This page lists the steps for lodging an appeal against a standing level of Suspension or Exclusion. If you believe your academic standing level has been incorrectly calculated, please email [email protected] .
Please take your time in reading the following information which explains the process to prepare and lodge your appeal.
IMPORTANT
You must lodge your appeal no later than the deadline advised on your letter of notification of Suspension or Exclusion.
If you are awaiting the outcome of a Special Consideration application, Supplementary Assessment, Supplementary Exam, Review of Results application or a Conduct and Integrity matter, then you are strongly encouraged to lodge an appeal by the deadline specified in the Academic Standing communication you received following the release of results.
As there is no way of knowing the outcome of such matters, you must lodge your appeal by the specified deadline as you will not be given the opportunity to lodge a late appeal, nor will any extensions be granted.
As this is your one opportunity to appeal to the Committee for readmission to your program, it is very important that you provide all relevant information and supporting documentation at the time that you submit your appeal. You should contact our office if you are going to have difficulty gathering supporting documentation and information by the appeal deadline.
Please note, once the Committee have made a decision, there is no further opportunity for you to update your appeal or to have it reconsidered. Their decision will be final.
Your appeal must not exceed one document and must include your personal statement and relevant supporting documentation.
If you need assistance with compiling your appeal, we recommend you reaching out to Arc Legal & Advocacy who offer confidential and independent advice (all students can access this free service). You can call Arc on (02) 9385 7700 or email [email protected] .
For detailed information regarding your personal statement and relevant supporting documentation, please refer to the following:
Your personal statement must address the reason(s) why your academic progression has not been satisfactory, as well as the plan you intend to implement to address and resolve these issues. Your personal statement should briefly address the issue(s) which negatively impacted on your academic progression.
The reason(s) for your unsatisfactory progress may include, but are not limited to, the following:
More importantly, the Committee also require an outline of what steps you will take and what changes you will make to ensure that you are successful in your studies should your appeal be successful and you be permitted to re-enrol in your program.
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 and what changes you will make (as well as the changes you have already made) to ensure that that your studies will not be affected in the future should your appeal be successful.
Some examples might include:
The Re-enrolment Appeals Committee want you to demonstrate that you have carefully considered and acknowledged the reason(s) why you have not made satisfactory progress. It is important for you to acknowledge the cause(s) for your lack of progress so that you can implement changes to improve your performance.
If you are in the final year of your program, the Re-enrolment Appeals Committee would also like you to tell us the number of units of credit you have remaining, as well as which courses you intend to study in each of your remaining terms.
For a guide regarding how to structure your supporting statement, please refer to this letter structure (PDF).
Your supporting documentation, which further highlights the information outlined in your personal statement, must be from a specialist doctor, counsellor, Minister of Religion, or independent third party and clearly outline:
If your supporting documentation includes a personal statement made on a Statutory Declaration, please be advised that the declaration 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.
You must ensure that all supporting documentation is in English language or has been translated by a NAATI-certified translator.
If you need assistance with compiling your appeal, we recommend reaching out to Arc Legal & Advocacy who offer confidential and independent advice (all students can access this free service). You can call Arc on (02) 9385 7700 or email [email protected] .
Student Support Advisors run Academic Standing Appeals Workshops, where they guide you step by step through how to prepare and lodge your appeal. If you are unable to attend a workshop or have further questions, you can also meet with a Student Support Advisor for personal support through the process. You can book an appointment with Student Support here .
Academic Standing Appeals Workshops
Please register here for the upcoming workshops
Workshop 1 Wednesday, 4 September from 3pm - 4pm (Sydney time)
Workshop 2 Friday, 13 September from 11am - 12pm (Sydney time)
If the appeals process is causing you distress, please contact the Team at Mental Health Connect ( 02 9385 5418) , who are available Mondays to Fridays from 9am-5pm. Direct counsellor support is also available after hours via text 0485 826 595 (5pm-9am weekdays, 24hrs weekends/public holidays).
For additional, personal support, you may also consider contacting UNSW Psychology & Wellness who offers a free and confidential counselling service to students. Detailed information regarding their services is available here.
You can lodge your appeal (your combined PDF) via our online portal here:
You can lodge your appeal (your combined PDF) via our online portal here:
The Re-Enrolment Appeals Committee will consider your appeal approximately two weeks after the appeal submission deadline stated in the academic standing communication you received following release of results.
Notification of the outcome of your appeal will be sent to your student email and personal email addresses (as provided in your online appeal submission).
If you are currently enrolled in Summer Term but are Suspended or Excluded, you are permitted to continue studying.
Here you will find answers to frequently asked questions about Suspension and Exclusion.
As academic standing is determined at the career level (i.e. at the undergraduate/postgraduate level), a program transfer will not reset your academic standing level. Therefore, if your academic standing is Suspension, Exclusion and/or Termination, then you must lodge an appeal to continue with your studies.
Yes, unresolved results can lead to an academic standing of Suspension or Exclusion. If the withheld result becomes a passing grade, your academic standing is recalculated and may become something other than Suspension or Exclusion.
Because resolution of results can take some time, if you are in this situation, you should assume that your academic standing is Suspension or Exclusion and lodge an appeal.
If you are awaiting the outcome of a Special Consideration application, Supplementary Assessment, Supplementary Exam, Review of Results application or a Conduct and Integrity matter, then you are strongly encouraged to lodge an appeal by the deadline specified in the Academic Standing communication you received following the release of results.
As there is no way of knowing the outcome of such matters, you must lodge your appeal by the specified deadline as you will not be given the opportunity to lodge a late appeal, nor will any extensions be granted.
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 interview, you need to make your written appeal as comprehensive as possible.
Should you decide to appear before the Committee, you would have the opportunity to further comment on your appeal and the Committee would have the opportunity to ask any questions of you in relation 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.
The Committee's decision is final. There is no further right of appeal within UNSW.
No, academic standing is determined at the career level (i.e. at the undergraduate/postgraduate level). As a result, if you are Suspended or Excluded from one program, you cannot apply to study another program during the period of Suspension or Exclusion.
Yes, but please be aware that successful completion of the Summer course(s) will not be considered by the Re-Enrolment Appeals Committee and will have no bearing on the outcome of your appeal.
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 your academic standing may affect your international student visa, please email [email protected] .
If you choose to appeal your Suspension/Exclusion and Termination, you are only required to lodge one appeal.
Your appeal should address the circumstances which prevented you from maintaining satisfactory progress, as well as those which prevented you from passing the same course/or course rule multiple times.
You will be notified of the outcome of your appeal approximately two weeks after the appeal submission deadline stated in your Academic Standing letter.
You may review the procedure here.
These support services can help you improve your academic standing: