1 Policy Statement

1. The University shall keep records of the courses students have undertaken and are enrolled to undertake in the current academic year.

2. Students may elect to take leave of absence from a program. No more than two such periods may be taken during a program.

2 Principles

1. Students admitted to programs shall apply to enrol in courses. Except with the permission of the relevant Head of Department, the courses will contribute to the completion of the program in which the students are enrolled and be consistent with program regulations.

2. Students admitted to an academic program will be given preference over students in other programs when enrolling in courses where places are limited.

3. Except with the written permission of the Dean, or their nominee, on the recommendation of the Head of Department, students shall pursue the approved program of study for not more than the maximum period specified in the regulations applying to the program.

4. Subject to program rules and regulations, funding and quota constraints, students may choose the mode of their study of a course from those available. However students, who enrol in an external course and are sent a set of the external teaching materials for that course, may not then transfer to the on-campus offering for that course.

5. Enrolment in a course incurs an associated fee liability in accordance with published fee schedules, except for students enrolled via an agent or partner, in which case the student’s fee liability is with the agent or partner.

3 Procedures

3.1 Student Responsibility

1. Students are responsible for ensuring they are correctly enrolled.

2. Students shall notify the University of any changes to their personal details including, but not limited to home, term and mailing addresses, name, telephone number and mobile number.

3. It is students‟ responsibility to modify their enrolment when their family, finances, late delivery of material and other circumstances make it unlikely that they can successfully undertake the study of a course.

4. It is students‟ responsibility to be aware of their fee liability, and to pay their fees in full by the relevant published payment due date for the semester.

5. It is the responsibility of students to organise their affairs so that they can achieve the objectives of the course and submit assignments for assessment no later than the due date.

6. A student shall be taken to have been officially contacted by the University when a communication is:

   1. posted to the student’s postal address or emailed to the student’ University issued electronic mail address; or

   2. posted to the agent or partner associated with the student.

3.2 Payment of Tuition Fees

1. Students are required to pay their fee liability in full by the published due date for the semester.

2. Failure to make full payment of fees by the fees due date for the semester will result in restrictions and cancellations detailed in the University‟s Credit Control and Debt Management Policy.

3.3 Commonwealth Supported Places

1. Students in a Commonwealth Supported place are required to submit a Request for Commonwealth Support and HECS-HELP form prior to Census date for the semester.

2. Failure to submit a Request for Commonwealth Support and HECS-HELP form by the Census date for the semester will result in cancellation of enrolment.

3. Students in a Commonwealth Supported place who are required to make an up-front payment of their Student Contribution Charge must do so in full by the published due date for the semester.

4. Failure to make full payment of the up-front Student Contribution Charge by the Census date for the semester will result in cancellation of enrolment.

5. Students who are eligible to defer their Student Contribution charge to a HECS-HELP loan must supply their tax file number by the Census date for the semester.

6. Failure to supply a tax file number (or alternatively make full payment of the up-front Student Contribution charge) by the Census date for the semester will result in cancellation of enrolment.

3.4 Dropping and Adding Courses

1. Students may add courses to their enrolment and drop courses from their enrolment at the times specified in the Handbook.

2. Students may drop courses from their enrolment without academic penalty and with fee reversal (refer Section 9 below) or, from Semester 1 2010, without academic penalty only (refer Section 8 below) providing the drop occurs prior to dates specified in the Handbook.

3. Students are responsible for ensuring that they have satisfied any and all published enrolment requirements for all courses in which they are, or wish to be, enrolled.

4. Heads of Department may vary students‟ enrolment by amending, adding or deleting courses as deemed appropriate and in accordance with suggested study patterns, enrolment requirement completion, or for other appropriate reasons.

3.5 Course Exemptions

3.5.1 Policy

1. For the partial fulfilment of program requirements, the University may grant credit for students‟ relevant prior tertiary studies and vocational and/or professional experience and training.1

2. Exemption will be granted for relevant tertiary studies successfully completed in the last five years and may be granted for studies successfully completed in the last ten years. Such studies would need to have been offered by an institution recognised by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) or by an institution adjudged as equivalent.

3. Exemptions will not be granted towards any undergraduate program of eight units or less

3.5.2 Regulations

1. It is the responsibility of students applying for exemptions to obtain and submit:

   1. Refer to Section 5.2.1 Academic Programs for regulations relating to reduction in maximum time to complete an academic program.

   2. Students requesting exemptions should enrol in courses on the basis that their exemptions will be approved. If the exemptions are not approved, students will be responsible for altering their enrolment accordingly.

      • a verified transcript of their past academic records indicating the course/subject(s) completed, year completed and grade obtained (including details of the grading system), and weighting of the course/subject as a portion of the total program; and

      • a copy of the course/subject description, including the syllabus or Handbook outline; and

      • any other information required by the Head of Department and any other information considered relevant by the student.

2. Students should normally apply for exemptions upon admission to their academic program.

   1. Students applying for an exemption for a course in which they are currently enrolled must do so at least two weeks prior to that semester‟s census date.

   2. Only the most recent demonstration of content knowledge will be considered for an exemption

   3. Students applying for exemptions on the basis of vocational and/or professional experience and training must provide documentation to show that they have met the objectives of the course(s).

3. Decisions on exemptions will normally be made by the Dean, or their nominee.

4. Exemptions will be given in terms of either exemption from:

   1. a specific course or courses for which the grade of “E” will be allocated; and/or

   2. a block of a specified number of units, and the grade “K” may be allocated to one or more courses in the block to indicate that such courses may be used to satisfy pre-requisite requirements in the program; and/or

   3. one or more of the structural elements of the program (ie core, major study, minor study or elective).

5. Where students are granted more than twelve units of exemptions from the courses in a program they will be provided with a statement advising them of the courses remaining for them to complete to be eligible for the award. Similar statements may be provided if a lesser number of units of exemption are granted.

6. The Dean, or their nominee, may permit students to undertake, for credit, courses in a program outside the University. Any such courses may contribute to program completion within the restrictions set by Section 7 – Non-Contributory Courses.

3.6 Course Transfers

1. Students admitted to programs who have successfully completed courses offered by the University which have not contributed to a completed program, will, on application, have all such relevant courses transferred to the new program, subject to any specific restrictions contained in the rules of Faculties.

2. Normally only those courses which have been completed within the five years prior to admission to a program may be transferred for credit to that program.

3. A course which is transferred to a new program will have the grade changed to “T Transfer to another USQ program” under the original program where the course was first studied. The original grade the student received for that course will only show under the new program and will contribute to GPA under this program only.

3.7 Non-Contributory Courses

3.7.1 Policy

The University recognises that occasions may arise in which a student while enrolled in a Commonwealth funded program will wish to study courses that will not contribute to the completion of that program. Such courses must be studied as non-award courses and the approved fee paid.

3.7.2 Regulations

1. Courses from Previous Enrolment Periods

   1. Courses may be designated as non-contributory only at the written request of the Dean of the relevant Faculty, or the Dean’s nominee.

   2. Courses may be designated as non-contributory only if their inclusion would have extended the period of completion of the academic program beyond the maximum stipulated period.

   3. Once a decision is taken to designate courses as non-contributory, all courses in the time period must be so designated.

   4. Nothing in these regulations precludes the right of the University to grant exemptions on the basis of courses that have been designated as non-contributory.

   5. Non-contributory courses will be ignored in the calculation of a grade point average.

2. Courses in the Current Enrolment Period

   1. Courses may be designated as non-contributory only at the written request of the Dean of the relevant Faculty, or the Dean’s nominee.

   2. Students will not normally be allowed to enrol in non-contributory courses if by doing so they are prevented from graduating from their program at the earliest possible date.

3.8 Withdrawal without Academic Penalty Only

3.8.1 Policy

1. Students may drop courses from their enrolment up until the end of Week 8 in Semesters 1, 2 and 6 and up until the end of Week 6 in Semester 3 without academic penalty only. Exact dates will be specified in the Handbook.

2. Students wishing to drop courses without academic penalty only must do so before the dates specified in the Handbook. A grade of „Withdrawal without Academic Penalty Only‟ will not be granted retrospectively.

3. Students who drop courses after Census Date but before the last date to drop without academic penalty only, will still incur financial liability for those courses.

4. Students wishing to drop courses without academic and financial penalty should refer to Section 9 below.

3.9 Withdrawal without Academic Penalty and with Fee Reversal

3.9.1 Policy

1. Students who do not have access to study material and other resources needed to allow them to study a course prior to the last date to drop that course without academic penalty and with fee reversal should drop the course by the Census Date.

2. The University recognises that occasions may arise in which students find it necessary to drop a course after the Census Date. In such cases, the academic penalty may be waived and the fees reversed if the course is dropped for special circumstances including medical, family/personal or employment related circumstances or University/Partner/Agent action or error.

3. The University must be satisfied that special circumstances apply to the student that:

   1. are beyond the student’s control or are the result of a University/Partner/Agent error;

   2. do not make their full impact on the student until on, or after, the census date; and

   3. make it impracticable for the student to complete the requirements for the course during the period during which the student undertook, or was to undertake, the course.

3.9.2 Procedures

1. To be eligible for a waive academic penalty, re-credit of Student Learning Entitlement and remission of fees, the student must apply in written format, within 12 months of the withdrawal date, or, if the person has not withdrawn, within 12 months of the end of the period of study in which the course was or was to be undertaken. All requests must be accompanied by certified documentation as required in regulations 2.1, 2.2 or 2.3 below.

2. Applications must be submitted for approval to the Manager, Fees and Remissions. Applications must include sufficient documentation to support the claim.

   1. In the case of an application to waive academic penalty and with fee reversal for medical reasons, the documentation should include an original or certified copy of a Medical Certificate, preferably a USQ Medical Certificate, completed by the student’s medical practitioner and must include the medical practitioner’s name and contact details, date of consultation, student details and a statement from that medical practitioner stating:

      • the date the medical condition began or changed;

      • how the condition affected the student’s ability to study;

      • when it became apparent that the student could not continue studying.

   2. In the case of an application to waive academic penalty and with fee reversal for family/personal reasons, the documentation must include a statement from a medical practitioner, counsellor or independent member of the community stating:

      • the name and contact details of the medical practitioner, counsellor or independent member of the community;

      • the date the student’s personal circumstances began or changed;

      • how the circumstances affected the student’s ability to study;

      • when it became apparent that the student could not continue studying.

   3. In the case of an application to waive academic penalty and with fee reversal for employment related reasons, the documentation must include a statement from the student’s employer stating:

      • the employer’s name and contact details;

      • the date the student’s conditions of employment changed;

      • how this prevented the student from studying.

3. Circumstances which are considered to be within the control of students, or which are to be expected in the normal course of the student’s study, work, family or social life are not grounds for the waiving of academic penalty and reversing fees. Circumstances are beyond a student’s control if a situation occurs which a reasonable person would consider is not due to the student’s action or inaction, either direct or indirect, and for which the student is not responsible. This situation must be unusual, uncommon or abnormal.

4. The Manager, Fees and Remissions, will advise students of the outcome of their request to drop a course without academic penalty and with fees reversal within 30 days of receipt of the request. Students will also be advised of their right for a review of the decision if the applicant is dissatisfied with the outcome. Refer to 5.1 below.

5. If a request to drop a course without academic penalty and with fees reversal is approved, USQ must re-credit Student Learning Entitlement (SLE) where applicable, remit any HELP debt acquired for the course and refund any up-front payments of the Student Contribution Charge made in respect of the course. For refunds of up-front tuition fees refer to the Refund Policy.

   1. Review of Decisions

      • Students who are not satisfied with the outcome of their Request to Waive Academic Penalty with Fee Reversal may apply for a review of the decision within 28 days from the date of the notification of the decision.

      • The Director, Student and Academic Support, will act as the Reviewing Officer.

      • The responsibilities of the Reviewing Officer include:

        • acknowledging receipt of the request for review

        • notifying the student in written format, within 45 days of receiving the review application, of the reviewer’s decision and the reasons for making the decision.

        • Advising the student of their right to appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) for a review of the reviewer’s decision if the applicant is unsatisfied with the outcome; and

        • Provide the applicant with the contact details and address of the nearest AAT registry.

      1. The Secretary of the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), or his or her delegate, will be the respondent for cases which are before the AAT. Upon receipt of notifications from the AAT, DEEWR will notify USQ in writing that appeals have been lodged. To enable DEEWR to meet the 28-day timeframe, USQ MUST, within a further 5 business days, provide DEEWR with all the original documents it holds that are relevant to the appeal. These documents should be sent to DEEWR by courier or Express Post.

3.10 Leave of Absence

1. Students who wish to take leave of absence for one or more academic terms must notify the PVC Student Management in written format prior to commencing leave.

2. All periods of leave of absence shall be counted as part of the maximum period allowed for completion of the program as specified in the program regulations.

3. Students wishing to take leave of absence must notify the PVC Student Management in written format of their intention to take leave of absence, prior to 31 March of the year in which leave is required.

4. The University will automatically send re-enrolment material to students who have been enrolled and received a grade in a course in a calendar year provided the students have not cancelled their enrolment or been excluded. Students on leave of absence should contact the University to request re-enrolment material. The re-enrolment material will be sent to students prior to the commencement of the next academic year.

5. If leave of absence has lapsed without further leave having been granted, the student’s place in the program lapses. Readmission may be permitted upon receipt of a written request from students to the PVC Student Management.

6. Under DEEWR regulations, international students studying in Australia under an Australian student visa are only permitted to defer or temporarily suspend their studies, including taking leave of absence, for a period of up to six months on the grounds of compassionate or compelling circumstances (e.g. illness where a medical certificate states that the student is unable to attend classes or where course units are unavailable). Once the leave of absence has been approved, the University will notify DEEWR that the student’s enrolment is deferred or suspended.

4 Other Policy Information