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Full-time study (1.1.F.230) for tertiary students includes students who start late in their course, but who are enrolled in, and undertake study in respect of the course on at least one day up to, and including, the Friday in the second week of classes. Students who start later than this would only be treated as full-time students from the date they start undertaking full-time study in their course.
Generally the length of the study units undertaken determine a particular study period, i.e. semester or year long units.
Assessment of the normal amount of full-time study in a particular period will depend upon the circumstances of each case and will depend on matters such as how the course is structured and how enrolments are accepted. However, a student undertaking study on a trimester or semester basis may be considered to be a full-time student when:
A student intending to enrol in, or undertake at least 75% of the normal amount of full-time study for a course for any given period is deemed as a full-time tertiary student (1.1.F.230).
For a course of study offered by a higher education provider under the Higher Education Support Act 2003, the normal amount of full-time study for that period is determined by the higher education provider under the Administration Guidelines under that Act.
If the course is not such a course, the normal amount of full-time study is the amount the institution defines as the amount of full-time study that a full-time student should typically undertake in respect of the course in the period. If the institution does not define such an amount, the amount of full-time study is an amount equivalent to the average amount of full-time study that a person would have to undertake in the period for the duration of the course in order to complete the course in the minimum amount of time needed to complete it. Otherwise, the normal amount of full-time study is on average a minimum of 20 hours per week.
Where a course has some form of practical training off campus, if the educational institution gives this component an EFTSL weighting, the hours are to be counted in the calculation of study-load. If the institution allocates a different weighting system to the practical placement (such as points, credits or units) then the study-load can be measured against the method meaning that the practical placement will count towards the study-load. If the practical placement is given no weighting at all by the institution, then it cannot contribute towards the study-load.
Act reference: SSAct section 541B Undertaking full-time study
Policy reference: SS Guide 3.2.7.30 YA Full-time Students, 1.1.F.230 Full-time study (YA, Austudy, PES)
The course end date for full-time tertiary students, who do not intend to re-enrol at the available opportunity is deemed to be the day on which their last exam is taken.
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Last reviewed: 9 February 2012
