• Section 1 - Purpose
• Scope
• Section 2 - Policy
• Section 3 - Procedures
• Part A - Withdrawal
• Part B - Withdrawal from a unit due to Special Circumstances
• Part C - Student Appeals and Complaints
• Section 4 - Guidelines
• Section 5 - Definitions

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This Procedure sets out the requirements for students to withdraw from units and/or their course in accordance with the Enrolment Policy, including specific provisions for international students studying in Australia on a student visa, consistent with the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 and National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018.

Scope

(2) This Procedure applies to all:

1. domestic students;
2. international students;
3. undergraduate students;
4. postgraduate students;
5. Macquarie University College (The College) students admitted to a coursework award, standard or intensive foundation programs;
6. non-award students;
7. cross-institutional students;
8. Open Universities Australia students;
9. exchange students;
10. Bachelor of Philosophy students;
11. Master of Research (first year for international students who have or would ordinarily require a student visa); and
12. students in study abroad courses at the University.

(3) Withdrawal procedures for Graduate Research (GR), Master of Research (MRes) candidates, are not in scope. These provisions are documented in the Graduate Research Variations to Candidature Policy.

(4) This Procedure also applies to the activities of staff involved in the administration of student enrolments and withdrawals.

Section 2 - Policy

(5) Refer to the Enrolment Policy.

Section 3 - Procedures

Part A - Withdrawal

(6) Students may withdraw from one or more units in which they are enrolled.

(7) Withdrawing from a unit will have different impacts depending on the date that the student withdraws or is withdrawn. These impacts are shown in Table 1.

Withdrawal by a student from a unit

(8) An enrolled student may withdraw from a unit. The date of withdrawal from a unit will be:

1. the date that a student withdraws from the unit online via the online enrolment system (eStudent); or
2. in exceptional and approved circumstances where a student is unable to Withdraw via the online enrolment system (eStudent), the date that the University receives written notification via AskMQ of the student’s request to withdraw. The student must apply prior to the relevant Census / withdrawal dates for that study period and will need to specify in writing why it was not possible to withdraw via the online enrolment system.

Withdrawing from all units

(9) A student is not effectively enrolled if they withdraw from all enrolled units in a standard study period before the Census Date. Students who are not effectively enrolled must apply for Leave of Absence or Suspension of Study as specified in the Leave of Absence and Suspension of Studies Procedure.

(10) International students who have, or would ordinarily require, a student visa who are experiencing academic difficulties or compassionate or compelling circumstances may be eligible to reduce their study load, which can be requested by submitting the reduce study load form via AskMQ.

(11) International students who have, or would ordinarily require, a student visa may incur fees for withdrawals, as explained in the Letter of Offer and the International Fee Refund Policy.

Part B - Withdrawal from a unit due to Special Circumstances

(12) Eligible students who experience special circumstances may apply to reverse an academic and/or financial penalty associated with withdrawal from a unit after the Census Date.

(13) To apply for withdrawal without penalty due to special circumstances, the student must:

1. have been enrolled in the unit/s with the University; and
2. have not satisfied the requirements for the unit/s during the period which the student undertook the unit; and
3. the University must be satisfied that special circumstances apply to the student.

(14) The student must apply in writing to the University via the online Withdraw without Penalty Request form in AskMQ:

1. within 12 months of withdrawing from the unit; or
2. if the student did not withdraw from the unit, within twelve (12) months from the date of publication of the result.

Supporting Documentation

(15) A special circumstances application must be supported by independent documentary evidence provided at the time of submission.

(16) Supporting documentation should be written in English. It is a student’s responsibility to have their supporting documentation translated by a certified NAATI translator if it is not written in English.

(17) The student must provide evidence that supports the special circumstances and shows that:

1. the circumstances are beyond the student’s control;
2. the circumstances do not make their full impact on the student until on, or after, the census date for the unit of study; and
3. the circumstances made it impracticable for the student to complete the requirements for the unit during the period in which the student undertook, or was to undertake, the unit.

(18) The minimum requirements for documentation are:

1. Medical Reasons
   1. Where the unavoidable disruption is of a medical nature, a medical certificate or Professional Authority Form (PAF) must be attached to the application and must include:
      1. the health professional’s provider number;
      2. the date of consultation(s);
      3. the impact that the circumstances may have had on the student’s ability to complete the requirements of the unit at a minimum of pass level; and
      4. the duration of the condition including the date it first became evident.
2. Employment Reasons
   1. Where the unavoidable disruption is related to the unanticipated demands of employment, a signed letter from the student’s employer must be attached to the application specifying:
      1. contact details of the employer;
      2. the date when employment circumstances changed;
      3. the impact that the circumstances may have had on the student’s ability to complete the requirements of the unit at a minimum of pass level; and
      4. the duration of the change in circumstances including the date it first became evident.
3. Other
   1. Where the unavoidable disruption is neither medical nor a consequence of employment, documentation must be attached to the application and must indicate:
      1. the date the circumstances first became evident and made their impact;
      2. the impact that the circumstances may have had on the student’s ability to complete the requirements of the unit at a minimum of pass level; and
      3. the duration of the change in circumstances.
4. During the COVID-19 Pandemic and until a date determined by the Academic Senate, where students in standard teaching periods have been impacted by COVID-19, students may submit a statement of fact as evidence. The Evidence must:
   1. identify the circumstances;
   2. include dates and / or the length of the circumstances;
   3. explain the severity and impact of the circumstances; and
   4. clearly describe how the circumstances have adversely affected the student’s capacity for effective study to which an assessment relates.

(19) At the discretion of the Registrar, and on a case by case basis, the University may approve an application which does not specifically detail all the requirements above.

(20) The University may request and retain the originals of supporting documentation and will conduct regular audits of supporting documentation submitted electronically.

(21) Any request for original documentation will be sent to the student’s University email address within six (6) months of notification of the unavoidable disruption by the student. Students must retain all original documentation for this six (6) month period and must supply original documents to the University within ten (10) working days of such a request being made.

(22) All documentation (in hardcopy or electronic form) relating to an application to Withdraw will be treated in accordance with the University’s Privacy Policy.

(23) Documents believed to be fraudulent will be handled in accordance with the Student Conduct Rules / Student Conduct Procedure.

(24) If approved for withdrawal without penalty, international students will have fees reversed in accordance with the International Fee Refund Policy.

Part C - Student Appeals and Complaints

(25) A student may appeal a University decision in accordance with the Academic Appeals Policy.

Section 4 - Guidelines

(26) Refer to the Withdraw Without Penalty webpage.

Section 5 - Definitions

(27) Definitions specific to this Procedure are contained in the Enrolment Policy and below:

1. effective enrolment means a student remains enrolled in a unit, or units, beyond the study period Census Date.