FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

Is Western Sydney University continuing to offer online delivery of courses?

Western Sydney University is conducting face-to-face teaching on campus for Autumn/Term 1 from 7 March, but we also acknowledge many students are still unable to attend the campus in 2022, so online and in-person options will continue to be provided, where possible. When you choose to study at Western, you will receive support from the University to ensure a smooth and stress-free transition to online learning.  Listen to what our students and academics have to say about their current experience with online learning and teaching.

POSTGRADUATE ENTRY

An assessment will be made on the grades obtained throughout your qualification, provided the:

• academic results for all completed semesters of the incomplete qualification are provided and indicate successful academic performance to date
• you are enrolled in the final semester of studies for the qualification
• final transcript of results and completion certificates are available at least one week before the start of session.

A Conditional Offer will be issued so that you are able to accept your offer and enrol to prepare for your studies prior to your course commencement.  The deadline to submit your final transcript and graduation certificate will be one week prior to commencement. If you successfully meet conditions, International Admissions will issue an unconditional offer and a CoE.

Note: you will not be able to enrol if your conditional offer states an English requirement condition.

Refer to Accept your Offer page for more details if you do not meet entry requirements upon final assessment of your final official result.

If you have accepted and paid fees, you can defer your scholarship to a later intake within the same calendar year (2022).

Yes, you are permitted to study online while you are based in your home country. However, if you are still under 18, your homestay provisions must be confirmed prior to arriving in Australia.

For further information contact International Admissions.

It’s not too late to submit your application for Spring Session 2022.  Courses commence on 25 July 2022, please contact International Admissions at apply@westernsydney.edu.au if you wish to apply.

You have three options. You can accept your offer by:

• Inserting your e-signature on your acceptance form
• Sending an email via apply@westernsydney.edu.au to confirm in writing to accept an offer and International Admission will provide further instruction
• Printing your acceptance form (if you have access to a printer), sign the form and use a device to take a photo of the document to email to us.

No. As an international student on a student visa, you must have the financial capacity to support the full payment of tuition fees and living costs for the duration of your study. To commence your course, you must:

• Pay the full deposit amount stated on your Letter of Offer to accept your offer
• Enrol in a full-time study load every compulsory session (i.e. 40 credit points (four subjects) in Autumn/1H, Spring/2H or 20 credit points (two subjects) in a Quarter teaching session)
  
  If you are experiencing short-term financial issues, you may wish to consider deferring your offer to another intake. You can request to defer your offer via your application account in the Online International Application System. Please contact International Admissions at apply@westernsydney.edu.au or call +61 2 9685 9280 if you have any questions.

No. To accept your offer you must pay the full amount as outlined in your offer letter.

I will be commencing my course while overseas, and I am not sure if my student visa application will be successful. Can I receive a refund for my course if my visa is denied and I do not want to continue my study?

As a temporary measure due to COVID, if you are a new student in 2022 who commenced study with Western while waiting for the outcome of your student visa application, and who subsequently receive a visa refusal (either pre or post census), you will be eligible to apply for a full refund.  Terms and Conditions apply.

If you wish to continue your study, please contact the Enrolment team for advice.  You may be able to continue studying your course and receive a transcript for studies completed.

Yes, you must purchase Overseas Student Health Insurance (OSHC) in order to accept your offer. OSHC payment is also required in order to obtain CoE to submit a visa application in preparation of studying on-campus in Australia. If you have purchased OSHC with the University’s partner, Bupa, you may be able to defer the start of your OSHC cover to when you arrive in Australia.

If you do not arrive in Australia and your entire course has been studied online, contact Bupa for your options. If you arranged your overseas health cover with another provider, please contact them direct.

Can I enrol in my course and study online, if I’m waiting for my visa?

Yes, if you have accepted your offer, paid fees, and meet all our entry requirements, you are able to enrol in your course while you await the outcome of your visa application.

No. To ensure a positive transition to online study at Western, you must start the course on the commencement date outlined on your offer letter.

If your visa to study in Australia is refused at any point during your online study in your commencing session, you can request a full refund of the fees you have paid to commence your course ie. withdraw from your course with no financial penalty within two weeks of receiving your visa refusal outcome from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA).

If your visa refusal outcome is notified to you after you have completed your commencing session, you will be required to discontinue enrolment and withdraw from your course. You will be eligible for a refund if you submit your refund request within two weeks of being notified of your visa refusal outcome from DHA.

You can defer your offer by writing to apply@westernsydney.edu.au or send a request via your account in our online application system. The fees you have paid will be credited to the next intake. Your CoE will be updated to reflect your new commencement date.

You are able to withdraw your offer by writing to International Admissions via apply@westernsydney.edu.au with your request. You will be eligible for a refund as per the International Student Refund Agreement.

If you submit a defer request prior to the commencement of your session, we will defer your offer to the next intake. The tuition fees you have paid for the current session will be credited towards your future enrolment. Please contact International Admissions via apply@westernsydney.edu.au to submit your deferral request.

If you submit a defer request after the CENSUS date of your session, financial and academic penalty details will apply. Please refer to the International Student Fee and Refund Agreement.

If you are a commencing student and experiencing any of the following subject selection issues, please contact the Student Services Hub (SSH) on +61 2 9852 5499 or email for assistance:

- I don’t know what subjects to enrol in
- I am having technical difficulties with selecting subjects
- My subject is showing full so I can’t complete my timetable
- I am studying from overseas and
> all the online classes I need to select are showing full
> my subject is not available online
- My subject does not appear in the tutorial registration/class timetable system

Currently enrolled students experiencing the same issues, can contact the Student Infoline on 1300 668 370 or +61 2 9852 5656 if calling from an International location (Press 4 and Press 2).

If you are unsure about what subjects to select or if your study sequence is not clear due to advanced standing granted or specialisation requirements, you can contact the Academic Advisor for your course (Director of Academic Program/Academic Course Advisor). Using your course code (refer to your offer letter), search for your course in the online handbook to find the contact details of the academic advisor for your course.

If you are having trouble with this section, please enter the 6-digit subject code in the ‘Subject Code’ field only, we recommend leaving the subject name blank. This will help refine the search. Once done, please click ‘Get Subjects’ below. If options are still not shown, please contact the Student Services Hub (SSH) on +61 2 9852 5499 or email for assistance.

Once you have enrolled, you will need to create your class timetable. Class Registration is how you choose your tutorials (and other classes) and put together your timetable. Allocate+ is the online system used to complete this process. You'll need to make sure you are enrolled in all of your subjects. After being allocated into your classes, you may be able to swap classes depending on availability.

If you require any assistance with creating your class timetable, please contact the Student Services Hub (SSH) on +61 2 9852 5499 or email.

There are no scholarships available to current enrolled continuing students.  

However, current enrolled students may have been awarded a scholarship in their commencement year prior to 2021. Depending on the scholarship available at the time, you may have been awarded either a one-off scholarship or a multi-year scholarship up to either 2 years (postgraduate) or 3 years (undergraduate).

All International Scholarship Students are expected to enrol in a full-time study load every compulsory session (i.e. 40 credit points (four subjects) in Autumn/1H, Spring/2H or 20 credit points (two subjects) in a Quarter teaching session) as per your Scholarship Offer terms and conditions. Please refer to the relevant guides through the links below if you are considering applying for Reduced Study Load (RSL) or Leave of Absence (LoA).

If your RSL or LoA application is successful and you wish to retain your scholarship, you are required to submit a scholarship approval request for review by the International Scholarships Team. Please forward evidence of your official RSL or LoA approval (obtained via Student Central) to internationalscholarships@westernsydney.edu.au outlining the reason(s). The International Scholarship Team will assess your request and will have an outcome available within two weeks.

If you have further questions, please join the Scholarship FAQs and Q&A webinar every Monday, Wednesday or Friday at 1pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST). Register now using one of the links below.  You will then receive a confirmation containing information about joining the webinar.

Webinar Details

Topic: Scholarship + Sponsored students FAQs and Q&As session

Register in advance for this webinar at:
https://uws.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XQrr7XefSt-wdslYvZIpHw

or

H.323/SIP room system:

H.323: zoom.aarnet.edu.au
Meeting ID: 879 3106 7857
Password: 689348

or

SIP: 87931067857@zoom.aarnet.edu.au
Password: 689348

An international student on a student visa, must undertake a fulltime study load and complete their course by the end date of their Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE). Students must enrol in a full-time study load every compulsory session (i.e. 40 credit points in Autumn/1H, Spring/2H or 20 credit points in a Quarter teaching session).

In certain situations, enrolled students may seek to apply for a Reduced Study Load (RSL) based on either extenuating/medical circumstances or academic reasons.

Students who wish to reduce their study load must have their applications approved as follows:

- By the Welfare Service for extenuating/medical reasons
- By your Director of Program (DAP) for academic reasons

RSL applications must be submitted via WesternNow by Census date of the current session. Any applications lodged after census will not be considered.

If you have an RSL application to be based on both academic AND extenuating/medical reasons, your application can be supported by your Director of Academic Program based on academic grounds, however you will be referred to a Student Welfare Officer for support with any wellbeing issues.

Important note: Reducing study load may have an impact on your CoE and visa as your course end date may change (if the study period is extended). If you are unsure about the impact of RSL on your CoE and/or visa, it is important that you discuss this circumstance with a Student Welfare Officer.

More information:

Reduced Study Load How-to-Guide

Contact:

- RSL on extenuating/medical reasons – refer to the Welfare Service
- RSL on academic reasons – refer to the Director of Academic Program for your course

More information: Leave of Absence Guide

Offshore students with a student visa or intending to apply for a student visa, will be required to submit a RSL application as per the same process and using the same application form completed by onshore students.

Note: if you are studying overseas and intend to apply for a post-study work visa after you complete your course, the period of study counted towards this visa commences from when the visa was granted while offshore.

You are expected to complete your study within the timeframe stated on your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).

Reducing Study Load (RSL) or taking (Leave of Absence (LoA) (a break from studies) may have an impact on your CoE and visa as your course end date may change (if the study period is extended). If you are unsure about the impact of RSL or LoA on your CoE and/or visa, it is important that you discuss your circumstance with a Student Welfare Officer.

If you are unable to complete your study within the expected timeframe due to the following reasons you will need a new CoE:

- Advanced Standing
- Course Transfer
- Conditional Enrolment – failing subjects
- Reduced Study Load
- Leave of Absence
- Course progression – failing to meet pre/co-requisites/subject unavailability
- Placement requirements

To receive a new CoE to submit to Immigration due to a visa expiration or visa extension, you must complete a CoE Extension request form via WESTERNNOW and have this form approved by your School DAP/ACA.  You must then contact the Student Services Hub (SSH) who will then review the request and issue a new CoE.

More information: Intervention Strategy/Completion Within Allowable Time Period - Student Visa Holders

You do NOT need to submit a Reduced Study Load form for approval, if you are enrolled in your final session of study and studying one subject or less than full-time load in your final session (40 credit points – standard session/20 credit points – quarter session).

You will need to apply to resign from your course by completing a form called ‘Discontinuation or Break from Studies’.

Note: if you resign from your course, your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) will be cancelled.  This may have an impact on your visa. Within a month of resigning, you must either: (a) leave Australia or (b) lodge a valid application for a new visa.

Important restrictions for student visa holders may apply and students may need to get permission from the University. A student cannot change their provider for at least six months after commencing their principal course* at the University. If a student wants to transfer before completing their first six months of their principal course, they will need to apply for a release.  This is called a ‘release request’. The University is required to determine the circumstance in which it may release a student or refuse a request for release within the mandatory study period.

More information: International Student Transfer Procedure.

You will need to apply to resign from your course by completing a form called ‘Discontinuation or Break from Studies’.

*Principal course is the main course to be undertaken if you have received a packaged offer (where your student visa has been issued for multiple courses).

You will need a new CoE if your visa is expiring prior to the completion of your study or if you are unable to complete your study within the expected timeframe due to the following reasons:

- Advanced Standing
- Course Transfer
- Conditional Enrolment – failing subjects
- Reduced Study Load
- Leave of Absence
- Course progression – failing to meet pre/co-requisites/subject unavailability
- Placement requirements

To receive a new CoE to submit to Immigration due to a visa expiration or visa extension, you must complete a CoE Extension request form via WESTERNNOW and have this form approved by your School Director of Program (DAP) or Academic Course Advisor (ACA).  You must then contact the Student Services Hub (SSH) who will then review the request and issue a new CoE.

Standard CoE Extension request: must include a proposed course study plan and course end date.

Placement CoE Extension request for students who need to complete placement to graduate: must include a proposed placement and end date.

Before requesting a new CoE, you must contact your DAP or ACA for advice on their revised study plan and obtain a new course completion date. The CoE extension request form must be completed with this detail.

An application to extend your CoE will only cover the period up until the end date of your course which normally does not include your graduation ceremony.  You can apply for a separate visa, such as a visitor visa, to attend your graduation ceremony. Please check the Immigration Department website for information.

If you are unable to complete your course within the original visa validity period due to the impacts of COVID-19 and require a visa extension, the Australian Government Immigration Department may waive a Student Visa (subclass 500) application fee if you held a student visa on or after 1 February 2020. This includes students who:

- deferred their study as they were unable to enter Australia due to travel restrictions
- were forced to reduce to a part-time study load
- were unable to complete their work-based training or placements.

This measure is not intended for students who are applying for a new student visa due to ordinary reasons (including if you have failed a course or a subject of study, deferred for personal reasons or voluntarily reduced your study load.)

You only need this form when your student visa is close to its expiration date and you need to submit a new student visa application to complete your studies. If you do not meet COVID-19 impacted eligibility or if you fail to submit this form at the time of lodgement, your application could be invalidated, and you will be required to submit a new application.

More information:

FORM 1545 eligibility information

FORM 1545 application

The 1545 form is to be used by education providers to support a COVID-19 impacted eligible student who is seeking to apply:

* for a nil visa application charge for a new Student (Subclass 500) visa application if they are unable to complete their approved course of study within the original visa validity due to COVID-19, or

* seeking to have online study undertaken outside Australia as a result of COVID-19 travel restrictions counted towards the Australian Study Requirement.

Information on eligibility is available from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) website.

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) advice on these matters is subject to change. Please ensure you visit the DHA site for the latest update on visa regulations and policies.

New students who commence studying at Western in 2021 while awaiting an outcome of their visa application and then receive a visa refusal may be eligible for a full refund. Terms and conditions apply. Contact International Admissions for information.

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) advice on these matters is subject to change. Please ensure you visit the DHA site for the latest update on visa regulations and policies.

International students who are completing final subjects to successfully complete their degree, while offshore, must have a valid CoE for the complete duration of their course. If your visa expires while overseas, you must request a CoE to cover the period up to the end of your study. Although the CoE is not required for visa purposes (as you will not be travelling to Australia to complete your degree), the CoE is required for ESOS compliance audit requirements.

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) advice on these matters is subject to change. Please ensure you visit the DHA site for the latest update on visa regulations and policies.

More information: DHA COVID-19 and the Border – Student Visa information

Student visas are managed by the Department of Home Affairs, not the University.

If you have a question about your visa (eg. class, status, requirements, application, future visa options, migration/skilled occupation list, and visa issues), they must be directed to the Department of Home Affairs or a migration agent.

Under Australian law, only government registered Migration Agents may give immigration advice.

It is the responsibility of student visa holders to be aware of the conditions related to their visa.  Visa information and conditions are updated regularly, so it is important for students to check any changes to advice with DHA.

International students are given the right to undertake paid employment as a condition of their visa. You must not work in Australia for more than 40 hours a fortnight when your course of study or training is in session. A fortnight means a period of 14 days commencing on a Monday. You are not allowed to work in Australia before your course of study commences. Please note the Australia Government has temporarily relaxed working hours for student visa holders. A further review will take place in April 2022.  Please check the Australian Government website for updates.
If you hold a subclass 500 visa or subclass 574 (Postgraduate Research) visa you can work unrestricted hours if:
- you are studying a masters by research or a doctorate degree and have started their course
- the work is a registered part of your course
International students have unlimited work rights out of session (vacation periods).

Due to exceptional circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Australian Government has adopted a flexible approach to student visa holders working beyond their usual work limitations in any sector, to be reviewed at the end of April.

Students who undertake online study outside Australia because of COVID-19 will be able to count this towards the Australian Study Requirement. The eligibility period for a Post Study Work Visa (PSW) arrangement is activated as soon as a student receives their student visa regardless of studying onshore or offshore.

Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) for those who have been impacted by COVID-19:

- online study undertaken outside Australia as a result of COVID-19 travel restrictions will count towards the Australian Study Requirement for existing and new student visa holders
- graduates affected by COVID-19 travel restrictions will be able to apply for and be granted a Temporary Graduate visa outside Australia (where they have met all the requirements).

If students are applying from outside Australia they must hold or have held a Student visa in the past 12 months to apply.

If students need the 1545 form completed (confirming online learning duration) to apply for PSWV, students can send an email to the Student Services Hub (SSH) with their request.

Note: while PSW visas may be granted to students who are offshore, with travel restrictions still in place, temporary visa holders (including PSW temporary graduate visa holders) are unable to travel to Australia (unless they fall into an exemption category)

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) advice on these matters is subject to change. Please ensure you visit the DHA site for the latest update on visa regulations and policies.

More information:
Meeting the Australian Study Requirement

As a mandatory student visa requirement, the Department of Home Affairs requires all student visa holders to maintain their OSHC for the duration of their student visa. Students who do not maintain their OSHC are at risk of not complying with visa condition 8501.

Offshore commencing and continuing students are required to purchase OSHC as a mandatory student visa condition. When travel restrictions are lifted and it becomes possible to travel to Australia, students can make contact with their OSHC provider advising them of their arrival date, which will then become their effective OSHC cover start date.

If at the end of their study, you have a period of OSHC cover that is unused, you can apply to their OSHC provider for a refund - evidencing your final departure date from Australia.

More information: Bupa - OSHC information

Depending on your situation you can reach out to our Wellbeing Teams by calling 1300 668 370 or

+61 2 9852 5199 from overseas (option 4 then option 1) or email:

Welfare Service

Counselling

Disability

Please be assured, that any contact you make with the Wellbeing Service is completely confidential.

You can also contact your Western Success Advisor. Your Advisor has been assigned to support you throughout your entire time at Western. Your Advisor will be able to help refer you to appropriate departments and services within Western, or make a direct referral to Counselling, Welfare, Disability and Academics.

If you are unsure of who your Western Success Advisor is, please email westernsuccess@westernsydney.edu.au or call +61 2 9852 5155, Monday to Friday, 10am to 4:30pm (AEST).

You can also make contact with the following services:

MATES is a peer-mentoring program for new students.This allows first-year students to connect with other new students as well as mentors, who are in later years of study. Mentoring sessions are being held on campus and online.

PASS are collaborative and informal study sessions facilitated peers; senior students who have successfully completed the subject and can help students with study skills and subject content.

Please also read the Welcome Guide for International Students. This guide gives new international students useful tips and contact information to help you settle into life in Australia.

Being away from your family and friends can be quite challenging. Connect with them as much as you can, and also try to engage with other students via activities at WesternLife.

If you would like to talk things through with someone, contact the Wellbeing Service by calling 1300 668 370 or +61 2 9852 5199 from overseas (option 4 then option 1) or email:

Welfare Service

Counselling

Disability

All information is treated with the strictest confidence and we are here to support you.

If you are in Australia and need to contact someone after business hours, please call the University’s After Hours Assistance Line on 1300 884 235. This is a dedicated service for international students, operated by Bupa.

We care and we’re here to support you.

If your main concerns are about your study, you can talk to your course advisor or get expert help via our Study Smart and MESH services. You can also visit the Library website for more information on resources and services available.

You can also speak to one of our professionally trained counsellors about any personal circumstances that affect your wellbeing and/or studies. Please reach out to our Wellbeing Services by calling 1300 668 370 or +61 2 9852 5199 from overseas (option 4 then option 1) or email:

Welfare Service

Counselling

Disability

Please be assured, all information is treated with the strictest confidence. If you are not sure who to contact, reach out to the Welfare Service and they will provide you with support and a referral to appropriate services.

If you are in Australia and need to contact someone after business hours, please call the University’s After Hours Assistance Line on 1300 884 235. This is a dedicated service for international students, operated by Bupa .

You can also access Talk campus for ongoing support via your smartphone. TalkCampus is a 24/7 global peer support network for students.

English Conversation Groups provide students with the opportunity to engage in casual conversations in English with their peers in a safe environment. This develops confidence in English, familiarity with English slang and presentation skills, builds a friendship network and increases cross-cultural understanding.

I need help with my academic studies. What programs are available?

There is a range of academic support programs available to you:

PASS are collaborative and informal study sessions facilitated peers; senior students who have successfully completed the subject and can help students with study skills and subject content.

Other programs include:

MESH

Study Smart

Academic Literacy Workshops

Other workshops, programs and online resources

In addition to visiting your Doctor (GP) or seeking advice from the University’s Wellbeing teams, there are a range of national and state services including services that specialise in catering to the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse young people in Australia.

Further information is available on the NSW Government International Student Health Hub or the StudyNSW Health website.

Inclusive Communities provides free dinners and lunches for students across six campuses. These are occasions that ensure that students get at least one nutritious meal a week as well as fostering an opportunity to socialize, relax and make new friendships.

Western Sydney University also has a number of Student Collectives that students can join. Collectives organise around and advocate based on foundational issues. Each Collective is self-organised, and is supported by Student Representation & Participation. Collectives are a great way of bringing students together to make friends and meet others with similar interests. Sign up now.

The Ethno-Cultural Collective meets every Thursday on the porch at Parramatta South Building EF from 1pm to 2pm.

Join WESTERNLife. Join 1000's of students in our Virtual Community to share experiences, learn new things, connect with new friends and engage with events or discussions that interest you.

You can think of WESTERNlife as your virtual campus; a connection with all the people and information you would usually have on campus, without having to leave your living room. Just like on campus, the news feed and events will be different every day, so there’s always something new to try. Want to build new study habits at home? Get involved in a club to meet new people? Strengthen your body and mind with sport? Learn to cook?

You can do all this in the click of a button. It’s your one stop shop for connecting! If you are studying at Western from an offshore location, WESTERNLife is a perfect platform to meet other students!