Academic Standing

Academic Standing

Academic standing indicates your current progress toward completion of your program.

The purpose of specifying your academic standing is to alert you and your Program Office as early as possible to any problem that may prevent you graduating in minimum time or in more extreme cases may prevent you graduating at all.

Academic standing is only calculated for undergraduates and postgraduates. It is not calculated for research and non-award students.

Your academic standing

How academic standing is determined

Undergraduate students

For undergraduates, academic standing is calculated based on:

  • The proportion of load passed,
  • Together with your academic standing at the end of the previous semester/term.


Postgraduate students

For postgraduates, academic standing is calculated based on the cumulative number of failures.


Research and non-award students

Academic standing is not calculated for research and non-award students.

When academic standing is determined

UNSW Sydney

UNSW Sydney calculates your academic standing at the end of Term 1, Term 2 and Term 3.

Results obtained in Summer Term will be included in the calculation of your academic standing for Term 1.

Academic standing is calculated at the career level (i.e. undergraduate/postgraduate), not at the program level.

Your academic standing is determined by two factors:

  • Your academic standing at the end of the previous standard semester/term, and
  • Your academic achievement in the current standard semester/term.

Read here how withheld grades are treated differently in Terms and Semesters.


UNSW Canberra

UNSW Canberra operate on a two Semester calendar and academic standing will be calculated at the end of Semester 1 and Semester 2.

View your academic standing

Your standing is displayed with your results in myUNSW.

The Results Summary screen in myUNSW allows you to view your results and academic standing for a given semester/term.

During the assessment period, the Results Summary screen will only permit you to view results for the most recently completed semester/term.

Your term statistics and academic standing will only be available once all results for the semester/term have been released.

What the different levels of academic standing mean

Academic standing has many levels. All students start with GOOD standing, but continued poor progress can lead to other standing levels being assigned, each with its own implications for your progress toward completion of your program.

If your academic standing is anything other than GOOD, see the appropriate academic standing levels page and follow the guidelines given for:

Support and how to appeal

The purpose of specifying your academic standing is to alert you and your Program Office as early as possible to any problem that may negatively impact your progress. The following pages provide support in relation to the appeals process (for Suspension and Exclusion levels only) and improving your academic standing:


Academic advising

A number of support services can provide you with assistance in relation to your academic standing. With early intervention by an Academic Advisor, the more serious consequences of continued poor performance may be prevented.


How to appeal

Find out how you can appeal against Suspension or Exclusion.