Termination of Candidature

Your candidature and any scholarship payments may be terminated if:

1. your progress is unsatisfactory as reported to the Graduate Centre following a review of progress, whether scheduled or unscheduled; or
2. your candidature has been suspended for a total of 12 months or more.

If your candidature has been terminated for unsatisfactory academic progress, reinstatement is only possible following a successful appeal through the provisions of the Student Grievance Resolution Process.

International Students

If your research program is terminated, the University is required to notify the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs and this is likely to result in the cancellation of your student visa.

Unsatisfactory Progress During Provisional Candidature

During the first 12 months of your candidature (or half-time equivalent), while you are enrolled as a provisional candidate, your School will assess your performance against the standard required for the degree in order to make an assessment about whether or not you have the necessary aptitude, skills and dedication to complete your research program.

If the School has any concerns about your progress, it may recommend that your candidature be terminated or, if you are a doctoral student, transferred to a Master by Research.

A recommendation to terminate candidature or transfer to a Master by Research will normally be made following a review of progress (e.g. the core component of the structured program or the major review), but note that the School can also undertake a review of your progress outside of these programmed reviews.

If, during the period of provisional candidature your School recommends termination of candidature following a review of progress and if this recommendation is upheld by the Faculty Higher Degrees Committee and the Research Education & Development Committee (REDC), your candidature and any scholarship payments will be discontinued.

If your candidature has been terminated during the period of provisional enrolment, you may appeal the decision in accordance with the guidelines detailed in the Student Grievance Resolution Process (refer to the section on grievances, complaints and problems during candidature).

Unsatisfactory Progress During Confirmed Candidature

Following your first year of enrolment, you will undertake an annual review of progress each year, together with a minor review of progress if you are a remote student. In addition to these programmed review(s), your School can also instigate a formal review of progress at any time where there are concerns about your progress.

The following procedures apply in the case of unsatisfactory progress reported following a progress review of a student who has been confirmed in candidature:

1. The Head will call you and your supervisors to a meeting to discuss the problem. You may bring another student or a staff member with you to support you and to advocate for you during the meeting if required. Following the meeting, if the Head is satisfied that the problem has been resolved and that your progress will improve, a report to this effect will be sent to the Dean of Graduate Studies.
2. If, however, the Head believes that a problem still exists, (s)he will write to the Dean of Graduate Studies: (a) outlining the School's concerns; and (b) recommending that you be placed on a period of 'conditional enrolment', normally not exceeding 6 months in duration. During the period of conditional enrolment, you will be required to complete a series of requirements which will be set in consultation with you. The requirements will comprise tasks that a research student working at a satisfactory level can reasonably be expected to complete within the specified timeframes.
3. The Dean will review the case and endorse the recommendation for conditional enrolment or refer it to the Research Education & Development Committee (REDC) for further consideration. In this event, REDC will consider each case on its merits and will either uphold the recommendation or determine an alternative outcome.
4. Where the recommendation for conditional enrolment is upheld, the Graduate Centre will advise you in writing of the start and end date of the conditional enrolment, detailing the required tasks and their timeframes for completion.
5. At the end of the period of conditional enrolment, the Head will call you and your supervisors to a meeting to review your progress.
6. If the Head considers that your progress has been satisfactory, a report to this effect will be sent to the Dean of Graduate Studies and the matter will be considered closed. The Graduate Centre will notify you in writing that the conditional enrolment has been lifted.
7. However, if the School considers that progress has been unsatisfactory, a recommendation for the termination of your candidature, (or an extension of the conditional enrolment will be made).
8. In the event of a termination recommendation, you will be invited to present your views in writing or in person to REDC which, after considering all the information provided, will recommend a further course of action or endorse the recommendation to terminate your candidature.

Note that if you decide to present your views to REDC in person, you have the right to bring another student or staff member with you to act as a support person or representative.

If your candidature has been terminated you may, if desired, appeal the decision through the provisions of the Student Grievance Resolution Process (refer to the section on grievances, complaints and problems during candidature).

Scholarship holders Continuation of your scholarship is dependent on you undertaking your research degree with competence and diligence and on maintaining satisfactory academic progress.