Guide to understanding your undergraduate academic standing

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.

Visual guide to academic standing

Here you can find a visual guide to understanding academic standing.

Visual explantion of the academic standing process

Good

You are making good progress. UNSW has no concerns.

What happens next term?

  • If you enrol in the next term and pass 50% or more of your attempted load, your academic standing will remain Good.
  • If you enrol in the next term and pass less than 50% of your attempted load, your academic standing will become Academic Risk 1 (previously known as Referral).
  • If you enrol in more than 6 units of credit in the next term and do not pass any of the attempted load, your academic standing will become Academic Risk 2 (previously known as Probation).

Academic Risk 1

UNSW is concerned about your academic progress.

What happens now?

We encourage you to contact these support services for advice on ways to improve your academic performance.

What happens next term?

  • You are encouraged to meet with your academic advisor to discuss your enrolment options before finalising your course choices.
  • If you enrol in the next term and pass 50% or more of your attempted load, your academic standing will become Good.
  • If you enrol in the next term and pass less than 50% of your attempted load, your academic standing will become Academic Risk 2 (previously known as Probation).
  • If you enrol in more than 6 units of credit in the next term and do not pass any of the attempted load, your academic standing will become Academic Risk 3.

Academic Risk 2

UNSW is very concerned about your academic progress and it is important that you seek assistance to help you get back on track.

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 term?

  • Your enrolment next term is subject to the approval of your academic advisor; you must not finalise your enrolment without contacting them. The courses you are enrolled in for the next term may not be appropriate and you may not be permitted to remain enrolled in some courses.
  • If you enrol in the next term and pass 50% or more of your attempted load, your academic standing will become Academic Risk 1 (previously known as Referral).
  • If you enrol in the next term and pass less than 50% of your attempted load, your academic standing will become Academic Risk 3.
  • If you enrol in more than 6 units of credit in the next term and do not pass any of the attempted load, your academic standing will become Academic Risk 3.

Academic Risk 3

UNSW is very concerned about your progress and believes that unless you address the issues that are affecting your progress, you will be facing academic suspension.

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 term?

  • Your enrolment next term is subject to the approval of your academic advisor; you must not finalise your enrolment without contacting them. The courses you are enrolled in for the next term may not be appropriate and you may not be permitted to remain enrolled in some courses.
  • If you enrol in the next term and pass 50% or more of your attempted load, your academic standing will become Academic Risk 2.
  • If you enrol in the next term and pass less than 50% of your attempted load, your academic standing will become Suspension.
  • If you enrol in more than 6 units of credit in the next term and do not pass any of the attempted load, your academic standing will become Suspension.
  • If you have previously been suspended and pass less than 50% of your attempted load, your academic standing will become Academic Risk 4*.

Provisional Suspension

UNSW is extremely concerned about your progress and believes that unless you address the issues that are affecting your academic progress, you will be suspended next term.

After the official release of results, students whose late or withheld marks would have placed them on an academic standing level of Suspension, will instead by assigned a standing level of Provisional Suspension.  Provisional Suspension is treated similarly to Academic Risk 3 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 to 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 term?

  • Your enrolment next term is subject to the approval of your academic advisor; you must not finalise your enrolment without contacting them. The courses you are currently enrolled in for the next term may not be appropriate and you may not be permitted to remain enrolled in some courses.
  • If you enrol in the next term and pass 50% or more of your attempted load, your academic standing will become Academic Risk 2.
  • If you enrol in the next term and pass less than 50% of your attempted load, your academic standing will become Suspension.
  • If you enrol in more than 6 units of credit in the next term and do not pass any of the attempted load, your academic standing will become Suspension.

Suspension

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. You are suspended for one academic year with automatic right of readmission to your program of study, following your period of suspension.

Do you want to appeal?

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 during the period of suspension.

What happens next?

Once you have served a period of suspension, further poor performance will lead to Academic Risk 4 and then Exclusion. You cannot be suspended twice. 
 

Following your return from Suspension:

  • If you enrol in the next term and pass 50% or more of your attempted load, your academic standing will become Academic Risk 3.
  • If you enrol in the next term and pass less than 50% of your attempted load, your academic standing will become Academic Risk 4.
  • If you enrol in more than 6 units of credit in the next term and do not pass any of the attempted load, your academic standing will become Academic Risk 4.

Academic Risk 4

UNSW is extremely concerned about your progress and believes that unless you address the issues that are affecting your progress, you will be excluded from UNSW and be unable to complete your program.

What happens next term?

  • Your enrolment next term is subject to the approval of your academic advisor; you must not finalise your enrolment without contacting them. The courses you are enrolled in for the next term may not be appropriate and you may not be permitted to remain enrolled in some courses.
  • If you enrol in the next term and pass 50% or more of your attempted load, your academic standing will become Academic Risk 3.
  • If you enrol in the next term and pass less than 50% of your attempted load, your academic standing will become Exclusion.
  • If you enrol in more than 6 units of credit in the next term and do not pass any of the attempted load, your academic standing will become Exclusion.

Provisional Exclusion

UNSW is extremely concerned about your progress and believes that unless you address the issues that are affecting your academic progress you will be excluded next term.

After the official release of results, students whose late or withheld marks would have placed them on an academic standing level of Exclusion will instead by assigned a standing level of Provisional Exclusion. Provisional Exclusion is treated similarly to Academic Risk 4 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 term?

  • Your enrolment next term is subject to the approval of your academic advisor; you must not finalise your enrolment without contacting them. The courses you are currently enrolled in for the next term may not be appropriate and you may not be permitted to remain enrolled in some courses.
  • If you enrol in the next term and pass 50% or more of your attempted load, your academic standing will become Academic Risk 3.
  • If you enrol in the next term and pass less than 50% of your attempted load, your academic standing will become Exclusion.
  • If you enrol in more than 6 units of credit in the next term and do not pass any of the attempted load, your academic standing will become Exclusion.

Exclusion

UNSW has serious concerns about your ability to complete your program. You have previously been assigned an academic standing level of Suspension which is why your academic standing level is now Exclusion.

What happens now?

You are excluded from the University for 2 academic years and you must apply for re-admission at the end of the exclusion period. See Admissions information.

Do you want to appeal?

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.

Pending

A standing of Pending means that your academic standing cannot be calculated because of late or withheld results. Academic standing is re-calculated on a regular basis; shortly after your results are finalised, your academic standing will be adjusted accordingly.

If you still have unfinalised grades (WD, WC and LE) on the date when academic standing is finalised, these grades will be converted to NC (Not Completed) and treated as failures when your academic standing is finalised for the term.

How to improve your academic performance

These support services can help you improve your academic standing.

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