Discussion of Standard 9 – Completion within expected duration of study
Introduction
What's new
Obligations and responsibilities
Implications for different sectors
Documents, knowledge and procedures
Definitions
Learning Activity
National Code 2007
DEST (now DEEWR) Commentary
The National Code supports the integrity of the Australian Government’s migration laws by requiring students to complete their course within its expected duration. This duration is to be based on the normal time required to complete the course. The normal duration of a course may be established by the appropriate quality assurance framework for that sector (e.g. the Australian Qualifications Framework, relevant state and territory government legislation or guidelines). This approach offers registered providers and students some flexibility to vary the enrolment load to suit the student’s needs and course requirements. However, it also recognises that students may not always be able to complete the course within the expected duration of study and provides for extensions in a limited range of circumstances.
Generic standard applicable to all sectors
- A student can now study up to 25% of their course online.
- A student does not need to maintain a fulltime study load. The aim is for the student to finish within the expected duration of the course. This gives the provider and the student some flexibility in managing the student’s workload.
- Further reference document: DEST
Comparison Chart
(December 2006).
Obligations and responsibilities
- A student's CoE cannot exceed the CRICOS registered course duration except in the circumstances outlined in section 9.2.
- In monitoring a student’s workload, the provider must ensure that a student is studying at least one unit in each compulsory study period for the course that is not by distance or online learning.
- If it becomes clear that a student will not complete their course
within the CRICOS registered time, a student's course can only be extended
for certain reasons:
- compassionate or compelling circumstances
- the implementation of a provider's intervention strategy for students at risk of not meeting satisfactory course progress
- the granting of an approved deferment or suspension of study as per Standard 13 (Course credit).
- A student can undertake:
- no more than 25 per cent of the total course in which they are enrolled by distance education or online study
- cannot be enrolled exclusively in distance or online learning units in any compulsory study period.
Implications for different sectors
- The timing of intervention strategies that will assist students who are at risk of not meeting course requirements, would depend on course duration and should reflect the course duration common to any specific sector. For example, an ELICOS five-week language course would require a different intervention timeframe than a four-year degree course.
- The restriction on distance education or online study may have implications for students who have only one unit left to complete which is only offered by distance education or online study. This may require the student to complete their course outside of Australia.
List of documents and specific knowledge of institutional and government matters and procedures required for this standard
- Documents:
- that indicate a student's unit enrolment type for their total course and for each unit in a compulsory study period
- documents relating to any compassionate and compelling circumstances that have interfered with a student's ability to complete the course within the expected duration
- documents relating to any approved deferment or suspension
- documents that relate to a student's poor academic progress and action taken to intervene
- well maintained student files that record the above.
- Knowledge:
- the provider must make sure that the CRICOS registered course duration is accurate, in line with applicable quality assurance frameworks and is based on the normal amount of full time study to complete the course
- the relevant staff of the provider must be aware of expected duration of the course as registered on CRICOS
- a knowledge of and understanding of what is considered by DIAC to be compassionate or compelling circumstances
- Standard 13 of the National Code
- Section 19(2) of the ESOS Act.
- Procedures:
- documented procedures for monitoring a student’s workload to ensure that the student completes within the expected duration as registered on CRICOS.
- an institutional early intervention strategy in place for students who are at risk of poor academic progress.
- procedure for approving deferment or suspension of study (See Standard 13)
- a procedure for updating a student's file and reporting the student via PRISMS and/or issuing a new CoE when the circumstances outlined in section 9.2 apply.
Definitions of key words/phrases
- Compassionate or compelling circumstances
- The provider must determine whether the student’s request is genuine, and be able to assess that the student’s chances of satisfactorily completing the course within the nominated timeframe will be strengthened by permission to suspend studies for a short, nominated period. DIAC must approve these circumstances. Such examples include but are not limited to unexpected severe illness or death of a family member; the student is involved in custody proceedings for their child; the student or accompanying family member has an acute medical condition requiring treatment; the student has been involved in legal proceedings where the timing is beyond the student’s control; the student has been caught up in a natural disaster, political uprising or other similar event; the student has an accident, falls seriously ill or contracts a serious medical condition after arriving in Australia; or the student is pregnant (refer to National Code draft, April 2006, appendix B). It may also be when a provider is unable to offer a pre-requisite unit. - Compulsory study period
- A compulsory study period is one in which the student must enrol unless granted a deferment or suspension from enrolment or leave of absence under Standard 13 (Deferring, suspending or cancelling the student’s enrolment). A compulsory study period does not include periods in which the student can elect to undertake additional studies. See also ‘Study period'. - Course progress
- The measure of advancement within a course towards the completion of that course irrespective of whether course completion is identified through academic merit or skill based competencies. - CRICOS: The Commonwealth Register of Institutions
and Courses for Overseas Students
- This is the register prescribed under section 10 of the ESOS Act. - Distance learning
- Study in which the teacher and overseas student are separated in time or space throughout the duration of the unit of study (including online learning), but does not include study where the student is resident in his or her home country or another country offshore. Distance learning differs from online learning in that the study may be undertaken through written correspondence and exchange of hard copy materials. - Expected duration of course
- Amount of time (weeks, months or years) the registered provider has registered with CRICOS for the course to be successfully completed. - Online learning
- Study in which the teacher and overseas student communicate mainly through electronic technologies for the unit. For the purpose of the National Code, permissible online learning does not include study where the student is resident in his or her home country or another country and undertaking a unit of study with a registered provider which is located in Australia. - PRISMS: The Provider Registration and International
Student Management System
- This is the system used to process information given to the Secretary of DEST by registered providers. - Unit
- A discrete component of study within a course; the term includes ‘subject’ and ‘module’.
Learning Activity
National Code 2007
Discussion of Standard 9
Registered providers monitor the workload of students to ensure they
complete the course
within the duration specified in their CoE and do not exceed the allowable
portion of online or distance learning. Registered providers only enable
students to extend the expected duration of study for the course through
the issuing of a new CoE in limited circumstances.
| 9.1 | The registered provider must have and implement documented policies and procedures for monitoring the progress of each student to ensure that at all times the student is in a position to complete the course within the expected duration as specified on the student’s CoE. In monitoring this enrolment load, the registered provider must ensure that in each compulsory study period for a course, the student is studying at least one unit that is not by distance or online learning. |
| 9.2 | The registered provider may only extend the duration of the student’s study where it is clear that the student will not complete the course within the expected duration, as specified on the student’s CoE, as the result of:
|
| 9.3 | Where there is a variation in the student’s load which may affect the student’s expected duration of study in accordance with 9.2, the registered provider is to record this variation and the reasons for it on the student file. The registered provider must correctly report the student via PRISMS and/or issue a new CoE when the student can only account for the variation/s by extending his or her expected duration of study. |
| 9.4 | The registered provider may allow the student to undertake no more than 25 per cent of the student’s total course by distance and/or online learning. However, the registered provider must not enrol the student exclusively in distance or online learning units in any compulsory study period. |
| 9.5 | Except in the circumstances specified in 9.2, the expected duration of study specified in the student’s CoE must not exceed the CRICOS registered course duration. |
