Appeal your termination of enrolment
Lodge an appeal against termination of enrolment due to repeated course fails or exceeding the maximum time to complete your program.
Appeal for re-admission to your program
If your program enrolment has been terminated due to:
- Repeated fails of a course or course rule
- Exceeding the maximum time to complete your program
You have the right to lodge an appeal to the Re-Enrolment Appeal Committee.
Important note
You must lodge your appeal to the Re-Enrolment Appeal Committee by the deadline advised in your letter of notification of suspension or exclusion. You will not be given the opportunity to lodge a late appeal, nor will any extensions be granted.
If you are awaiting the outcome of a Special Consideration application, supplementary exam, Review of Results application or a conduct and integrity matter, you are strongly encouraged to lodge an appeal while you wait as late submissions will not be accepted.
As this is your one opportunity to appeal to the Committee for re-admission to your program, it is important to provide all relevant information and supporting documentation when you submit your appeal. If you are having difficulty gathering the information and documents you require by the deadline, email academic.progression@unsw.edu.au.
Your appeal must not exceed one document. It should include:
- Your personal statement
- Relevant supporting documentation
The Committee's decision will be final. There will be no further opportunity for you to update your appeal or have it reconsidered.
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Firstly, your personal statement must demonstrate to the Re-Enrolment Appeal Committee that you have carefully considered and acknowledged the reason(s) for your lack of satisfactory progress. Reasons might include:
- Academic issues
- Course-related problems
- Employment problems
- Family and personal problems
- Medical problems.
Secondly, the Committee will require an outline of the steps you will take and the changes you will make to ensure you are successful in your studies, should you be permitted to re-enrol.
Whilst the Re-enrolment Appeals Committee are interested in the reason(s) for your poor academic progression in the previous term(s), they are primarily concerned with what steps you will take. This includes what changes you will make, and have made, to ensure that that your studies will not be affected in the future should your appeal be successful.
If you are in your final year of study, your statement should also include the units of credit you have remaining and the courses you plan to study in your remaining terms, should you be permitted to re-enrol.
Examples
1. If health issues have negatively impacted your studies, the Committee will want to see that you have addressed this by engaging with a medical practitioner for advice and treatment. If this is the case, the Committee will also require a letter from your medical practitioner (e.g. doctor, psychologist, University counsellor) outlining their professional opinion regarding your ability to study.
2. If you state that you worked too much and this negatively impacted your studies, the Committee will want to see how you have addressed this. You may intend to work less hours next term to enable you to dedicate more time to your studies. If this is the case, you will also need to address how you plan to financially support yourself if you are to work less.
For guidance on how to structure your personal statement, refer to the sample letter structure below.
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Your supporting documents should further highlight the information outlined in your personal statement. Documents must be from a specialist doctor, counsellor, Minister of Religion or other independent third party and should clearly outline:
- The date your circumstance(s) began or changed
- How your circumstance(s) were beyond your control
- How your circumstance(s) affected your ability to study
- Action(s) you have taken to overcome the circumstance(s).
If your supporting documentation includes a personal statement made on a Statutory Declaration, it must be witnessed and signed by a Justice of the Peace, as should verified copies of original supporting documentation. Please be advised that a Justice of the Peace cannot write or provide supporting documentation; they are only permitted to witness and verify documentation.
All supporting documentation must be in English or have been translated by a NAATI-certified translator.
Please be aware that providing falsified documents will result in a range of penalties, from course failure to suspension or exclusion. In some cases, the matter could also be reported to ICAC. View the UNSW Code of Conduct and Values.
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Our Student Support Advisors run Academic Standing Appeals Workshops to guide you step by step on how to prepare your appeal submission. Choose one of the workshops below and register to secure your spot:
Workshop 1
Friday 12 September 20251:00 - 2:00pm (Sydney time) | Online via Zoom
Register now
Workshop 2
Thursday 18 September 20253:00 - 4:00pm (Sydney time) | Online via Zoom
Register now
If you are unable to attend either of the sessions above, you can also book an appointment with a Student Support Advisor for personal support through the process. We also have 24/7 urgent mental health support services for you to access in times of need or distress.
If you need further assistance with compiling your appeal, you can reach out to Arc Legal & Advocacy who will be able to offer confidential and independent advice, free of charge.
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Compile your personal statement and supporting documents into one PDF document. The file name should follow this format: LAST NAME, First Name, zID.
UNSW Sydney & UNSW College students
- Domestic students can appeal here
- International student visa holders can appeal here
UNSW Online and other students on the Hexamester calendar
- Domestic students can appeal here
- International student visa holders can appeal here
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The Re-Enrolment Appeals Committee will consider your appeal approximately two weeks after the appeal submission deadline stated in your Notification of Termination.
The outcome of your appeal will be sent to your UNSW student email and personal email address (as provided in your appeal submission).
See also
Find answers to frequently asked questions about academic progression:
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A program transfer will not reset your termination status. Therefore, if you are facing termination due to the Maximum Repeat Fail rule, you must lodge an appeal to continue with your studies.
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Yes. Unresolved results can lead to termination due to the Maximum Repeat Fail rule. If the withheld result becomes a passing grade, your academic progression will be recalculated and you may no longer face termination.
If you are waiting on withheld results, you should lodge an appeal because the resolution of results can take some time.
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As there is no way of knowing the outcome of such matters, we strongly encourage you to lodge an appeal by the deadline while you are waiting.
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You have the right to appear before the Re-Enrolment Appeals Committee of the Academic Board. However, it should be noted that appearing before the Committee does not necessarily mean that your appeal will be advantaged.
The Committee makes its decision based on an objective review of each individual case and the documentary evidence supplied. As the Committee cannot consider new information introduced at the interview, you need to make your written appeal as comprehensive as possible.
If you decide to appear before the Committee, you will have the opportunity to further comment on your appeal. The Committee will have the chance to ask questions related to your appeal and your plan going forward.
If you wish to appear before the Committee, you must clearly indicate this in your personal statement.
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Yes. You can apply to study a new program under the usual admission procedures. Please note that you cannot apply for admission to the same award in which your enrolment was terminated.
However, you can apply for admission to another program and may receive Recognition for Prior Learning.
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Yes, but please be aware that successful completion of your Summer Term course(s) will not be considered by the Committee and will have no bearing on the outcome of your appeal.
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Standard 8 of the National Code requires that all international student visa holders who are not achieving satisfactory progress in their program of study be given 20 working days in which to access UNSW's complaints and appeals process.
Following the appeals process, an international student visa holder whose appeal has been unsuccessful will be reported to the Department of Home Affairs in accordance with Standard 9 of the National Code for failure to achieve satisfactory progress in their program of study.
For further advice on how the termination of enrolment in your program may affect your international student visa, please email international.student@unsw.edu.au.
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If you choose to appeal your termination and suspension or exclusion, you are only required to lodge one appeal.
Your appeal should address the circumstances that prevented you from passing the same course or course rule multiple times, as well as those that prevented you from maintaining satisfactory progress.
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