Student Deferral and Leave of Absence Policy
| Policy name | Student Deferral and Leave of Absence Policy |
| Policy number | ACA002 |
| Date approved | 2 October 2024 |
| Approving body | Academic Board |
| Responsible officer | Dean (Higher Education) and Provost (VET) |
| Implementation officer | Student Services Manager (Higher Education), Registrar (VET) |
| Next review date | October 2029 |
| Related forms and documents | Withdrawal, Deferral and Leave of Absence Form |
1. Purpose of this policy
This policy details the processes and procedures for deferral and leave of absence that apply to all students who have been made an offer to enrol in, or are enrolled in, respectively, a Higher Education or Vocational Education and Training course of study at the Cairnmillar Institute (the Institute).
2. Definitions
| Word/Term | Definition |
| Deferral | Deferral (also referred to as Deferment) is used to describe the status of a student who has been offered a place in a course of study but who does not intend to take up that offer for the forthcoming period. Students who defer their offer are not considered to be a student of the Institute. Not all courses have the option of deferral. |
| Leave of Absence | Leave of Absence (LOA) is a period of approved absence by a student from the course of study in which they are enrolled. A student who is on LOA is considered to be a student of the Institute. |
3. Deferral
3.1. Students who enrol in a course of study but apply to defer their place prior to the first census date for that course, are eligible for deferral until the next intake for a maximum of one year.
3.2. Deferral is normally granted for a maximum of one year regardless of whether the student has been offered a full-time or part-time place in a course of study.
3.3. Students wishing to extend an initial deferral of less than one year to the maximum period of deferral must apply in writing to the Registrar at least one month prior to the commencement of the teaching period for which they are seeking further deferral.
3.4. Deferrals beyond the maximum period of one year are not approved unless there are exceptional circumstances (as determined by the Dean, Provost or nominee).
3.5. Students who are granted a period of deferral are subject to the Government assistance rules and student contribution or tuition fees applicable for students commencing the course in the year the student enrols in units and genuinely commences their study, unless legislation requires otherwise.
3.6. Where a prospective student has not enrolled in a course for which they were made an offer, the offer lapses after the scheduled day of enrolment unless there are exceptional circumstances (as determined by the Dean, Provost or nominee).
4. Leave of Absence
4.1. Students who are currently enrolled in a course of study are eligible to apply for a Leave of Absence (LOA) for a maximum of three (Higher Education) and four (VET) teaching periods of that course.
4.2. Unless there are exceptional circumstances (as determined by the Dean or nominee), students must have successfully completed at least one teaching period before they are eligible for LOA.
4.3. The maximum limit applies regardless of whether the student has been offered a full-time or part-time place in a course.
4.4. LOA is not an automatic entitlement. Applications are treated on merit and depend on the reasons for the application. Applications are normally granted in compassionate circumstances but other situations, such as work or family commitments, will be considered.
4.5. A single LOA is normally granted for a maximum of one teaching period.
4.6. A single LOA for longer than one teaching period can only be granted in exceptional circumstances (as determined by the Dean, Provost or nominee).
4.7. Students who have outstanding fees in relation to their enrolment will not be granted LOA until the debt is cleared.
4.8. Students on leave are considered to be a student for the purposes of library access and other entitlements, but for some purposes, will not be considered formally enrolled because they are not enrolled in any units of study.