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How to defer your offer

If you're going to defer, you don't need to enrol.

Before you apply to defer

Be aware that courses are under continual review. If you apply to defer, your course may be revised, discontinued or cease to be accredited during your deferment. If this happens, we'll make every attempt to provide the original program. If this isn't possible, we reserve the right to offer you a place in an equivalent or near-equivalent course. For some science courses, your progress may be delayed if you commence your course mid-year, depending on the areas you wish to study. This will need to be discussed with your Course Coordinator.

Who can defer?

Subject to your College's deferment rules, you can defer if:

  • you haven't started your course
  • you haven't completed a subject
  • the census date for the subject/s you're enrolled in hasn't passed.

If you have completed and obtained results for a subject/s, or the census date has passed for any of the subject/s you're enrolled in, you can apply for a Leave of Absence if you're experiencing significant difficulties in your personal or academic life – be it financial, emotional, medical, employment or study-related.

If you have transferred courses and need to take leave from your studies, you can apply for a Leave of Absence (not a deferral).

How to defer

  • Local applicants: complete a Defer online form. We'll email you confirmation of the outcome of your request within 10 working days of receiving it.
  • International students: send a written request to the International Office.
  • Single-subject enrolments: please contact ASK La Trobe for instructions.

Semester 1, 2018 deferral approval table

Undergraduate

The below table shows undergraduate courses that can be deferred, by discipline and the length of deferral.

Note: Anyone seeking deferral outside the relevant discipline guidelines should contact ASK La Trobe. You will need to formally request an extension outlining the rationale and provide supporting documentation (if relevant) for consideration. These requests are generally only considered for extenuating circumstances.

Discipline/College6 months – (until Semester 2, 2018)1 year (until Semester 1, 2019)Over 12 months total deferral (including past deferrals)
Law and Business (ASSC)All courses except for LHCOM

All courses, except for:

  • LHCOM which requires supervisor approval
College approval required for initial requests or extensions: Will not approve 2 year deferral except for exceptional circumstances. For 2 year requests, 1 year will be applied. Students should reapply at end of this year.
Humanities and Social Sciences (ASSC)

All courses except for:

  • ABCAB, ABCAM: B.Creative Arts
  • AHA which requires supervisor approval

All courses except for:

  • AHA which requires supervisor approval
College approval required for initial requests or extensions: Will not approve 2 year deferral except for exceptional circumstances. For 2 year requests, 1 year will be applied. Students should reapply at end of this year.

Education
(ASSC)

All courses except for:

  • Outdoor Education courses (EBOEB, EBOEXB, EBOREB, EBPHOB)

Please note that EBEL: B.Early Learning - four intakes per year (Online Study 1/4 - Mar, Online Study 2/4 - May, Online Study 3/4 - Aug, Online Study 4/4 - Nov

All coursesCollege approval required for initial requests or extensions: Will not approve more than 1 year deferral, except for exceptional circumstances.
Health Sciences (SHE)NoneAll courses except for HZHSDD (Dentistry)College approval required for initial requests or extensions: Will not approve 2 year deferral except for exceptional circumstances. For 2 year requests, 1 year will be applied. Students should reapply at end of this year.
Sciences & Engineering (SHE)

Only the following courses:

  • SBPS, SBPSW, SBPSB: B. Psychological Science
  • SBAG, SBAGW: B. Ag Sciences
  • SBAVB, SBAVW: B. Animal & Vet Biosciences
  • SBBIS, SBBISW: B.Biological Sciences
  • STBSW, SBS, SBSB, SBSC, SBSCB, SBSCW: B.Science
  • SBIT: B.Information Technology
  • SBBIY: B. Business Info Syst
  • SBCS: B.Comp Science
  • RBC: B.Info Tech
  • SBATE: B.Agriculture & Technology
  • SHARS: B. Ag Sciences with Honours
  • SHCE, SHCEB: B. Civil Engineering Honours
  • SHENI, SHENIB: B. Engineering Honours Industrial
All coursesCollege approval required for initial requests or extensions: Will not approve 2 year deferral except for exceptional circumstances. For 2 year requests, 1 year will be applied. Students should reapply at end of this year.

Postgraduate

The below table shows postgraduate courses that can be deferred, by discipline and the length of deferral.

Note: Anyone seeking deferral outside the relevant discipline guidelines should contact ASK La Trobe. You will need to formally request an extension outlining the rationale and provide supporting documentation (if relevant) for consideration. These requests are generally only considered for extenuating circumstances.

Discipline/College6 months – (until Semester 2, 2018)1 year (until Semester 1, 2019)Over 12 months total deferral (including past deferrals for the same course)Not allowed - 2018
Law and Business (ASSC)            All coursesAll coursesNoLMLGBL (M.Laws in Global Business Law) LMLI (M.Laws International) LGL (G.Dip in Law)
Humanities and Social Sciences (ASSC)All coursesAll coursesNo 
Education
(ASSC)		All coursesAll coursesNo 
Health Sciences (SHE)Only the following courses: HZMBHA, HMHA, HMHADE, HMHS, HMPHC, HZPHHA, HZHPHID, HCHPO, HCHPPC, HCHP, HCHSM, HCSCR.Only the following courses: HZMBHA, HMHA, HMHADE, HMHS, HMPHC, HZPHHA, HZHPHID, HCHPO, HCHPPC, HCHP, HCHSM, HCSCR.No 
Sciences & Engineering (SHE)Only the following courses: SMCSC, SMIT, SMITCN, SMICT, SMELE, SMTNE, SGEE, SMDS, SGIT, SGCSNoneNo 

Need help deferring?

Call: 1300 LA TROBE (1300 52 87623). International students call: (+61 3) 9479 1199.

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