The Student Help Page
Don't Panic!
University study, whether you are an internal student, an external student, or on-line, is never easy. We recognise the problems that you may encounter (it is rare that yours is a problem we have never seen before) so the following is a series of Frequently Asked Questions and their answers together with some links to policies and procedures. To link directly to our Student Policies pages, please click HERE.
- Who do I talk to about my enrolment pattern?
- How do I change my units or examination centre?
- How do I change my personal details?
- Are residential schools compulsory and can I get an exemption?
- Who may I talk to about my special needs?
- What if I cannot attend an examination?
- How do I claim advanced standing (credit) for my previous studies?
- How do I change my degree or how do I quit UNE?
- May I appeal against an assessment?
- May I study another university's units and count them towards my UNE degree?
- May I count a semester or year abroad to my UNE degree?
- How do I change my HECS Payment Option?
- When will I receive my teaching material?
- How do I purchase the textbook for my unit or may I borrow one from the Library?
- How do I obtain a UNE ID Card?
- How do I obtain a UNE computer account?
- When do I get told about the fees and when do I have to pay?
- How do I contact my lecturer for my unit?
- How will I know I have completed my degree?
- When do I get told about Graduation?
Who do I talk to about my enrolment pattern?
Your Vice-Dean controls your enrolment and is available to discuss your enrolment pattern. Internal students may call at any time without an appointment. External students, especially new external students, should call during a residential school or make contact in the early part of the academic year.
Your Vice-Deans (for each degree) are:
Agriculture and Rural Science |
Professor Acram Taji |
Agronomy and Soil Science Building |
|
tel. 61 (0)2 6773 2869 |
|
Computer Science |
Dr Neil Dunstan |
Mathematics and Computer Science Building |
|
tel. 61 (0)2 6773 2350 |
|
Natural Resources |
Dr Simon Murray |
Environmental Engineering Building |
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tel. 61 (0)2 6773 2077 |
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Engineering and Technology |
Mr Rex Glencross-Grant |
Environmental Engineering Building |
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tel. 61 (0)2 6773 2668 |
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Science and Environmental Science |
Dr Mary Notestine |
Zoology Building |
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tel. 61 (0)2 6773 2336 |
How do I change my units or examination centre?
To change your units, you must contact the Faculty Office. Do not contact your lecturer to change your units – by law, this must be done through the student administration and you run the risk of remaining in a unit or degree and retaining the fee or HECS liability if you do not contact the Faculty directly.
To change your units or examination centre (4 weeks notice required for Australian examination centres, 6 weeks notice required for overseas examination centres), simply write to the Faculty of The Sciences, UNE, NSW 2351, fax (61 (0)2 6773 3376) or email scifac@metz.une.edu.au with your name, UNE ID number and your request. The list of Australian external examination centres can be found in the annual Enrolment Guide and Schedule of External Units and Residential Requirements sent to all external students.
To protect you, we do not accept changes to your enrolment by telephone.
How do I change my personal details?
To change your personal details, you must contact the Faculty Office. Simply write, fax (61 (0)2 6773 3376) or email ( scifac@metz.une.edu.au) with your name, UNE ID number and your changed details. Remember if you change your address, do you need to change your telephone number and/or your examination centre? The list of external examination centres in Australia can be found in the annual Enrolment Guide and Schedule of External Units and Residential Requirements sent to all external students.
To protect you, we do not accept changes to your personal details by telephone.
Are residential schools compulsory and can I get an exemption?
Residential schools are an important part of study, particularly in science. During residential schools you will be able to observe and test in the laboratory the theory that you have learned in your lecture notes and readings. Most students find them not to be a burden but a real highlight of their study.
If you look in the annual Enrolment Guide and Schedule of External Units and Residential Requirements sent to all external students, you will note that residential schools come in three types:
Optional |
You may decide whether you wish to attend although information on the residential school will be sent to you automatically. |
Compulsory |
The residential school is required but, in exceptional circumstances (click here for the UNE policy on exemptions) an exemption can be granted and alternative work set. Exemptions are discretionary and are not a right. |
Mandatory |
No exemptions are possible in any circumstances – if you cannot attend you must withdraw from the unit. |
You must not enrol in overlapping residential schools (unless one is optional). Residential schools have few, if any, spaces to go to another unit's lectures or laboratories so enrolments in units with overlapping residential schools are rejected.
Who may I talk to about my special needs?
If you have any disability or special need, the UNE Equity Office offers a range of services to help you to achieve your full academic potential.
What if I cannot attend an examination?
If you cannot attend an examination because of, for example, an illness or an unforeseen work commitment, you may apply for a Special Examination. There are also other measures such as Special Consideration or Special Extension of Time available. Applications do not require a form and there is specific guidance on applying by clicking here.
You must attend an examination unless there is a good reason that you cannot. "Unpreparedness" for example, is not a sufficient reason not to attend an examination. You must be able to validate your case, so please ensure that you read the guidance information first. If you do not attend you cannot prove your case, you will receive a Failed-Incomplete (NI) for the unit.
How do I claim advanced standing (credit) for my previous studies?
To claim advanced standing (credit) for your previous studies (at another university, for example) we must have your academic transcript (which shows all your units and their results – examination result slips are unacceptable) and your unit descriptions taken from the official handbook. The assessment is made by comparing your non-UNE units with what is taught at UNE and it is conducted by the academic staff. They cannot make this assessment from an academic transcript alone so applications without this information will not be processed.
Typically, unit descriptions should contain details of the topics, the contact time, assessment methods and the textbooks.
A maximum of two-thirds of a Bachelor degree can be granted as advanced standing. Postgraduate degrees do not normally allow advanced standing for degrees/diplomas completed elsewhere although some advanced standing may be granted for incomplete degrees/diplomas.
Advanced standing is only granted for units assessed as equivalent to UNE units in content, size and rigour and which are equivalent to UNE units approved for the degree in which you are enrolled. Advanced standing is not normally granted for previous studies over 10 years old although there are some exceptions such as mathematics.
The Faculty of The Sciences does not award advanced standing (or recognition of prior learning) for work or life experience except in a very few limited cases.
There is no application form – a simple covering letter is all that is required. Applications take about 4 weeks to process although those arriving between Christmas and 1 February may take longer because January is the academic staffs' standard leave period.
How do I change my degree or how do I quit UNE?
To change your UNE degree, you must apply to the Faculty that offers the new degree you wish to study. For Bachelor students, an application form is not normally required – a simple letter of application is normally satisfactory. In the Faculty of The Sciences, the letter should be sent to the Faculty Office (email scifac@metz.une.edu.au ) where it will be forwarded to the appropriate Vice-Dean for you new degree. For other Faculties, please check with (Arts – arts@metz.une.edu.au Economics, Business and Law – ebl@metz.une.edu.au Education, Health and Professional Studies – fehps@metz.une.edu.au) for advice.
When changing your degree, it is your responsibility to ensure that your previous enrolment is cancelled. Do not assume that your new faculty will process this for you – go to your old faculty and check. An application form is not normally required – a simple letter of application is normally satisfactory.
To withdraw entirely from UNE, you must write to the faculty for your degree and apply to withdraw. An application form is not normally required – a simple letter of application is normally satisfactory. However , before making such a drastic step, please consider options such as Leave of Absence or talk to your Vice-Dean or the Faculty Office ( scifac@metz.une.edu.au). We want to keep you here and we may have options that can see you through a problem.
May I appeal against an assessment?
Specific guidance on how to an appeal against an academic assessment is available by clicking here. There is no formal application form.
May I study another university's units and count them towards my UNE degree?
Specific guidance on how to apply to study another university's units and count them towards your UNE degree is available by clicking here. Please carefully check the information as restrictions do apply. UNE does have specific arrangements for cross-institutional study in some disciplines (Murdoch University for Physics, for example). Check with the Faculty Office (scifac@metz.une.edu.au) for further information.
May I count a semester or year abroad to my UNE degree?
Specific guidance on how to take a Study Abroad semester or year is available here. You can retain your Youth Allowance/Austudy entitlements and incur HECS (assuming your degree is HECS-liable) for your overseas studies if you have them approved in advance. If you do not, you run the risk of losing your entitlments. Contact the UNE International Office ( ipo@metz.une.edu.au) for a list of overseas universities with which UNE has an agreement for Study Abroad.
How do I change my HECS Payment Option?
To change your HECS Payment Option (or to transfer from fee-paying to HECS-liable - if you are allowed this option) you must complete a new HECS Payment Option Form and send it to the UNE HECS Officer, UNE, NSW 2351. New forms are available from the UNE HECS Officer ( cdurham@metz.une.edu.au) or the Faculty Office ( scifac@metz.une.edu.au). Forms are also available from your nearest Australian Taxation Office or from any university.
When will I receive my teaching material?
Teaching material despatch commences in mid-January for first semester units and early-June for second semester units. The first despatch takes about 4 weeks and further despatches then take place on a daily basis as units are swept for later enrolments. Enrolments not processed by the start of the first despatch will await the subsequent sweeps.
Teaching material despatch takes place from the UNE Despatch Centre, not from the Faculty. Packages can be bulky and will often not fit into normal mailboxes – a post office box is often advisable. Your teaching material will be despatched by unit so, if you are enrolled in more than one unit, you may expect packages at different times. Your unit may also comprise more than one package.
If your package has not arrived my mid-February or mid-July (if you returned your enrolment form before Christmas you should be included in the first sweep), contact your local post office then the Faculty ( scifac@metz.une.edu.au), to see if your package has been sent.
How do I purchase the textbook for my unit or may I borrow one from the Library?
Textbook details are included in the Confirmation of Enrolment Notice sent to external students and also in the teaching material packages. An order form for the Cooperative Bookshop will be sent to you and we recommend you use their services – many textbooks are imported and your local supplier often has difficulty in obtaining them. This will cause delays to your studies.
The Cooperative Bookshop is a commercial company located on the UNE campus but it is not a UNE company. The Bookshop offers discounts to students and has a mail-order service as well as offering GST-exempt prices for prescribed textbooks. It also has a branch at 80 Bay Street, Broadway, Sydney NSW 2007, for Sydney-based students.
Textbooks can be ordered by fax 61 (0)2 6771 2040 or email une@coop-bookshop.com.au
The UNE Dixson Library has a lending service to UNE students. Full details and loan application forms will be sent to all students and further information is available by clicking here
How do I obtain a UNE ID Card?
New students are required to apply for a Student Identification Card.
Applications can be downloaded at the following web link: http://www.une.edu.au/idcards/app-id-card.pdf
An *original passport photo and *100 points of identification must accompany the application form when forwarded to the Student Centre. Students who do not provide an *original passport photo or *100 points of identification will have their forms returned requesting that the correct information be provided before an ID Card can be issued.
* For information on the original passport photo criteria and 100 points of identification please refer to page 2 of the Application for a NEW Student ID Card.
New cards are dispatched once enrolment is complete/confirmed for the currently enrolled semester.
Further information can be obtained at http://www.une.edu.au/idcards/
How do I obtain a UNE computer account?
Metz (UNE server) and Turing (for COMP, MATH and STAT students) accounts are normally created automatically from the enrolment records.
The School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences will notify turing accounts to students.
A metz account is normally the first initial and the subsequent 7 letters of the surname. For students not automatically enrolled an online registration page is available by clicking here.
Metz accounts are normally cancelled at the end of the academic year and are reactivated once the new academic year enrolments are processed. Students studying over the summer semester will normally retain their original account. If there is a problem contact your lecturer (see contacting your lecturer).
When do I get told about the fees and when do I have to pay?
Invoices for the semester's fees are normally despatched weekly with despatches commencing in February and July. Payment is normally due within 4 weeks and your enrolment is liable to be cancelled if it has not been paid.
Due to GST legislative requirements, it is not possible to generate new invoices if your enrolment has changed and you are strongly discouraged to wait for one before paying. A variation notice will be sent to you but this may be after the payment date by which time your enrolment could have been cancelled.
If you wish to recalculate your fees and pay on your assessment, then that is perfectly fine. Normally, your General Service Fee is unchanged by you changing your units. If you are paying full-fees or up-front HECS, please contact the Faculty ( scifac@metz.une.edu.au) for advice on your liability. Typically, a science unit costs $472 up-front (2001 HECS).
Payments and refunds are processed through the Accounts Receivable section of the Financial Services Directorate, not through the Faculty. Contact details on fees and HECS are given on your invoice.
How do I contact my lecturer for my unit?
Contact details for your lecturer should be contained in your teaching material. The Faculty of The Sciences is geographically widely spread across the campus and the Faculty Office is unable to find lecturers for you and unable to take messages. If you do not have your lecturer's contact details, telephone the UNE Enquiry Centre 61 (0)2 6773 3333 who can route you to all parts of the campus, or search through our Internal Directory for telephone, fax and email addresses.
How will I know I have completed my degree?
Firstly, you need to ensure that you have ticked the 'Graduation Indicator' box on your final enrolment form showing whether you expect to graduate either after the first semester (October ceremony) or after the end of this academic year (March/April ceremony). Your Confirmation of Enrolment Notice includes a statement about your graduation indicator status so check if this is correct.
At present, our computer systems cannot calculate your eligibility to graduate and a manual check has to be made of those students who have indicated that they expect to graduate (see above). If you did not tick the Graduation Indicator, you may be missed.
The manual calculation checks are conducted in July for October ceremony and January for the March/April ceremony. We cannot complete them earlier because the support team is fully dedicated to enrolment processing from October to January.
If you would like an individual check of your final year to confirm that you will complete (subject, of course, to passing that semester's or year's units) then please contact the Faculty ( scifac@metz.une.edu.au) We cannot do the check by telephone.
When do I get told about Graduation?
If you ticked the Graduation Indicator on your final enrolment form, you will be sent in May or October/early November an Application to Graduate Form. This form confirms that you are, or are not, expecting to graduate at the next ceremony. It is a very useful crosscheck but it does not mean that you are eligible to graduate - this is only confirmed through the manual check (see above).
The UNE Graduation Office will send graduation packs to you in July or January. The pack includes guidance on the ceremony, the hiring of academic dress and a Notification of Intention to Attend form. The return of this form is very important as it means that we will keep a seat for you – if you simply turn up without telling Graduation Office (the booking of your academic dress is not telling the Graduation Office) you may run the severe embarrassment of being all dressed up but nowhere to go!