Your medical circumstance must be unusual, uncommon or abnormal for you and beyond your control. It must also have occurred or changed/worsened (if circumstance was ongoing) after the census date to such an extent that you were unable to continue studying.

If the circumstance was known to you before census date (a pre-existing condition), your application must demonstrate the date your circumstance changed/escalated and the impact it had on your ability to complete your studies.

Application assessment is based on the information and documentation you provide. Assumptions about your special circumstance will not be made.

What to include with your application

You must provide a letter/s from a healthcare professional who saw you during the relevant study period that:

• includes the date of appointments attended during the study period
• confirms the date your circumstances first occurred or escalated
• confirms the dates/length of time you were impacted
• confirms the impact on your studies.

Letters must be signed by the author, include contact details and be on an official letterhead.

Additional documents

Some documents are not accepted on their own (but may be included with along official documentation), such as:

• statutory declarations or letters from family members (not considered independent)
• anything dated outside the relevant study period
• travel itineraries (you must provide travel documents that show when your travel was booked and the dates of travel)
• hospital admission statements
• pharmacy statements or prescriptions
• medical documents not accompanied by a letter from your medical provider
• pathology reports
• special consideration medical forms
• correspondence with Federation staff
• photos.

Your family or personal circumstance must be unusual, uncommon or abnormal for you and beyond your control. It must also have occurred or changed/worsened (if circumstance was ongoing) after the census date to such an extent that you were unable to continue studying.

Examples include death or severe medical problems within your family or an unforeseen natural disaster. If the circumstance was known to you before the census date (for example, family care responsibilities) your application must demonstrate the date your circumstance changed/escalated and the impact it had on your ability to complete your studies.

Application assessment is based on the information and documentation you provide. Assumptions about your special circumstance will not be made.

What to include with your application

You must provide documents from independent sources who can confirm your circumstance. For example, if your circumstance was a death in the family, you could provide a death certificate (and documents to demonstrate your relationship, such as a birth certificate). If your circumstance was carer duties, you could provide a carer certificate. Please note that letters from friends or family members are not considered independent.

Supporting documentation must:

• include dates your circumstances first occurred or escalated and state the length of time you were impacted
• be relevant to the study period, census date and/or end of unit assessment and exam period
• detail the special circumstance/s that occurred
• explain how your ability to complete your studies was impacted
• be signed by the author and be on an official letterhead.

Additional documents

Some documents are not accepted on their own (but may be included with along official documentation), such as:

• statutory declarations or letters from family members (not considered independent)
• anything dated outside the relevant study period
• travel itineraries (you must provide travel documents that show when your travel was booked and the dates of travel)
• hospital admission statements
• pharmacy statements or prescriptions
• medical documents not accompanied by a letter from your medical provider
• pathology reports
• special consideration medical forms
• correspondence with Federation staff
• photos.

Your employment-related circumstance must be unusual, uncommon or abnormal for you and beyond your control. It must also have occurred or changed/worsened (if circumstance was ongoing) after the census date to such an extent that you were unable to continue studying.

Examples include unplanned changes to your employment conditions or your employer increasing your hours or expectations. Please note that choosing to increase hours of work or undertake additional employment is not considered beyond your control.

Application assessment is based on the information and documentation you provide. Assumptions about your special circumstance will not be made.

What to include with your application

You must provide a letter from your employer that states:

• the date your employment conditions were changed
• the length of time the changes were in place for
• what changes were made
• that these changes were made by your employer
• explain how your ability to complete your studies was impacted.

This letter must be signed by the author, include contact details and be on an official letterhead.

Additional documents

Some documents are not accepted on their own (but may be included with along official documentation), such as:

• statutory declarations or letters from family members
• anything dated outside the relevant study period
• correspondence with Federation staff
• photos.

Remission of debt may not apply to course-related circumstances. Refer to our student complaints and feedback webpage for more information.

If you didn't follow advice from the University prior to the census date regarding withdrawal or intermission from your studies, and you later withdraw after the census date, this does not meet the remission criteria as it is not considered outside your control.