Leave of absence

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Deferment

Deferment means postponing the start of your course for a maximum of one year when you have been offered a QTAC place in January/February or for six months if offered a place in mid-year. Only QTAC applicants offered admission to undergraduate award courses may apply to defer commencement of their study (conditions apply for non-year 12 applicants).

Deferment is not available for applicants made offers into postgraduate courses. Such students will have to apply for commencing leave of absence, which will not normally be granted in the first teaching period of the first year of study, except where the absence is necessitated by medical, compassionate or other special circumstances as determined by the Registrar.

Applying for deferment

To apply for deferment of an undergraduate QTAC offer visit QTAC deferment.

To apply for a commencing leave of absence in a postgraduate course, lodge the online Application for Leave of Absence (online L Form).

Leave of Absence

Domestic students

Following the first teaching period of the first year of undergraduate study, unless specified in the course guidelines, approval of leave of absence for periods of up to one year is automatic (except for international students). For periods in excess of one year, or for students in postgraduate courses, leave of absence is subject to approval by the relevant Dean of Faculty.

To apply for leave you should submit the online Application for Leave of Absence (online L Form). A request to apply for leave of absence cannot be made in QUT Virtual online enrolment. If you attempt to withdraw from your final unit in a given teaching period, you will receive a dialog box stating 'You are NOT permitted to submit an enrolment that results in a nil program for Semesters 1 & 2 (or related TPs) in the relevant academic year.'

Research higher degree students should apply on the forms available from the Research Students Centre website.

International students

Leave of absence for international student visa holders is only permitted on the basis of a medical certificate, or exceptional circumstances beyond a student's control, such as bereavement. Approval for leave of absence may be obtained from the Student Centre on your campus. To apply lodge the Application for Leave of Absence or Course Cancellation and/or Withdrawal Without Penalty (International) (LI Form).

If an international student leave of absence application is approved, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship will be informed. Any leave of absence longer than 6 months will result in the Student Visa being cancelled and a new visa will need to be applied for prior to your return to QUT.

What are the implications?

Academic penalty

If your leave of absence is granted after the last date to withdraw without academic penalty, you will be awarded a result of 'Withdrawn - Failure' (K grade) for those units in which you were enrolled for the current teaching period. Visit the Key Dates page for the final dates to withdraw (search by unit withdrawal in the Event Category).

If you consider that special circumstances exist, you can apply for withdrawal of units without academic penalty. If you meet the criteria you must complete a request in writing or lodge an Application to Re-credit SLE, Remit or Refund HELP Debt and Tuition Fees (Domestic Students Only) in Special Circumstances (RC Form). You must attach supporting documentary evidence such as medical certificates or a statement from your employer to support your case.

Your application for withdrawal without academic penalty must reach Student Business Services within 12 months from the last day of the teaching period in which you were enrolled in the unit(s). These arrangements apply to all teaching periods at QUT. QUT may consider applications made beyond 12 months if you can provide proof that there were special circumstances which prevented you from applying until the date of your application.

Refund of fees paid

Domestic students

You should refer to the late cancellation charges for the financial implications of making changes to units after certain dates.

Request for re-credit of Student Learning Entitlement (SLE), remission of HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP, or a refund of any student contribution amount payments or tuition fees must be made on an RC Form with appropriate supporting documentation and submitted to Student Business Services.

International students

You should refer to international tuition cancellation charges for the financial implications of making changes to units

Requests for tuition fee refunds must be made on an Application for Refund of International Tuition Fees (IR Form) to Student Business Services, attaching appropriate supporting documentation.

Response to your application for leave

A statement will be forwarded to you confirming your leave. If you do not receive a statement within four weeks of submitting the form, please contact Student Business Services immediately on 07 3138 2000.

Re-enrolling after leave

At the end of your period of leave QUT will send you an email notifying you that you need to re-enrol. You re-enrol via the Online Enrolment portlet accessed from the Student Services tab in QUT Virtual.

If you do not re-enrol, your leave of absence is terminated and your enrolment status is altered to discontinued.

Policy

For policy on leave of absence
For policy on withdrawing from units