Glossary of uni terms
Starting university comes with a lot of new terms and processes. Our glossary is here to make things simple. It explains key words and phrases you’ll see throughout your La Trobe experience. Use this guide to understand what expressions mean and how they apply to you.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Absent without official leave (AWOL) A status applied when you don't re-enrol by the required deadline and don't have an approved Leave of Absence. If you are AWOL, you're no longer considered an active student and may need to apply for admission again. If you have a valid reason, you may be able to request a review of the decision. Academic integrity Being honest in your academic work. This means following the rules of scholarship, acknowledging sources, avoiding plagiarism and acting ethically in all of your studies. Academic misconduct Academic misconduct includes cheating, plagiarism or any conduct by a student intended to gain an unfair advantage in a formal examination or assessment, irrespective of whether or not the advantage occurs. It also includes breaching any rules relating to a formal examination or assessment, as well as conduct intended to gain an unfair advantage in other course or subject requirements, including class attendance, participation or placements. Academic transcript An official record of all your studies at La Trobe University. It lists every course you attempted, every subject you have taken, your results and any credit you received. Accessibility Accessibility Advising supports students with disability, ongoing health or mental health conditions to engage in their studies with reasonable adjustments outlined in a Learning Access Plan, and provides assistance to students who care for individuals with these conditions. Assessment adjustments You can apply for an assessment adjustment when adverse circumstances affect your performance in assessment. Modified arrangements may include replacement exam dates, special consideration and short extensions. Where appropriate, reasonable adjustments are available if you are neurodiverse, have an ongoing medical or mental health condition, or have a disability that impacts on your studies. Bursary A type of financial support that does not need to be repaid. Bursaries are usually awarded based on financial need or personal circumstances. CareerHub Career Hub is La Trobe University’s career development and employability platform where you can access jobs, volunteering, career tools and resources, appointments, events and your Career Ready Advantage award progress. Career Ready Advantage La Trobe's employability award program that enables and guides you to develop, recognise and articulate the skills, experiences and industry connections that support career readiness and future employment. Census date The last day you can withdraw from a subject without being charged fees. If you stay enrolled after this date, you will be financially responsible for the subject. Census dates vary between study periods. Class requirements The specific activities or sessions you must attend or complete as part of a subject including lectures, tutorials, workshops, labs or online modules. Some subjects have mandatory attendance or participation requirements, and failing to meet them may affect your grades or ability to pass the subject. You can find class requirements in your subject details in the Handbook. Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) A university place where the Australian Government pays part of the cost of your course. You only pay the remaining amount, known as the student contribution. Co-requisite A condition that must be met in order for you to enrol concurrently in a designated subject. The condition may relate to enrolment in a course or in another subject. Core subject A mandatory subject in your course structure. A core subject must be completed to meet the requirements of your degree. Course coordinator The academic member of staff responsible for the management of a specific course. They oversee course design, lead the teaching team, coordinate teaching and course administration and ensure academic standards are met. Course structure The way your course is organised. You can view your course structure in the Handbook to see the subjects you need to complete, how many credit points each is worth and the order you should study them in. Course transfer When you're currently enrolled (including if you're on a Leave of Absence), you can apply to transfer to a new course of study at the same or different Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level or the same course at a different campus. Credit for previous study Credit can be awarded for previous study or relevant work experience and can count toward your degree. This recognition of prior learning will reduce the number of subjects or credit points you need to successfully complete the course. Credit points A measure of the value of a subject and how much it counts toward your degree. At La Trobe, most subjects are 15 credit points, and a full-time study load is 120 credit points per year (usually eight subjects). Credit points help track your progress towards completing your course. Deferment An official agreement between you and the University to delay commencement of your course for up to 12 months after an offer for that course is made. Electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) An online form you must complete to accept Australian Government loans like HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP, SA-HELP or OS-HELP. You must submit the form before the Census date of your first enrolled subject to receive a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP). Enrolment The process you follow to become a student of a subject or subjects within a course at La Trobe University. Enrolment assistance form This form is for situations where you can’t make changes to your study plan on your own, such as adding or replacing subjects. Enrolment quota The maximum number of students who can enrol in a course or subject for a particular intake or study period. Enrolment rules Conditions you must meet to enrol in a subject, such as prerequisites (subjects you must complete first), co-requisites (subjects you take at the same time), incompatible subjects (subjects that are similar or the same in content or learning outcomes) or other requirements. You can find these rules in the Handbook under each subject’s 'Requisite Rules' section. Equivalent Full Time Student Load (EFTSL) EFTSL measures your study load compared to a full-time student. For example, 1.0 EFTSL is equivalent to one year of full-time study. It is used to calculate fees, government funding and study load requirements. FEE-HELP The Australian Government scheme that provides you with a loan to pay your student fees if you're an eligible fee-paying student. Final assessment period The scheduled time at the end of each subject's study period when your final assessments may take place, including exams. Full-time Usually 120 credit points per year – 60 per semester (four subjects) or 30 per term (two subjects). Full-time enrolment is generally required for international student visas and Centrelink entitlements. HECS-HELP The Australian Government scheme that provides you with a loan to pay the student contribution amount of your tuition fees if you have a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP). You repay it through the tax system once your income reaches the repayment threshold. Hurdle requirement A condition that you must meet to be eligible to receive a passing grade in a subject. Incompatible subject A subject that is the same as another subject or covers almost the same content, even if it has a different name or subject code. If you have completed one, you won't be able to enrol in the other. Last date to enrol The final day you can add subjects to your enrolment for a study period. After this date, you can't enrol in new subjects without special approval. Learning Management System (LMS) The online platform for accessing learning materials, submitting assignments and participating in subject activities. At La Trobe, the LMS is accessed with your student username and password. Major A set of subjects (usually 120 credit points) focusing on a specific area of study within your course. Choosing a major lets you specialise in a discipline, and some courses allow two majors. Minor A smaller set of subjects (usually 60 credit points) within your degree that focuses on a secondary area of study. Choosing a minor broadens your knowledge alongside your major. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) A security system that requires more than one method of authentication to verify the user’s identity for a login or other transaction. MFA helps protect your account and must be set up to access La Trobe systems. My eQuals A secure online platform for accessing and sharing verified digital copies of your academic transcript, testamur and Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS). MyLaTrobe Your digital hub for student news, events, wellbeing resources, study tips and more. You can follow MyLaTrobe on Instagram or Facebook, or read the weekly newsletter sent to your student email. Offer An official invitation from the university to study a course. It confirms you’ve met the entry requirements and have a place. You need to accept your offer before you can enrol in subjects. Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) Compulsory health insurance for international students in Australia. OSHC is a visa requirement and helps cover basic medical costs. You must maintain valid OSHC for your entire time in Australia. Plagiarism Academic misconduct that occurs when you use ideas, concepts, words or structures without appropriately acknowledging the source. Self-plagiarism happens when you present text, ideas or data from your own previously submitted scholarly work without written permission from the Subject Coordinator. Prerequisite A condition that you must meet before you can enrol in a designated subject. It ensures you have the knowledge or skills needed to succeed in the next subject. Proxy Someone officially allowed to act on your behalf. In a university setting, this is usually a person who can represent you or make enquiries when you can’t do so yourself. Reading list A collection of recommended or required readings for your subject, such as textbooks, journal articles and book chapters. Provided by your teaching team, it’s available through the Library Reading List tool in the LMS or linked from your subject page in the Handbook. Requisite A rule that applies to some subjects and is shown in the requisite rules section of the Handbook. Common types include prerequisites (complete before), co-requisites (study at the same time) and incompatibles (cannot both be studied). SA-HELP The Commonwealth government scheme that provides students with a loan to cover the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) if they are eligible. Sanction A penalty or restriction applied when you don’t meet certain university requirements, such as paying fees or completing compulsory modules. Sanctions can block access to results, enrolment or transcripts until you take certain steps to resolve the issue. Scholarship Financial support to help cover study costs. Scholarships are offered on a competitive basis and may require an application. They are usually awarded based on academic achievement, financial need, leadership, community involvement or personal circumstances. Semester One of the main study periods in the university year. There are two main semesters – Semester 1 and Semester 2 – and each runs for 12 weeks. Summer is also 12 weeks, but it is optional for most courses. Specialisation A focused area of study within your degree that develops deeper knowledge and skills in a particular field. It usually involves completing a set of related subjects and is similar to a major. Statement of Account An invoice sent to you by the University to advise the amount of fees you owe to the University, including details of how and when to pay. Stream A focus area within your course that develops deeper knowledge in a specific field. Your chosen stream may also act as a pathway to further study and is similar to a major. Student email address Your official La Trobe email address for sending and receiving emails. It includes your student ID followed by @students.latrobe.edu.au (e.g. 12345678@students.latrobe.edu.au). Check it regularly, as this is how the university will contact you. It is different to your username. Student ID An eight-digit number (e.g. 12345678) assigned when you start at La Trobe. It’s permanent and used to identify you across university systems. Your student ID also appears in your username and email address. StudentOnLine StudentOnLine is the system you use to enrol in subjects, view your fees and statements, check your results and keep your personal details up to date. Student username Your username includes your student ID followed by @students.ltu.edu.au (e.g. 12345678@students.ltu.edu.au). It will let you login to La Trobe systems like StudentOnLine, LMS, Allocate+ and Microsoft 365. It looks like an email address but it can’t be used to send or receive emails. It is different to your student email address. Study hub A dedicated off-campus space where you can study and access support. Hubs offer quiet areas, free Wi-Fi, IT facilities, academic help and networking opportunities. La Trobe partners with hubs nationwide to make them free for our students, including Northern Study Hub (NSH), Country Universities Centre (CUC) and Regional University Study Hubs (RUSH). Study period Also called a teaching period. This is the time between the start and end of teaching in any given subject. La Trobe has two main types: semesters (12 weeks) and terms (6 weeks). Study plan An outline of the subjects you’ll complete during your degree, showing the order and combination of core subjects, electives and any majors or specialisations. If you’re unsure about your plan, a Student Advisor can help you review and make changes. Study Without Teaching Vacation (SWOTVAC) SWOTVAC is a study period free of classes before the final assessment period, though this can vary by course. This gives you time to revise and prepare for your final assessments. Subject code The unique combination of letters and numbers that identifies a subject at La Trobe (e.g. PSY1001). Subject coordinator The academic staff member responsible for managing a subject. They oversee its design, delivery, the teaching team and ensure all subject information is accurate. They can provide advice on learning outcomes and assessments and assist with enrolment issues and approvals. Subject Learning Guide A document that explains everything about your subject, including learning outcomes, assessment details, weekly topics and key resources. It’s available on your subject page in the Learning Management System (LMS). Term A six-week study period where subjects are taught in an intensive format. Terms are different from semesters (which are 12 weeks) and allow you to complete subjects faster. Each term has its own start and end dates, Census date and exam period. Unique Student Identifier (USI) An Australian Government-issued reference number that creates an online record of your training and qualifications in Australia. You need a USI to receive your degree and access government assistance like a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) or HELP loan. It’s unique, lasts for life and is different from your La Trobe student ID. University Handbook La Trobe’s online guide to all courses, subjects, majors and minors. It shows course structures, subject descriptions and requirements. Use the Handbook to plan your study and stay on track to graduate. Weighted Average Mark (WAM) A measure of your overall academic performance, based on your subject marks and the credit points of each subject. Working rights The conditions that apply to international students on a student visa when working in Australia. These conditions may include limits on the number of hours you can work during your studies. Working rights are set by the Australian Government. Always check your visa conditions and the Department of Home Affairs website for the most up-to-date information.