What is Retrospective Withdrawal?

Retrospective withdrawal is a process which allows students to withdraw from a unit up to 12 months after they were meant to complete it. It allows for fees to be returned and transcripts to be amended as if the unit was never taken.

Am I entitled to a retrospective withdrawal?

A student can only be assessed for retrospective withdrawal if they have:

• not completed the requirements for the unit of study (have withdrawn from the unit, have received a Fail grade, or been awarded deferred assessment)
• applied in writing within the deadlines;
• met the exceptional circumstances requirements.

Exceptional circumstances:

• are beyond the student’s control;
• do not make their full impact on the student until on, or after, the census date;
• make it impractical for the student to complete the requirements for the unit during the period in which the student was to undertake the unit.

What happens if my application is successful?

If your application is successful and made within the deadlines;

• Fees you paid for the unit will be returned to you (for use in next semester, or refunded.)
• Any record of the unit will be removed from your transcript.

If an application is made outside the 12 month application deadline, you may still be awarded a retrospective withdrawal which will appear on the academic record, but fees will not be returned to you.

How do I apply?

Application for retrospective withdrawal must be made in writing to the Manager, Enrolments and Fees via The Student Centre.

You must apply within 12 months of the withdrawal date or, if you have not withdrawn, within 12 months of the end of the period of study in which the unit was to be undertaken.

If you had been granted permission to defer completion of your studies, the twelve-month period applies from the end of the extended period.

The application should include independent supporting documentation to support the personal statements and claims.

Depending on the nature of the special circumstances, the supporting documentation can include statements from doctors, counsellors, or employers.

Supporting documentation should indicate:

1. That the student’s circumstances were beyond their control;
2. That the circumstances did not make their full impact on the student until on or after the census date for the unit;
3. When it became apparent after the census date that the student could not continue with their study;
4. How the student’s circumstances prevented them from withdrawing from their study before the census date.

Medical certificates or letters should include the medical provider number.

Evidence of death can include death notice, newspaper extracts, or letters from counsellors, funeral directors and doctors.

If requested to supply additional information the student must respond in the time specified or the application will be deemed to have lapsed

Can I Appeal a Decision?

If you are appealing a decision about retrospective withdrawal from a unit (i.e. your request for retrospective withdrawal has been refused or not granted in full), you may appeal to the Student Appeals Committee. Your appeal must be lodged within 28 calendar days of receiving notification of the decision.

For further information please contactyou Guild Education Assist Officer (Jen): This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 9360 6432