UWA Handbook 2025

5. Applying for admission, re-admission and enrolment

(1) Before first enrolling in a course, a person must have applied for, and been granted, admission to the University. The detailed procedures for admission to coursework courses of the University are covered by the University Admissions Coursework Procedures available in the UWA policy library.

(2) Before first enrolling in non-award studies, a person must have applied for, and been granted, permission to enrol in those studies.

(3) A person who has been classed as having discontinued their course must apply for, and be granted, re-admission to the University before re-enrolling in a course.

6. Offer of admission or re-admission

(1) An offer of admission or re-admission to the University is valid only if the offer is made by the University.

(2) An offer of admission or re-admission made to a person may require the person to provide documents, or fulfil other requirements or conditions, as specified in the offer.

(3) The detailed procedures for admission to coursework courses of the University are covered by the University Admissions Coursework Procedures available in the UWA policy library.

7. Enrolment responsibilities and procedures

(1) A person who has been granted permission to enrol in a course of the University or in non-award studies is responsible for enrolling and, where relevant, re-enrolling.

Note: Rule 21(3) deals with a student's failure to re-enrol and the cancellation of their enrolment.

(2) A student must ensure that their enrolment record is accurate and must rectify any identified discrepancies in that record that relate to their enrolment.

(3) To complete a valid enrolment, a person must submit an enrolment—

(a) unless (4) applies, by the relevant closing date; and

(b) in the manner, and with the required information and payment of any required fees, as specified by the Registrar.

(4) A person may apply to enrol after the relevant closing date.

(5) A person who is permitted to enrol after the relevant closing date must pay a late fee unless (6) applies.

(6) A person may have the late fee waived by the Registrar because of exceptional circumstances.

(7) A person enrolling in non-award studies only must do so in accordance with their approved enrolment details.

(8) A person enrolling in either a course of the University or non-award studies must sign a declaration acknowledging that they are subject to all laws, relevant to them including the statutes, by-laws, regulations, rules and policies of the University.

Note: The Charter of Student Rights and Responsibilities (UP07/132) includes the following provision:
1.2(d) Every student has the responsibility to make themselves aware of and comply with statutes, regulations, rules and policies of the University which apply to them.

8. Personal information

(1) A student must provide information, including their full name, photo, proof of identity, address for correspondence and other contact details, as required by the University for purposes such as record keeping, compiling statistical information and complying with State or Commonwealth legislation.

(2) A student who changes their name or other relevant personal information after admission to the University must inform the University in writing accordingly.

(3) A student who changes their name must provide the University with original or certified copies of any relevant documents, such as a birth certificate, marriage certificate or other change of name documents.

Note: A student's name recorded by the University at the time results are officially released for the last period of their enrolment is the name used by the University for the purposes of the student's graduation.

9. Addition of a unit to an enrolment

(1) This rule applies to a student who is permitted by the rules that apply to their course to add a unit to their enrolment in a teaching period.

(2) If this rule applies to a student, the student may add the unit to their enrolment—

(a) no later than the relevant addition date set out in Schedule 1: Dates (changing enrolment); or

(b) after the relevant addition date, if—

(i) the student pays the relevant administrative charge set out in Schedule 2: Fees (undergraduate) and Schedule 2: Fees (postgraduate); and

(ii) the student satisfies the relevant school or board that exceptional circumstances exist that justify the addition of the unit; and

(iii) the relevant school or board agrees to the addition of the unit.

Note: The HES Act census date applies to Commonwealth-supported students in relation to the addition of units.

10. Repeating units

(1) Unless the relevant school or board decides that there are sound academic reasons for a student to do so, the student must not enrol in a unit with the same content, or substantially the same content, as the content of a unit that they have previously passed or had credited towards their course.

(2) If a student is permitted to repeat a unit, the unit is credited only once towards their course.

11. Non-award enrolments

Except in the case of—

(a) an enrolment under a student exchange program; or

(b) a cross-institutional enrolment; or

(c) an enrolment involving exceptional circumstances approved by the Registrar and the relevant school, a student proposing to enrol in a unit on a non-award basis must apply to UWA Admissions Office to take the unit on a continuing education or audit basis.

12. Withdrawal from a unit

(1) (2) applies to a student who is permitted by the rules that apply to their course to withdraw from enrolment in a unit.

(2) A student may withdraw from enrolment in the unit—

(a) without academic penalty—if the withdrawal is no later than the relevant withdrawal date set out in Schedule 1: Dates (changing enrolment); or

(b) subject to (3), with academic penalty—if the withdrawal is after the relevant withdrawal date set out in Schedule 1: Dates (changing enrolment)and no later than the last day of the teaching period for the unit.

(3) A student may withdraw from enrolment in a unit without academic penalty in the period described in (2)(b) if the student satisfies the relevant school or board that there are extreme mitigating circumstances.

(4) Subject to (5), a student cannot withdraw from enrolment in a unit after the last day of the teaching period for the unit.

(5) A student may withdraw from enrolment in a unit after the last day of the teaching period for the unit if the student satisfies the relevant school or board that there are extreme mitigating circumstances.

13. Prerequisite units, co-requisite units and incompatible units

When selecting units for a course, a student must comply with any relevant requirement relating to prerequisite units, co-requisite units or incompatible units, unless that requirement has been waived by the relevant school or board because of exceptional circumstances.

14. Relationship between majors

When nominating a major for a course, a student must comply with any relevant requirement relating to a prerequisite unit or a complementary unit, a co-requisite major or an incompatible major, unless that requirement has been waived by the relevant school or board because of exceptional circumstances.

15. Full-time and part-time enrolments, and overloads

(1) Although the standard annual full-time load for a student is 48 points, a student is considered to be enrolled on a full-time basis if enrolled in units—

(a) with a value of at least 18 points in a semester; or

(b) with a value at least equivalent to the value stated in (a), calculated on a proportional basis, for a teaching period that is other than a semester.

(2) If the value of units in which a student is enrolled is less than that described in (1)(a) for a semester or less than that described in (1)(b) for a teaching period other than a semester, the student is enrolled on a part-time basis.

(3) A student must apply to the relevant board for approval to enrol in units that will result in the standard annual full-time load being exceeded beyond the limits imposed by the course rules.

16. Concurrent enrolment in two courses

A student must apply to the relevant school or board for approval to enrol concurrently in two courses where such enrolment is permitted in terms of University policy.

17. Time limits for completion of courses

A student enrolled in a course must complete the course within the relevant time limit specified by the Academic Board unless the relevant school or board has given the student approval to complete the course within a specified extended time limit in recognition of exceptional circumstances.

Time Limits by Course Type

18. Recognition of previously completed study or professional experience

(1) A person must apply to the relevant school or board if they wish a qualification or unit of study that they have completed at another institution to be recognised as equivalent to a qualification or unit completed at this University.

(2) A person must apply to the relevant school or board if they wish relevant professional experience to be recognised as equivalent to a qualification or unit completed at this University.

(3) A person who makes an application under this rule must provide any evidence in support of the application that is required by the relevant school or board for a proper consideration of the application.

19. Credit for previously completed study or professional experience

(1) Subject to (2), a student must apply to the relevant school or board if they are seeking credit towards a course to be granted on the basis of—

(a) a unit of study or other work completed in another course at the University or at another institution, including a course provided by a professional provider, a private educational institution or a similar body;

(b) non-award studies that have been completed; or

(c) relevant professional experience.

(2) The University Policy on credit transfer, advanced standing and recognition of prior learning specifies the maximum amount of credit that may be granted towards each award course.

(3) A person who makes an application under this rule must provide any evidence in support of the application that is required by the relevant school or board for a proper consideration of the application.

20. Approved leave

(1) A student must apply to the relevant school or board for approval of a period of leave from a course if the student—

(a) does not wish to re-enrol in any units in the course in the following teaching period; or

(b) withdraws from each unit in which they are enrolled before achieving any results for that teaching period; and

(c) intends to return to the award course after the period of leave.

(2) To extend a period of approved leave a student must apply to the relevant school or board, setting out the reasons why the extension is wanted.

21. Cancellation of enrolment

(1) A student may cancel their enrolment in a course or in non-award studies by notifying the relevant school or board that—

(a) they are withdrawing from each unit in which they are enrolled; and

(b) they do not intend to return to the course or non-award studies at a later time.

(2) Rule 12 applies to a student who withdraws from one or more units as the result of cancelling their enrolment under (1).

(3) A student who—

(a) does not re-enrol in any teaching period during their course; and

(b) has not successfully applied for approved leave under Rule 20, is taken to have cancelled their enrolment under (1) and is classed as having discontinued their course.

22. Termination of enrolment

(1) A student's admission and/or enrolment may be terminated or re-enrolment may be denied at the discretion of the University in situations where:

(i) the student has engaged in dishonest and/or deceitful behaviour (not already covered under the University Policy on Academic Conduct) during the course of study at the University;

(ii) the student has been excluded from a course at the University on more than one occasion;

(iii) the student has previously been suspended or excluded from a course at another institution;

(iv) there is evidence that the student has made minimal or no academic progress during the enrolled course of study over four standard teaching periods and/or would be unable to meet the requirements of the course within the time limit specified for the course; or

(v) the University considers that the student poses a risk to members of the University and/or the wider community.