ESOS compliance

Under the ESOS National Code 2018, the University is required to ensure that the marketing of its courses is professional, accurate, and maintains the integrity and reputation of the University and the education industry.  

The University must also recruit students in an ethical and responsible manner and provide information that enables prospective students to make informed decisions about studying in Australia.

If you are preparing written material (both in print and electronic format) to provide to prospective onshore international students it must include the provider name 'Flinders University' and the University’s CRICOS Provider Number (00114A).  This information should be included in emails (in electronic signature block), letters, publications, advertisements, brochures or any other information provided in writing to prospective onshore international students on a student visa.  If you have any questions about the compliance of any marketing materials you are preparing, please contact the Flinders International on internationalcompliance@flinders.edu.au. 

The ESOS Act requires that the University ensures onshore international students are enrolled in the correct load according to the requirements of their student visa.

When providing enrolment advice or authorising the enrolment of onshore international students, you need to be aware that international students are required to be studying full-time (ie 18 units per semester) unless authorised by Flinders International to enrol in less than a full-time load in order to maintain compliance with their student visa conditions.

Should students be enrolled in fewer than an 18 unit load in any given semester they will not be guaranteed a new COE (visa document) unless authorised by Flinders International.

The University may only extend a student’s duration of study in limited circumstances as specified in the National Code 2018. These include compassionate or compelling circumstances, the implementation of an intervention strategy (see below for details) or an approved interruption to study.  Under these circumstances a student may study less than a full-time load, however this must be authorised by Flinders International and the reasons for their under-enrolment must be documented and retained on the student's file.

The University is required to monitor the study load of international students, in accordance with documented policy and procedure, to ensure that they can complete the course within the expected course duration, as registered on CRICOS and as identified by the length of their student visa.  Monitoring of student load is managed by Flinders International.

Under the National Code 2018, the University is required to systematically monitor students’ course progress in accordance with documented policy and procedures. 

The policy and procedures on review of student progress specifies the University's requirements for monitoring student progress. The key clauses are:

• Clause 5 which defines the University's intervention strategy for those student identified as being 'at risk' of preclusion; and
• Clause 6 which defines the procedures for monitoring and identifying students making unsatisfactory progress and inviting those student to 'show cause'.

Note: students will be deemed to be: 

• at risk of  preclusion based on a grade of FAIL in 50 per cent or more of the units attempted in the period under consideration;
• making unsatisfactory progress if they have attempted 36 units or more with an overall Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 or less and in the period under consideration has a GPA of 2.0 or less. Topics for which a Withdraw, Not Fail (WN) has been recorded will be excluded from the calculation of the GPA.

Students are also required to meet any definition of unsatisfactory progress that is outlined in the Course Rule governing their course(s).  

Onshore International students are eligible to undertake distance or online topics only where the number of distance or online units does not exceed one third of the total course. In addition, the University must not enrol an onshore international student exclusively in distance or online topics in any compulsory study period (i.e. standard semester).

In non-compulsory study periods (ie. summer and winter semesters), students may enrol in exclusively distance or online topics.  

If you are responsible for providing enrolment advice to international students you must take this restriction into account when counselling students.  

At the beginning of each semester, Flinders International will check enrolments to ensure adherence with this requirement.

Under the ESOS National Code 2018, international students have the right to access an appropriate internal complaints and appeal process. This requirement is satisfied by the student appeals, review and complaints policies and procedures.

Processes for the various types of appeals, complaints and grievances are available to assist staff and students to understand the different appeals and complaints processes.  Refer to the Student Complaints Policy, Student Complaints Procedure, Student Review and Appeal Policy and Student Review and Appeal Procedures for further information.

Students who are not satisfied with the outcome arising from the University’s internal complaints and appeals process, may refer their appeal or complaint to a relevant external agency.

International students will not be permitted to transfer between registered providers within the first six (6) months unless they meet specific criteria. Any international student who wishes to transfer to another registered provider should be referred to International Student Services to discuss the requirements. For further information refer to the International Student Transfer Procedures. 

International students may only defer or temporarily suspend their enrolment where compassionate or compelling circumstances apply.

Section 10 of the Enrolment Procedures for Coursework Students provides details for students who want to defer or suspend their enrolment

Staff providing advice to students about their enrolment should advise international students that any changes to their enrolment status will be reported to the Department of Education/ Department of Home Affairs and that the change may affect their student visa.