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Reduced study load (student visa holders)
To meet your student visa conditions and complete your course by the end date on your electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE), you need to enrol in a full-time study load (24 credit points) each study period. The University cannot approve you to reduce your study load unless you demonstrate valid reasons.
The process to apply for a reduced study load has changed for the 2026 academic year.
If you believe you’re eligible, you’ll be prompted to submit your application in Sydney Student after you’ve selected your units of study. We recommend you apply as early as possible so that you can receive an outcome in time to adjust your units before your enrolment deadlines.
Returning students selecting units during earlier unit of study selection won’t be prompted to submit a reduced study load application until after results are released on 17 December.
Ï㽶ֱ²¥ load requirements
As a coursework student, a full-time study load means you enrol in 24 credit points and the majority of your units are completed during the standard semesters:
- For Teaching Period 1 (January - June), at least 18 credit points need to be completed in the Semester 1 session, or sessions other than Intensive January, Intensive January - February or Intensive May - June.
- For Teaching Period 2 (July - December), at least 18 credit points need to be completed in the Semester 2 session, or sessions other than Intensive June - July or Intensive November - December.
Less than 24 credit points available in your final semester
If you are in your final semester and have less than 24 credit points to enrol in, you don't need to apply for a reduced study load. This may happen for example if you've got ahead by completing a unit in an intensive session or if you received credit for previous study.
How to check your study load
During unit selection, you can check your credit point totals in the Tracking your totals section of the unit of study selection screen. Alongside your totals for ‘Credits in Semester 1’ and ‘Credits in Semester 2’ a tick will turn green once you’ve selected the required number of credit points for a full-time load.
If you continue to the next screen without enrolling in the required study load, a message will pop-up explaining your minimum credit point requirement and how many credit points you selected. You have the option to return to the unit of study selection screen to add more units, or continue to apply for a reduced study load.
Checking your study load after you’ve completed enrolment
If you are enrolled, you can check your study load on your certificate of current enrolment in Sydney Student. Go to ‘My studies’, then ‘Enrolment’. Check the units of study you are currently enrolled in.
Eligibility for reduced study load
The University can only approve reduced study load requests under specific circumstances.
Compassionate or compelling circumstances
These are generally circumstances beyond your control and which have an impact upon your course progress or wellbeing.
These could include, but are not limited to:
- serious illness or injury, where a medical certificate states that the overseas student was unable to attend classes;
- bereavement of close family members such as parents or grandparents (where possible a death certificate should be provided);
- major political upheaval or natural disaster in the home country requiring emergency travel and this has impacted on the overseas student’s studies;
- a traumatic experience, which could include:
- involvement in, or witnessing of a serious accident; or
- witnessing or being the victim of a serious crime, and this has impacted on the overseas student (these cases should be supported by police or psychologists’ reports); or
Course structure issues fall within compassionate or compelling circumstances and include:
- if the faculty or school is unable to offer any other units of study because of the structure of your program
- where the registered provider was unable to offer a prerequisite unit, or the overseas student has failed a prerequisite unit and therefore faces a shortage of relevant units for which they are eligible to enrol.
Academic intervention strategy
If you are currently on the progression register and an academic adviser from your faculty or school recommends your study load be reduced to make sure you successfully complete your remaining units of study, your faculty or school may implement a formal intervention strategy.
Reasons that will not be accepted
These include but are not limited to:
- career or transport reasons
- waiting on an outcome for a credit for previous study application
- not wanting to do certain elective units or waiting for certain electives to be available
- completing an intensive unit or receiving credit for a previous study where there are remaining units left to complete for full-time study.
It’s important to understand that you won’t be able to complete enrolment or make any updates to your units until your application has been processed, or you decide to cancel it.
If units are available, consider selecting a full-time study load first so that you can complete enrolment, receive a timetable, and access unit Canvas sites when they become available. Once enrolled, you can then return to the unit of study selection screen as soon as possible to remove the unit(s) and submit your reduced study load application.
Your visa
If your application is approved, your eCoE will remain active, and there will be no current impact on your student visa. However you need to be aware that reducing your study load may lengthen the time it takes for you to finish your course. This may mean you need to request another eCoE to apply for a further visa. If the University extends your eCoE it does not guarantee you will be granted a visa.
If you reduce your study load without receiving approval, the University will not be able to issue a new CoE to apply for a new visa.
When to apply and processing times
You should submit your application prior to the start of semester, as soon as you have the required supporting documents and information. Submitting as early possible gives us the best chance to provide your outcome in time for you to organise your timetable and start classes.
We’ll do our best to process early applications within 10 business days, however more complex applications or applications submitted closer to the start of semester may take longer.
If census has passed, you cannot apply to reduce your study load further as you are already liable for the units you are enrolled in. If your study in a unit has been impacted by circumstances beyond your control you do have the option to apply to discontinue from a unit of study under special circumstances.
How to apply
You need to apply for a reduced study load through the unit of study selection screen in Sydney Student.
When you select less than the required study load, a pop-up message will display explaining your credit point requirement. If you are eligible to apply for a reduced study load you can continue to submit a request. Otherwise, you’ll need to go back to the unit of study selection screen to add more units.
You’ll need to provide any required supporting documents and information as explained below, and you may be asked to nominate alternative units in your application.
If you’re currently enrolled in the unit of study that you wish to drop, you should still attend classes until your reduce study load is approved.
Nominating alternative units of study
In most cases, you’ll need to nominate an alternative unit or units in your application - we may enrol you in one or more of these units if your application is declined. The application screen in Sydney Student contains a searchable list of available units, based on your course. You should nominate units:
- that you would study if you weren’t applying for a reduced load
- where you meet the handbook rules (e.g. you meet the prerequisite rules)
- where the total credit points are equal to the number of credit points you’re requesting to reduce. For example, if you're applying to reduce your load by 6 credit points, you’ll need to nominate 6 credit points of alternative units.
You don’t need to nominate alternative units if you’re applying because of your course structure (due to previously failing a unit or receiving credit, there are no available units to undertake this semester).
Supporting documents
You need to attach the required supporting documents, otherwise your application will not be approved.
Documents issued in a language other than English need to be translated into English by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI). Both documents in original language and NAATI translation must be provided in the request.
A signed medical certificate/report with appropriate letterhead from a doctor/psychologist stating that you are unable to attend classes.
or
- A detailed statement from a counsellor from the University's Student Wellbeing Service who has been involved in your assessment and/or treatment.
Medical certificates should:
- be issued within three months of the request date
- have a clear duration of recommended time away from studies
- include a treatment plan if applicable
- indicate that you will be impacted for a substantial period of the semester.
- be translated into English by the if in a language other than English. Provide the original language document and NAATI translation in your request.
Doctor's certificate or hospital statement with expected due date.
Medical certificates should:
- be issued within three months of the request date
- have a clear duration of recommended time away from studies
- include a treatment plan if applicable
- indicate that you will be impacted for a substantial period of the semester
- be translated into English by the if in a language other than English. Provide the original language document and NAATI translation in your request.
A confirmation email from the Student Affairs Unit or another University department.
Involvement in a legal matter/criminal event:
- evidence of duration/bail conditions.
Major political upheaval, natural disaster or a traumatic experience:
- any relevant documents such as medical certificates, death certificates, proof of relationship, birth certificates or police reports.
- in the absence of sufficient documents, provide a student declaration including an explanation of why additional documents aren't possible.
Medical certificates should:
- be issued within three months of the request date
- have a clear duration of recommended time away from studies
- include a treatment plan if applicable
- indicate that you will be impacted for a substantial period of the semester
- be translated into English by the if in a language other than English. Provide the original language document and NAATI translation in your request.
For bereavement/serious illness of close family members such as parents or grandparents:
- a death certificate/medical certificate
- proof of relationship.
Medical certificates should:
- be issued within three months of the request date
- have a clear duration of recommended time away from studies
- include a treatment plan if applicable
- indicate that you will be impacted for a substantial period of the semester.
- be translated into English by the if in a language other than English. Provide the original language document and NAATI translation in your request.
If your current childcare arrangement is no longer available you should provide:
- a student declaration form, making sure you include a clear explanation of the circumstances and a plan for the new arrangement.
If you are required to look after a sick child you should provide:
- a medical certificate.
Medical certificates should:
- be issued within three months of the request date
- have a clear duration of recommended time away from studies
- include a treatment plan if applicable
- indicate that you will be impacted for a substantial period of the semester.
- be translated into English by the if in a language other than English. Provide the original language document and NAATI translation in your request.
If, due to previously failing a unit or receiving credit, there are no available units to undertake this semester, include in your application:
- details of why you are unable to select a full-time study load e.g.
- you've failed a pre-requisite and have less than a full-time study load available this semester
- you've changed your major, specialisation or pathway and not all subjects are available in the semester
- there is limited core subject availability in your major or specialisation area.
- any written advice or approval provided by your faculty or school.
- Evidence of an Academic Progression and Advice session with your faculty or school. An academic progression letter is not sufficient evidence, you will also need to attach your formal academic progression plan and recommendation from your faculty's academic advisor.
or
- Show cause outcome letter stating that reduced study load is a condition of your re-enrolment.
What happens next
Once you submit your application you won’t be able to complete enrolment or make any changes to your units of study until your application is processed, or you decide to cancel your application. This means you won’t receive a timetable or have access to unit Canvas sites while your application is pending.
If you’ve applied for a reduced study load in both semesters, each semester will be assessed as a separate application. Our email correspondence to you will include individual request ID numbers for each semester.
Requests for further information or documents
It's important to check your University student email account regularly, as your faculty or school may request additional information or documents within a certain timeframe. We won’t be able to process your application until you respond to this request.
We may send you two separate requests if you applied for a reduced study load for both semesters.
Your outcome
We’ll send an email to your University student email account once a decision has been made. If you applied for a reduced study load for both semesters you'll receive separate outcomes.
Your outcome email includes instructions on what to do next. It’s important to follow these instructions and to review your final unit selection so that you can complete your enrolment.
Cancelling your application
If you’d like to make changes to your units of study, or you decide to update or change your reduced study load application, you’ll need to cancel your application first. Log in to Sydney Student and go to ‘My requests’.
Once cancelled, you’ll then need to enrol in a full-time study load or submit a new reduced study load application, before the last day to add deadline.
If you submitted other requests (such as an enrolment exception request or a reduced study load application for a different semester) you’ll need to cancel all requests before you can access the unit of study selection screen.
Your obligations to act honestly Â
The University expects you to act honestly and with integrity in all academic matters, and to uphold our Academic Integrity Policy 2022 (pdf, 350KB). This includes meeting integrity standards when you apply for a reduced study load.
Only submit information that is true, accurate and complete; and provided without the intent to mislead or gain advantage.
Fraudulent documents
Be aware of unregistered or fraudulent operators who claim to be able to provide the supporting documents you need for your application.
Penalties
Submitting a fraudulent document or false information is considered misconduct under the University of Sydney (Student Discipline) Rule 2016 (pdf, 389KB) and will be treated seriously. If found guilty the University may initiate civil or criminal proceedings. We may also impose penalties such as:
- a fail grade and mark of zero for the affected unit on your transcript
- expulsion from the University without refund.
Last updated: 19 November 2025