Policies and procedures

It is very important that you attend all your classes and maintain satisfactory attendance while you are studying at RMIT UP, this means attending at least 80% of your classes during your study period.  

For EAP students a study period is the length of your CoE (Confirmation of Enrolment).

For Foundation Studies students a study period is the duration of a full semester.

If you cannot attend class, you should have documented evidence of why you cannot attend. For example, if you are sick you should see a doctor and get a medical certificate. You should give the medical certificate to Student Services at reception, or via email to pathways.compliance@rmit.edu.au. 

Medical certificates must include the date/s that you did not attend class. Medical certificates do not cancel your absences but will help if you need to explain your attendance situation to the Department of Home Affairs.

Attendance is monitored in each scheduled class session. If you are late to class, or you leave class early, or you take an unscheduled break from your class, this may be counted as an absence. If you are absent from class for more than 60 minutes of that class session, you may be marked absent for the entire session. 

Online classes

If you are attending your class online, your teacher will check if you are in class several times during the class session. If you do not respond to your teacher, you will be considered absent. 

Warnings

You will receive an email to your RMIT student email address if your attendance begins to fall and you are at risk of not being able to maintain satisfactory attendance. Please respond to these emails. If you are struggling to keep good attendance, we would like to support you, to help you succeed. 

If your attendance level falls to an unsatisfactory level, (less than 80% and less than 70%), you will receive an official notice. This will be sent to your student email address to let you know that RMIT intends to report your unsatisfactory attendance to the Department of Home Affairs.

RMIT UP is required by law to report breaches of the attendance requirement to the Department of Home Affairs. 

If you are absent from class for 5 consecutive days, you will be contacted by email and/or phone to discuss your attendance. 

If we cannot contact you and you continue to remain absent from your classes, we may contact your emergency contact in Australia, or in your home country. We may also refer your case to the University Student Support team. The University Student Support Team may ask the Police to do a welfare check on you if they still cannot contact you.  A Police Welfare Check is when the police come to your home to make sure you are okay. 

It is very important you check your student email regularly and respond to any important communications from RMIT UP and RMIT University.

If you are an English language student studying in Australia on a Student Visa and you want to cancel your enrolment, we recommend that you firstly speak to your teachers and contact Student Services to find out if cancelling is the best option for you.  

RMIT UP must notify the Department of Home Affairs of any changes to your study plans, and this may affect your student visa. 

If you decide you do not want to continue studying at RMIT UP you can cancel your program.  To cancel your program, you need to complete an ELICOS Cancellation form and submit it to RMIT UP Student Services reception or via email to rmit.up.studentservices@rmit.edu.au.

Please note that fees are not usually refunded when you cancel your English for Academic Purposes program. Read more about Refunds and Transfer of Fees.

You should not cancel your RMIT UP program if you want to continue your studies in Australia. You may wish to apply to transfer to another education provider.  Read the Transfer to another Education Provider information available. 

If you’re stressed or anxious, the RMIT UP Wellbeing and Experience team have a range of support services to help you.

Read the RMIT UP Cancellation of Enrolment Instruction (PDF 743kb).

If you want to withdraw completely from your studies, you must cancel your program enrolment. We recommend you speak to your teachers and contact Student Services to find out if cancellation is the best option for you. 

If you’re stressed or anxious, the RMIT UP Wellbeing and Experience team have a range of support services to help you. 

You may want to consider taking a short break from your studies rather than withdrawing completely. Read about taking a Leave of Absence.

You can find out all you need to know about changing or cancelling your enrolment on the RMIT University website. 

If you are a student enrolled in the EAP program and you need to take a break from your studies, there are strict criteria you must meet.

International students on a student visa can only apply for a Leave of Absence if compassionate or compelling circumstances apply. 

Important information

If you take leave for more than one week of a 5-week module, you will be required to repeat the module. 

If you have completed Module A, you can take a Leave of Absence for up to 10 weeks before starting module B. If your Leave of Absence is longer than 10 weeks, you will need to repeat Module A.

If you have completed Module B, but not achieved the level, you can take a Leave of Absence for up to 5 weeks before repeating module B. If your Leave of Absence is longer than five weeks, you will need to repeat Module A. 

If your Leave of Absence is 6 months or more, you will need to undertake a placement test to determine your English level when you return to study.  Your test results may show that you need to repeat a level you have already passed.

If you need to extend your Leave of Absence, you must submit a new Leave of Absence request. 

Taking Leave of Absence may affect your student visa. We recommend that you contact the Department of Home Affairs before you submit a request for a Leave of Absence.

Taking a Leave of Absence from your studies may also affect the start date of your RMIT formal program. You should consider how your study plan may need to change and if you need to defer the start of your RMIT formal program. If you have an agent, they may be able to assist you with this. 

Tuition Fees

If you complete two weeks or more of a 5-week module, you will be charged the full tuition fees for that module. 

If you do not return to study by the agreed date, you will still be required to pay the tuition fees as outlined in your original offer letter.

How to apply 

You can apply for Leave of Absence by completing the English Language Program Leave of Absence Request form  and submitting it to the RMIT UP Student Services reception or via email to pathways.compliance@rmit.edu.au.

You must include supporting documentation in your application for Leave of Absence. Check the type of supporting documentation for compassionate and compelling circumstances. 

For more information about this process, please refer to the RMIT UP Leave of Absence Instruction (PDF 1mb). 

If you are a student enrolled in Foundation Studies and you need to take a break from your studies, there are strict criteria you must meet. You can only apply for a Leave of Absence if compassionate and compelling circumstances are affecting your ability to study.  Eligible students may apply for a Leave of absence for either six months or a year.

International students on a student visa can only apply for a Leave of Absence if compassionate or compelling circumstances apply. 

Taking Leave of Absence may affect your student visa.  We recommend that you contact the Department of Home Affairs before you submit a request for a Leave of Absence.

Taking a Leave of Absence from your studies may also affect the start date of your RMIT formal program. You should consider how your study plan may need to change, and if you need to defer the start of your RMIT formal program. 

If you are considering a Leave of Absence, we recommend that you speak to your program coordinator and Student Services for advice before applying.

Apply for a Leave of Absence before the census date to avoid paying fees. 

Communication about your application, including requests for more information, will be sent to your RMIT student email account. We may also contact you during your absence so you should continue to check your RMIT student email and keep your contact details up to date.

How to apply: 

Follow this link to apply for a Leave of Absence.

You must include supporting documentation in your application for Leave of Absence. Check the type of supporting documentation for compassionate and compelling circumstances. 

Returning from leave

Once your Leave of Absence period ends, you'll need to enrol in the next study semester before the last day to enrol or vary courses. If you do not enrol by this date, you may lose your place in the program. You will receive an email before the enrolment period telling you how and when to enrol. 

If you wish to transfer from RMIT UP or RMIT University to another education provider, your student visa may be impacted.  Read more information about how a change in study situation could affect you and your student visa.

Students who have not yet completed six months of their principal program on their student visa are required to be released from RMIT or RMIT UP if they wish to transfer to another education provider. 

Do you need to apply for a transfer to a new provider from RMIT University or RMIT UP?  The following table will explain what you need to do.

You must keep attending classes until your application is approved.

Please allow 10 working days for RMIT UP assess your application. 

If your application is approved, your current enrolment at RMIT UP will be cancelled.

If you wish to transfer from RMIT UP or RMIT University to another education provider, your student visa may be impacted.  Read more information about how a change in study situation could affect you and your student visa.

Do you need to be released from RMIT University? The following table will explain what you need to do. 

All refunds for the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program are assessed according to the following documents. Please read the correct document related to when you were offered a place in EAP at RMIT UP. 

If you were offered an EAP program on or after 9 November 2023, read this document:

• RMIT University Pathways English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Refund Procedure

If you were offered an EAP program at RMIT UP before 9 November 2023, read these documents:

• RMIT English Worldwide (REW) Refund and Transfer of Fees Procedure
• RMIT English Worldwide (REW) Refund and Transfer of Fees Instruction

If you are eligible for a refund, complete the online refund application form

All refund requests for Foundation Studies students are processed through RMIT University. Read about how to apply for a refund as a domestic or continuing international student.

If you are a commencing Foundation Studies student, you can read about Refunds for commencing or newly enrolled international students. 

Please speak to your teacher or contact Student Services for more information about assessment for EAP students.

Read all the information you need about assessments and adjustments applicable to your circumstances.

• Assessment and Assessment Flexibility Policy
• Assessment Processes
• Adjustments to assessment

Extension

If unexpected circumstances prevent you from submitting an assessment on time, you may apply for an extension.

If you need less than 7 days for your extension, talk to your teacher

If you need more than 7 days for your extension, you should apply for an Extension of time for submission of assessable work.

Special Consideration

If unexpected circumstances affect your ability to complete an assessment, you may be eligible to apply for special consideration.  Find out if you’re eligible for Special Consideration and how to apply.

Maintaining satisfactory academic performance is an important visa condition for international students.  If you are an RMIT English Language Program student, please speak to your teacher or contact Student Services for more information or support for satisfactory academic progress.

If you’re an international student studying in a Foundation Studies program you are expected to make satisfactory academic progress. This is a condition of your student visa. Continued unsatisfactory academic performance could result in your student visa being cancelled. 

There are many reasons why it can be difficult to keep up with your studies. Remember that there are many support services available to get you back on track. 

If students meet the criteria listed below, they will be identified as being at risk of not meeting the academic requirements of their program. This is known as unsatisfactory academic progress. 

A student is considered to be making unsatisfactory academic progress if the student: 

• Has failed 50% or more of enrolled course load for the semester. 

• Has failed the same course a second time. 

• Has demonstrated that progress through a program will not allow completion of the program in the expected duration for that program (as stated in the eCOE) and has not shown compelling circumstances to explain the lack of progress. 

• Has failed to meet progress requirements prescribed in the ESOS Act 2000 or other regulations that affect eligibility for an Australian student visa.  

Read the full Definition of Unsatisfactory Academic Performance – Higher Education Coursework & VET.  

If you meet one or more of the above criteria you will be contacted and offered support to help get you back on track with your studies.  You will be given the opportunity to talk to an academic advisor and develop an Academic Performance Improvement Plan (APIP). 

If you continue to make unsatisfactory academic progress you may be identified as ‘final stage at risk’ and you will be asked to provide a written submission, called a ‘show cause’ submission, to explain your situation to the Program Assessment Board. 

Read more about Academic Progress process and support.