How to apply for special circumstances
If your ability to study was impacted by special circumstances, you may be eligible to apply for an amendment to your enrolment and fees in special circumstances.
You’ll need to submit your application within 12 months of withdrawing from the course, or within 12 months of the replacement exam period if you didn’t withdraw. If you weren’t able to apply within this timeframe, you can request an extension by explaining why. Late applications aren’t guaranteed to be accepted.
Once your application is received, you will be notified of the outcome within 20 working days
You need to use the form for the University where you did the course.
If your application is approved, the University will:
reverse any HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP debt
repay any HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP loan amounts to the Commonwealth
refund any upfront student contribution or tuition payments.
Please note: charges for the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) and any SA-HELP debt will not be removed, even if your application is approved.
If your application is not approved, you will be notified of the reason for the decision, and your right to request a review.
Understanding the decision-making criteria
To approve your special circumstances application, Adelaide University must be satisfied that your situation meets the criteria set out by the Department of Education, as defined in the Higher Education Support Act 2003 and related Ministerial guidelines.
Your circumstances must meet all three of the following criteria:
1. Have been beyond your control
This means you weren’t responsible for the situation, and it wasn’t caused by your action or inaction, either direct or indirect; and a reasonable person would consider it unusual, uncommon or abnormal. A lack of knowledge or understanding of your responsibility regarding enrolment and census dates is not considered to be beyond your control.
2. Not have made their full impact until after the census date
Your circumstances must have either:
started before the census date but worsened after it, or
started before the census date but the full impact wasn’t clear until after it, or
occurred on or after the census date.
3. Have made it impracticable to complete your course requirements
This includes being unable to:
undertake the necessary private study, attend sufficient lectures or tutorials, or meet other compulsory attendance requirements to meet your compulsory course requirements, or
complete the required assessable work, or
sit the required examinations or complete any other course requirements because of your inability to meet a) or b).