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To ensure that all University on shore international students enrolled in the University's accredited or non-award ELICOS and Higher Education Foundation programs meet the attendance requirements of Standard 8 of the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act, National Code 2018.
The ESOS Act includes specific requirements for monitoring student's compliance with student visa conditions relating to attendance.
This procedure describes how the University meets these requirements.
This procedure applies to:
- University's CRICOS registered accredited or non-awardELICOS programs.
- University's CRICOS registered Higher EducationFoundation programs.
| Term | Definitions |
| Actual Attendance | This is physical attendance in class. If the student is absent FOR ANY REASON they are marked as absent. |
| Attendance Tracking System | Attendance Tracking System used by the University to track the student's actual attendance against 100% attendance for total hours of course. |
| CoE | Confirmation of Enrolment - A document provided electronically which is issued by the University to intending international students and which must accompany their application for a student visa. It confirms the student's eligibility to enrol in the course/qualification of the University, at a specific teaching location. |
| Compassionate or Compelling Circumstances | Circumstance beyond the control of the student and which have an impact upon the student's course progress or wellbeing. |
| CRICOS | Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students. |
| Critical Incident Team | The group of University Executive Officers responsible for the strategic management of critical incidents. |
| ELICOS | English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students. Includes the University's English and Academic Preparation programs. |
| ESOS Act | Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 of the Commonwealth of Australia, as amended from time to time. |
| GPS | Global Professional School |
| Immigration | Department of Home Affairs |
| International Student | A person who holds an Australian Student Visa, and is an 'overseas student' as defined by the ESOS Act. |
| PRISMS | Provider Registration and International Students Management System |
| Course Coordinator | Course Coordinator at the location of course delivery. |
| Projected Attendance | Projected attendance is what the attendance will be at the end of the semester or course (for courses less than a semester) assuming that the student attends each and every class from that time onwards. |
| School | Global Professional School |
| Satisfactory Attendance | International students who will not be able to achieve 80% attendance of scheduled contact hours per semester or course if less than a semester. |
| Teaching Location | Where University courses are delivered. |
| Unsatisfactory Attendance | International students who will not be able to achieve 80% attendance per semester or course if less than a semester. |
| STEPS | WHO IS RESPONSIBLE? | COMMENTS | |
| 1. | Identify international students on class lists. | Course Coordinator | Students not on a student visa are not required to have their attendance monitored under ESOS requirements. |
| 2. | Students are advised at Course Orientation of the attendance requirement for their course and how correspondence will be sent to students in regard to their attendance records. | Course Coordinator |
Students to be advised of satisfactory attendance requirements (80% of contact hours) Communication will be sent to the student's university email address. |
| 3. |
Maintain attendance records using the School's Attendance Tracking System. Assess weekly for students at risk of not meeting class attendance requirements. |
Lecturer/Course Coordinator | Actual attendance is assessed by the marking of the Attendance Record Sheet for each class of the course or directly into the School's Attendance Tracking System. If a student provides a medical certificate they must still be marked absent in the Attendance Tracking System. Absences due to illness are included in the allowable 20% absence. |
| 4. | Calculate weekly, the student's actual attendance against 100%attendance in his/her course using the School's Attendance Tracking System for the semester or length of course if less than a semester. | Lecturer/Course Coordinator | |
| 5. | If a student has been absent for 5 consecutive days without approval in all classes in their course or is not attending classes consistently, the Course Coordinator is to advise the International Student Advisory at the student's teaching location. Student must be contacted and counselled by Course Coordinator in regarded to attendance requirements. | Course Coordinator/International Student Advisor |
Evidence of counselling and remedial action to be placed on student's file. If student who has been missing for 5 days without approval cannot be contacted and there is evidence the student is missing International Student Advisory is to be notified. If required the International Student Advisor will notify the Critical Incident Team. |
| 6. | If student has missed 10% of their projected hours for the semester or length of course if less than a semester, the Course Coordinator should send first warning letter to the student. | Course Coordinator |
First warning letter will be sent to the student's student email address. A copy of letter is to be placed on student's file. Evidence of counselling and remedial action to be placed on student's file. |
| 7. | If student has missed 15% of their projected hours for the semester or length of course if less than a semester, the Course Coordinator sends a second warning letter. | Course Coordinator |
Second warning letter will be sent to student's student email address. A copy of letter is to be placed on student's file. Evidence of counselling and remedial action to be placed on student's file. |
| 8. | If a student's attendance is assessed as not achieving 80%for the semester or course if less than a semester, (even if it is assumed student will attend every class from then on) the Course Coordinator must advise Manager, International Student Services (or nominee) using the International Student Attendance Assessment Form. | Course Coordinator | School to provide the Manager, International Student Services (or nominee) with copies of first and second warning letters when lodging the International Student Attendance Assessment Form. |
| 9. |
International Student Services will contact the student via student email advising impending reporting to Immigration for breach of attendance and ask for any relevant compassionate or compelling circumstances documentation to be submitted within 5 working days. ELICOS Students: If valid compassionate or compelling circumstances documentation accounts for the absence and brings the student's attendance above 70% the student and School will be notified that breach of attendance will not be reported in this instance. Foundation Students: If valid compassionate or compelling circumstances documentation accounts for the absence and brings the student's attendance above 70% the student and School will be notified that breach of attendance will not be reported in this instance |
Manager, International Student Services (or nominee) | |
| 10. | Students who do not lodge a compassionate or compelling circumstances documentation or are not making satisfactory academic progress, will be sent Final Notification of Intention to Report student to Immigration for Unsatisfactory Attendance letter. | Manager, International Student Services (or nominee) | Final notice letter will advise student of right to appeal the decision. |
| 11. |
A student is entitled to appeal the decision to report their unsatisfactory attendance to Course Coordinator, where they believe one or more of the following grounds apply:
|
Student |
Appeals must be lodged in writing to the Course Coordinator within 20 working days of date advised in Final Notification of Intention to Report student to Immigration for Unsatisfactory Attendance letter. Allow extra days for Australia Post delivery. e.g. 3 working days. |
| 12. |
The Course Coordinator will within 5 working days of the date of appeal, review the appeal submission against the grounds of appeal and will consult where necessary with the Course Coordinator and International Student Compliance. The Course Coordinator will advise the student in a letter the outcome of the appeal. |
Course Coordinator |
A student whose appeal is dismissed will be advised in the letter sent by the Course Coordinator that they may appeal the decision to the Ombudsman Victoria and also provided with Immigration contact details. Letter to be sent to student via FedUni student email address. |
| 13. | Students who choose to appeal to the Ombudsman Victoria must do so with 10 working days of the date of letter and must notify International Student Compliance their lodgement reference number in order not to be reported to Immigration. | Student | Students must remain enrolled throughout the internal and external appeal processes. |
| 14. | Where the student has chosen not access the appeals process within 20 working days, withdraws from the process, or the process is completed and results in decision supporting the University, International Student Compliance will notify Immigration through PRISMS as soon as practicable that the student has not achieved satisfactory attendance. | Coordinator, International Student Compliance | Student is advised by email to University student email account that they have been reported to Immigration and will be advised to contact Immigration. |
Specific responsibilities are listed under Actions
- Program Coordinator
- Lecturer
- International Student Advisor
- Manager, International Student Services
- Coordinator, International Student Compliance
- Global Partners and Community Engagement Policy
- School's Attendance Record Sheet.
| Title | Location | Responsible Officer | Minimum Retention Period |
| School Attendance Record Sheet | School | Course Coordinator | 2 years after last entry |
| International Student Attendance Assessment Form | Student's file | Course Coordinator | 7 years |
| First Warning Letter | Student's file | Course Coordinator | 7 years |
| Second Warning Letter | Student's file | Course Coordinator | 7 years |
| Final Notification to Student | Student's file | Course Coordinator | 7 years |
The International Student Attendance Requirements Procedure will be implemented throughout the University via:
- An Announcement Notice under the FedNews website; and
Inclusion in the University's online Policy Library
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