Leave from study - Intermission

Acceptable reasons for requiring a CoE extension are:

• complying with an intervention strategy (please see below)
• changing to a student visa
• compassionate or compelling circumstances
• course structure (e.g. pre-requisite units not available)
• require extra time to complete thesis for submission and examination

Intervention Strategy

If your request for a CoE extension relates to poor progression in your current course, the University may only approve this extension on the basis of an Intervention Strategy being implemented. In short, an Intervention Strategy is intended to assist you meeting your course progress requirements by participating actively and positively in support services offered by the University.

How to apply for a Student visa extension

UC encourages students to start the process of extending your Student visa within four months of your current visa expiring. It is important to always be aware of the expiry date of your visa, and that you must apply for a new visa before your current visa expires.

All students are encouraged to apply for a new Student visa onshore, i.e. in Australia. Applying offshore may result in delays and prevent you from returning to Australia in time to recommence your studies.

A Student visa application can be lodged online via your ImmiAccount. Further information about applying for a new Student visa can be found on the Department of Home Affairs' (Immigration & Citizenship) website.

Form 1545

UC will assess the completion of Form 1545, supporting a COVID-19 impacted student who is:

• eligible for a nil visa application charge for a new Student (Subclass 500) visa application if they are unable to complete their approved course of study within the original visa validity due to COVID-19, or
• seeking to have online study undertaken outside Australia as a result of COVID-19 travel restrictions counted towards the Australian Study Requirement.

Information on eligibility is available from the Department of Home Affairs' website www.homeaffairs.gov.au.

To request UC assesses your eligibility for Form 1545, please contact Student.Centre@canberra.edu.au directly.

An intermission, also known as a 'leave of absence' is when you take an approved break from your study for a designated period of time.

International student visa holders can only take intermission under approved compassionate or compelling circumstances.

What are compassionate or compelling circumstances?

Compassionate or compelling circumstances are generally those beyond a student's control and which have an impact upon a student’s course progress or wellbeing. These could include, but are not limited to:

• serious illness or injury, where a medical certificate states that a student was unable to attend classes;
• bereavement of close family members such as parents or grandparents (where possible a death certificate should be provided);
• major political upheaval or natural disaster in the home country requiring emergency travel and this has impacted on a student’s studies;
• a traumatic experience, which could include:
  • involvement in, or witnessing of a serious accident; or
  • witnessing or being the victim of a serious crime, and this has impacted on a student (these cases should be supported by police or psychologists’ reports)
• where the University was unable to offer a pre-requisite unit, or a student has failed a prerequisite unit and therefore faces a shortage of relevant units for which they are eligible to enrol.

Please note, these are only some examples of what may be considered compassionate or compelling circumstances.

Applying

To apply for intermission, please complete an online Intermission Request and be sure to provide all supporting evidence to substantiate your request.

If you are granted intermission, the University will notify the Department of Home Affairs (Immigration and citizenship) of the change to your enrolment.

Where can i find the policy that relates to international students and taking an intermission?

The University's Enrolment Policy, as well as the Deferring, Suspending or Cancelling an International Student's Enrolment Procedure sets out the requirements for commencing and continuing students wishing to enrol in University of Canberra units - as well as assessing, approving and recording the deferring, suspending or cancelling of an international student’s enrolment.

As a Student visa holder, you're expected to finish your course by the end date shown on your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE). To stay on track, you’ll usually need to maintain a standard full-time study load or follow your current and approved Study Plan issued by your faculty, which generally means:

• 24 credit points (cps) per academic year, and
• 12 cps per six-month period, defined as:
  • First six month period: Teaching periods commencing between January and June
  • Second six month period: Teaching periods commencing between July and December

You must be enrolled in units that align with your Typical Study Pattern or approved Study Plan prepared by your Faculty prior to applying for a Study Load Variation. You should not be enrolled in the reduced load before receiving approval, unless applying for Academic / Course Structural reasons.

Applying for a Study Load Variation

If you are requesting to undertake a reduced study load, you must apply via the Study Load Variation Form via MyUC. The application process depends on your circumstances:

1. Academic / Course Structural reasons

If your application is due to previous unit failures, course structure, or unit availability, please:

• Attach a PDF file of your current and approved Study Plan from your Faculty, including relevant notes (example, “Reduced load required for 9 cps in S2 2026 due to a previous progression matter / fail.”)

2. Compassionate or Compelling circumstances

If your situation involves medical, personal, or other serious issues beyond your control, you may be eligible for consideration under compassionate or compelling circumstances. To support your request, please provide appropriate documentation. Examples of acceptable supporting evidence include:

• A medical certificate specifying the dates of the condition or exacerbation, issued by a registered doctor or other medical practitioner
• Hospital documentation, including any planned or ongoing treatment schedules
• A formal letter from a registered psychologist / social worker outlining relevant circumstances

Please note: Registration with InclusionUC, in and of itself, does not constitute grounds for a Study Load Variation. InclusionUC provides reasonable adjustments to support students in undertaking their studies at the determined study load.

If you are an international student who wants to change your course at UC or move to a different education provider, you will need to read the information below carefully for detailed instructions.

Changing your course at UC?

International students who wish to change to a different course at UC must apply via the UC online application portal.

The application will be assessed against all of the entry requirements. If you are successful, you will be sent a new offer letter. You will need to sign and return the Acceptance Declaration on your offer letter by email to the Admissions Office before you can enrol into your new course.

Once your acceptance has been approved, you will be sent a new Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE). The University will notify the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) of the changes to your enrolment.

Changing to a different education provider?

Internationals student visa holders who wish to transfer to a different education provider need to meet specific criteria to be eligible.

• If you have completed 6 or more months of your principal course at UC, you do not need a release letter to move to another education provider - you may request to discontinue.
• If you have studied less than 6 months of your principal course at UC, you will need to request a Release Letter - seeking permission to transfer.

Seeking permission to transfer via a Release Letter request

To apply for a Release Letter you must complete the online Release Letter Request Form attaching:

• a detailed statement, outlining why you are seeking release from your principal UC course, and any documentation substantiating your reasoning; and
• a copy of an unconditional offer letter from another CRICOS registered Education Provider at the same or higher Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) level. The only condition should be equivalent to "Provide proof of Release Letter from University of Canberra". Start date of offer letter should a future date.

If you are seeking a release on compelling or compassionate grounds, you must provide:

• documentation demonstrating circumstances which are beyond your control.

Additionally, if you are requesting a relocation to be with the support of your family and friends, evidence that your family and/or friends are residing in requested region or city (must be an official document i.e. drivers licence, electricity/gas account etc.), indicating address.

If you are under 18 years of age, you must provide:

• Written evidence that the new provider has accepted responsibility for your welfare until you turn 18; and
• Written evidence from your parents or legal guardian that they approve your transfer to another provider.

Please note the University of Canberra only accepts documents in English. Any documents in another language, you'll need to submit them with a NAATI-accredited translation.

Please note it is a requirement that you maintain enrolment in your current course until an outcome is known.

Further information regarding changing courses is available on the Department of Home Affairs’ (Immigration and citizenship) website.

As outlined in the University of Canberra’s Set out in the University’s Completion within the Expected Duration of Study for International Students Procedure, student visa holders must adhere to the following requirements:

• must be enrolled in at least one unit that is not delivered online or via distance learning in each compulsory semester; and
• cannot undertake more than one-third (33.3%) of their total attempted course through online or distance learning.

For definitions of the University's Unit modes of delivery, please view Course Procedure - Courses and Course Component (see points 55–57 and the explanatory table). Units listed as External or Multi-mode under the Government Report Mode of Delivery column are classified as online and count toward your online and distance learning quota.

Please note - if breaching those above requirements, the University will contact you and may be required to amend or remove enrolment, to make sure that you and the University complies to Australian Government legislative requirements.

Example calculation

A student is enrolled in a 72 credit point (cps) Bachelor degree at the University of Canberra, where each unit is valued at 3 cps. The student has been granted 24 cps of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), reducing their required load to 48 cps, equivalent to 16, 3 cps units.

• Calculation: one-third of 48 cps = 16 cps, which equates to a maximum of five, 3 cps units (please note failed units are excluded from any calculations)

Therefore, the student may complete up to five, 3 cps units in online or distance mode.

If you require enrolment assistance, please connect with the Student Centre.

In some circumstances, the University can offer international students the option of paying their tuition fees in instalments through a payment plan.

Payment plans are offered to international students that are experiencing financial difficulties due to exceptional circumstances and are in genuine need of assistance.

Payment plans are available on a short-term basis only, as students must continue to have sufficient financial capacity to support their studies and stay in Australia - a condition of their Student visa.

Payment plans are available for Semester 1 and Semester 2 only.

Who can apply for a Payment Plan

You can apply for a payment plan if you:

• Are experiencing financial difficulties and are in genuine need of short-term financial support
• Have a good payment record with the University

How to apply?

Payment plans are now closed for Semester 2 2024.

Payment plan applications will open one month prior to the start of teaching and will close at 5:00pm Friday of Week 1 of the relevant teaching period.

To apply for a payment plan, complete the payment plan application form and attach the following to support your application:

• A statement of reasons giving a full explanation of the financial issue;
• Evidence of the circumstance that necessitates the application for a payment plan. Examples of evidence that we accept are:
• A medical certificate confirming illness or death of the sponsoring family member;
• An Affidavit from both parents in the case of parental separation;
• An official notice from your financial institution where there has been a payment transaction delay;
• In the case of a natural disaster or civil unrest, documentation confirming your family’s residential address;
• Any other certified documentation that can support your application.
• For students enrolled in less than a standard full-time load (12 credit points), evidence of an approved Study Load Variation.

We will notify you of the outcome of your application within 5 working days.

Contact information for Payment Plans

Enquiries related to payment plans should be directed to the Student Centre. The Student Centre is the 'one-stop-shop' for all students' general administrative needs.

Opening hours: Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm.

Location: Student Central, Building 1, Level B.

Telephone: 1300 301 727 or email: Student.Centre@canberra.edu.au

Unfortunately, most students will have a student visa that expires before the UC Graduation ceremonies.

If you wish to stay onshore to attend the UC Graduation ceremonies, please use your course completion letter to apply for a visa that may allow you to stay onshore. Information on how to do so is available at Department of Home Affairs' (DHA) website.