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Enrolment Policy

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Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This policy is intended to ensure that enrolment of students at Charles Sturt University (the University) is:

  1. conducted consistently and fairly; and
  2. complies with the relevant external regulatory and funding requirements.

Scope

(2) This policy applies to:

  1. all students enrolling or re-enrolling in all courses and subjects offered by the University, including those offered through partner institutions; and
  2. all staff involved in enrolment of students.

(3) Where a student’s course enrolment is with a partner institution, although the course leads to a Charles Sturt University award, the University has in some cases tailored the processes for enrolment, payment of fees, and refunds to the needs of different partners. The Office of Global Engagement and Partnerships can provide more information on specific arrangements.

References

(4) Where supporting documents are named in this policy, they will be listed in the associated information tab.

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Section 2 - Glossary

(5) For the purposes of this policy, the following terms have the definitions stated:

  1. Census date – the deadline by which all students must finalise their subject enrolments for each session, after which they are financially and academically liable for each subject that remains on their enrolment.
  2. Commencing student – a student who has accepted a place in a course, or who is in their first session of study in a course at this University.
  3. Compulsory session – a session that students must enrol in to maintain a current place in their course. This normally refers to Sessions 1 and 2, unless a student is enrolled in a non-standard course structure which requires students to undertake subjects in Session 3 as well as Sessions 1 and 2. These compulsory Session 3 courses are listed online.
  4. Concurrent enrolment – where a student is enrolled in more than one course at the same time (including being enrolled in single subject study as well as a course).
  5. Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) – an official document issued to international students to confirm they have accepted a place and are eligible to enrol in a course at this University. The COE provides information about student enrolment status, course details, tuition fees, expected course duration, and enrolment start and end dates. International students must submit a current COE when applying for or renewing their student visa to study within Australia.
  6. Continuing student – a student continuing their enrolment beyond the first session of study in their course.
  7. Course director – refers to both the role titled ‘course director’, and the role titled ‘course coordinator’ where this title is still used.
  8. Coursework student – a student enrolled in a course that is not classified as an HDR (Higher degree by research) course.
  9. Cross-institutional study – where a student enrolled in a course at one university (their home institution) undertakes approved study in one or more subjects at another university (the host institution) under an agreement where this study will be recognised and applied as credit towards completion of their current course. There are two types of cross-institutional study: Incoming, and Outgoing, depending on whether the student is undertaking study at Charles Sturt University as their home institution or host institution.
  10. Domestic course – a course delivered by an Australian education provider, including courses provided by this University and by partner institutions located within Australia.
  11. Domestic student – a student enrolled with the University (or a partner institution located within Australia) who at the time of the relevant study is an Australian citizen or permanent resident, New Zealand citizen, or holds an Australian permanent humanitarian visa.
  12. Graduation planning system (GPS) – a web-based degree planning tool that outlines each student’s course structure, assists with subject selection for enrolment in each session, and allows students to monitor their academic progress towards course completion and graduation.
  13. Higher degree by research (HDR) course – a postgraduate course, such as the doctor of philosophy, professional doctorate, and master by research courses, where 66% or more of the course volume involves a research component (eg: a thesis, dissertation, portfolio, or research project).
  14. Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) – refers to the Commonwealth Government’s HELP loan scheme, where eligible students can defer payment of their tuition fees each session via HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP. For more information about HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP, see the Enrolment Procedure and the Commonwealth Government’s Study Assist website.
  15. In writing - means a legible hard copy letter or document written in English and signed by a student, or an email sent by a student from their personal email account as nominated on their student record.
  16. International student – for the purposes of this Enrolment Policy and Procedure, ‘international student’ refers to non-domestic students studying within Australia on a temporary student visa. See ‘overseas student’ for information about non-domestic students studying within Australia on any other type of temporary visa.
  17. Letter of offer (offer letter) – the written agreement outlining a student’s enrolment contract with the University.
  18. Letter of release – a letter issued by the University to an international student studying on an Australian student visa, giving them permission to transfer their enrolment to another institution.
  19. Non-tuition fees – any fees required for items not directly related to tuition fees. Examples include: overseas Student health cover, student services and amenities fees (SSAF), library fees, campus accommodation fees, campus facilities, and other fees and charges related to additional administrative costs incurred by the University, such as late payment and late enrolment fees.
  20. Overseas student – for the purposes of this Enrolment Policy and Procedure, ‘overseas student’ refers to students who are not categorised under 'international student’ or ‘domestic student’ as defined in this glossary. ‘Overseas students’ include: any student enrolled in a non-domestic course (including Australian domestic students studying overseas in a course delivered by an offshore partner institution); non-domestic students studying on campus within Australia while on any temporary visa other than the student visa; and non-domestic students who are studying in a domestic course that is delivered entirely online, where they do not need a student visa for their enrolment.
  21. Phase out/teach out - when a course or subject will no longer be accepting new applications or intakes.
  22. Prerequisite subject - a subject that must be completed before a student can commence study in the next subject for which this is a prerequisite entry requirement.
  23. Session - any session, term or other teaching period in which subjects are delivered.
  24. Student services and amenities fee (SSAF) - this fee is used for maintaining and enhancing services and amenities that support a wide range of student needs. This fee is charged per 8 points of subjects that each student is enrolled in each session of study.
  25. Study load – this can be either full-time or part-time, depending on the amount of subjects and the number of credit points that a student is enrolled in each session.
  26. Study mode – this can be either online or on campus, depending on the delivery mode that each subject is available for enrolment in each session. Where subjects are available in both modes, students can enrol in subjects delivered in ‘on campus’ study mode (attending face to face classes in person), or in ‘online’ study mode (also known as ‘distance education’, where learning and teaching is done via computer interaction).
  27. Subject availability list (SAL) - a list of all subject offerings for a particular year, including the study mode, campus, and session that each subject is delivered in.
  28. Subject coordinator – refers to both the role titled ‘subject coordinator’ and the role titled ‘subject convenor’ where this title is still used.
  29. Tuition fees - fees charged for each unit of study (subject) that a student is enrolled in.
  30. Written agreement – this is the University’s letter of offer to the student, containing the enrolment contact between the student and the University, which is agreed to by the student when they accept their offer.
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Section 3 - Policy

Enrolment responsibilities

(6) The Executive Director, Division of Student Administration (DSA) is responsible for overseeing the enrolment of students in all Charles Sturt University courses and subjects.

(7) Students are responsible for:

  1. managing their enrolment according to the terms outlined in their letter of offer, for the duration of their study at the University;
  2. providing correct and complete information required for enrolment;
  3. enrolling themselves in the correct subjects each session according to their course structure, and only in subjects that meet the requirements of their current award;
  4. keeping their contact information current and up to date on university systems at all times, including their home and postal address, phone number, personal email account, and emergency contact details. International students must provide their overseas residential address to the University and keep this current throughout their enrolment, as well as maintain and update their Australian address and contact details within 7 days of any change, and they must also notify the University of any changes to their visa or visa conditions immediately;
  5. payment and/or deferral (where eligible) of all tuition and non-tuition fees;
  6. ensuring they meet the prerequisite subject requirements and assumed knowledge stated in the University Handbook for each subject in which they enrol;
  7. meeting any study load requirements, such as international students who must maintain full-time enrolment in each compulsory session; and
  8. maintaining their enrolment in line with personal priorities and responsibilities, including reducing enrolment when necessary prior to the census date, where eligible. International students should refer to the reduced load application process and criteria outlined in the study load section of this policy.

(8) The Graduation Policy states the academic requirements that apply for a student to complete their course and graduate with their award.

Student records, information and personal data

(9) As part of the enrolment process, the University will collect information and data about students that is needed to administer their studies, and that is required by the Commonwealth Government to be collected by the University for monitoring and reporting to relevant governing bodies and departments.

(10) Personal information and data gathered throughout each student’s enrolment with the University will be kept confidential and handled in accordance with the University’s Privacy Management Plan, in adherence with the Privacy Act 1988  and the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009.

Eligibility to enrol

(11) To commence enrolment at this University, each student must first have:

  1. completed the admissions process and received a letter of offer from the University;
  2. followed the enrolment instructions outlined in their letter of offer; and
  3. signed (electronically or physically) the declaration required of enrolling students to accept their offer, stating that they will comply with the University’s rules, policies and procedures.

(12) All students must provide their Unique Student Identifier (USI) to the University by the first census date in their course. See the Enrolment Procedure for more information about the USI.

(13) International students studying within Australia on a student visa must also have a current confirmation of enrolment (COE).

(14) The Admissions Procedure states detailed requirements for commencing students’ acceptance of offers of admission.

(15) The Admissions Policy states restrictions on staff being admitted to courses or enrolling in subjects where this would be a conflict of interest.

Conditions of enrolment and re-enrolment

(16) To be eligible to enrol in each session, students must not owe a debt to the University. See the ‘Non-payment of fees’ section of this policy for more details.

(17) To remain enrolled in each session, students must complete one of the following tasks by the deadline advised by the Division of Finance:

  1. pay all fees and charges for their subjects each session; or
  2. defer their tuition fees (if they are eligible for do so) via the Higher Education Loan Program (HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP).

(18) The Enrolment Procedure states detailed information about processes related to tuition fees and the deadlines for payment and/or deferment of these fees for each session.

Students’ agents and representatives

Agents

(19) A student may appoint an agent to act for them and to make decisions on their behalf, which will be binding on the student, in relation to their enrolment or subsequent studies.

(20) An agent cannot, however:

  1. perform assessment tasks on behalf of the student;
  2. deal with financial matters and make arrangements regarding fees with the University on behalf of the student; or
  3. act for the student in matters where other rules or policies of the University specify that the student cannot be represented by an agent.

(21) Before the University can deal with a student’s agent and reveal any student information held by the University to the agent, the student must notify the University in writing that they have appointed the agent, specifying:

  1. the name and contact details of the agent;
  2. the matters on which the agent can act for the student; and
  3. the period during which the agency will be in place.

(22) To formally appoint an agent, students must complete the student authority form and submit this online via the student portal.

Representatives

(23) Unlike agents, representatives are not able to make decisions on a student’s behalf, but may be appointed by a student to:

  1. be an advocate to the University on their behalf; and
  2. convey information and decisions of the student to the University.

(24) Before the University can deal with a student’s representative, the student must notify the University, in writing:

  1. that they have appointed the representative;
  2. the name and contact details of the representative; and
  3. the specific matter(s) on which the representative will be their advocate.

(25) Rules and other policies of the University may:

  1. restrict the authority of a student’s representative, or
  2. restrict the classes of person who may represent a student.

(26) To formally appoint a representative, students must complete the student authority form and submit it online via the student portal.

Adding subjects for re-enrolment

(27) Students are responsible for enrolling themselves into each session by adding subjects online using the self-enrolment system before the deadline at the end of the first week of classes each session.

(28) Restrictions exist for subjects added late by students online after the first week of session has ended, and further restrictions exist for late subject enrolment requests made after census date. The Enrolment Procedure outlines these restrictions and states the process, timeline and conditions for students to add or withdraw from subjects in each session. 

(29) Commencing students who have subjects listed on their letter of offer may not need to add subjects to their first (and possibly their second) session of study, as they have been pre-enrolled in subjects as part of their admission process. Students can check their current subjects in each session using the online self-enrolment system.

(30) Students must use the course structure provided in the University Handbook and the University’s graduation planning system when selecting subjects to add to their enrolment. Students are not permitted to enrol in extra subjects that will not contribute to the credit points required for completion of their current course, or that will result in the student completing more credit points than required to achieve their current award.

(31) Elective subjects, subject substitutions, and subjects required for specialisations are not considered extra subjects, unless they are incompatible with the student’s course structure, cannot be used as credit towards attaining their current award, or will result in more credit points than required for completion of their current course enrolment. See the Enrolment Procedure for more information about subject substitutions.

(32) If a student wants to undertake an extra subject that would result in the completion of more credit points than required for their current award, they can only do so as a full fee paying single subject study student, either concurrently (with the approval of their course director), or any time after completing their course. See the ‘Concurrent enrolment’ section of this policy for information about requesting concurrent study approval. The Admissions Policy and Admissions Procedure provide detailed information about the process and requirements for applying for single subject study.

(33) Students need to meet the prerequisite entry requirements for each subject as stated in the University Handbook for the year in which they wish to enrol in that subject. The subject prerequisites section of the Enrolment Procedure outlines the requirements for meeting prerequisites.

(34) Where a subject has a quota restricting the number of students who may enrol in that subject, enrolment systems may prevent students from self-enrolling in that subject once the quota is filled.

Higher degree by research (HDR) students

(35) The Higher Degree by Research Policy states the conditions under which HDR students may enrol in coursework subjects relevant to their research.

Withdrawing from subjects

(36) Students must finalise their enrolment by the census date for each session, and are able to withdraw themselves from subjects using the online self-enrolment system up to the census date for the current session without incurring an academic penalty (fail grade) or financial liability (tuition fees).

(37) Students are unable to withdraw from any subjects in the current session once the census date has passed, unless they apply for an approved withdrawal (AW) by submitting an application for special consideration due to exceptional circumstances.

(38) The Assessment Policy and Assessment - Academic Progress Procedure outline the academic consequences of failing to complete the assessment requirements for any subject that remains on their enrolment after census date. The Assessment Flexibility Procedure describes the process, criteria, and conditions under which a student may apply for an approved withdrawal (AW) from a subject. 

(39) The Enrolment Procedure outlines the financial consequences of failing to withdraw by census date for domestic and overseas students, and provides information about the process and criteria for applying for a refund of tuition fees due to exceptional circumstances. 

(40) The International Student Fee Refund Procedure sets out the financial consequences of course and subject withdrawal for international students, including how to apply for a refund due to exceptional circumstances.

Payment of fees

(41) A condition of enrolment is that each student must pay their tuition fees for each session, as well as any other fees incurred throughout their studies by the payment deadlines set by the University.

(42) The type of fees that students must pay in each session and throughout their enrolment include:

  1. tuition fees for each subject (unless the student is eligible for the Higher Education Loan Provision (HELP) scheme, and submits a Commonwealth assistance form (CAF) by the relevant census date to defer their fees via HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP);
  2. the student services and amenities fee (SSAF) (unless the student is eligible for a HELP loan, and completes an SA-HELP nomination form to defer these fees via SA-HELP); and
  3. any other fees and charges accrued by the student such as late payment and late enrolment fees, library fines and other administrative costs.

(43) The online schedule of fees and charges states the amount that applies for each type of fee, in each year of enrolment.

(44) The deadline by which students must pay tuition fees for each session will be provided on the invoice/fee statement sent to each student by the Division of Finance. See the ‘Non-payment of fees’ section of this policy for information about sanctions and penalties that apply for late payment or non-payment of tuition fees by the specified payment due date.

(45) Where the University agrees to allow a student to pay their tuition fees later than the payment deadline for that session, the University may charge a fee for this concession. See the ‘Payment of tuition fees’ section of the Enrolment Procedure for details.

(46) Fees will not be reduced for any student repeating a subject due to failing it previously (or for any other reason).

Refund of tuition fees

(47) All students are liable for the tuition fees of any subjects they are enrolled in at midnight of the census date in each session.

(48) If a student withdraws from one or more of their current session subjects before midnight on the census date, they will not be liable for any tuition fees for those subjects unless they are an international student (see the International Student Fee Refund Procedure for details).

(49) The Enrolment Procedure outlines the refunds process for domestic and overseas students who have withdrawn from one or more subjects in the current session by the census date.

(50) The International Student Fee Refund Procedure states the conditions under which international students may be eligible for a full or partial refund of their tuition fees if they withdraw from subjects in the current or upcoming session by the relevant census date.

Refunds in special or exceptional circumstances

(51) Where a student fails to withdraw from one or more subjects by the census date in a particular session, the University cannot provide a refund of those tuition fees, unless they are special or exceptional circumstances.

(52) The Enrolment Procedure states the conditions under which all students can apply for a remission or reimbursement of tuition fees for current session subjects after the census date has passed due to exceptional circumstances.

(53) The following units and roles are responsible for assessing and processing student applications for a refund of tuition fees:

  1. Where a student claims exceptional circumstances as a factor in their refund request, the application will be assessed and decided by the Executive Director, Division of Student Administration or delegate before it can be processed by the Division of Finance. 
  2. The Division of Finance processes all student refund applications once they have been approved and referred to them by the Division of Student Administration.

Non-payment of fees

All students

(54) Where a student does not pay all fees arising from their enrolment by the deadline as stated on their invoice/fee statement, they may be charged a late payment fee in addition to the outstanding fees owed to the University.

(55) Where a student fails to pay all of their fees for the current session by the relevant census date, the Division of Finance will restrict the student’s access to the following facilities until the debt is paid:

  1. results and transcripts;
  2. the learning management system and online subject resources and materials;
  3. student services, such as the library;
  4. re-enrolment in future sessions; and 
  5. graduation.

(56) Where a student does not pay or arrange deferment of their tuition fees by the census date of each session in which they are enrolled, the Division of Student Administration (DSA) will:

  1. cancel their enrolment in all subjects for the current session; and may
  2. cancel their enrolment in the course.

(57) Where a student has had their enrolment cancelled for non-payment of their tuition fees, they are not entitled to attend exams, be assessed or receive a final result/grade for those subject(s).

International students

(58) Non-payment of tuition fees is grounds for cancellation of each student’s enrolment with the University. An international student who fails to pay their tuition fees by the relevant census date in each session is in breach of their enrolment conditions, and the University will take the following actions as required by legislation (in addition to the actions, sanctions, and penalties stated at clauses 55-57):

  1. notify the student of its intention to report this to the Department of Home Affairs; and
  2. provide the student with an appropriate appeal period in which to rectify this issue by paying their outstanding fees or by submitting an appeal if they feel there has been an error with their invoice/fee statement.

(59) If the student fails to pay their outstanding fees or submit an appeal within this period, or if their appeal is denied, the University will cancel the student’s enrolment in the course, and report this to the government by cancelling their confirmation of enrolment (COE), which may lead to the cancellation of their student visa.

(60) International students will need to contact the Department of Home Affairs directly to discuss any impact this will have on their student visa.

Failure to re-enrol

All coursework students

(61) To retain a place in their course, all students must be enrolled in at least one subject or be on approved leave of absence (LOA) in every compulsory session of study. See the Enrolment Procedure for more information about compulsory sessions.

(62) Students who have not re-enrolled or taken leave of absence by the enrolment deadline of each compulsory session (at midnight on Sunday at the end of week one) will be contacted by the University during the first few weeks of session to determine whether they intend to:

  1. add subjects to their enrolment by the relevant census date; 
  2. submit a request for leave of absence to return to study in the next session (if they are eligible to do so); or 
  3. withdraw from their course.

(63) Where the University has been unable to contact these students by the census date, the Division of Student Administration will take the following actions for domestic, overseas, and international students.

Domestic and overseas coursework students

(64) Where a student has failed to add subjects, request leave of absence, or contact the University by the relevant census date, the Division of Student Administration (DSA) will send them a notification stating that their enrolment will be cancelled unless they respond to the University with their future enrolment intentions by the required deadline, as outlined in the Enrolment Procedure (and stated in the failure to re-enrol notice sent to the student by DSA).

(65) Where a student fails to respond within the required timeframe, DSA will cancel their enrolment in the course.

(66) If the student responds within the required timeframe and requests to continue study in their course, DSA will determine whether the student meets the eligibility criteria to be placed on leave of absence to continue their enrolment See the ‘Leave of absence (LOA)’ section of this policy for further information about the criteria for leave of absence.

(67) Where the student cannot be placed on leave of absence without faculty approval, DSA will forward the student’s request to the executive dean of their teaching faculty for assessment. Depending on the decision of the executive dean, this may result in approved leave or cancellation of the student’s enrolment.

(68) The Enrolment Procedure provides details about the failure to re-enrol process and timeframe for domestic and overseas students.

International students

(69)  An international student who fails to re-enrol into each compulsory session of study is in breach of their enrolment conditions.

(70) Where an international student fails to add subjects, request leave of absence, or contact the University by the relevant census date, the University will:

  1. notify the student of its intention to report this to the Department of Home Affairs, and
  2. provide the student with an appropriate appeal period in which to rectify the issue or submit an appeal.

(71) If the student fails to submit an appeal within the appropriate appeal period, or if their appeal is denied, the University will cancel the student’s enrolment in the course and report this to the government by cancelling their confirmation of enrolment (COE), which may lead to the cancellation of their visa.

(72) International students will need to contact the Department of Home Affairs directly to discuss any impact this will have on their student visa.

Higher degree by research (HDR) students

(73) The Higher Degree by Research Policy states the requirements for HDR students to maintain an active enrolment during their candidature.

Leave of absence (LOA)

Domestic and overseas coursework students

(74) Domestic and overseas coursework students are able to take up to a maximum of four sessions of leave of absence from their course within any four consecutive calendar years, unless:

  1. they are in their first session of study. Commencing students must instead apply to defer their enrolment, subject to the restrictions and conditions stated in the Admissions Policy;
  2. they are enrolled with an offshore partner or in a course that does not permit leave from study, such as the University Certificate in Workforce Essentials (UCWE); 
  3. they are enrolled in a multi-session subject which must be completed across all sessions consecutively in full without a break (see the Enrolment Procedure for more information about requesting leave during a multi-session subject); or
  4. they are enrolled in a course in phase out or teach out status, where they need approval from their course director and the executive dean of their teaching faculty.

(75) Where a student’s request for leave of absence will exceed the four session limit outlined in clause 74, they will only be granted an additional session of leave with the approval of the executive dean or deputy dean of their teaching faculty. Students must meet the requirements stated in the Enrolment Procedure when applying for leave of absence above this limit.

(76) Any requests for leave of absence will not extend the maximum time in which a student must complete their course, according to the requirements outlined in the Assessment - Academic Progress Procedure.

International students

(77) International students must complete their enrolment within the expected duration of their course, as stated on their confirmation of enrolment (COE). For this reason, they are not permitted to take leave unless:

  1. there are exceptional circumstances supported by evidence (see the supporting documentation guidelines); or
  2. it is part of a formal intervention plan to address unsatisfactory progress (as confirmed by the relevant international student liaison officer).

(78) All international student requests for leave of absence, together with supporting evidence (see the supporting documentation guidelines), must be submitted to the Executive Director, Division of Student Administration (DSA) or delegate.

(79) Where approved, DSA will update the student’s COE, which may include extending their expected course end date. International students with approved leave will need to contact the Department of Home Affairs to discuss any impact to their student visa due to an extension of their COE.

(80) Any requests for leave of absence will not extend the maximum time in which a student must complete their course, according to the requirements outlined in the Assessment - Academic Progress Procedure.

(81) International students will be contacted by DSA with re-enrolment instructions at the beginning of their next session of study after leave.

(82) If an international student fails to return to study in their next session following leave of absence, the University will follow the international student process outlined in the ‘Failure to re-enrol’ section of this policy.

Higher degree by research (HDR) students

(83) The Higher Degree by Research Policy states the process and conditions under which HDR students can apply for leave of absence.

Re-enrolment after leave of absence

(84) When a leave of absence period is coming to an end, students will be sent re-enrolment instructions advising them to add subjects into the next upcoming session of study in order to maintain an active place in their course. See the ‘Adding subjects for re-enrolment’ section of the Enrolment Procedure for details about how to re-enrol each session.

(85) However, if students wish to take further time away from study once their current leave of absence period ends, they may submit a request for additional leave if they are eligible to do so.

Study modes (on campus and online study)

All students

(86) Subjects are delivered in either online or on campus study mode, and the mode of study that each subject is available for enrolment in for each session is identified in the University Handbook and/or the subject availability list (SAL).

(87) Some online subjects require students to attend face to face classes and learning activities, including workplace learning and intensive residential school periods held on campus. See the Course and Subject Policy for more information about these activities.

International students

(88) International students have restrictions on their mode of study. On campus subjects must comprise at least two-thirds of the total points required for completion of their course.

(89) While online study is allowed for one-third of their course, international students must enrol in at least one on campus subject in every compulsory session of study, unless the student only has one subject left to complete their course.

(90) Where a student’s course length has been reduced due to credit applied from prior study at another institution, this one-third rule applies to the number of subjects remaining to be completed at this University.

(91) If a student has transferred from one course to another within the University, the number of online subjects carried over as credit from their previous course will be counted as part of the one-third limit for online study.

(92) See the Credit Policy and Credit Procedure for more information about credit.

Study load (full-time and part-time study)

(93) The standard subject enrolment load for full-time study is 32 points per session or 64 points per year, and the standard enrolment load for part-time study is 16 points per session. However, some courses have non-standard structures that require enrolment patterns outside of these standard full-time study loads.

(94) To be considered full-time for some courses, students need to maintain enrolment in at least 75% of the equivalent full-time study load (EFTSL) for the year, which equates to a minimum of 24 points per standard session of enrolment. See the Enrolment Procedure for more information about non-standard course structures and minimum full-time study loads.

Domestic and overseas coursework students

(95) Domestic and overseas coursework students can vary their load between part-time and full-time study by changing the number of subjects they enrol in each session, up to the standard maximum of 32 points without needing to request prior approval.

(96) Domestic and overseas students who wish to enrol in more than the standard full-time study load of 32 points per session must request approval from their course director, unless they were instructed to do so as part of a non-standard course structure.

(97) Approval is not required where the course requires enrolment in more than the standard full-time study load of 32 points per session.

International students

(98) International students must complete their enrolment within the expected duration of their course, as stated on their confirmation of enrolment (COE). For this reason, international students must maintain a full-time study load in every compulsory session and are not permitted to reduce their enrolment load in any session without formal approval from the Executive Director, Division of Student Administration (DSA) or delegate, unless they are in their last session of study.

(99) The Enrolment Procedure outlines the process and criteria for international students to apply for a reduced study load.

Higher degree by research (HDR) students

(100) The Higher Degree by Research Policy states requirements for HDR students in relation to full-time and part-time enrolment, and the process for changing study loads during their candidature.

Concurrent enrolment 

(101) Students may only concurrently enrol in a second Charles Sturt University course, single subject, or second course at another institution if they have the approval of their course director (or both course directors, where the concurrent enrolment involves two Charles Sturt University courses).

(102) Where the combined enrolment will exceed the normal maximum study load in one or more sessions, students must gain additional approval from their course director (or both course directors, where the concurrent enrolment is in two Charles Sturt University courses) for each session in which they wish to enrol in more subjects than the normal maximum study load. See the ‘Study load (full-time and part-time study)’ section of this policy for more information about maximum study loads.

(103) There are restrictions for how credit can be applied between concurrent courses, which are outlined in the Credit Policy and Credit Procedure.

(104) Students who enrol in two coursework courses concurrently must meet the standard academic and course progression requirements as stated in the Assessment - Academic Progress Procedure, and they must still complete each course within the maximum time permitted according to the standard academic progress requirements at this University.

(105) The University will not make special arrangements or grant concessions to accommodate students’ concurrent enrolments in relation to these standard assessment and academic progress requirements.

Higher degree by research (HDR) students

(106) Higher degree by research (HDR) candidates are expected to focus their studies on their HDR course, as these courses are demanding. A candidate may, however, apply to the Dean, Graduate Studies for approval to enrol concurrently in another award course, with the support of the student’s principal supervisor and the Sub Dean (Graduate Studies) of the faculty in which their HDR candidature is based.

Cross-institutional study

Incoming students

(107) Students who are currently enrolled at another institution may apply for cross-institutional study in one or more subjects at this University, where:

  1. a place is available in the subject(s);
  2. the student’s home institution confirms that the subject(s) can be credited towards the student’s course at the home institution; and
  3. the student meets the relevant subject prerequisites and entry requirements.

(108) Students enrolled with an institution where there is no prior cross-institutional study agreement in place with this University may still apply for cross-institutional study, if the institution confirms they will be eligible to apply these subjects as credit towards their current home institution course.

(109) The Admissions Office is responsible for managing incoming cross-institutional enrolment, and the process and conditions for incoming cross-institutional study are outlined in the Enrolment Procedure.

Outgoing students

(110) Currently enrolled students at this University may apply for outgoing cross-institutional study if they wish to undertake one or more subjects at another university with approval for credit to be applied to their current course at this University.

(111) The Credit Policy states the application process and requirements for credit from cross-institutional study to be applied to a student’s course at this University.

Course Transfers

(112) See the Admissions Policy and Admissions Procedure for details about applying for a course transfer.

(113) Students submitting an application for course transfer will be assessed according to the entry requirements for that course.

(114) International students seeking to transfer their enrolment to another provider within the first six months of study at this University must submit their request via the process outlined in the International On-Shore Students - Provider Transfer Policy.

Review of enrolment decisions

(115) Where a student is dissatisfied with a decision made under the provisions of this Enrolment Policy and the Enrolment Procedure, they may request a review of this decision by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students) or delegate.

(116) Students must submit their request in writing to dvcstudents@csu.edu.au, stating the reasons they believe that the enrolment decision was incorrect or unfair, and attach related supporting evidence (see the supporting documentation guidelines).

(117) The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students) or delegate will conduct an internal review of the enrolment decision and respond to the student within 10 working days of receiving the completed request.

(118) If the student believes the decision-making process was not conducted in accordance with this Enrolment Policy and the Enrolment Procedure, they may submit a formal complaint in writing to the University Ombudsman via:

  1. ombudsman@csu.edu.au; or
  2. University Ombudsman, Charles Sturt University, Boorooma Street, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia.

(119) For detailed information about complaints, see the Complaints Management Policy and Complaints Management Procedure.

(120) If the student’s complaint remains unresolved and they have exhausted all avenues within the University, they may lodge an external complaint to:

  1. the NSW Ombudsman;
  2. the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT); or
  3. take action under Australian consumer protection.
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Section 4 - Procedure

(121) The following procedures support this policy:

  1. The Enrolment Procedure states detailed requirements for enrolment processes.
  2. The International Student Fee Refund Procedure states the conditions under which international students’ tuition fees will or will not be refunded.
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Section 5 - Guidelines

(122) Nil.