Special Circumstances Refunds, Re-credits and Remissions

If you withdraw from, or do not successfully complete, any course after the course Census Date, you are deemed to have:

• expended the tuition fee paid in advance
• expended the Student Contribution Amount paid up-front
• incurred the HECS-HELP debt
• incurred the FEE-HELP debt, and/or
• consumed the Student Learning Entitlement

that is associated with your course.
This applies to any University course, including the Pre-Enrolment English Program (PEP) and any University-offered foundation studies program.

However sometimes special circumstances, which may be for medical, personal/family, employment or program-related reasons, are the cause of the withdrawal or non-completion.

If you can demonstrate that there are special circumstances in your situation, you may apply for the:

• refund of any tuition fees paid
• refund of any Student Contribution paid up-front
• remission of any HECS-HELP debt incurred
• remission of any FEE-HELP debt incurred and/or
• re-crediting of any Student Learning Entitlement.

Please Note:  In the event your application for Special Circumstances Refund, Re-credit or Remission is approved no refund will be provided for the Student Services and Amenities Fee.  Further there is no capacity under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 for the provider to remit an SA-HELP debt incurred by a student, therefore any SA-HELP debt at the due date will also remain. 

Special Circumstances

The University deems that special circumstances apply where the circumstances:

• are beyond the student’s control and not due to the student’s action or inaction and the situation must be unusual, uncommon or abnormal, and
• do not occur, or do not make their full impact on the student known, until after the Census Date for the course(s) in the semester or study period, and
• make it impracticable for the student to meet the attendance and/or assessment requirements of the course(s) during the semester or study period in which the student was enrolled.

Application Process

1. Complete a Special Circumstances Refund/Remission/Re-credit application form.
2. Lodge the application with the Manager, Student Finance (as per the instructions on the application form) within 12 months of the date that you formally withdrew from the course(s). If you did not formally withdraw, the application must be lodged within 12 months of the last day of the semester in which you were enrolled in the course(s).
3. Ensure that appropriate and adequate original independent supporting documentation addressing all the criteria specified in the form is lodged with the Manager, Student Finance no later than 28 days after the initial lodgement.

Outcome

1. You will be sent a letter or email acknowledging receipt of the information within five working days.
2. You will be advised in writing by the Manager, Student Finance of the outcome of your application within 28 calendar days of receipt of the application and all relevant supporting documentation (whichever is the latest). The notice of the decision will include: a statement of the reasons for the decision; information on your right to have the decision reviewed; and a brief outline of the review process.
3. If the application is successful, the Manager, Student Finance will arrange for the fee or Student Contribution Amount refund, FEE-HELP or HECS-HELP debt remission and/or Student Learning Entitlement re-credit.

Review and Appeal

Review

If your application is not successful and you are not satisfied with the reasons provided by the Manager, Student Finance, you may request in writing that the decision be reviewed. The request must be submitted within 28 days of the notification of the outcome of your application. The request must contain information and/or original documentation additional to that included in the initial application, and directly address the reasons provided for the Manager, Student Finance’s decision.

The review officer for these purposes is the General Manager, Student Services and Administration.

Appeal

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of this review, you may lodge a grievance in accordance with the Student Grievance Resolution Process.

You may also lodge an appeal with the South Australian office of the:

Administrative Appeals Tribunal
11th floor, Chesser House
91 Grenfell St, Adelaide, SA 5000
Phone: 08 8201 0600

[This section is compliant with s.19-5- and 36-20, 36-21, 104-25(1) and 104-30(1) of the HES Act 2003.]