International students on a student visa

If you need to transfer to another university or college within the first six months of your main course of study, you’ll need to apply for release from the University. You won’t be able to accept an offer at another institution unless your release has been approved.

You don't need permission for release if you’re:

• transferring after six months of studying your main course at Monash, or
• not on a student visa.

Eligibility for a release letter

For your application to be considered, the other university or college must be registered with the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). You can check this using the CRICOS course and institution search.

We’ll approve your application for release if:

• your course is academically unsuitable for you. This means that:
  • you’re unable to achieve satisfactory course progress to transfer into your main course of study
  • your course doesn't meet your educational/developmental needs or study capabilities, or
  • you’re better suited to a different learning environment
• you can prove that you need to transfer to another institution because of compassionate or compelling circumstances
• the course outlined in your written agreement has changed or is no longer registered
• your reasonable expectations about your course are not being met
• you have evidence that you’ve been misled by the University or by an education or migration agent (regarding the University or your course) and the course is therefore unsuitable
• an appeal results in a recommendation or decision for you to ask for release, or
• your student visa application was delayed, rejected or cancelled.

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 transfer to another institution.

How to apply for a release letter

You’ll need to submit a request with supporting documents to be considered for release.

Before you apply, it’s a good idea to talk with your course advisor about your options and how applying for release might impact you.

Application for Release form

Notification and outcome

We’ll let you know the outcome of your application within 10 working days. Make sure you stay enrolled in your course while you wait.

You should not accept an offer from another institution while you wait for the outcome of your release request.

Successful applications

If your application for a release letter is approved, your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) will be cancelled and you’ll automatically be discontinued from your course.

Unsuccessful applications

If your application isn’t successful, we’ll tell you why and what you need to do next.

Your release won’t be approved if:

• you didn’t provide a valid offer from another college or university
• you didn’t provide satisfactory evidence of compassionate or compelling circumstances
• you have unpaid course fees for the current study period
• you’re encumbered
• the transfer won’t satisfy your best interests:
  • the transfer would put your progression through a package of courses at risk
  • you require access to support services that wouldn’t be available to you if you transfer.

Policy and procedure

• Enrolment and Timetable Policy (pdf)
• International Student Transfer between Providers Procedure (pdf)
• ESOS National Code 2018