View Current

Enrolment and Fees Procedure

This is the current version of this document. To view historic versions, click the link in the document's navigation bar.

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This procedure supports the Enrolment and Fees Policy by stating detailed requirements for enrolment and fee processes at Charles Sturt University (the University).

Scope

(2) This procedure has the same scope as the Enrolment and Fees Policy.

Top of Page

Section 2 - Policy

(3) This procedure supports the Enrolment and Fees Policy.

Top of Page

Section 3 - Procedure

Part A - General

Student records and information

Contact details

(4) Students are responsible for maintaining their contact details on University systems throughout their enrolment. They must ensure that the following information is updated and correct at all times:

Home/postal address, both in Australia and overseas (where relevant)
Email
Phone number
Emergency contact (name and details)

(5) Students are sent important notifications, reminders, and messages throughout the year. The University will not relax due dates, penalties or other determinations made where a student did not receive or respond to communications because their contact details were out of date.

(6) The University will contact current international students every six months to confirm their contact details in writing, as required under the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act.

Personal details (name, date of birth, visa, or residency status)

(7) Students are responsible for ensuring that all personal details on their enrolment record are correct and complete, including their name, date of birth, visa, residency or citizenship status.

(8) Students must advise the University of any changes or corrections required to their personal details as soon as they occur by submitting an online request with the required evidence and supporting information.

(9) International students (student visa holders) must notify the University:

immediately if there is any change to their visa or visa conditions, and
within seven days if there is any change to their overseas residential address and/or Australian address and contact details.

(10) Legal documentation and evidence is required when notifying the University of a change of name, date of birth, visa, or residency status.

Student number and USI

(11) Students are issued with a Charles Sturt student number when they are admitted to the University. The student number will be stated on the letter of offer, and must be quoted in all correspondence throughout their studies.

(12) Students must apply for and provide the University with their Unique Student Identifier number (USI). The USI is issued by the Commonwealth government (see the Commonwealth Government USI website).

(13) Students admitted to a Commonwealth supported place (CSP) and/or who are deferring tuition fees to the Higher Education Loan Program (HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP) must complete their Commonwealth assistance form and include their USI before the first census date in their first period of study. Students who fail to provide a valid USI will have their CSP and/or HELP loan cancelled.

Student card (Charles Sturt card)

(14) Students must have an active Charles Sturt card when visiting or studying at a University campus.

(15) Without an active card, students cannot access various services and facilities that are available. Existing staff who have a staff Charles Sturt card do not need a second student card, their staff card will be activated for student use on their admission to a course.

(16) Students can apply for their Charles Sturt card online through the student portal.

(17) The University will charge a fee to issue a replacement Charles Sturt card.

(18) The University reserves the right to request additional identification to verify a student’s identity at any time.

Student authority to access information

(19) Students may authorise a third party or representative to act on their behalf in communications with the University and have access to their student record, personal details, and information by completing the authority to access student information form.

(20) An authorised party or representative may act for the student in accordance with the following table:

Authorised party	Can act for the student and make decisions on their behalf, in relation to their enrolment or subsequent studies, which will be binding on the student.	Cannot: perform assessment tasks on behalf of the students deal with financial matters and make arrangements regarding fees with the University on behalf of the student, or act for the student in matters where other rules or policies of the University specify that the student cannot be represented by an authorised third party.
Representative	Can be an advocate to the University on the student’s behalf and convey information and decisions of the student to the University.	Cannot make decisions on the student’s behalf.

(21) Students and third parties may request access to student information in accordance with the Records Management Procedure - Access to University Records

Commencement of studies (international students)

(22) An international student (student visa holder) who fails to commence their studies by the start date of their confirmation of enrolment (COE) is in breach of their enrolment conditions, unless:

the student asks for a later starting day, and
the request is made on the basis of compassionate or compelling circumstances, and
the University agrees to a later starting day for the student.

(23) Where an international student (student visa holder) fails to arrive on campus by the first day of their first term of study and/or fails to engage in their subjects without permission, the University will:

notify the student of its intention to report this to the Department of Home Affairs, and
provide the student with an appropriate appeal period in which to rectify the issue or submit an appeal (as per the Enrolment and Fees Policy and University Student Appeals Policy and Procedure).

(24) If the student does not appeal, or their appeal is unsuccessful, the University will withdraw them from the course and report this to the government by cancelling their COE, which may lead to the cancellation of their student visa. If the student’s health or wellbeing, or the wellbeing of others, is likely to be at risk, they may be withdrawn from the course before the end of the appeal period.

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

Part B - Enrolment

Enrolment timelines

Note: Days or times refer to local New South Wales time, being either AEST (GMT+10) or AEDT (GMT+11) as relevant to the time of year.

Before and during the first week of teaching period

(26) Students can self-enrol into each teaching period up until midnight of the first Sunday of the teaching period using the online self-enrolment system or by contacting an officer of the University.

(27) Commencing students may be pre-enrolled in subjects as part of the admission process and can view these online. If they wish to change or not to continue their pre-enrolled subjects, they must withdraw from these before the relevant census date, or they will be financially and academically liable.

Late enrolment – after the first week, before census

(28) Students can request late enrolment after midnight of the first Sunday of the teaching period until 11:59 pm of the census date, subject to the following:

The late enrolment is provisional until recommended by the Subject Coordinator and approved by the Course Director, to ensure that the student has not missed significant content or an early assessment, and that the subject is compatible with the student’s course structure.
If the provisional subject enrolment is not approved, the Course Director will notify Student Administration who will remove the subject from the student’s enrolment in the current teaching period.
The Course Director's decision is final. The student will be notified if the late enrolment is not approved within five working days after adding the subject online. If the student disagrees with the decision, they can submit a new late enrolment request.

Late enrolment – after census

(29) Students may request late enrolment after the census date by submitting the late add of subject (post census) form, subject to the following:

Late enrolments after census must be recommended by the Subject Coordinator and approved by the Course Director, where the Course Director is satisfied that there are special circumstances and that the student has a reasonable likelihood of success in the subject.
If approved, the Course Director will instruct Student Administration to enrol the student in the subject, and the student will be notified of the date by which they must pay the upfront tuition fees.
The student must pay the full tuition fees upfront and in full for each subject added after census date. Subjects added after census date are not eligible for Commonwealth support and cannot be deferred through HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP (as per the Higher Education Support Act (HESA)).
If declined, the Course Director will instruct Student Administration of the outcome to advise the student.

Adding subjects (enrolling)

Compulsory teaching periods

(30) Students must be enrolled in at least one subject or have an approved leave of absence for every compulsory teaching period to retain their place in their course.

(31) Compulsory teaching periods will normally be the following, except where different compulsory periods are identified for specific courses (see also the Academic Calendar Schedule):

For session-based courses, sessions 1 and 2, unless the course has compulsory session 3 as well (see the compulsory Session 3 courses listed online).
For term-based courses, terms 1, 2 and 3.
For courses with year long periods, all teaching periods are compulsory.
For ADPP periods, all sessions are compulsory.
For higher degree by research (HDR) courses, sessions 1 and 2.

Subject substitutions

(32) Subject substitutions occur where a change to a student’s course structure (as stated in the University Handbook) is approved. Subject substitutions are approved in accordance with Delegation Schedule E - Academic and Research:

Course Director - when the level of the subject remains the same, up to 25% of total course points.
Associate Dean, Academic - when the substituted subject is at a different level to the original subject and/or exceeding 25% of total course points.

(33) Subject substitution decisions will be reported to Faculty Board.

(34) Students seeking subject substitution must not enrol in the substituted subject(s) until this has been approved and their course structure has been updated.

(35) Where subject substitution is granted as an outcome of a credit application:

Student Administration will update the student’s course structure
Admissions and Conversion will apply the awarded credit to the student’s transcript.

Prerequisites and assumed knowledge

(36) Subjects may have assumed knowledge or prerequisite requirements. Students enrolling in these must meet the requirements stated in the subject’s University Handbook entry for the year in which they wish to enrol in the subject (which may have changed from when they were admitted to the course).

(37) Only substantive passing grades and final credit grades will be accepted as meeting the prerequisite requirements (subject to clauses 38-42). As per the Assessment Policy:

passing grades are HD, DI, CR, PS, SY, H1, H2a, H2b and H3
final credit grades are PCR and TCR.

(38) Students may enrol in subjects with prerequisites in advance if they are completing those prerequisites in an earlier teaching period, but cannot start the next subject until they have a substantive passing grade or final credit grade. A temporary grade or review of grade process will not normally be accepted to meet the prerequisite requirements, however, a temporary TA grade may be considered in exceptional circumstances, on a case by case basis.

(39) If the student fails the prerequisite subject, Student Administration will escalate a request to the faculty to review and confirm if the student is to be withdrawn from the subject:

If the faculty confirms the withdrawal, Student Administration will action and notify the student.
If the faculty confirms the student may continue in the subject, no further action is required.

(40) If the student requests a review of grade for a failed prerequisite subject, Student Administration will withdraw them from the next subject if there is no passing grade by the time that subject’s teaching period commences.

Prerequisite waivers

(41) Students may apply for a subject prerequisite requirement to be waived using the prerequisite waiver request form.

(42) The Course Director (in consultation with the relevant Subject Coordinator) may approve a prerequisite waiver if persuaded that the student:

has passed another subject equivalent to the prerequisite subject, or
has other attainments and/or experience which equip them to undertake the subject with a strong likelihood of success.

Academic suitability

(43) Students are assessed as academically suitable for entry to their course as per the Admissions Policy. Students are also assessed for their academic suitability for each subject they enrol in. If subjects have assumed knowledge and/or prerequisite requirements, the Course Director (on the recommendation of the Subject Coordinator) must be satisfied the student has a reasonable chance of success to permit a prerequisite subject waiver.

Enrolling in subjects outside of course requirements

(44) Students must not enrol in extra subjects outside of the requirements of their current award.

(45) Electives, subject substitutions and subjects required for specialisations are not considered extra subjects unless they are incompatible with the student’s current course structure, cannot contribute towards their current course, and/or will result in completing extra points outside of their current course requirements.

(46) Subjects outside of the course structure requirements may be undertaken separately through single subject study, either concurrent with or after completing the current award. See the ‘Concurrent study’ heading below, and the Admissions Policy and procedure for single subject study).

Withdrawing from subjects

Withdrawal before census

(47) A student may withdraw from a subject using the online self-enrolment system or by contacting an officer of the University up until 11:59 pm of the census date in each teaching period.

(48) Where a student withdraws from a subject in the current teaching period on or before the census date, they will not be liable for the subject tuition fees and no record of the subject enrolment will appear on their academic transcript.

Withdrawal after census

(49) Withdrawal after census date must be via a late withdrawal or an approved withdrawal process. Students are financially liable for subjects they withdraw from after census, unless they are eligible for a refund under Part C of this procedure.

(50) Late withdrawals:

are available to domestic students and non-resident students up until:
1. 2 weeks before the end of a micro session
2. 4 weeks before the end of a main session or term
3. 8 weeks before the end of a yearlong session
are not available to international students
will show on the student’s academic transcript as LW.

(51) Approved withdrawals:

are available to domestic and non-resident students after the dates stated at clause 50a
are available to international students after census
must be approved as an outcome of a special consideration request (under the Assessment Policy and Assessment Flexibility Procedure)
will appear on the student’s academic transcript as AW.

(52) Where a student does not complete a late withdrawal within the timeframes listed or their approved withdrawal request is not approved, and they do not meet the assessment requirements for that subject, they will receive a fail grade and be liable for that subject’s tuition fees.

Withdrawing from all subjects in a compulsory teaching period

(53) Students withdrawing from all subjects in a compulsory teaching period must request a leave of absence by 11:59 pm of the census date.

(54) Student Administration will contact students with no enrolment or approved leave of absence to determine whether they wish to be withdrawn from the course, or be placed on leave of absence (where eligible) so they can return to study in the next teaching period.

(55) If a student is not eligible for a leave of absence and the census date has passed without any subjects being added to their enrolment in the current compulsory teaching period, they may be withdrawn from the course for failing to enrol. The student will need to apply for admission should they wish to continue the course in the future.

Failure to enrol

(56) Students who have not enrolled or taken leave of absence at the end of the first week of a compulsory teaching period will be contacted during the first few weeks of that period to determine whether they intend to:

add subjects to their enrolment by the relevant census date
request a leave of absence and return to study in the next teaching period (if they are eligible to do so), or
withdraw from their course.

(57) The following actions will be undertaken for domestic, non-resident, international and HDR students:

For domestic and non-resident coursework students:
1. In the lead up to each compulsory teaching period and during the first few weeks of classes until census date, students who are not enrolled in any subjects will be contacted and provided with instructions to maintain their current enrolment status by adding one or more subjects or requesting a leave of absence.
2. If a student does not enrol in any subjects or request a leave of absence by the relevant census date, Student Administration (or the education partner provider) will formally notify the student that they will be withdrawn from their course unless they take action as outlined in the notification.
3. The student will have 10 working days to confirm whether they wish to continue in the course. If the student does not respond within this timeframe, they will be withdrawn from their course.
4. If the student responds within this timeframe and requests to continue in their course, Student Administration will:
  1. place the student on leave of absence (if they meet the eligibility requirements)
  2. refer the matter to the Executive Dean if the student’s eligibility needs to be assessed before granting a leave of absence (students may be asked to provide reasons and evidence for failing to enrol before they can be granted leave to return next teaching period)
  3. withdraw the student from the course if the Executive Dean does not approve a further leave of absence/leave to return.
For international students (student visa holders) and non-domestic students studying within Australia while on any temporary visa other than a student visa:
1. A student who fails to enrol into each compulsory period is in breach of their enrolment conditions.
2. The University will notify the student that it intends to withdraw them from their course and report this to the Department of Home Affairs, where required, and provide the student with an appropriate appeal period in which to rectify the issue or submit an appeal.
3. If the student does not rectify the issue and fails to submit an appeal within the appropriate appeal period, or if their appeal is denied, the University will withdraw the student from the course and report this to the government by cancelling their confirmation of enrolment (COE), which may lead to the cancellation of their visa.
4. International students will need to contact the Department of Home Affairs directly to discuss any impact this will have on their student visa.
For higher degree by research (HDR) students:
1. The Higher Degree by Research Procedure states the requirements for HDR students to maintain an active enrolment during their candidature.
2. International HDR students who fail to maintain an active enrolment these are included in the intention to report process at subclause b.i.-iv. above).

Leave of absence (LOA)

(58) Students in coursework courses may take leave of absence for one or more teaching periods up to 64 weeks (typically four 16-week sessions) within four consecutive calendar years, unless:

they are international students (student visa holders)
they are in their first teaching period (commencing students should apply to defer their enrolment instead, subject to the restrictions and conditions stated in the Admissions Policy
their course does not permit leave from study (e.g. the University Certificate in Workforce Essentials)
they are enrolled in a course in phase out or teach out status.

Note: exceptions may be allowed to subclauses a-d. due to University processes.

(59) Students in higher degree by research courses must refer to the Higher Degree by Research Procedure.

(60) International students (student visa holders) will only be permitted to take LOA where:

there are exceptional circumstances supported by evidence (see the supporting documentation guidelines), or
it is part of a formal intervention plan to address unsatisfactory progress.

(61) Leave of absence must be approved by:

for international students, the Director, Student Administration (or nominee)
for all other students, including exceptions to clause 58, the delegated authority under Delegation Schedule E - Academic and Research

Domestic and non-resident coursework students

(62) Domestic and non-resident coursework students who are seeking leave of absence within the allowed limits must submit their request via the online self-enrolment system or by contacting an officer of the University up until 11:59 pm of the census date in the teaching period in which the leave is to begin.

(63) Applications for leave of absence beyond the allowed limit must be approved by the delegated approval authority, and students must provide supporting evidence of the circumstances that require their additional leave.

International students

(64) International students who are seeking a leave of absence must submit their request and supporting evidence to the Director, Student Administration (or nominee) for approval by 11:59 pm on the census date of the teaching period in which the leave is to begin.

(65) Where approved, Student Administration 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.

Returning after leave of absence

(66) When an approved leave of absence period is coming to an end, students will be sent a notification and instructions to add subjects for the upcoming teaching period to maintain an active place in their course.

(67) Students who wish to take further time away from study may submit a new request for a leave of absence (if eligible), subject to the requirements listed above.

(68) International students will be contacted by Student Administration with enrolment instructions at the beginning of their next period of study after leave.

(69) If an international student fails to return to study in their next teaching period following leave of absence, the University will follow the international student process outlined under the ‘Failure to enrol’ heading.

Study load

(70) The standard equivalent full-time study load (1.0 EFTSL) is 64 points per academic year, although some courses may prescribe a full-time study load that exceeds 1.0 EFTSL. Enrolment patterns to maintain a full-time study load are provided in the University Handbook, and some courses may allow the enrolment pattern to be varied depending on subject availability or student cohort. A 1.0 EFTSL enrolment pattern may include:

two teaching periods per year, each with 32 points of subjects (which is the standard full-time enrolment pattern for most courses), or
three teaching periods per year, with two periods of 24 points worth of subjects and one period with 16 points of subjects (which is the next most common full-time enrolment pattern, after subclause a).

(71) Course structures and enrolment patterns are set out in the University Handbook, or students will be provided with a course outline or plan if they have a non-standard course structure.

Domestic and non-resident coursework student study loads

(72) Domestic and non-resident coursework students may be able to vary their load between part-time and full-time study by changing the number of subjects they enrol in each teaching period, without needing to request prior approval.

(73) Domestic and non-resident coursework students wishing to undertake a study load exceeding the full-time enrolment pattern for their course (as per the University Handbook or other approved course structure) must request overload approval from their Course Director.

(74) Students receiving Commonwealth assistance (CSP, HECS-HELP, or FEE-HELP) must not exceed an annual study load of 2.0 EFTSL, including all course and subject enrolments at this University or other education providers (excluding Study Link subjects, which do not count towards study load calculations).

(75) Students who need to study full-time for government calculation purposes (including Centrelink and some scholarships), must maintain a minimum study load of 75% (for example, 24 points per teaching period under the standard full-time enrolment pattern at clause 70a.).

International student study loads

(76) International students (student visa holders) must complete their enrolment within the expected duration of their course stated on their confirmation of enrolment (COE). Student Administration will not extend a COE if a student undertakes a reduced study load in any teaching period without prior approval.

(77) A reduced load will only be approved if:

it has been agreed to as part of an intervention strategy
there are compassionate or compelling circumstances, supported by documentary evidence submitted with their application, or
there are not enough subjects available in the current teaching period that meet the student’s remaining course requirements.

(78) Student Administration monitors international student study loads each session and notifies the Faculty Courses team of students who have reduced their study load without approval. The Faculty Courses team will follow up with the student to provide advice on subject enrolment and instruct them to:

add additional subject(s) to their enrolment
formally request a reduced load, or
agree to comply with additional enrolment conditions and arrangements, such as undertaking compulsory study in a non-compulsory teaching period, to ensure they will meet the requirements of their COE.

(79) Where the student fails to rectify their enrolment or comply with the additional conditions, the University will:

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

(80) If the student fails to rectify the issue or submit an appeal within the appropriate appeal period, or if their appeal is denied, the University will withdraw the student from the course and report this to the government by cancelling their COE. This may lead to the cancellation of their student visa. International students will need to contact the Department of Home Affairs directly to discuss the impact this will have on their student visa.

Maximum time for course completion

(81) Maximum course completion times are set under the Course and Subject Procedure – Coursework Design.

(82) Coursework students who have been enrolled in the same course (as indicated by the registered course/program/government code) for seven years, either continuously or with approved leaves of absence, will be notified by Student Administration of the requirement to complete their course within the maximum time and offered support to do so.

(83) Once a coursework student has been enrolled in the same course (as indicated by the registered course/program/government code) for the maximum course completion time, either continuously or with approved leaves of absence, the Director, Student Administration will withdraw the student from the course, in consultation with the Course Director or on the advice of the faculty academic progress committee.

Concurrent enrolment

(84) Students may undertake a second course or single subject (with this University or another education provider) with the approval of their Course Director (or both Course Directors if the concurrent enrolment involves two Charles Sturt courses). See the Admissions Policy and Admissions Procedure for information about applying for admission to undertake concurrent study.

(85) Where the combined enrolment will exceed the normal maximum study load in one or more teaching periods, overload approval for each teaching period must be obtained from the Course Director (or both Course Directors if the concurrent enrolment is in two Charles Sturt courses). See the ‘Study load’ heading in this procedure.

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

(87) Students who enrol in two coursework courses concurrently must meet the standard academic and course progression requirements for each course (see the Support for Students - Academic Progress Procedure) and must complete each course within the maximum time permitted.

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

Higher degree by research students

(89) Higher degree by research (HDR) courses are demanding and candidates are expected to focus their studies on their HDR candidature. However, the Dean, Graduate Research may approve concurrent enrolment in another award course with the support of the student’s principal supervisor and Sub Dean (Graduate Studies).

Study modes (on campus and online study) – international students

(90) As per the Enrolment and Fees Policy, international students (student visa holders) must complete at least two-thirds of their course through on-campus subjects, and at least one on-campus subject in every compulsory period of study, unless they have only one subject left to complete their course.

(91) Up to one-third of the course (calculated by the total points required to complete the course) may be undertaken as online subjects.

(92) Where a student has received credit that reduces the course length, the one-third rule applies to the number of subjects remaining to be completed at Charles Sturt.

(93) An international student can study over the two-thirds requirement with approval from the Courses team where there may not be subject availability to complete their course within their COE timeframe.

(94) If a student transfers between courses within the University, any online subjects completed in the first course and credited towards the second course will count towards the one-third limit for online study in the second course.

Cross institutional study

Incoming students

(95) The Admissions office manages incoming cross-institutional enrolments for students from other institutions. The process and conditions for incoming cross-institutional study are outlined in the Admissions Policy and Admissions Procedure.

(96) The Enrolment and Fees team will assess eligibility for Commonwealth assistance if this is not provided at the Admissions office.

Outgoing students

(97) 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 and receive credit for the subject(s) against their Charles Sturt course.

(98) 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.

(99) The Enrolment and Fees team will assist students in confirming their eligibility for Commonwealth assistance if this is required by the other institution.

Part C - Fees

Payment of tuition fees

(100) The online schedule of fees and charges states the amount of fees that apply to each student in each year of enrolment. Published tuition fees apply to the specified year only and are subject to change on an annual basis.

(101) Due dates for tuition fees for each teaching period are provided on the invoice/fee statement sent to each student by the Division of Finance (or the education partner provider).

(102) Students must pay their tuition fees upfront and in full each teaching period by the date provided on their invoice/fee statement, unless they are eligible to defer payment of their fees via a HELP loan or payment is provided for through other means (such as a scholarship arrangement).

(103) Students admitted to a Commonwealth-supported place (CSP) must submit the relevant Commonwealth assistance form (CAF) by their first census date, even if they intend to pay their tuition fees upfront and in full every teaching period (that is, even if they are not deferring payment of their fees via HECS-HELP).

Commonwealth assistance (CSP & HELP) eligibility requirements

(104) Students admitted to a Commonwealth supported place (CSP) and/or who defer their tuition fees via HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP must meet the following requirements throughout the duration of their course:

Be assessed as academically suitable for admission to their course and subject enrolments (see the above ‘Academic suitability’ heading).
Be offered and have accepted a place in a course that is eligible for CSP, HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP.
Submit the relevant Commonwealth assistance form (CAF) which includes their unique student identifier (USI) by the census date of the first teaching period in which they start the course.
Meet the citizenship and residence requirements under HESA:
1. Australian citizen students must complete at least part of their course within Australia. This means undertaking a minimum of one 8 point subject while located within Australia regardless of their study mode.
2. Domestic students who are not Australian citizens must reside within Australia while undertaking all subjects within their course, regardless of their study mode, unless they are required to be located overseas to complete part of that course (e.g. participating in an approved international exchange program).
Maintain a study load below the limit of 2.0 EFTSL per year, unless they have been granted formal overload approval by the University (see the ‘Study load’ heading).
Meet the genuine student requirements (under HESA and the Higher Education Provider Guidelines 2023 chapter 9) throughout their enrolment, which ensure students are not inappropriately incurring debts when receiving Commonwealth assistance through a CSP and/or HELP loan. Genuine student eligibility is monitored and assessed each teaching period and includes consideration of whether students:
1. have engaged with their studies, measured via interaction with online subject content and learning materials using the online learning management system
2. have responded to contact and communications made under the Support for Students - Early Intervention Procedure, and/or
3. have maintained the currency of their enrolment records and personal contact details.

(105) Students who seek Commonwealth assistance through a Commonwealth supported place and/or HELP loan must submit their CAF by the relevant census date. If the CAF is not submitted by the census date, the student will be withdrawn from their CSP. The student must then either:

accept a full-fee place (if available)
defer their commencement (if eligible), or
apply for admission to a later intake in accordance with the Admissions Policy.

If none of these options are taken, the student will be withdrawn from the course.

(106) For more information about the eligibility requirements for Commonwealth assistance, see the government’s Study Assist website.

Payment options

(107) Full fee place (FFP) students may be eligible for an extension to their payment due date or a payment plan. Terms and conditions apply, which will be provided by the Division of Finance (or education partner provider where relevant) when a student submits a request.

Student services and amenities fee (SSAF)

(108) All students must pay the student services and amenities fee (SSAF) each teaching period, except for students enrolled with some offshore partner providers and in some courses as per the Schedule of Fees and Charges.

(109) HELP eligible students can apply to defer payment of their SSAF to a Student Amenities-Higher Education Loan Program (SA-HELP) loan. To do so, they must:

be eligible for SA-HELP
submit an electronic SA-HELP nomination form by the relevant census date, and
meet the above ongoing eligibility requirements for Commonwealth assistance throughout their enrolment.

(110) SSAF must be paid upfront or deferred (as per clause 109) for each subject in each teaching period, by the date specified on the SSAF invoice.

(111) Once the census date has passed, the University will not refund or remit SSAF fees for the current teaching period under any circumstances.

Refunds before census date

HELP loan refunds

(112) A HELP debt will not be incurred for any subjects a student withdraws from by the census date in the current teaching period. Any tuition fees that were deferred to a HELP loan (including both HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP students) will be automatically reversed on the date of withdrawal, as long as this withdrawal is completed by 11:59 pm of the relevant census date.

Domestic and non-resident student refunds

Note: Refunds and credits of upfront payments may be managed differently for courses or locations where fees are paid to and managed by an education partner provider.

(113) Where a domestic or non-resident student withdraws from one or more subjects in the current teaching period by 11:59 pm of the census date, they will receive a full refund of any upfront tuition fees paid for those subjects.

(114) These fees will normally appear as a credit on the student’s University account at the time of the withdrawal and:

will be applied to the fees charged for any other subjects added to the current teaching period before the census date
once the census date has passed, any un-applied credited amounts will be refunded back to the student’s nominated bank account. This process may take up to four weeks.

International student refunds

(115) The International Student Fee Refund Procedure states all requirements and processes that apply to tuition fee refunds for international students.

(116) Where an international student did not withdraw before the relevant census date and is seeking a refund due to exceptional circumstances, they should follow the process outlined below.

Refunds after census (special circumstances)

(117) Students are liable for the tuition fees of any subjects they are enrolled in at or after midnight on the census date in each teaching period.

(118) After census date has passed, students are only eligible for a refund of tuition fees for subjects in the current teaching period (or in previous periods) if special circumstances beyond their control prevented them from continuing or completing their subjects, and these arose too late for the student to withdraw before census date.

(119) Applications for a refund of upfront payments and/or to re-credit tuition fees deferred to a HELP loan will follow the same process.

Eligibility for refunds after census

(120) To be eligible for a refund of tuition fees incurred for subjects they are enrolled in after census, a student must:

be able to demonstrate that they have experienced special circumstances as outlined on the Study Assist page
have withdrawn (late or approved withdrawal) or received a fail grade (either FL, FNS, FW, or US) for each subject that they are seeking a refund for.

(121) Students are not eligible for a refund of tuition fees charged for any subject they have completed and received a passing grade in.

(122) Students seeking a refund for a subject before they receive their final grade must apply for a late or approved withdrawal before applying for a refund. See the ‘Withdrawal after census’ heading.

(123) Students who receive a late withdrawal or approved withdrawal are not automatically granted a refund of the tuition fees incurred for those subjects. The eligibility criteria for a refund of tuition fees is different to the eligibility criteria for withdrawals, and the refund application must be submitted separately and only after the withdrawal is granted.

Refund application process

Note: The following refund process does not apply where fees are paid to and managed by an education partner provider. Students in these cohorts will be advised how to apply for refunds by the partner provider, including any international or offshore-specific requirements and processes, where applicable.

(124) Students must complete the online remission or reimbursement application form to apply for a refund of their tuition fees after census date. This includes applications for:

reimbursement/refund of upfront payments - for Commonwealth supported and full-fee place students who have paid their tuition fees upfront directly to the University (including domestic, non-resident, and international students)
remission/recredit of HELP debt - for students who have deferred their tuition fees to a HELP loan (including both HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP students)
combined remission of HELP debt and reimbursement of upfront payments - for students who have deferred part of their tuition fees to a HELP loan and paid part of their tuition fees upfront to the University (including both HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP students).

(125) Applications must contain relevant supporting documentation as evidence of the special circumstances that prevented the student from successfully completing their subject(s).

(126) International student refunds will have additional processes as per the International Student Fee Refund Procedure, after an initial assessment of their application.

(127) Refund applications must be submitted within 12 months of the end of the teaching period of the subjects that the refund is sought for, or within 12 months of receiving their late or approved withdrawal as an outcome of applying for special consideration or review of grade.

(128) A refund application may be accepted after the 12 month submission due date has passed, where the student provides satisfactory evidence that special circumstances beyond their control prevented them from applying in time.

Refund payments to students

(129) Refund payments to students will normally be processed within four weeks of:

the census date, for subjects withdrawn by census date where no special circumstances are claimed, or
the date on which an application for a refund after census date was approved (where the student is claiming special circumstances which need to be assessed before the refund payment can be processed).

(130) Tuition fee refunds administered by the University will be paid to the nominated bank account in Australian dollars. Where an education partner provider administers student fees and payments, refunds may be in the local currency of the partner provider.

(131) Late payment and late subject enrolment fees will not be refunded.

Review of decision

Note: Opportunities for review may be managed differently for courses or locations where fees are paid to and managed by an educational partner provider. The University’s appeal and complaints processes are available, as per the Enrolment and Fees Policy.

(132) Students who are dissatisfied with the outcome of their initial application for remission or reimbursement may request a review of the decision. The request must be submitted within 28 calendar days of the original decision outcome notification. The review will be conducted by a senior staff member who was not involved in the original assessment. The student must provide new or additional evidence or clearly outline why the original decision should be reconsidered.

External review of a decision

(133) If a student remains dissatisfied following the internal review:

Commonwealth supported students may apply for a review of the decision to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). Applications must be lodged within 28 calendar days of the University's final decision.
Full fee-paying students may lodge a complaint with the National Student Ombudsman (NSO) if they believe the decision was unfair or the correct process was not followed. Complaints must be lodged within 28 calendar days of the University's final decision.

Non-payment of fees

(134) Where a student does not pay all fees arising from their enrolment by the due date as stated on their invoice/fee statement, they may be charged a late enrolment fee.

(135) Where a student fails to pay all of their fees for the current teaching period by the relevant census date, the University may partially or fully restrict their access to:

results and transcripts
the learning management system and online subject resources and materials
student services, such as the library
enrolment in future teaching periods
graduation or attendance at graduation ceremonies.

Domestic students

(136) Where a student does not pay or arrange to defer their tuition fees by the census date of each teaching period in which they are enrolled, Student Administration will withdraw them from all subjects for the current teaching period, and may withdraw them from the course.

International students and other temporary visa holders

(137) Non-payment of tuition fees is grounds for the University to withdraw a student’s place in their course. An international (student visa) or non-resident student (all visa types) who fails to pay their tuition fees by the relevant census date in each teaching period is in breach of their enrolment conditions, and (in addition to the sanctions, penalties and outcomes that apply to all students as state above) the University will take the following actions, as required by legislation:

notify the student of its intention to report the breach to the Department of Home Affairs, and
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.

(138) 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 withdraw the student from 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.

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

Top of Page

Section 4 - Guidelines

(140) Nil.

Top of Page

Section 5 - Glossary

(141) This procedure uses terms defined in the Enrolment and Fees Policy, as well as the following:

Commencing student - means a student who has accepted a place in a course, or who is in their first period of study in a course at this University.
Commonwealth assistance form (CAF) - means the form must be completed by eligible students requesting HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP assistance to defer payment of their fees to a HELP loan.
Commonwealth supported place (CSP) - means a place in an eligible course where tuition fees are partly funded by the Commonwealth Government.
Days - mean business days when the University is open (not including NSW public holidays or University closedown periods), unless calendar days is specified. Days or times will refer local New South Wales time, being either AEST (GMT+10) or AEDT (GMT+11) as relevant to the time of year.
Domestic student – as defined in the policy library glossary.
FEE-HELP - means a Fee – Higher Education Loan Program loan for eligible full-fee paying students to defer payment of their tuition fees to a later date.
Full fee place (FFP) – means a place in a course without government subsidy for tuition fees, where students must pay their tuition fees upfront and in full for each period of their enrolment.
HECS-HELP - means a Higher Education Contribution Scheme – Higher Education Loan Program loan for eligible Commonwealth supported students to defer payment of their fees to a later date.
International student – as defined in the policy library glossary.
Non-resident student – as defined in the policy library glossary.
Point – as defined in the policy library glossary.
Study Link subject – means a non-credit-bearing subject available for students to help bridge gaps in knowledge, which can be completed alongside a student’s formal enrolment in a course or program.
Student number – means the 8 digit number Charles Sturt student number. The student number is different to the unique student identifier (USI).
Unique student identifier (USI) - means the reference number issued by the Australian Government that identifies all students studying within Australia. The USI is different to the Charles Sturt student number.