Academic Standing

Remember, failing does not make you a failure. If you're struggling with a fail grade or unexpected marks, find more resources and information here.

Have you got your results and your academic standing is Academic Risk, Suspension or Exclusion?

If you're on Academic Risk Level 1, 2 or 3 you'll be told to go and see an Academic Advisor in your school. You must try to work out with your academic advisor how to avoid failing. When you see the academic advisor (and you must!) ask them serious questions. Make sure you do not do a load which is too much for you. Make sure you know which are the hardest subjects, and if you can balance some of the more difficult ones with easier ones until you get yourself back to Good Standing and have resolved whatever problems lead to you failing.

Sometimes Academic Advisors are not members of academic staff, and will not have knowledge of the course content. If your academic advisor is not able to answer questions about the difficulty of courses, consult with individual lecturers, course co-ordinator or the director of undergraduate studies if there is one.

Also consider getting in touch with the Learning Centre, for workshops and further resources to help you get back to Good Standing.

Pass Concede grade

As of semester 1, 2016, there is no longer the pass concede grade. Previously the pass concede grade has been awarded for students achieving marks between 46-49 dependant on their previous WAM. This grade is no longer applicable and if you get an overall grade under 50 you have failed the course. The abolition of the Pass Concede grade does not affect the current rules with respect to special consideration; these rules remain unchanged.

Counselling Service

There is absolutely no point in going to see a counsellor after you have been put on suspension if you expect to use your attendance at Counselling as an example of how you are resolving your problems. You need to have been attending earlier than this, and be able to demonstrate that you are attempting to resolve the matters affecting you.

Been suspended or excluded?

Suspension means you cannot enroll for one year (but you have automatic right of re-entry the following year). Exclusion means you need to apply for re-entry to your course, and there is no guarantee of a place.

If you want to appeal a suspension or exclusion, you need to present a very solid case.

You should indicate to the committee what has caused you to fail and how, and then specify why these factors either do not apply any more, or how you are mitigating their impact on you.

Many students appear before the Committee. If you do appear it is extremely unlikely you will give yourself any advantage. You may even put yourself at some disadvantage. The Committee scrutinises your academic record and will ask you questions about it. It is not a pleasant experience appearing before the committee.

Your appeal letter should include everything you want to say to the committee. You won't give yourself any advantage by bringing something up in their presence which is new. The appeal must include supporting documentation if you have this, such as medical information, or letters from other professionals or trusted persons. And make sure you get your appeal letter in on time!

Read through all the information on appeals here and reach out to Arc Legal & Advocacy for help writing your draft. 

Should you appeal?

A final thing to remember: you don't have to appeal a suspension, and there are times when things happen in a person's life and it is best not to be studying. Don't just appeal for the sake of it - only appeal if you will genuinely be able to commit to your study next year. If the circumstances which have led you to fail still aren't resolved, you might find yourself in the same situation next time round, which might lead you to failing again, building up a huge HELP debt and risking exclusion. If that sounds like you, talk to someone before appealing.

---

Need more information?

If you'd like to get in touch with Arc Legal & Advocacy, you can send us an email or book an appointment with us.