Academic standing is the key mechanism by which a student’s progress in their program is monitored at the conclusion of each term or semester.
This page describes your current academic standing level and, where necessary, what you need to do to improve it.
Good
You have failed fewer than 12 units of credit during your postgraduate studies at UNSW.
UNSW is not concerned about your progress.
Postgraduate Academic Risk
You have failed between 12 and 18 units of credit during your postgraduate studies at UNSW.
UNSW is very concerned about your progress.
What happens now?
You must make an appointment to see an academic advisor to discuss your future enrolment. Your Advisor will help you identify and overcome any problems that may be impacting your ability to successfully complete your studies and maintain satisfactory academic progress. We also strongly encourage you to contact these support services for advice on ways to improve your academic performance.
What happens next?
Your enrolment next term/semester is subject to the approval of your academic advisor; you should not finalise your enrolment without contacting them. The courses you are currently enrolled in for the next term/semester may not be appropriate, and you may not be permitted to remain enrolled in some courses.
Provisional Suspension
Late or withheld marks which would have normally placed you on Suspension, were not available when your academic standing level for the semester/term, was calculated. Therefore, you have been assigned a standing level of Provisional Suspension.
You have failed between 19 and 35 units of credit during postgraduate studies at UNSW.
UNSW is extremely concerned about your progress and believes that unless you address the issues affecting your academic progress, you will be suspended next term.
Provisional Suspension is treated similarly to Postgraduate Academic Risk when calculating standing for future terms.
What happens now?
You are permitted to continue with your studies but must make an appointment to see an academic advisor to discuss your future enrolment. Your advisor will help you identify and overcome any problems that may be impacting your ability to successfully complete your studies and maintain satisfactory academic progress. We also strongly encourage you to contact these support services for advice on ways to improve your academic performance.
What happens next?
Your enrolment next term/semester is subject to the approval of your academic advisor; you should not finalise your enrolment without contacting them. The courses you are currently enrolled in for the next term/semester may not be appropriate and you may not be permitted to remain enrolled in some courses.
Suspension
You have failed between 19 and 35 units of credit during postgraduate studies at UNSW.
UNSW is extremely concerned about your progress and believes that a break in your studies is required in order to deal with the issues and problems that are affecting your academic progress.
What happens now?
You are suspended from your studies for a period of one academic year, with automatic right of readmission to your program of study.
Do you want to appeal?
What happens next?
Following your return from Suspension:
- If you enrol and pass all attempted courses, your academic standing level will become Good.
- If you enrol and fail some of the attempted courses, giving you a total between 19 and 35 failed units of credit, then your academic standing level will become Postgraduate Exclusion Risk.
- If you enrol and fail some of the attempted courses, giving you a total of 36 or more failed units of credit, then your academic standing level will move to Exclusion.
Can I study a different program if suspended?
No, academic standing is determined at the career level, i.e., undergraduate or postgraduate, rather than at the program level. As a result, if you are suspended from one program, you cannot apply to study another program at UNSW during the period of suspension. If you choose to undertake studies at another institution during the period of your suspension from UNSW, please note that these studies will not be eligible for credit transfer towards your UNSW studies.
Postgraduate Exclusion Risk
Following a period of academic suspension, you have failed a further course and in total have failed between 19 and 35 units of credit during your postgraduate studies at UNSW.
UNSW is extremely concerned about your progress and believes that unless you address the issues affecting your academic progress, you will be excluded next term and be unable to complete your program.
What happens now?
You are permitted to continue with your studies but must make an appointment to see an academic advisor to discuss your future enrolment. Your advisor will help you identify and overcome any problems that may be impacting your ability to successfully complete your studies and maintain satisfactory academic progress. We also strongly encourage you to contact these support services for advice on ways to improve your academic performance.
What happens next?
Your enrolment next term/semester is subject to the approval of your academic advisor; you should not finalise your enrolment without contacting them. The courses you are currently enrolled in for the next term/semester may not be appropriate and you may not be permitted to remain enrolled in some courses.
Provisional Exclusion
Late or withheld marks which would have normally placed you on Exclusion, were not available when your academic standing level for the semester/term was calculated. Therefore, you have been assigned a standing level of Provisional Exclusion.
Following a period of academic suspension, you have failed 36 units of credit or more during your postgraduate studies at UNSW.
UNSW is extremely concerned about your progress and believes that unless you address the issues affecting your academic progress, you will be excluded next term.
Provisional Exclusion is treated similarly to Postgraduate Exclusion Risk when calculating academic standing for future terms.
What happens now?
You are permitted to continue with your studies but must make an appointment to see an academic advisor to discuss your future enrolment. Your advisor will help you identify and overcome any problems that may be impacting your ability to successfully complete your studies and maintain satisfactory academic progress. We also strongly encourage you to contact these support services for advice on ways to improve your academic performance.
What happens next?
Your enrolment next term/semester is subject to the approval of your academic advisor; you should not finalise your enrolment without contacting them. The courses you are currently enrolled in for the next term/semester may not be appropriate and you may not be permitted to remain enrolled in some courses.
Exclusion
Following a period of academic suspension, you have failed 36 units of credit or more during your postgraduate studies at UNSW.
UNSW has serious concerns about your ability to complete your program.
What happens now?
You are excluded from the University for at least 2 academic years and you must apply for re-admission at the end of the exclusion period. See Admissions information.
Can I study a different program if excluded?
No, academic standing is determined at the career level, i.e., undergraduate or postgraduate, rather than at the program level. As a result, if you are excluded from one program, you cannot apply to study another program at UNSW during the period of exclusion.
Do you want to appeal?
How to improve your academic performance
These support services can help you improve your academic standing.
