Leave of Absence Application Form

Important Information
Complete this form to submit a leave of absence application for your English Language 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 English Language program 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 (DHA) 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.
Student Details







Note: If you are under 18, you require parental consent to take a leave of absence from your studies. RMIT UP will contact your parents via email to obtain approval.


Note: Your sponsor's approval is required for this request to be processed. RMIT UP will contact the RMIT scholarships team to request approval from your sponsor.
Compassionate and Compelling Circumstances
To apply for a leave of absence, you must show that you have compassionate or compelling circumstances. Below 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

LOA Details


What date do you plan to return to your studies?

Provide the reason for your request for a leave of absence. 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 can have a maximum of eight weeks break between programs. If your leave of absence results in a gap of more than 8 weeks, you may need to leave Australia. Contact the DHA for information on the potential impact a leave of absence may have on your student visa.


Academic and fees 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 English Language program study plan:


If you take leave of two weeks or more in a 10-week course level, 

you will be required to repeat the course level and will need to resume your studies in the next available intake from week 1.


If you take leave of one week or more in the Beginner course level, you will be required to repeat the course level and will need to resume your studies in the next available intake from week 1.

 

If your Leave of Absence is 6 months or more, you will need to undertake a placement test to determine your English level when you return to study.  Your test results may show that you need to repeat a level you have already passed.

Your RMIT formal program:

Taking a Leave of Absence from your studies may also affect the start date of your RMIT formal program. You should consider how your study plan may need to change and if you need to defer the start of your RMIT formal program.

Tuition fees:


If your leave of absence is applied for after the first two weeks of a 10-week course level, you will be charged the full tuition fees for that course level.


If your leave of absence is applied for after the first week of the 5-week Beginner course level, you will be charged the full tuition fees for that course level.

 

If you do not return to study by the agreed date, you will still be required to pay the tuition fees as outlined in your original offer letter.


Students are liable for any additional tuition fees for an enrolment extension that may be incurred due to an increase in fees.



Student Declaration

Privacy
RMIT is bound by laws that protect your privacy. All personal information you provide on this form will be handled in accordance with the RMIT Privacy and Data Protection Policy, which can be found on the Policy Register.

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.
Declaration
I have read and understand the information available under Leave of Absence for RMIT UP English Language program students available on the RMIT UP's Policies and Procedures page.

I am aware that taking a leave of absence may affect my study plan and student visa.

I declare that all information and documents I have provided are true, accurate, complete, and unaltered. I understand that submitting false, misleading, or counterfeit documents may result in rejection of my application.

Contact Information