Late withdrawal options without academic or financial penalties
While you may withdraw from a course or program at any time during the trimester, you may be penalised financially and academically for doing so. To check the census date of your course(s), view the key dates on Programs and Courses.
However, if your study has been adversely affected by special circumstances and the last date to withdraw has passed, you may be eligible to apply for withdrawal without penalty.
Reasons for withdrawal
Reasons for withdrawal that fall within the limits of special circumstances are:
- medical reasons
- family/personal matters
- employment related factors.
These circumstances and influences must have:
- adversely affected your study, or your ability to study
- made their full impact after the relevant census date
- been beyond your control.
How to apply
Applications for withdrawal due to special circumstances must be lodged online.
Applications must be accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation. Applications must be lodged online within one year of the date the course was dropped. If the course was not dropped, an application must be lodged within one year of the last day of teaching for the course.
Applications will only be considered if they are submitted within the specified timeframes. Exceptions may be granted for applications submitted outside of these timeframes if you can provide a reasonable justification for the delayed submission within the prescribed timeframe.
You must provide documentary evidence if requesting to withdraw after the census date due to special circumstances on medical grounds, due to family/personal reasons, or employment related reasons. Failure to provide the required evidence may result in your application not being approved.
For further information on the type of documentary evidence you can submit, please visit supporting documentation.
Note: It is a criminal offence to knowingly make a false or misleading statement or to otherwise knowingly supply false or misleading information in connection with an application for remission of Student Contribution/Tuition Fee or re-crediting of Student Learning Entitlement.
Application outcome and refund of fees
If your request is approved, any failing grades will be replaced with a withdrawal grade on your academic record.
Your Student Contribution/Tuition Fee, along with any HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP debt you have incurred, will be removed. Any additional student charges will not be refunded.
If you have made a payment towards your Student Contribution/Tuition Fee, your student account will be credited with the relevant amount. The credit can be applied to future fees and charges, or you can request a refund by completing a refund of fees form.
Review of application
If your request for withdrawal is unsuccessful, you may apply in writing for a review. This written request must be received no later than four weeks after the notification of refusal. For further details, please refer to Student Review and Appeals.