution, including pathway, preparatory, English language, study abroad, cross-institutional, short course and professional development offerings. The policy ensures that non-award courses are educationally sound, appropriately governed, accurately represented to students and compliant with applicable regulatory requirements. 

The policy supports consistent oversight of regulated and pathway non-award courses, including English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS), the Foundation Program and the Postgraduate Qualifying Program (PQP), and applies relevant requirements under the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (ESOS Act), National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 (National Code), ELICOS Standards 2018, Foundation Program Standards and the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). 

  1. Scope

This Policy applies to all non-award courses developed, approved or delivered by the Institution, including courses delivered by, with or through a third party. This includes, but is not limited to: 

  • ELICOS courses; 
  • Foundation Program; 
  • PQP; 
  • study abroad or cross-institutional study where no qualification is conferred;  
  • pathway, bridging, enabling or preparatory programs; 
  • single subjects undertaken on a non-award basis; 
  • short courses or professional development programs; and
  • non-award courses delivered by, with or through a third party. 
  1. Definitions

See Glossary of Terms.

  1. Policy Statements

4.1 The Institution may offer non-award courses where they support its strategic, educational, pathway, English language, professional or community engagement objectives. 

4.2 Non-award courses are approved, designed, delivered, monitored and reviewed in a manner proportionate to their purpose, cohort, duration, delivery mode, regulatory status and risk. 

4.3 Non-award courses that operate as pathway, preparatory, transition or English language programs are subject to appropriate academic governance, quality assurance and compliance oversight. 

4.4 Non-award courses comply with relevant legislative and regulatory requirements, including the ESOS Act, National Code, ELICOS Standards, Foundation Program Standards and CRICOS requirements as applicable. 

4.5 Non-award courses must be approved before they are marketed, offered, admitted to or delivered. New non-award courses require Board of Directors approval. TEQSA approval is required before any CRICOS-registered course is delivered to international students on student visas. Academic Board approval is required for major or material changes, including new cohorts, locations, delivery modes, international student visa cohorts and third-party delivery arrangements. 

4.6 Approval considers, as relevant, the course rationale, cohort, learning outcomes, admission and progression requirements, duration, delivery mode, assessment, staffing, resources, student support, regulatory requirements and third-party arrangements. 

4.7 Non-award courses are subject to Academic Board oversight where they affect academic standards, assessment, student progression, credit, entry into another course or external regulatory requirements. 

Admission, participation and support 

4.8 Admission requirements for non-award courses are clear, published, appropriate to the course purpose and cohort, and consistent with the Admissions Guidebook. 

4.9 Students are provided with accurate information about the course’s non-award status, admission requirements, progression or pathway arrangements, credit or recognition limits, fees, support services and completion outcomes. 

4.10 Students have access to academic, administrative and wellbeing support appropriate to the course type, duration, delivery mode, cohort and risk profile. 

4.11 Student participation, engagement and progress are monitored to identify students who may require support, intervention or advice on alternate pathways. 

Assessment and progression 

4.12 Where assessment applies, it is valid, reliable, appropriate to the course level and purpose, aligned to learning outcomes, quality assured, and supported by records of student progress and completion. 

4.13 Where a non-award course provides a pathway to an award course, progression requirements are approved, published, consistently applied and monitored. Completion provides entry only where approved course rules provide for this. 

Monitoring and review 

4.14 Non-award courses are monitored and reviewed using evidence proportionate to the course type and risk profile, including student performance, progression, completion, assessment quality, student support needs, resource adequacy, regulatory compliance and student or partner feedback. 

4.15 The Institution includes tracer studies and other relevant evidence to monitor how students perform after progressing into a formal academic course, including academic performance, progression, completion, support needs and feedback from students or academic staff on how well the course prepared them for further study. 

4.16 Non-award courses are reviewed at least every seven years. Reviews of ELICOS and Foundation programs include an external review of compliance against applicable standards as outlined in the ELICOS and Foundation Program Development, Review and Approval Procedures. Reviews of PQP, study abroad and other non-award courses are conducted internally unless external review is otherwise required. 

4.17 The Institution maintains records sufficient to demonstrate the approval, delivery, monitoring, review and compliance of non-award courses. 

  1. Roles and Responsibilities

5.1 Board of Directors is responsible for approving new non-award courses and has oversight of institutional risk and compliance.  

5.2 Academic Board is responsible for approving major changes to current non-award courses, including, but not limited to, new cohorts, locations, delivery modes, international student visa cohorts and third-party delivery arrangements. It also re-approves the course for submission to TEQSA for CRICOS re-registration purposes.  

5.3 The DVC (Learning and Teaching) is the responsible officer for this policy and oversees that course design, academic quality, assessment and review processes are appropriate for non-award courses. 

5.4 Non-award course academic leads are responsible for course quality, delivery, assessment, student progression, monitoring and compliance for their respective programs. 

  1. Related Documents

Assessment Policy  

Course and Subject Policy 

Course Monitoring and Evaluation Procedures 

ELICOS and Foundation Program Review and Approval Procedures 

Subject Outline Policy 

Course Teach-out and Transition Procedures 

 

  1. Version History
Summary of changes  Approved by  Approval date 
New   Academic Board   31 July 2026