Attendance requirements
If you’re an ELICOS (English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students) or a Swinburne Foundation Program student, there are attendance requirements attached to your student visa.
Satisfactory attendance
The National Code of Practice for Registration Authorities and Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 (the National Code) prescribes minimum attendance requirements for international students on student visas.
'Satisfactory attendance' means you are going to enough classes to comply with attendance requirements. If you are absent due to illness, even with a medical certificate, you will be marked absent.
ELICOS
You must attend at least 80 percent of contact hours in a study period, or 70 percent if you were absent for compassionate and compelling circumstances and have documentary evidence to prove this. A study period is a maximum of 10 weeks. Attendance is taken every study period.
Swinburne Foundation Program
You must attend at least 80 percent of contact hours in a study period, or 70 percent if you were absent for compelling circumstances and have documentary evidence to prove this. A study period is one teaching period. If you withdraw from units in your Swinburne Foundation Program, these will not count towards your attendance, no matter when you withdraw.
Attendance warnings
Attendance will be monitored regularly. You will be notified via your student email if you are in danger of falling below the 80 percent required in a study period. At our discretion, we may also give you a verbal warning or contact you via a letter, call or text.
Swinburne is obliged by law to report breaches of attendance requirements to government agencies, including Australian immigration authorities. If you fail to meet the attendance requirements, your student visa may be cancelled.
Five consecutive days of absence
Students absent for more than five consecutive days may be contacted by email, phone, text or letter and counselled. If you cannot be contacted or continue to disengage from your studies, your enrolment may be cancelled. The Department of Home Affairs will be informed and your student visa may be impacted.
Reporting to immigration authorities
If you can no longer achieve the required attendance, Swinburne must inform the Australian immigration authorities of this non-compliance.
We will notify you of our intention to report your unsatisfactory attendance via your student email. You will have 21 days to apply for a review of the decision.
More about student visas
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Student visas
Understand the student visa you need to study in Australia, learn how to apply for or renew your student visa, and check the health cover you need.
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Your Confirmation of Enrolment in Australia
Find out when you might receive a Confirmation of Enrolment from Swinburne and how to subsequently apply for a student visa to study in Australia.
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Overseas Student Health Cover in Australia
As an international student planning to study in Australia, you are required to have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) throughout your stay.
Need advice or support?
For advice and support related to attendance requirements, please speak to the Pathways Student Support Team at Swinburne College. Email pathwayssupport@swinburne.edu.au, call +61 3 9214 5671 or visit the TD Building.