1 Policy Statement

1. Following the release of official examination results for semester 1 and semester 2, Deans, or their nominees, will review the progress of each student and describe the student’s program status as being ‘satisfactory academic standing’, ‘conditional’ or ‘excluded’.

2. The Dean¹, having due regard for information concerning each particular student’s situation, may choose whether or not to proceed with the exclusion of that student from a program or programs offered by that Faculty².

3. ⁽¹ The Dean or their nominee. ² For policy and regulations relating to appeals against exclusion refer to the Appeals policy)

4. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Scholarship) may choose to exclude from all programs of the University a student who has been excluded from two or more programs of the University.

5. Initial exclusion from a program or programs shall normally be for a period of one year. A student excluded for a second time can be excluded for a period of up to three years. Any period of exclusion will count towards the length of time taken by the student to complete the program or programs from which they have been excluded.

2 Procedures

2.1 Satisfactory Academic Standing

1. In order to have satisfactory academic standing, an undergraduate student must maintain a Grade Point Average (GPA) of not less than 3.00, and a postgraduate student must maintain a GPA of not less than 3.50. A student enrolled in ungraded courses must maintain satisfactory academic standing in their program as determined by their Faculty. A student with satisfactory academic standing in a program will be allowed to continue their study in that program.

2. In addition to 1, under Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) regulations, an international student studying in Australia under an Australian student visa must pass more than 50% of the courses in which they are enrolled in any semester (1 or 2) to maintain satisfactory academic standing.

3. A student must have a status of satisfactory academic standing in a program in order to be eligible to graduate from that program.

The Dean, having due regard for information concerning each particular student’s situation, may choose to allow a student who does not have satisfactory academic standing to graduate from a program of that Faculty.

2.2 Conditional Academic Standing

1. An undergraduate student who has a GPA of less than 3.00 and a postgraduate student who has a GPA of less than 3.50 will not have satisfactory academic standing and will be deemed to have a program status of conditional.

2. In addition to 1, an international student studying in Australia under an Australian student visa who fails 50% or more of the courses in which they are enrolled in any semester (1 or 2) will be deemed to be at risk of failing to meet program progress requirements and will have conditional academic standing.

3. The conditional academic standing notification will be sent by email to the student’s University-issued email address.

4. The student will have (10) ten working days from the date of receipt of their conditional academic standing notification in which to

5. a.Complete the USQ online resources, AWARE

6. b. Contact their Faculty to arrange an interview with an academic advisor and discuss an appropriate academic intervention strategy in order to progress further in their program and meet satisfactory course progression standards in accordance with Standard 10 of the National Code A student with conditional academic standing will only be allowed to continue their study in that program under such conditions as may be determined by the Dean. These conditions shall be communicated to the student in writing by Dean of the Faculty offering the program to which the student is admitted.

7. The program status of conditional academic standing shall not normally be activated until a student has been given final grades for courses equivalent to three units.

2.3 Academic Standing of Excluded

1. The Dean of a Faculty will exclude a student from a program or programs offered by that Faculty, informing the student by means of a letter sent by registered post to the student’s mailing address on the University’s records, if the student:

   • has previously had at least one period of conditional academic standing in their current academic program and has not subsequently regained and/or maintained a status of satisfactory academic standing within an appropriate timeframe as determined by the Dean;

   • has failed to meet any special requirement imposed by the Dean or the Appeals Committee for the Faculty as a condition of admission, readmission or continuation in a program.

2. The relevant Dean may exclude from further Professional Development courses a student who has a GPA of less than 3 with a ‘Fail’ grade in more than four courses over the previous two year period.

3. The Dean of a Faculty will ask a student to show cause why they should not be excluded from a program or programs offered by that Faculty if the student:

   • is making unsatisfactory progress as defined by these regulations and would, at their current rate of progression, be unable to complete the program within the time permitted; or

   • has failed a course a second time.

4. The show cause letter from the Dean will be sent by registered post to the student’s mailing address on the University’s records. An international student studying in Australia under an Australian student visa additionally will be warned that the University intends to report them to the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) as failing to make satisfactory program progress and of their right to appeal within twenty working days.

   • A student will have twenty working days from the date of receipt of their show cause letter in which to respond to the Dean. Documentation provided by a student as a result of a request to show cause must show that there were factors outside the student’s control which substantially contributed to the student’s failure to meet the required academic standard to date, and that those factors would be unlikely to affect the student’s performance in the future. The student’s enrolment during the appeals process will be maintained.

   • A student who does not reply within twenty working days of receipt of their show cause letter, or whose show cause letter is returned to the University unclaimed, will be excluded and have no right to appeal this exclusion.

   • A student will be advised in writing of the Dean’s decision.

5. Except for exclusions under 4.2, a student has the right to appeal the Dean’s decision to exclude them. Appeals should be addressed to the Secretary of the Appeals Committee for the Faculty which will consider that response as in the Appeals policy.

6. A student who does not lodge an appeal within twenty working days of receipt of the letter issued under point 4 containing the Dean’s decision to exclude them will be excluded and will have no further right of appeal. An international student studying in Australia under an Australian student visa who does not lodge an appeal within twenty working days, or whose appeal is not successful, will be reported to the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) as failing to meet satisfactory program progress requirements.

7. A student who has been excluded from a program may apply to the Dean for readmission to that program. Readmission is not automatic and applicants will need to demonstrate that the factors which contributed to their exclusion are unlikely to affect their future studies. Readmission would normally be granted only after the expiry of the exclusion period.

8. A student who has been excluded from a program may be graduated from a lesser award in accordance with Award Eligibility and Graduation policy. Where such a student then seeks readmission to the program from which they were excluded, or to another program, they must do so in accordance with policy above.

2.4 Exclusion from all Programs

1. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Scholarship) may exclude a student from all programs if that student has been excluded from two or more programs.

2. A student whom the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Scholarship) wishes to exclude from all programs will be requested by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Scholarship) to show cause why they should not be excluded. The letter will be sent by registered post to the student’s mailing address on the University’s records. A student will have twenty working days from the date of receipt of the letter in which to respond.

3. A student who does not reply within twenty working days, or whose letter is returned to the University unclaimed, will be excluded and will have no further right of appeal.

4. A student who has been excluded by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Scholarship) may apply to the Vice-Chancellor for readmission to a particular program of the University. Readmission is not automatic and applicants will need to demonstrate that the factors which contributed to their exclusion are unlikely to affect their future studies. Readmission would normally be granted only after the expiry of the exclusion period.

3 Other Policy Information