EAP - Leave of Absence Application Form

Leave of Absence

Complete this form to submit a leave of absence application for your English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program. A leave of absence is a break during your study period which meets compassionate or compelling grounds.

Before submitting your application, read the important information on Leave of Absence for RMIT UP EAP students on the RMIT University Pathways (RMIT UP) Policies and Procedures page for detailed information on eligibility, processing, and approval.

Taking a leave of absence may affect your visa. Please contact the Department of Home Affairs for information about your visa before submitting a leave of absence application.
Your Leave of Absence application is subject to approval. Contact pathways.compliance@rmit.edu.au if you have any questions or need to submit additional supporting documents.

RMIT is bound by laws that protect your privacy. All personal information you provide on this form is for the purpose of processing your leave of absence application. You can access and amend your personal information we hold by contacting pathways.compliance@rmit.edu.au. For more information about how we manage and protect personal information, please refer to our RMIT Privacy Statement.

Student Details










Compassionate and Compelling Circumstances

To apply for a leave of absence, you must show that you have compassionate or compelling circumstancesBelow lists examples of compassionate and compelling circumstances, along
with the required evidence.

1. Illness or Injury - medical certificate which states that student was/is unable to attend class
for an extended period or recommends a reduced study load or break from studies.
2. Bereavement of close family members - death certificate(s) and evidence of relationship
3. Major political upheaval or natural disaster in the home country which has impacted
on the student's ability to study - media report of civil war/significant political unrest or
natural disaster plus evidence of student's residency in the specific affected area, and letter
from counsellor/psychologist assessing that stress has/will prevent student from studying.
4. Permanent or temporary disability - letter from RMIT Disability Liaison Unit
recommending a reduced study load or a break in study
5. Incident or issue causing distress to student impacting on their capacity for study (ie:
involvement in a serious accident, witnessing or being the victim or a serious crime) -
police or counsellor/psychologists' report
6. Delaying receiving a student visa requiring student to travel offshore - correspondence
from the Department of Home Affairs
7. Military Service obligations - correspondence from military organisation
8. Other - any relevant certified document attesting that situation is outside student's control
and affects their ability to study

Leave of Absence Dates



Reason for Leave of Absence Request

Provide the reason for your request for a leave of absence below.

You must also provide supporting documentation. If you are unable to provide supporting documents at this time, you must contact pathways.compliance@rmit.edu.au within 3 days of submitting your application.


Gap in Studies

Student visa holders have a maximum eight weeks break between program. If your leave of absence results in a gap of more than 8 weeks, you may need to leave Australia. Contact the Department of Home Affairs for information on the potential impact a leave of absence may have on your student visa.


Academic and Assessment Information

A Leave of Absence application from a student must conform to the visa regulations under which the student was admitted to the course.

Your EAP study plan:

Students who have completed Module A only:
  • Can defer for up to 10 weeks before commencing Module B.
  • In case of deferment of more than 10 weeks, students are required to repeat Module A.
  • In case of longer deferment, (6 months or more), students are required to sit the placement test to confirm their level.
A student who has completed Module A and B but has not achieved:
  • May defer up to 5 weeks and be permitted to repeat Module B.
  • In case of deferment of more than 5 weeks, students are required to repeat Module A.
  • In case of longer deferment, (6 months or more), students are required to sit the placement test to confirm their level.

Student Declaration