• Section 1 - Purpose
• Background
• Scope
• Section 2 - Policy
• Attendance Expectations and Monitoring
• Circumstances Impacting Attendance
• Section 3 - Procedures
• Attendance Monitoring
• Attendance Warnings
• Notice of Intention to Report for Low Attendance (Attendance <80%)
• Notice of Intention to Report for Failure to Meet Attendance Requirements (Attendance <70%)
• Section 4 - Guidelines
• Section 5 - Definitions

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This Policy establishes the attendance expectations for International Students enrolled in English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS), and specifies the requirement to maintain Satisfactory Attendance, as set out in the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018, Standard 8 (‘National Code’).

Background

(2) Attendance and active participation are important in optimising student success in English Language Courses. The University is committed to monitoring student attendance in these Courses to assist in identifying academic and/or non-academic progress concerns, and to provide appropriate guidance and support to those identified.

(3) Additionally, it is a formal requirement that International Student visa holders maintain Satisfactory Attendance in these Courses. As such, the University also monitors their attendance to assist International Students in meeting their visa obligations.

(4) It is also a requirement under the National Code and the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Framework that the University reports students who do not maintain Satisfactory Attendance to the Department of Home Affairs.

Scope

(5) This Policy applies to all International Students enrolled at Macquarie University College (the College) in ELICOS Courses.

(6) Attendance expectations and requirements for students enrolled in the Standard Foundation Program are specified in the Macquarie University College Attendance Policy - Standard Foundation Program.

Section 2 - Policy

Attendance Expectations and Monitoring

(7) All students are expected to attend 100% of the Scheduled Contact Hours in their ELICOS Course.

(8) International Students holding a student visa and who are enrolled in any ELICOS Course must maintain Satisfactory Attendance in accordance with their student visa conditions and the National Code.

(9) Satisfactory Attendance is defined as attending 80% or more of the total Scheduled Contact Hours while enrolled in an ELICOS Course.

(10) The University is required to monitor International Student attendance, and report to the Department of Home Affairs those who do not maintain Satisfactory Attendance.

(11) Students are not permitted to attend a class other than the one in which they are registered without prior approval. Approval will only be given for extenuating circumstances.

(12) Teaching staff are responsible for recording student attendance in every class. If a student is late or leaves early, the teacher will only record the time the student was present.

Circumstances Impacting Attendance

(13) Students are responsible for managing their studies and time, and for seeking support should they require it.

(14) Students who experience circumstances that impact their ability to attend class should seek assistance from a College Student Advisor, or from Student Wellbeing, at the time that the circumstances arise. This will allow support strategies to be discussed and put in place to reduce the impact on the students’ attendance or progression.

(15) If a student has a pre-existing condition or circumstance that may impact attendance, it is recommended that they meet a College Student Advisor at the beginning of their studies to discuss the support strategies and services that may be available to them.

Section 3 - Procedures

Attendance Monitoring

(16) Attendance will be monitored for all students enrolled in ELICOS Courses. Students with irregular attendance may be referred by their teacher to the Student Advisors for further follow up.

(17) Additionally, the University will identify those who have missed more than three (3) consecutive days of class. These students will be contacted by the Student Advisors and asked to discuss any circumstances impacting their study. The student may also be referred to other specialist learning, wellbeing and/or support services as appropriate.

(18) If a student has been absent for five (5) consecutive days without notice, and attempts by Macquarie University College to contact them have been unsuccessful, it will be considered a critical incident and the matter will be escalated for a welfare check.

(19) To determine if a student is on track to meet the minimum 80% attendance requirement, Potential Attendance will be monitored.

(20) Potential Attendance is calculated using the following formula and is expressed as a percentage: ‘((a+b)/c*100)’

1. the total Scheduled Contact Hours of the Course that a student has attended and completed to date;
2. the maximum number of Scheduled Contact Hours for the Course still remaining; and
3. the total number of Scheduled Contact Hours for the student’s Course.

Attendance Warnings

(21) When a student’s Potential Attendance has dropped below 90%, they will receive a warning reminding them of the requirement under the National Code and the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Framework International Student visa holders within this program to maintain Satisfactory Attendance.

(22) A second and final warning will be sent when a student’s Potential Attendance has dropped below 85%.

(23) Warnings will be sent to a student’s University email address. If a student is under the age of 18, the University will send copies of the warnings to the student’s parents or legal guardian.

Notice of Intention to Report for Low Attendance (Attendance <80%)

(24) International Students enrolled in ELICOS Courses at The College who fall below the required 80% Potential Attendance will be issued with a Notice of Intention to Report the student to the Department of Home Affairs for Low Attendance.

(25) The Notice will provide details of the student’s right to appeal the decision.

(26) An appeal must be submitted within twenty (20) working days of the Notice being issued.

(27) An appeal can only be made on the grounds that:

1. Compassionate or Compelling Circumstances impacted the student; or
2. the procedure for dealing with the matter was not correctly followed.

(28) The student will be advised in writing of the outcome of the appeal within ten (10) working days of their appeal being received. This will be sent to the student’s University email address.

(29) If a student does not appeal, or their appeal is not successful and the student has exhausted all avenues of appeal, the University will report the student for not meeting their attendance requirements. Their Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) and enrolment for their current Course will be cancelled. This may result in the cancelation of their student visa.

(30) If a student’s appeal is successful, a report for low attendance will not be made and their CoE will not be cancelled. Should errors in the calculation of Potential Attendance be evidenced within the appeal process, the Potential Attendance percentage will be corrected accordingly.

Notice of Intention to Report for Failure to Meet Attendance Requirements (Attendance <70%)

(31) International Students who fall below 70% of Scheduled Contact Hours for their ELICOS Course will be issued with a Notice of Intention to Report for Failure to Meet Attendance Requirements.

(32) The Notice of Intention to Report for Failure to Meet Attendance Requirements will provide details of the student’s right to appeal the decision.

(33) The National Code requires the University to report a student whose attendance falls below 70%. An appeal against the decision to Report a Student for Failure to Meet Attendance Requirements can therefore only be made on the grounds that:

1. there were procedural or administrative errors in the calculation of the student’s attendance that, if resolved, would cause the student’s attendance percentage to rise to 70% or above; or
2. the procedure for dealing with the matter was not correctly followed.

(34) An appeal must be submitted within twenty (20) working days of the Notice being issued.

(35) The student will be advised in writing of the outcome of the appeal within 10 working days of their appeal being received. This will be sent to the student’s University email address.

(36) If a student does not appeal, or a student’s appeal is not successful and the student has exhausted all avenues of appeal, the University will report the student for not meeting attendance requirements. Their CoE for their current Course will be cancelled, and they will be excluded from further study in that Course. This may result in the cancelation of their student visa.

(37) If a student is successful in their appeal against a Notice of Intention to Report for Failure to Meet Attendance Requirements, their CoE will not be cancelled. The student’s Potential Attendance percentage will be corrected to account for the errors demonstrated by the student in their appeal.

(38) However, if a student’s Potential Attendance falls below 70% in the future, the student will be issued with a further Notice of Intention to Report for Failure to Meet Attendance Requirements which must be separately appealed.

Section 4 - Guidelines

(39) Nil.

Section 5 - Definitions

(40) The following definitions apply for the purpose of this Policy:

1. Compassionate or Compelling Circumstances generally mean those beyond the control of the student which have an impact upon the student’s wellbeing or progress in a Course. These include, but are not limited to:
   1. serious illness or injury, where a medical certificate states that the student was unable to attend classes;
   2. bereavement of close family members such as parents or grandparents (supported by documentation);
   3. major political upheaval or natural disaster in the home country requiring emergency travel when this has impacted on the student’s studies; or
   4. a traumatic experience which could include:
      1. involvement in, or witnessing of a serious accident; or  
      2. witnessing or being the victim of a serious crime; and
      3. which has impacted on the student (these cases should be supported by police or psychologists’ reports).
2. Block means a five-week period of study at the College in an ELICOS Course in which a student studies. Also known as a ‘Study Period’.
3. Course means an unofficial term for ‘Program of Study’.
4. Course Progress means the measure of a student’s academic performance within a Course, prior to completion.
5. Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) means a document, provided electronically, which is issued by the University to intending International Students and which must accompany their application for a student visa. It confirms the International Student's eligibility to enrol in a particular Course at the University.
6. Department of Home Affairs means the Commonwealth Government department responsible for issuing International Students with visas.
7. ELICOS is an acronym for ‘English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students’. An International Student, possessing an active student visa, and studying a formal English language Course at the University College is considered to be an ELICOS student.
8. ESOS Framework means the legislative framework which regulates the delivery of education services to International Students. It is comprised of the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (ESOS Act), the Education Services for Overseas Students Regulations 2001 (ESOS Regulations) and the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 (National Code).
9. Exclusion means that a student’s ability to study and enrol in their Course at Macquarie University will be prevented for a period of time.
10. International Student means a student who holds a student visa and is permitted to study in Australia.
11. Notice of Intention to Report means the written communication sent to a student notifying them of the University’s intention to report them to the Department of Home Affairs when required under the ESOS Framework.
12. Potential Attendance means the maximum attendance a student can attain by the end of the Course in which they are enrolled, taking into account their attendance so far and assuming they attend all of the remaining Scheduled Contact Hours.
13. PRISMS means the Provider Registration and International Student Management Systems (PRISMS) database that the Commonwealth Government maintains to support education providers with legislative requirements relating to overseas students.
14. Satisfactory Attendance means attendance of at least 80% of the Scheduled Contact Hours (also known as class hours) in a Course.
15. Scheduled Contact Hours means the hours in a Course in which students are scheduled to attend classes and any other mandatory learning sessions. Also known as Class Hours.
16. Study Period means a general term to refer to a specific period of time where a unit or subject is taught over a series of weeks and lessons. Depending on the Course a student is enrolled in, Macquarie University College runs Blocks and Terms.