- After leaving QUT
- Withdraw from units
- Withdraw from units without penalty
If you've left QUT but believe you should not be liable for costs or academic penalties of units due to special circumstances, then you can apply to retroactively withdraw from those units without penalty.
If you're a current student, there's more information for you on the HiQ website.
Watch our video on how to apply to withdraw without penalty.
Show/hide transcriptIn this video I'll show you how you can apply to withdraw without penalty.
If you're experiencing special circumstances and you need to withdraw from units after the teaching period census date or withdrawal without academic penalty date, you may be able to do so without financial and/or academic penalty.
Thank you for watching and if you need more information please contact the friendly HiQ team.
Withdrawal without penalty is an application process available to students who have withdrawn (or need to withdraw) from their unit/s after the financial or academic penalty date, because they have experienced special circumstances that made it impracticable for them to complete their studies.
We can't consider any applications for refunds of debts incurred for subjects studied prior to 2005. This includes PELS, HECS and OLDPS, and BOTPLS under the Higher Education Funding Act 1988.
This process is for students who wish to be considered for one or more of the following:
You may be eligible to withdraw without financial penalty if you've:
For Commonwealth assisted students (those who have paid a student contribution amount, or received a HELP loan), we assess the financial component of an application in accordance with the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA). We also apply this criteria to students who pay international or domestic tuition fees upfront, with no Commonwealth assistance.
If you're also applying to withdraw without academic penalty, each is assessed independently against their respective criteria and the outcomes may not be the same.
You may be eligible if you've:
In your application, you'll also need to demonstrate your commitment to the unit requirements before your special circumstances occurred, including:
We assess academic components of an application in accordance with the information set out below and as per the special circumstances criteria.
If you're also applying to withdraw without financial penalty, each is assessed independently against their respective criteria and the outcomes may not be the same.
You'll need to show evidence of the special circumstances that contributed to you withdrawing from units or being unable to complete all the requirements.
Your circumstances must satisfy all three of components of the special circumstances test:
Circumstances are beyond a person's control if:
For example, a lack of knowledge of how HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP works, or a lack of understanding of our Student Rules, deadlines for enrolment, withdrawing from units, and paying fees, are not considered to be beyond a person's control.
Circumstances will be considered to have made their full impact on or after the census date if:
For example, a person may have an illness, or other underlying, pre-existing condition or incapacity, prior to the census date for a unit, but have a reasonable expectation that they will recover and be able to complete the unit. In this situation, it is a requirement that evidence be provided to show when the full effect or magnitude of the circumstances became apparent.
You do not need to demonstrate that you were prevented from withdrawing from your unit prior to the census date.
A person is considered unable to complete the requirements for a unit, for example, if the person is unable to:
Circumstances that will be considered impracticable for you to complete the requirements of the unit (this list is not exhaustive and acts as an example only):
You must provide independent supporting documents with your application to demonstrate special circumstances. The documents must:
Personal statements, including Statutory Declarations, are not considered to be independent documentation.
The type of document you must provide will be determined by the special circumstances that apply to you.
Documents you must provide to demonstrate special circumstances
You'll need to apply within 12 months of withdrawing or finishing your units, including when you completed your final exam or deferred assessment.
If you're applying for a withdrawal without penalty more than 12 months after withdrawing from or finishing your units, we may consider your application if you can also demonstrate that special circumstances prevented you from applying within 12 months.
To apply, complete a withdrawal without penalty form. On the form, you can choose to apply for withdrawal without both academic and financial penalty, withdrawal without financial penalty only (we'll also assess academic penalty if we approve your financial penalty application), or withdrawal without academic penalty only.
Please note that you can only apply for one teaching period per form submission. If you intend to apply for more than one teaching period, please submit a new form for each period.
You can only apply to withdraw without penalty if you've failed or withdrawn from the unit you're applying for. You can't apply if you're still enrolled in the unit.
The form includes these sections:
We'll review your application and contact you within 20 working days to confirm the outcome of your withdrawal without penalty request. This time frame may be longer if we require further documentation from you.
To lodge an appeal, email Student Administration via fees@qut.edu.au stating your reasons, and include any additional supporting documentation.
Appeals must be lodged within 28 days of receiving your original outcome. We'll email you to confirm we've received it.
The Director (or delegate) of Student Administration will consider:
The Director (or delegate) of Student Administration will then choose to either:
You'll be emailed with the outcome of your appeal within 45 days.
If you haven't received a new decision after 45 days, the original decision will remain in effect.
For Commonwealth Supported Place students (HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP or student contribution amounts paid upfront), you can apply to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for a review of our decision.
For domestic fee-paying and international students, you can lodge a formal complaint by contacting the Student Ombudsman.
You also have the right to contact an external and independent agent, such as the Queensland Ombudsman. This would involve you submitting a written case to indicate how the university has not acted properly.
If you decide to involve an external agency then you are required to advise the Student Ombudsman's Office in writing to ombudsman@qut.edu.au (MOPP E/9.2).
No. We do not refund Student Services and Amenities fees if you withdraw after the census date. We are also not permitted to remit SA-HELP debt incurred after the census date.
For guidance around appropriate documentation or how to demonstrate special circumstances, email Student Administration via fees@qut.edu.au or phone 3138 5406.
For personal support and counselling, QUT offers free, confidential support for any current student. There are also support services for students who have a disability, injury or health condition.
If you are struggling to meet your university commitments, academic support is also available.
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