Procedure: Late withdrawal due to special circumstances

Purpose

To provide the process for administering applications for late withdrawal due to special circumstances for coursework students.

Definitions

Special circumstance(s) apply if the University is satisfied that the student’s circumstance(s) are beyond their control, are unexpected, do not make their full impact known until on or after census date of the class and make it impracticable for the student to complete the requirements for the class or course.

Class is a particular offering of a course with a unique class number.

Procedure

Application

1. Students submit applications for late withdrawal due to special circumstances using the relevant Manage My Degree form in ISIS. Applications include both:

1. A written statement:

• explaining the reason(s) for requesting a late withdrawal due to special circumstances from the class or classes; and
• addressing criteria 2.a), 2.b) and 2.c) below; and
• explaining why the class or classes were not dropped prior to census date.

2. Independent supporting documentation to support claims in the written statement. Supporting documentation that is written in a language other than English is accompanied by a complete English translation, using a service listed on the University’s Document Certification and Translation webpage. Supporting documentation is provided as a pdf, tif, tiff, gif or png file. Word file formats (doc and docx) are not accepted.

2. Late withdrawal due to special circumstances may be granted where the University is satisfied that a student has encountered special circumstances that were extenuating, unavoidable and unexpected that impede the successful completion of a course where the circumstances occur or are exacerbated after the census date of that class to the point of making it not practicable to complete the course. Special circumstances include those that:

1. are beyond the student’s control; for example: where the University is satisfied through evidence provided by the student that a situation is not due to the student's action or inaction, either direct or indirect and for which the student is not responsible. This situation must be unusual, uncommon or abnormal. A lack of knowledge of ANU administrative processes or how HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP work is not considered beyond a person's control.
2. did not make their full impact known until on or after the census date to the point that it was not practicable for the student to complete the class or classes and this was not apparent until after census date; for example: the circumstances occurred:

• before the census date, but worsened to the point that it was not practicable for the student to complete the class or classes on or after that day;
• before the census date, but the full effect or magnitude did not become apparent until on or after that day to the point of not making it practicable to complete the class or classes after census date for the class or classes; or
• on or after the census date.

3. made it impracticable to complete the course requirements; for example the student could not reasonably undertake the necessary private study required, attend sufficient lectures or tutorials or meet any compulsory participation requirements to meet compulsory course requirements.

3. Independent supporting documentation may include:

1. For medical reasons: a statement from a registered doctor stating:

• the date the medical condition began or changed; and
• how the condition affected the student’s ability to study; and
• when it became apparent that the student could not continue with their studies.

2. For family/personal reasons: a statement from a registered medical practitioner or a qualified and registered counsellor or psychologist stating:

• the date the personal circumstance began or changed; and
• how the student’s circumstance affected their ability to study; and
• when it became apparent the student could not continue their studies.

3. For employment-related reasons: a letter from the student’s employer stating:

• the student’s previous work hours and location; and
• the student’s current work hours and location; and
• the reason that the employer has changed the student’s hours and location and the reason for the change to a student’s employment hours or location is because the employer requires the change.

4. For course or class related reasons: a statement from the student’s ANU University College stating:

• that they have been disadvantaged by changed arrangements to their course or class; and
• that the student could not change course or class without academic disadvantage. .

4. Student Administration and Academic Services advises students if additional supporting documentation is required. Students provide additional supporting documentation as directed by Student Administration and Academic Services.
5. Student Administration and Academic Services notifies students of the outcome of a late withdrawal due to special circumstances application within 28 working days of receipt of a complete application and includes a statement of the reason(s) for the decision.
6. A student whose application for late withdrawal due to special circumstances is successful receives a grade of WD (withdrawal without failure) on their academic transcript for the relevant course. A student whose application for late withdrawal due to special circumstances is unsuccessful where the application was submitted after the last teaching day receives the original grade for that class.

Refunds & HELP remissions

7. Students who paid their tuition fees upfront to the University and who have a late withdrawal due to special circumstances application approved are eligible to apply for a refund in accordance with the Student refunds policy and procedure.
8. Domestic students who elect to defer their fees to their HELP loan and who have a late withdrawal due to special circumstances application approved, will have the debt removed from their HELP loan. Advice of revised debts are submitted by the University to the Department of Education at scheduled times during the year. The management of this is then between the Department of Education and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

Appeals

9. Students may appeal a late withdrawal due to special circumstances application decision by lodging a written appeal addressed to the University Registrar, Student Administration and Academic Services outlining the grounds for the appeal and addressing the reason(s) for the decision not to approve the application.
10. Appeals are submitted to appeals@anu.edu.au within 20 working days of the date of the letter advising the outcome of the late withdrawal due to special circumstances application.
11. The University Registrar (or delegate) considers the request and advises the student of the outcome in writing.