Handbook

Required reading

General information

Undergraduate

Postgraduate

International

Handbook sitemap

Admissions and enrolment for international students

Admissions

International students applying for undergraduate or postgraduate coursework programs or postgraduate research programs must submit their applications directly to La Trobe International (LTI). International students currently undertaking VCE must apply through VTAC, in accordance with normal VTAC guidelines. However, direct applications lodged by VCE students may also be accepted after mid-January.

New international applicants who meet the required academic and English language requirements for the program they have applied for will be contacted by La Trobe International by way of a letter of offer.

For further information see www.latrobe.edu.au/international/apply

Advanced Standing (credit)

If students have been granted Advanced Standing for previous studies, they will have received a letter from the relevant faculty with the Letter of Offer. If this offer of Advanced Standing is conditional, upon providing evidence of previous studies, that evidence must be provided prior to or at the time of accepting the offer. The course duration shown on the Letter of Offer will reflect the amount of Advanced Standing granted. If an assessment of Advanced Standing is not requested at the time the application is submitted for admission, and the student wishes to apply for Advanced Standing on the basis of previous studies, an appointment must be made with the relevant faculty advisor for assessment within the first two weeks of the course commencement date.

Please note: If a student’s course length is reduced because of advanced standing being granted the University will issue a new electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE). This means that students will be expected to complete their course based on the new course length, regardless of their visa expiry date.

English language proficiency

Applicants whose principal language of instruction was not English must provide evidence of their proficiency in English. This can be done by achieving a satisfactory result in VCE English (any) or in an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or another test acceptable to the University. For more information on La Trobe University’s English language requirements please see: www.latrobe.edu.au/international/apply

Enrolment

International students on an International Student Visa must comply with condition 8202 – e.g. you must remain enrolled in a registered course, satisfy academic requirements, make satisfactory academic progress, and complete your course within the time stipulated on your eCOE.

To comply with visa condition 8202, international students must be aware that any variation to their enrolment may affect meeting requirements of the International Student Visa obtained to enter Australia. It is important to be aware of all the implications of making changes to a course, or enrolment before acting on a desire to change enrolment

LTI can provide information on matters related to international students including procedures for visa extension.

Variation of enrolment for international students

Students can reduce their study load in the last semester or term of their course or must have compassionate and compelling reasons to apply to reduce their study load (underload). An approved Underload Application form-International Students, is required.

Deferral of enrolment (prior to commencement of course)

An international coursework student can defer their commencement of studies up to a maximum of twelve months under normal circumstances, or longer if exceptional circumstances are shown. The University requires evidence of such exceptional circumstances to accept a request for a deferral of more than 12 months.

If an international student has not accepted their offer, they are required to contact La Trobe International Admission Staff in writing by email, fax or post. The correspondence must include the following:

• Student ID Number
• Full Name of Student (Family Name, Given Name/s)
• Course
• Campus
• Intention to defer
• The original commencement date
• The new commencement date requested.

No application fee is required if the international student is deferring for the first time. However, if a student defers for a second or subsequent time a charge of A$80 will be incurred.

If a student has accepted their offer, they must complete Request for a Change of Course Preference and or Deferral of Course Commencement form.

If a visa has not been granted the student is only required to complete the Request for a Change of Course Preference and or Deferral of Course Commencement form, which is available from the La Trobe International Office on request.

If a visa has been granted a student must attach evidence of compassionate or compelling circumstances which prevents them from enrolling into their accepted program. Acceptable circumstances include:

• serious illness or injury, where a medical certificate or psychologist‘s report states that the student was/will be unable to attend classes
• bereavement of close family members such as parents or grandparents (where possible a death certificate should be provided)
• major political upheaval or natural disaster in the home country requiring emergency travel which may impact on the student’s studies
• a traumatic experience which has impacted the student, and is supported by police or psychologists’ reports
• where La Trobe University was unable to offer a pre-requisite subject for the student to progress in their course
• Failure to meet any condition specified on the student’s official Letter of Offer
• Inability to begin studies on the course commencement date due to delay in receiving a student visa or because the applicant has not met the minimum age requirement.

Research Students

It is not normally possible for an international research student who has been offered candidature to defer their course of study (that is to reverse a place until the next academic year). If an international research student wants to delay their candidature within the same academic year they need to contact their potential supervisor and discuss a mutually revised commencement date. Once this is confirmed with the supervisor the student should contact La Trobe International’s research team via email at ltiresearch@latrobe.edu.au. The correspondence must include the following:

• Student ID Number
• Full Name of Student (Family Name, Given Name(s)
• Course
• Campus
• Name of Principal Supervisor
• Intention to defer
• The original commencement date
• The new commencement date requested

International students holding a student visa should note that if a CoE has been issued it will be cancelled, and deferral for more than six months usually results in cancellation of a student visa (if it has already been granted). After a deferral is granted, students must seek advice from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship as to whether they are required to leave the country or apply for another visa.

Intermission of course (after commencement of course)

International students holding a student visa should note that intermission (taking an official leave of absence) generally affects their student visa. La Trobe International must notify the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) when an international student is not actively studying. The current electronic-Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE) will be cancelled. If intermission is granted for longer than six months, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship normally cancels a student’s visa. After intermission is granted, a student must seek advice from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) as to whether they are required to leave the country or apply for another visa.

Note: The University can only approve intermission for international students where Compassionate and Compelling circumstances exist, or if pre-requisite subjects are not offered in the semester a student is intermitting for. Please see the list above of circumstances which are usually acceptable as compassionate and compelling. Students must provide documentary evidence to support a claim for intermission.

Transfer of course

International students who wish to transfer to another course either before they have commenced or in their first semester of enrolment, need to consult La Trobe International. All other continuing students should consult their School/Faculty.

Note: International students on a Student Visa will need to obtain a new electronic-Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE) (for their new course) and should present the new eCoE to a DIAC office if the end date of the new CoE is different from the original.

Discontinuation of enrolment (withdrawal)

Students contemplating discontinuation of their course enrolment are strongly encouraged to discuss this with a course adviser and consult with counselling services. International students are also strongly advised to discuss their decision with the Student Life (International Student Support Services) team at LTI.

It is important for students to be aware of all the implications of making changes to their course, or to be aware of other enrolment choices before changing. Any concerns should be discussed with a Course Advisor and the Counselling Service as early as possible to ensure students are aware of support and other options available.

Liability for international tuition fees is dependant upon the date the discontinuation has been approved by both LTI and the School/Faculty. If an international student chooses to discontinue their course in the first semester of their enrolment the refund policy applies. See www.latrobe.edu.au/international/fees/tuition

After the first semester of enrolment, students need to discontinue subjects in which they are enrolled before each of the Census dates in order not to incur fees. If a student discontinues their enrolment after some of their subject Census dates, they can apply for Remission of Debt. If there is evidence of exceptional circumstances an international student may be re-credited some fees.

Students who discontinue their enrolment will normally be required to reapply directly to La Trobe International for re-admission to the course, or admission to a new course. La Trobe International must notify the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) when an international student is not actively studying. The current Confirmation of Enrolment will be cancelled.

Student identification and contact

All students at La Trobe University are subject to the rules and conditions of maintaining current contact details on university records. To comply with visa condition 8533, international students on an international student visa must advise the University within seven days of their arrival in Australia of their current residential address and of any subsequent changes of address, within seven days of each change.

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) does not require international student visa holders to maintain a current address with their office but will request these contact details from the University in order to contact students. Once enrolled, students can use the login and password details on their Statement of Account to change their details through StudentOnLine.

Scholarships

International students can apply for a number of scholarships and a number of new scholarships will be introduced in 2010. Visit the website for details: www.latrobe.edu.au/scholarships/

Academic progress requirements

All students at La Trobe University are subject to the University’s Academic Progress Policy.

To comply with visa condition 8202, international students on an international student visa must maintain satisfactory academic progress and are expected to complete the course within the duration of the visa granted for that course. As a requirement of the National Code 2007, the course progress of International Students is monitored and intervention strategies are developed to assist academic progress if necessary.

Students whose academic progress remains unsatisfactory after an intervention strategy has been active and in place will be notified in writing (by their student email account and/or mail to their residential address) that they are in breach of academic progress rules. Students are able to address these concerns via the internal procedures outlined in the notification sent to them, and according to the University’s Academic Progress Policy. If a student has accessed the University’s internal processes and all complaints and appeals processes are finalised and the student is still deemed to have failed to meet satisfactory course progress, the University is obliged to report the student for unsatisfactory course progress to DEEWR via the PRISMS system. Until then, it is recommended that students approach their Faculty and apply to continue their enrolment and to attend classes. Students should also obtain advice and support from the Counselling Service and the Student Life team at LTI.

Complaints or grievances

The University’s Student Complaint and Grievance Handling Policy and Procedures can be found on the web at: www.latrobe.edu.au/policy/all-policies

University Ombudsman

If a complaint or grievance regarding an academic matter or an administrative decision or action is not resolved through the relevant faculty, school or administrative department, advice may be sought from:

Victorian Ombudsman

If the complaint or grievance is not resolved through the University Ombudsman, students may lodge a complaint with the Victorian Ombudsman, a constitutional independent officer of the Victorian Parliament. If students have not followed the steps structured in the relevant University procedures, the Victorian Ombudsman may ask them to do so before accepting a complaint.