Course Deferral, Suspension or Cancellation

COURSE DEFERRAL OR SUSPENSION OF STUDY POLICY AND PROCEDURE –

INTERNAL DOCUMENT FOR STAFF

1.    Overview and Purpose

1.1.   Providers of education to overseas students are required by legislation to have a documented procedure for deferring or temporarily suspending student studies or granting a leave of absence. This must be undertaken through formal agreement.

1.2.   The purpose of this document is to outline these procedures and to provide policy guidelines for decision-making purposes.

2.    Organisational Scope

2.1  IH Sydney promotes diligence and commitment to study and believes that this is evidenced by ongoing attendance and adequate participation in class activities.

2.2  The policies and procedures outlined here apply to all students of IH Sydney and while the ESOS legislation concerns only student visa holders, a consistent universally-applied policy is preferred for its clarity and equity.

2.3  These policies and procedures need to be read in conjunction with policies and procedures for student attendance.

2.4  All staff have a responsibility for ensuring that students comply with this policy and procedure

2.5  Carriage of this policy is delegated to the Registrar from the General Manager. The Registrar consults with and takes advice provided from the Director of Studies Teacher Training or the ELICOS Manager.

2.6  This policy does not apply to a period of two weeks grace granted by the registrar in relation to students whose planned course commencement is delayed by factors outside their control. Adjustments to course start dates in these circumstances are made without recourse to this policy or other guidelines.

3.    General Principles

3.1 While IH Sydney maintains a policy of 100% attendance for all courses, these policies and procedures acknowledge that student absence will occur for reasons either of circumstances outside the students’ control or as a consequence of poor behaviour on the students’ part.

3.2 Where a student is unable to continue their course and this does not relate to a delay in planned commencement of less than two weeks, a deferral or temporary suspension of enrolment may be granted on application from the student. This decision must be recorded in the PRISMS database by the Registrar.

3.3 The reasons for granting a deferral or suspension in studies must be of a compassionate or compelling nature. These circumstances may include but are not limited to:

·         A serious illness where a medical certificate states that the student is unable to attend classes

·         A sudden death or other such critical incident in the student’s immediate family

·         A mishap or other serious unavoidable circumstance inhibiting the student’s attendance

3.4 The student should be counselled that such an application, if granted, is reported to the secretary of DEST via PRISMS and that this may have implications for the student’s visa.

3.5 A student may have their course of study suspended or deferred on the consideration of the General Manager based on advised received from the Director of Studies Teacher Training or the ELICOS Manager on the basis of a student’ s poor behaviour.  Poor behaviour includes but is not limited to:

·         circumstances where the student is assessed as representing an immediate and ongoing threat to other students and staff

·         an incident in which the school’s Code of Conduct as outlined in the student’s orientation handbook are breached by the student without remorse and in a way in which the student’s behaviour is assessed as recalcitrant or otherwise unmanageable.

3.6 Where the decision to suspend or defer their studies has not been initiated by the student, the student will be notified of the school’s intention and given written advice as per 3.7 below.

3.7  In the case of 3.5 and 3.6 the student has 20 working days to appeal the decision under the school’s complaints procedure. This procedure allows the student to continue studying while the decision is investigated however where IH Sydney identifies that this may not be safe for the student concerned, other students and/or staff, the student may not continue in classes.

3.8 IH Sydney, at the General Manager’s discretion, may provide credit for any deferred enrolment arising from this policy for no longer than 12 months from the planned commencement unless otherwise agreed. After that time the enrolment lapses and no refund or obligation to provide tuition is due.

4.    Procedure

       4.1            A student advises or they may advise through their agent that they have been subject to compelling circumstances which inhibit their ability to continue their course and staff provide the student with an application for suspension or deferral of their enrolment.   

       4.2 The application is referred to one or other of the Registrar, the Director of Studies Teacher Training or the Manager ELICOS who assesses the case and makes a recommendation to the General Manager to accept or reject the application. Alternatively, where the proposed decision is not initiated by the student (ie. for poor behaviour), a report is prepared for the General Manager’s consideration. The general manager may elect to delegate the decision to any of the officers mentioned above.

       4.3 The General Manager makes the decision to grant the application or advise the student that action is being taken to defer or suspend their course for reasons of poor behaviour.

       4.4 A letter is provided to the student outlining the implications of their decision under the ESOS Act 2000

Department of Immigration & Multicultural Affairs

Department of Immigration & Multicultural Affairs

Study in Australia

An Australian Government website for international students.