The University can cancel or suspend your enrolment if you have:

  • been excluded as a result of general and/or academic misconduct under the Student Misconduct Regulation
  • been excluded as a result of unsatisfactory academic progress under the Academic Progress Regulations 2016
  • been excluded under the Health and Safety Regulation
  • exceeded the maximum course duration
  • failed to pay the prescribed fees by the payment due date
  • failed to comply with international student visa conditions
  • failed to meet the attendance requirement under the rules of the course
  • failed to provide a valid USI.

If your enrolment has been denied, altered or cancelled, you may request a review. In some instances, you may be eligible to lodge an appeal in accordance with the relevant policies or regulations.

Late fees

A late payment fee of $158 applies when:

  • your payment is received after the due date
  • you've been cancelled from a unit due to non-payment of fees, and have been reinstated into the unit(s) of study.

A late enrolment fee of $158 applies when:

  • you enrol after the published deadlines for the relevant study period
  • you were reinstated in to the unit(s) of study after a cancellation.

If you are reinstated in to the unit(s) of study you are required to pay both the late payment and late enrolment fees plus the full-fee amount(s) for each reinstated unit.

Exclusion or suspension

VU is an educational institution that values equity, fairness and encourages all students to excel. The approach taken by the University to alleged student misconduct reflects this focus. We have an emphasis on resolving matters at the local level where appropriate, and ensuring a reasonable and proportionate response to matters that impact individuals and the University as a whole.

When a student allegedly behaves in a manner contrary to the standards set out in the Student Misconduct Regulations 2014, the matter may be dealt with as either 'academic misconduct' or 'general misconduct', or both.

Student general misconduct means conduct in connection with the University by a student which is, or is likely to be, detrimental to the University or its members. Student general misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • disrupting the orderly conduct of a University activity
  • disobeying any reasonable order or direction given by an authorised officer of the University
  • threatening personal injury or harm of any kind to any person
  • engaging in conduct which causes or may cause personal injury or harm to any person (including oneself), or damage or loss of property
  • without authorisation, using or obtaining access to University property, premises, facilities or services
  • without authorisation, using or obtaining access to electronic information, including computing programs, belonging to the University or another person's University records or information.

Academic misconduct means conduct by a student that is:

  • designed or calculated to, or has the effect of, providing a misleading basis for admission, assessment or academic progress
  • dishonest, reckless, or seriously deviates from accepted standards within the scientific and scholarly community (in connection with research or learning activities).

Student academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • cheating or attempting to gain an unfair academic advantage in an examination or an assessment task
  • plagiarism, collusion or otherwise breaching the academic integrity requirements of the University
  • asking another person to complete assessable work or knowingly enabling another student to plagiarise his or her work
  • failing to comply with examination or assessment rules or directions
  • impersonating, or allowing herself or himself to be impersonated by another for any assessment task
  • forging or falsifying academic results, data or records.

Where a student is found to have committed general or academic misconduct, and after taking into account all the particular circumstances of the case, they could be suspended or excluded from the University.

Everyone has the right to feel safe. Threatening, harassing or inappropriate behaviour undermines Victoria University's capacity to provide a safe study environment for students, and a safe working environment for staff.

Threatening or inappropriate behaviour requires a considered response that addresses the safety of the whole University community.

In some circumstances, a person whose behaviour is considered to pose a health or safety risk to University staff or students may be refused enrolment or re-enrolment, or be suspended or excluded, pursuant to the Governance, Academic and Student Affairs Statute 2013 and the Exclusion for Safety Reasons Regulations 2014.

Find out more about your personal safety at VU.

The academic progress for Higher Education coursework students is regularly reviewed by the University.

In order to maintain satisfactory progress, students must pass 50% or more of the units they were enrolled in for the study period.

If you are identified as making unsatisfactory progress for the first, second or third time, you will be sent an official notification in writing via your VU student email address. It is important that you follow the instructions in this letter carefully as it may affect your enrolment in your course.

From a unit level, if you fail the same unit a third time, you won't be allowed to re-enrol in that unit unless an agreed academic action plan has been developed.

Find out more about student progress requirements.

A student who has been suspended from the University is not permitted to enrol in any course, nor are they entitled to use the services offered by the University to enrolled students for the duration of their suspension.

At the conclusion of the specified period of suspension, a student has the right to resume their studies in the same course they were studying when suspended, subject to the availability of the course (or its equivalent at the time of re-enrolment) and to meeting any conditions for re-admission which have been imposed by the University.

A student who has been excluded from the University for misconduct or health and safety reasons ceases to be a student of the University. They are prohibited from entering the University's premises for any reason and will not be admitted to any course or permitted to study on a non-award basis.

Non-payment of fees

You must pay your fees by the due date on your statement of account (invoice) to avoid the risk of having your enrolment cancelled due to non-payment of fees.

Students enrolled in a Diploma or higher qualification must pay their fees by the published deadlines or, if eligible to defer the fees via the Vet Student Loan (VSL), must submit a valid tax file number by the relevant census date.

Your enrolment will be cancelled if you do not meet the relevant requirement.

To avoid enrolment cancellation, it is important that you pay your fees - or supply your Tax File number (TFN) if you are eligible and have opted to defer your fees via HELP loan - by the published deadline for the relevant study period.

If you have been cancelled for non-payment of fees, but wish you continue with your studies in the current study period, you will need to pay both a reinstatement penalty and late payment penalty in addition to the cost of your unit(s).

Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) students

CSP students who have been cancelled for non-payment of fees, or for not supplying a TFN, cannot be reinstated in to the unit after census date as a CSP student.

If you wish to continue studying in the current study period, you are required to enrol in that unit under a non-award unit of study code. A non-award unit of study is a full-fee paying unit and upon successful completion you can apply for Advanced Standing to have the unit credited towards your award course.

International students who fail to pay their fees by the set due date are at risk of having their VU course enrolment and Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) cancelled.

Non-payment of fees is a breach of student visa conditions and the University is obliged to inform the Department of Home Affairs if your enrolment has been cancelled or suspended.

What happens if you do not pay by the due date?

  • If you have been issued with an invoice (Statement of Account) for a specific study period and have not paid by the due date, you will first receive a fee reminder.
  • If the fees are not paid by the final due date, financial penalties will be imposed and you will receive a 20-Day Intention to Cancel Notice email to both your student and nominated personal-email accounts. The notice outlines your options for appealling the decision by a specific due date, before the Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) cancellation comes into effect.
  • If you have not lodged an appeal within 20 working days, or paid your fees, your CoE will be cancelled and reported to the Department of Home Affairs. You are then expected to leave Australia within 28 days of your CoE cancellation date. Contact the Department of Home Affairs for further advice.

Non-attendance

Achieving satisfactory attendance is a requirement for VET.  The attendance of students in accredited, non-award ELICOS, and Foundation programs is monitored.

If you are an ELICOS student, you need to maintain an overall attendance percentage of 80% for the duration of your ELICOS CoE (Confirmation of Enrolment).  

ELICOS students are given regular attendance warnings and assistance if they are at risk of not maintaining 80% attendance. If you are away for more than five consecutive days without approval, you will need to contact VU English immediately to discuss your options.

More information regarding attendance requirements will be provided during your ELICOS orientation.

Victoria University monitors all student attendance, as required by Australian law and Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) requirements (see National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018).

If you fail to attend 80% of ELICOS classes you risk disciplinary action and having your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) cancelled which may have visa implications.

If you are studying International Foundation (Standard or Extended), you are required to attend at least 80% of scheduled contact hours for the course.

Our attendance procedure outlines how Victoria University monitors your attendance, and consequences of non-attendance.

If you fail to attend 80% of classes, you risk disciplinary action and having your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) cancelled, which may have implications on your visa.

Your course enrolment and Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) will be cancelled due to inactivity in either of these circumstances:

  • you do not return to study (after a University holiday, study break or arranged short-term leave of absence, or after a suspension, deferment or leave of absence)
  • you fail to enrol in any subjects for a compulsory study period of your course (summer and winter study periods are not considered compulsory).

By not returning and re-enrolling in your course, you are inactively advising us that you will not be continuing your studies at VU.

The University can cancel your enrolment and CoE immediately and you will not be able to appeal this decision. An email will be sent to your student and nominated personal-email accounts to advise you of the cancellation.

Attendance and participation will be monitored as per the requirements outlined in VU's enrolment policy and procedure.

The University may cancel your enrolment where you have failed to attend classes in VET courses as required under the rules of the course.

VET students will be withdrawn by the University where the students have failed to:

  • attend class and the teacher has attempted to contact the student unsuccessfully
  • submit all required assessments (in compliance with AVETMISS reporting guidelines).

Other circumstances

Where full-time study is required due to international student visa requirements or as a condition of enrolment, the maximum completion time is the normal full-time duration plus 50% of the normal full-time duration, to maximum of 10 years.

When we review your record and find that your enrolment has exceeded (or is about to exceed) the maximum allowable timeframe to complete your course, VU will send you a Maximum Course Duration notice by email.

VU's Maximum Course Duration Procedure specifies the maximum amount of time you have to complete your course.

In the case where your enrolment is sponsored by your employer, and where advice has been received from your employer that you are no longer an employee, your enrolment may be cancelled or suspended.

If you wish to continue with your studies, you can choose to finalise your fee payment or opt to defer your fees (if eligible) by the due date on your Statement of Account (invoice).

If you choose to continue with your studies after being cancelled due to non-payment of fees, you will need to pay both a reinstatement penalty and late-payment penalty in addition to the cost of your unit(s).

For Certificate-level students, if your enrolment has not been cancelled and fees remain outstanding after Census or the relevant due date, you may be referred to an external debt collection agency for recovery of your debt.

Find out more about paying your fees.

Appeals

Under the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to International Students 2018, if Victoria University suspends or cancels your enrolment, you will be provided 20 working days to access the University's internal complaints and appeals mechanism.

The University will give you information in writing about the complaints and appeals process. You can also refer to the Student Complaint Resolution policy for further detail.

If you believe your issue has not been resolved via the internal complaints and appeals process, you can appeal to the Victorian Ombudsman. The Ombudsman will only assess the appeals handling process, and cannot overturn the University's decision to suspend or cancel your enrolment.

Further information