Domestic students

If you’re a domestic student, you can usually choose to study part-time. Just keep in mind, if you change your intended study load below 18 credit points per semester, you may not be eligible for government payments such as Youth Allowance, Austudy or public transport concessions.

When to underload

To avoid academic and financial penalties, make sure you underload (by withdrawing from units) before 11.59pm (Melbourne time) on the census date for the relevant teaching period.

How to underload

You can reduce the number of enrolled units by changing your study load from full-time to part-time in the Web Enrolment System (WES). WES won't automatically withdraw you from units, so you'll still need to select the units you want to withdraw.

WES may force you to enrol for the entire year, and in more credit points than you plan to study. If this happens, and you think this requirement doesn't apply to you, submit an Enrolment Amendment Form.

International students

If you're on a student visa, you must complete your course in the time stated on your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE). To do this, you need to enrol in a full-time study load (this equates to 24 credit points per semester or 48 credit points per academic calendar year). If you’re completing a unit in a winter or summer semester, these count towards your study load for each semester:

• winter units count towards semester two
• summer A (SSA) units count towards semester two
• summer B (SSB) units count towards semester one.

The Web Enrolment System (WES) won’t allow you to submit your enrolment unless you enrol in enough units to meet your approved study load requirement, so you’ll need to apply for approval from your faculty before you can reduce your study load.

If your application is approved, you may need a new CoE with an updated course completion date. See extending your visa for more information.

Reasons for underloading

You can apply for approval to underload due to compassionate or compelling circumstances.

Compassionate or compelling circumstances

Compassionate or compelling circumstances are personal circumstances that:

• are involuntary and outside your control (such as medical, family, wellbeing, or enrolment circumstances), and
• present you with limited or no choice but to underload your study.

Examples include:

• serious illness or exceptional personal circumstances
• course structure, progression rules or unit availability that prevents a standard enrolment load.

When you don't need approval

You won’t need to apply for approval to underload if you:

• are in your final year and will complete your course within the time stated on your CoE
• are enrolled in a combination of standard semester and summer or winter units that total at least 48 credit points per academic year
• are required to reduce your study load by your faculty’s Academic Progress Committee.

When to apply

Submit your application by 11.59pm (Melbourne time) on the census date for that teaching period to avoid penalties.

How to apply

To apply for approval, submit an application with your supporting documents.

Underload Request form

Overloading is to enrol in more than the standard number of units in each year. You can request to overload your enrolment if you meet both criteria below within the last 12 months:

• completed 48 credit points, and
• achieved a Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of 60 or higher.

Exceptions may apply to high-achieving students in approved programs.

Some courses may not allow acceleration – this may be due to professional accreditation and/or clinical requirements.

How to apply

Australian campuses

Submit a request to overload. We’ll email you with the outcome of your application within five working days.

Overload Request form (Australian campuses)

Malaysia campus

If you're studying at the Malaysia campus, use the Malaysia campus overload request form.

When to apply

You must submit your request at least five University working days before the start of the teaching period in which you want to overload.

If you apply too late, your timetable may be affected and you might not be able to enrol in the units you’ve chosen.

You also need to get your results from the previous teaching period before you can apply.