Deferring, suspending or cancelling enrolment

Leave from studies and deferred commencement

Students may apply for deferment of their studies under compassionate or compelling circumstances.

If you have not commenced studies (not enrolled at all), this will be deferred commencement and will be processed by International Admissions.

If you have commenced studies (enrolled) this will be considered leave from studies.

Compassionate or compelling circumstances are generally those beyond the control of the student and which impact on the student's program progress or well-being.

These could include:

  • Illness, where a medical certificate states that you were unable to attend classes
  • The death of a close family member such as a parent or grandparent (where possible a copy of a death certificate should be provided)
  • Major political upheaval or natural disaster in the home country requiring emergency travel and where this has impacted on your studies
  • A traumatic experience which could include involvement in, or witnessing of a serious accident; or witnessing or being the victim of a serious crime and this has impacted on your studies (supported by police and psychologists reports)
  • Where we are unable to offer a pre-requisite course.

Where the University is unable to offer a pre-requisite course for you at your current teaching location, rather than applying for leave from studies, we recommend that you consider a cross provider or cross institutional enrolment to assist you with completion within your expected duration of study. Cross provider enrolment is when a Federation University student studies at another Federation University teaching location for one or more individual courses.  Cross institutional enrolment is when a Federation University student studies at another university in Australia for one or more individual courses.

Withdraw from all studies

Withdrawal from all studies is where is a student decides that they no longer wish to be a Federation University student at all and wish to cancel their enrolment.

Before deciding to withdraw from all studies, we encourage you to talk through your reasons for wanting to withdraw with support staff at your teaching location. There are many alternative options, such as leave from studies or changing courses, which you should explore.

If you decide that withdrawing from your program is the right thing for you, you will need to lodge a completed ‘Amend your Program Status’ form. To avoid incurring a debt for the courses you are enrolled in for that teaching period, you should lodge this before the census date.

Applying for leave from studies or withdrawing

If you wish to apply for leave from studies or withdraw from all studies, you are required to complete the Amend your program status form.

If you take leave from studies or withdraw from all studies with Federation University, this will be reported on your Confirmation of Enrolment and Immigration will be notified. This may affect your student visa.

You should contact the International Student Compliance office or review Immigration's advice on changes to your studies before lodging an application to Amend your program status.