Managing your course

Changes when you’ve started studying

You may decide to make changes to your course while you’re studying, such as transferring to a new course.

Some providers allow you to defer your course or change the number of subjects you’re taking, also known as your study load.

Contact your provider for information on changing your course or study load, and about how changes may affect your course or government fee assistance.

If you get a payment from Services Australia

Changes to your course or study load may affect payments you get from Services Australia. You need to tell Services Australia about changes to your study load within 14 days.

Find out more about how to manage your Centrelink payment on the Services Australia website.

If you're on a student visa

Changing your course may affect your student visa. Before changing your course, you need to tell the Department of Home Affairs. They will let you know if the change you’d like to make will continue to meet the conditions of your visa.

Find out more about how your visa may be affected by study changes on the Department of Home Affairs website.

Withdrawing from study

The last date you can formally withdraw from any units of study is referred to as either the:

• census day for VET
• census date for higher education.

This date is set by your provider. If you withdraw by this date, you will not be charged the fees.

Contact your provider for more information on when your census day or date is and how to formally withdraw from your studies.

If you withdraw after the census day or date

You will be charged fees for any units of study you withdraw from after the census day or date, unless you’re eligible for special circumstances.

Find out more about special circumstances for:

• VET Student Loans on the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations website
• HELP loans on the Study Assist website.

Making a complaint

VET complaints

If you have an issue with your VET provider, there are steps you can take to submit and resolve complaints.

Find out more about how to resolve your debt complaints on the Department of Education and Workplace Relations website.

Higher education complaints

If you have an issue with your higher education provider, you should contact them. If your issue remains unresolved, you can make a formal complaint using the complaint form on their website.

Find out more about higher education student complaints, including appealing your complaint decision, on the Study Assist website.