Application to Enrolment

Higher Education Academic Credit Transfer Procedure

Policy Code: LT2031

Purpose
Scope
Legislative Context
Definitions
Actions
1. Applying for Credit
2. Assessing and Recording Credit Transfer Applications
3. Notifying Students of Credit Transfer Decisions
4. Appealing Unsuccessful Credit Transfer Decisions
5. Rescinding Credit Previously Granted
Supporting Documents
Responsibility
Promulgation
Implementation
Records Management

Purpose

This procedure supports Federation University Australia’s Application to Enrolment Policy and Higher Education Academic Credit Transfer Policy. It mandates the processes the University will use to:

  • Assess and grant credit towards award programs on the basis of formal learning through credit transfer.
  • Rescind credit previously granted.

Scope

This procedure applies to current and future, domestic and international higher education students in undergraduate and postgraduate (coursework) students of FedUni programs.

This procedure does not apply to students seeking credit transfer for higher degrees by research (refer HDR Candidate Selection Policy); nor VET students (refer LT1300 VET Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Transfer Assessment Policy).

Legislative Context

Definitions

A complete list of definitions relevant to this procedure is contained within the Application to Enrolment Policy

Actions

1. Applying for Credit

  ACTIVITY RESPONSIBILITY STEPS
A Understanding the implications of credit transfer Student
  1. Prior to applying for credit transfer, students should be aware that credit approval may:
    • affect professional accreditation and seek appropriate advice from the accreditation body.
    • result in a shorter program duration.
  2. International students should be aware this may affect their visa conditions as the University will be required to inform Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) of a revised program end date.
B Submitting Higher Education Credit Application Form Student
  1. It is strongly recommended that students apply for credit at the same time that they apply for admission to a program or, at the latest, by the end of the first teaching period.
  2. International students should apply for credit prior to the semester starting as credit transfer has visa implications.
  3. Students may apply for subjects/courses in which they have already enrolled in their first teaching period. Credit applications (including all documentation specified on the application form) must be submitted before the end of Week 2, enabling processing before census date in order to avoid:
    1. incurring financial liability for subjects/courses enrolled in for which credit is subsequently received and from which the student wishes to drop their subject/course enrolment, noting that students are liable for all fees associated with their course enrolments after the relevant census date.
    2. impacting a student’s study plan/program duration, noting that students are unable to enrol in new subjects/courses after Week 2. This may impact on study load and on academic progression, where there are pre-requisite and co-requisite progression requirements. This is particularly important for international students where maintenance of load and visa end date conditions apply.
  4. Prior to completing a Higher Education Credit Application Form, refer to the Higher Education Academic Credit Transfer Policy which provides more detail regarding the specific circumstances under which credit will, and will not, be approved.
  5. Complete a Higher Education Credit Application Form available online.
  6. Students may seek informal advice from Student HQ (for domestic students), International Admissions (for international on-campus students) and CUP (for international partner students) regarding the likelihood of being granted credit based on documented previous precedents. Such advice will be non-binding.
  7. Include all documentation specified on the application form. Where precedents do not exist, the University may, in some instances, request additional information from the student to supplement that specified on the application form such as a course outline/description. Transcripts and other supporting documentation should be translated into English where appropriate.
  8. The student will be advised in writing of a timeframe within which the additional information needs to be submitted. Failure to supply this additional information within the timeframe requested in writing by the University may adversely impact the progress of the credit application, including, but not limited to, the application being considered to have been submitted after week 2 of semester and the consequences outlined in 1(B)(3) above failing to be avoided.
  9. Credit applications received with program applications will be assessed and student’s enrolment details adjusted prior to census date.
  10. Credit applications received after the end of the first teaching period will only be considered under exceptional circumstances.

2. Assessing and Recording Credit Transfer Applications

  ACTIVITY RESPONSIBILITY STEPS
A. Assessing Higher Education Credit Application Form

Student HQ for domestic students

International Admissions Officers (for international on-campus students)

CUP(for international partner students)
  1. Determine whether the student has provided sufficient information to assess their eligibility for credit.
  2. Liaise with student if additional information is required to make a credit assessment.
  3. Advise the student in writing of a timeframe within which the additional information needs to be submitted. Failure to supply this additional information within the timeframe requested in writing by the University may adversely impact the progress of the credit application, including, but not limited to, the application being considered to have been submitted after week 2 of semester and the consequences outlined in 1(B)(3) above failing to be avoided.
  4. Determine whether the credit application meets transfer precedents already approved for the program. If it does, map student’s proposed credits onto their study plan, then proceed to 2 (D.) and then Section 3 Notifying Students and Recording Credit Transfer Decisions
  5. If not, compile all relevant documents and send to the appropriate Program Coordinator (or nominee) for assessment.
  6. Forward the form for further assessment (usually within 5 University working days).
B. Assessing credit applications where precedents do not exist Program Coordinator (or nominee) for domestic and international students
  1. Make an assessment of the credit application based on the following:
    1. Checking whether it meets the criteria for credit transfer in the Higher Education Academic Credit Transfer Policy
    2. Checking the credentials of the provider institution by referencing the appropriate lists provided by TEQSA, training.gov.au and Australian Education International (AEI)
    3. Using the Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) to compare the learning outcomes (Knowledge, Skills, Application of knowledge and skills) gained in previous study to those for which credit is being sought, taking into consideration the alignment of the curriculum (knowledge, application and skills) and assessment types for that particular course/subject.
  2. Indicate approval/disapproval on the form.
  3. Return form/notify Student HQ (for domestic students), International Admissions (for international on-campus students) or CUP (for international partner students) of outcome of provisional assessment. In most cases, this  assessment should be made within 10 University working days.
  4. Where the assessment is particularly complex and this cannot be achieved, the student should be advised of a revised timeframe. Where additional information is required from the student, advise the student in writing of a timeframe within which the additional information needs to be submitted. Failure to supply this additional information within the timeframe requested in writing by the University may adversely impact the progress of the credit application, including, but not limited to, the application being considered to have been submitted after week 2 of semester and the consequences outlined in 1(B)(3) above failing to be avoided.
C. Approving and documenting new precedents Program Coordinator (or nominee)
  1. Table for ratification at Program Committee.
  2. Provide credit transfer decisions to Registrar Services for recording in an approved, university-endorsed record management system accessible by Student HQ/International Admissions/CUP staff to allow them to make future credit transfer decisions based on precedence.
  3. Ensure all relevant documentation is filed with copies of any emails.
D Recording credit transfer decisions

Student HQ (for domestic students

International Admissions Officers (for international on-campus students)

CUP (for international partner students)
  1. Amend student’s record in university-endorsed record management system to reflect the credit granted
  2. Place a copy of the credit outcome on the student’s file.

3. Notifying Students of Credit Transfer Decisions

  ACTIVITY RESPONSIBILITY STEPS
A. Notifying domestic students credit transfer decisions Student HQ or CUP (for partner students)
  1. Email student advising whether their credit transfer application is successful/unsuccessful.
  2. Where successful, notification should include an updated study plan showing the requirements fulfilled by the credit and the requirements remaining to be filled for successful program completion.
B. Notifying international students

International Admissions Officers (for international on-campus students)

CUP (for international partner students)
  1. Where credit is granted to international students after their enrolment, contact the student via email or letter, informing them of their credit status, normally before the end of the second week of study. The student is expected to reply within 10 working days authorising acceptance of the credit, however, if no response is received the credit will be granted and only rescinded if legitimate academic reasons are subsequently identified.
  2. Provide new ECOE if required.

4. Appealing Unsuccessful Credit Transfer Decisions

  ACTIVITY RESPONSIBILITY STEPS
A. Appealing an unsuccessful credit transfer decision Student
  1. As per Student Appeal Procedure and University Regulation 5.2, within 7 days of being notified of the decision, appeal to Academic Board in writing addressed to the nominated officer.
B. Considering appeals Academic Board
  1. As per Student Appeal Procedure and University Regulation 5.2, appoint an Appeals Committee that, after allowing the person or student an opportunity to be heard or to make a written submission, may:
    1. Dismiss an appeal; or
    2. Make a recommendation regarding granting of credit to the appropriate Dean (or equivalent).

5. Rescinding Credit Previously Granted

  ACTIVITY RESPONSIBILITY STEPS
A Applying for rescission of credit previously granted Student
  1. Refer to the Higher Education Academic Credit Transfer Policy for the conditions under which rescission may be granted.
  2. Apply in writing to Manager, Student HQ or Manager, Partner Relationships stating the reason for the request.
B Assessing rescission request Dean or equivalent
  1. Apply the Higher Education Academic Credit Transfer Policy to determine whether to rescind credit.
  2. Notify Student HQ/CUP/International Admissions.
C Notifying student of rescission assessment

Student HQ (for domestic students

International Admissions Officers (for international on-campus students)

CUP (for international partner students)
  1. Endeavour to keep student informed of progress at least every 10 University working days.
  2. Notify student of decision as per the previous section: Notifying Students of Credit Transfer Decisions.
D Recording a rescission

Student HQ (for domestic students

International Admissions Officers (for international on-campus students)

CUP (for international partner students)
  1. Amend student’s record in university-endorsed record management system to reflect the credit rescinded.
  2. Place a copy of the rescission outcome on the student’s file.

Supporting Documents

•   Application to Enrolment Policy

•   Higher Education Enrolment Procedure

•   Pre-enrolment Appeal Procedure

•   Learning and Teaching Policy

•   Higher Education Guide

Forms

Responsibility

  • Chief Operating Officer (COO) as Approval Authority is responsible for monitoring the implementation, outcomes and scheduled review of this procedure
  • University Registrar as Policy Sponsor is responsible for maintaining the content of this procedure as delegated by COO.

Promulgation

The Higher Education Academic Credit Transfer Procedure will be communicated throughout the University community in the form of:

  • An Announcement Notice via FedNews website and on the ‘Recently Approved Documents’ page of the ‘Policies, Procedures and Forms to alert the University-wide community of the approved Procedure.

Implementation

The Higher Education Academic Credit Transfer Procedure will be implemented throughout the University via:

  • Information Sessions; and/or
  • Training Sessions

Records Management

Title Location Responsible Officer Minimum Retention Period
Credit Assessment Student HQ or the University's approved records management system Managers Student HQ/CUP

Destroy 7 years after program completion, withdrawal or deferment

Dispose of hardcopy records as

per disposal process in records management procedure
Application materials Student HQ or the University’s approved records management system Managers Student HQ/CUP

Destroy 1 year after date of decision

Dispose of hardcopy records as

per disposal process in records management procedure
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Higher Education Enrolment Procedure 
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Approval Authority: Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer Original Issue 15/06/2018
Policy Sponsor: University Registrar Current Version: 09/07/2018
CRICOS Provider Number 00103D Review Date: 05/07/2021
Policy Code LT2031