Low Completion Rate

Low Completion Rate

From January 2022, the Job Ready Graduates legislation applies to commencing students who have a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP). You can find more information on the Job Ready Graduates changes here.

What this means for you as a student.

• Students will now need to maintain a certain completion rate (pass rate) of attempted units to keep their CSP, HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP.
• You must pass at least 50% of your enrolled units after attempting 8 units in a Bachelor Degree or above, or after attempting 4 units in an Associate Degree.
• If you fail to complete more than 50% of your units, this is considered a Low Completion Rate (LCR).
• It is important to know that if you withdraw from a unit after the census date, it is still counted as a failed unit towards your completion rate.
• If you have a LCR, you will lose access to your CSP, HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP.
  Example - Taylor has attempted 8 units in their Bachelor of Commerce. They passed 3 units, failed 2 units and Withdrew Late (after census date) for 3 units. As Taylor passed less than 50% of the units, they remained enrolled in past the census date, Taylor now has a LCR.
• You must avoid a LCR for the duration of your studies to maintain eligibility to CSP, HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP. You can read more about the LCR here.

I’ve got a Low Completion Rate. What happens next?

If you have a LCR, Deakin will notify you when results have been released. You will be un-enrolled from your CSP in your course and instead you will be enrolled in a full fee place in your course. You will lose access to HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP.

What are my options?

You could continue your studies in the full fee place. You can re-apply for a CSP and HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP once you achieve a successful completion rate, subject to the availability of CSP for that course.
Or
You could apply for units to be discounted from your completion rate, due to Special Circumstances, via the Remission of Debt Process.
Or
You could transfer to another course or another institution if you meet the entry requirements. Your LCR will not be transferred to another course or another institution.

What are Special Circumstances?

If you believe that you have been impacted by special circumstances after the census date and these circumstances prevented you from successfully completing a unit, you can apply to have the unit removed from your completion rate.
Special Circumstances are defined in the Higher Education Support Act 2003 as situations that:

• are beyond the student’s control; and
• do not make their full impact on the student until on or after the census date for the unit of study; and
• make it impracticable for the student to complete the requirements for the unit during the period during which the student undertook, or was to undertake, the unit.

If you are advised that you have a LCR, you will have 14 days to let Deakin know your next steps. If you do not respond within this timeframe, your enrolment will be discontinued.

FAQs

What if I think I might fail a unit/some units?

It is a good idea to discuss your concerns with your Unit Chair, a Course Advisor or a DUSA Advocate. There are lots of ways the University can support you with your academic progress. However, if you don’t want to continue with a unit, or you think you are unlikely to pass a unit, you should withdraw from the unit before the census date. This means the unit will not count towards your completion rate, and you will not incur a debt for this unit.

What if it’s after the census date?

If the census date has passed, you can still withdraw from a unit. However, you will incur the debt for this unit, and it will count as a fail towards your completion rate. If Special Circumstances prevented you from successfully completing the unit, you may be eligible to apply for the unit to be removed from your LCR. You may also be eligible to apply for Remission of Debt, to have the debt for this unit removed.
For more information, see our Remission of Debt webpage.

I have a LCR. Can I resume my CSP, HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP if my completion rate improves?

You can re-apply for your CSP, HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP if you raise your completion rate to at least 50% as a full fee-paying student. Re-entry to a CSP will depend on the availability of CSP for your course.
For example - Taylor had a LCR after attempting their first 8 units. Taylor had passed 3 out of 8 units attempted. Taylor then accepted a full fee-paying place and studied 2 units and passed both. This means Taylor's new completion rate is 5 out of 10 units and they no longer have a LCR. Taylor is eligible to resume a CSP, HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP.

How can a DUSA Advocate help me?

A DUSA Advocate can provide advice regarding your application for Special Circumstances for LCR.
Please contact us today to arrange a free appointment with an Advocate.