Release and refund
Students should apply for release and refund separately. Please read the release guidelines, important release information and refund information before submitting your application.
What is a release application?
Standard 7 of the National Code restricts providers from enrolling students transferring from another institution prior to the student completing six months of his or her principal course of study, except in certain circumstances which will be outlined in the FAQ section of this topic. Deakin is not permitted to enrol a student who intends to transfer to Deakin and has not completed six months of their principal course at the institution from which they are transferring unless that institution has provided them with a release letter. A student is not required to get a release letter after completing six months of his or her principal course and can transfer freely.
Please refer to the release guidelines if you intend to apply for a release from Deakin.
Release appeals
A student who has been refused a release from Deakin is the right of appeal against this decision.
The initial decision whether or not to grant a release is made by the Manager, International Quality and Compliance. In cases where the release application is rejected, the student may appeal to the Executive Director, Deakin International. The student will be required to lodge the appeal in writing to Deakin International Release Appeals within 20 working days of the date of the outcome of their initial application. An appeal can only be lodged where new evidence of compassionate or compelling circumstances is provided.
Where the Executive Director, Deakin International upholds the decision to refuse permission for release, the student has the right to take his or her appeal to the Victorian Ombudsman. The Victorian Ombudsman will only make a decision to overturn the University's decision where it is clear that procedural irregularities have occurred.
Other options
Where all avenues of appeal are refused, the student has the option of returning to his or her home country. In such a situation, the University will cancel the student's CoE which means that the student is then free to make another visa application under a new provider's CoE. It is up to DIBP to decide whether or not to grant a further visa.