Dictionary - What Does All the Jargon Mean?
ASF
The Amenities and Services Fee contributes to the student union and their provision of a range of services to students, as well as other amenities and services across the university. For more details, see Amenities and Services Fee.
Authorised Enrolment
Your enrolment is Authorised when your Faculty is satisfied that there are vacancies for you in the subjects you intend taking, and that you have met the academic requirements for those subjects. You are then authorised (or permitted) to enrol.
BPay
A payment method which allows you to pay your fees by phone or on the internet with participating participating financial institutions.
See BPay details for more information.
Cancelled enrolment
Enrolment may be cancelled (terminated) for a number of reasons, including the following:
- Non-payment of fees
- Failure to meet Commonwealth Support requirements
- Failure to re-enrol in the nominated timeframe
Cancellation or termination of enrolment means you are no longer considered a student of The University of Melbourne. Students seeking re-instatement will be required to pay a Reinstatement Fee, currently $100.
Census Date
Census date is the date when your liabilities are incurred. The University is required to report legislated student information to the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) as at Census Date. Refund of fees or waiver of HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP liability is not possible once the subject census date has passed.
Your Enrolment Record will list each subject and its census date.
For more information, refer to Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline and Census Date.
Commonwealth Supported Place
A Commonwealth supported place is a higher education place for which the Commonwealth makes a contribution towards the cost of a student’s education (formerly known as a HECS place). For more details, refer to Commonwealth Supported Students.
Commonwealth Supported Student
If you have been offered a place in a course on a Commonwealth supported place and meet the eligibility criteria, then you are a Commonwealth supported student. If you are enrolled in a unit of study as a Commonwealth supported student, you will generally be required to contribute to the cost of your education through a Student Contribution. For more details, refer to Commonwealth Supported Students.
Confirmed Enrolment
For new students, your enrolment status is ‘confirmed’ once you have:
- Paid any enrolment related fees (tuition fees / student contribution amounts / Amenities and Services Fees, etc.) which were due at the time of enrolment*
- Paid any library debts, outstanding student loan repayments, etc. (if applicable)
- Provided a ‘Request for Commonwealth Support or HECS-HELP’ or ‘Request for FEE-HELP’ form and Tax File Number (if applicable)
- Returned a signed Enrolment Declaration and Questionnaire (new students only or students who have transferred to a new course)
- Provided evidence of citizenship or residency status (if enrolling in a new course and you had not previously provided evidence)
*International, Continuing Education and Complementary Course students only.
Note: Students who do not pay their fees when they enrol (other than International, Continuing Education and Complementary Course students who must pay to confirm their enrolment) will be sent a Student Invoice for payment.
For re-enrolling students, your enrolment is confirmed if you:
- have an approved course plan, and
- do not have any library fines or other outstanding debts to the University.
You can check the status of your enrolment and can print a Statement of Liability at any time on SIS at https://sis.unimelb.edu.au
Course
The subjects you study at the University are part of a course (such as a degree or diploma). Courses are provided by Faculties. When you enrol, you enrol in both a course and a subject or subjects.
Department
This is the smallest academic division. A Faculty may contain smaller departments which deal with a particular subject area. For example the Faculty of Arts contains the Department of History. A department may be able to give you specific information about particular subjects. When you enrol in a course, you are enrolled in a Faculty.
Dual Fee Course
A dual fee course is one where part of the course is offered on a Commonwealth Supported basis, and the other on an Australian fee paying basis. Students undertaking study on a dual fee basis must sign a declaration that they do not wish to be considered as a Commonwealth Supported Student for the Australian fee paying component of the course. This is a Commonwealth Government requirement.
e-COE
(Applies to International Students Only)
The e-COE, or electronic confirmation of Enrolment, contains your visa documentation. You need to present this information to your nominated Australian Embassy to apply for your Australian student visa.
EFTSL
The Equivalent Full Time Student Load (EFTSL) is a measure of the study load, for a year, of a student undertaking a course of study on a full time basis. For more information, refer to Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline and Census Dates.
All students are allocated a central University email account which must be activated by the student for it to become operational. A central account has the form: a.student@ugrad.unimelb.edu.au or a.student@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au
Your email account must be checked at least weekly, and kept under quota, to ensure you receive important enrolment, fee and course information throughout the year.
For more details see Using Email at Uni and Your Contact Details.
Enrolment Questionnaire & Declaration
Every student who enrols in a course for the first time, or who changes courses, must fill in and sign an individual Enrolment Declaration and Questionnaire. The Questionnaire collects data required for Commonwealth Government statistics. The Declaration confirms that you agree to abide by University regulations and requirements during your enrolment at the University.
Enrolment Record
This is a form sent out by the University that shows the details of the courses and subjects in which you are enrolled, as well as enrolment status, fee payment type, and citizenship/residency status. Every time you receive an Enrolment Record, please check all details and contact your Faculty or Student Administration if there are any discrepancies. As your fee calculations are based on your enrolment, any discrepancy may affect the fees you pay or the HELP debt you incur.
Expected Completion Date
The date the University expects you to complete your course. This is printed on your Enrolment Record. If it is incorrect, please contact your Faculty to have it amended immediately. Having a correct ECD will ensure that you receive all relevant information regarding re-enrolment, graduation and other critical functions.
Faculty
The University is divided into Faculties, such as the Faculty of Law, and the Faculty of Arts. When you enrol, you enrol in a course which is offered by one of these faculties. Questions about the content of a course, or the academic requirements of a course should be directed to the Faculty.
FEE-HELP
From 2005, eligible undergraduate and postgraduate fee-paying students will have access to deferred payment arrangements through the Higher Education Loan Programme (HELP). This replaces the PELS scheme offered pre-2005.
For more details and eligibility criteria, see Going to Uni website.
HECS (Higher Education Contribution Scheme)
In 2005 the HECS scheme is now known as Commonwealth Support.
HECS-HELP
HECS-HELP is a Commonwealth Government loan available to eligible students enrolled in Commonwealth supported places. A HECS-HELP loan will cover all or part of the Student Contribution amount, and is subject to eligibility criteria based on citizenship. For more information, refer to Commonwealth Supported Students.
Leave of Absence (LOA)
A student may require leave from study for a period of time for personal, professional, or other reasons. Leave of Absence may be granted by the Faculty, usually for one or two semesters.
There are Visa and ESOS restrictions on international students wishing to take a Leave of Absence, although leave may be granted in extenuating circumstances. Please contact the International Office for information.
PELS (Postgraduate Education Loans Scheme)
In 2005 the PELS scheme is replaced by FEE-HELP.
Pre-2005 HECS Student
Students who commenced their course of study under the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) before 2005 and have not yet completed their course may be considered ‘pre-2005 HECS student’ or ‘transitional HECS student’ and remain eligible for Commonwealth support provided they meet certain criteria.
Pre-2005 PELS Student
Students who obtained a loan under the Postgraduate Education Loan Scheme (PELS) before 2005 and have not yet completed the course may be considered a ‘pre-2005 PELS student’ or ‘transitional PELS student’, and remain eligible for FEE-HELP provided they meet certain criteria.
Provisional Enrolment
The first stage of three enrolment stages, ie. when your application has been accepted but not yet authorised by the faculty.
Re-enrolment
All students returning to study the following year are required to re-enrol in the timeframe advised by the University. Under the University Statutes, if a student does not re-enrol within the given timeframe, the University must consider the student is not returning and to treat the enrolment as cancelled.
Students on Leave of Absence are also required to re-enrol in the given timeframe, and should contact their faculty before the end of the re-enrolment period.
Students are advised of the re-enrolment timeframe and requirements (advice is usually emailed in August and September), and re-enrolment usually occurs in October and November. For more information, refer to Re-enrolment.
SIS (Student Information System)
An internet (web) service for students that provides interactive services such as changing your address, subject selection and subject changes, getting information on your results and exam timetables. The SIS also has useful links to handbooks and other University and non University web sites for relevent information. The address is https://sis.unimelb.edu.au.
Computer terminals are available for use throughout the University. For subject selection and to receive a history of results, it is necessary to have activated your free Central University Email account to use with the SIS.
Statement of Liability
A Statement of Liability lists the amount of fees due (e.g. tuition fees, Student Contribution Amount, Amenities and Services Fee, CAP Fees, etc) and the various payment methods available. You can print a Statement of Liability at any time from the SIS at https://sis.unimelb.edu.au
Student Administration
The Student Administration Office is responsible for:
- Enrolments
- Fee enquiries for enrolled students
- Commonwealth Support, HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP enquiries
- Student Information System (SIS)
- Examinations
- Academic Transcripts
- Graduations
Student Administration contact details can be found at the Student Administration website.
Student Contribution Amount
If you are enrolled in a Commonwealth supported subject, you are required to pay a Student Contribution Amount for the subject. The Student Contribution Amounts are set and published by for each subject. Eligible students can apply for a HECS-HELP loan from the Commonwealth to cover part or all of their student contribution. Eligibility is determined by citizenship criteria and may differ for transitional (pre-2005) students. For more information, refer to Commonwealth Supported Students.
Student InfoLine (IVR)
An interactive telephone information system. You can access a great deal of information about your studies through the online SIS. You can also access your recent results via the Student Infoline, Call (03) 9933 9480
Student Invoice
Similar to a Statement of Liability, the Invoice is a request for payment. It shows the types of fees due (e.g. tuition fees, Student Contribution Amount, Amenities and Services Fee, etc.), due dates for each fee, the amounts due and any amounts overdue.
Student Learning Entitlement (SLE)
In 2005, if you are an Australian citizen, New Zealand citizen or the holder of a permanent visa, you will receive a Student Learning Entitlement (SLE), providing you with access to seven years of equivalent full-time study in a Commonwealth supported place.
Study Load
(Same as subject weight). A student undertaking a standard full-time annual program for a course generates one Equivalent Full Time Student Load (EFTSL). Each subject is weighted in terms of the proportion of one that the subject represents of a year's work in a given course for a full-time student. A subject's fee is calculated based on the subject's EFTSL.
Subject
The units of study you enrol for as part of a course.
Subject Selection
Your faculty will notify you prior to the end of the current year, if you need to plan for your course for the following year. You select the subjects you intend undertaking in the coming year and list alternative subjects in case you cannot get into your first preferences. This is done on the Student Information System (SIS), or, in some cases, in person or by mail. For you to be able to select subjects on the SIS, you must first have activated your central University Email account (see below). Your faculty will contact you with details.
Subject Census Dates
Refer to Census Date.
Subject Weight
Refer to Study Load.
Transcript
An official record of your University results, see Academic Transcripts.
Transitional HECS Student
Refer to Pre-2005 HECS Student.
Transitional PELS Student
Refer to Pre-2005 PELS Student.