Managing your program and enrolment

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Managing your program and enrolment

As a student at the University of the Sunshine Coast it is your responsibility to manage:

• your academic process (attending lectures, researching, writing assignments, etc); and
• the enrolment process (your contact details, what you're enrolled in, etc).

Managing your enrolment process may seem daunting at first—an administrative burden you can dismiss as a low priority.

However you need to ensure that you keep your records up-to-date.

There are four important web-based tools you use to self manage your progress.

1. USC web pages (access to your program information including Study Plan and other vital information on the University)
2. USC Portal (access to your course information, study tools, e-mail and other useful resources)
3. USC Central (access to your enrolment, finances, grades. The place you make changes to your enrolment and personal / contact details)
4. USC Student Mail (where academic and administrative staff communicate important information to you)

Please invest some time becoming familiar with all four tools. Remember your username and passwords and check your USC email account regularly.

Where to begin

To manage your enrolment it is very important that you read the following information carefully. The implications of not managing your enrolment can include not completing your program in the minimum period of time and not graduating when you expect to, or undertaking courses which may not count towards your program and incurring additional fees associated with these excess courses.

It is important that you actively manage your own enrolment and use the resources the University makes available to you in the most effective way.

The following tips will simplify your online enrolment experience and get you ready to start.

• Plan your study carefully
  

  It is your responsibility to be familiar with your program requirements. Important information is included in your Study Plan regarding specific program requirements so be sure to read it thoroughly to avoid making bad choices. Print your Study Planner (Word 90KB) and use it to record details of your course choices. Do this now before you log into USC Central to enrol.

  Your Study Plan outlines:

  • the total number of unit points for your program
  • courses that must be studied (compulsory and elective options)
  • majors and/or minors that must be studied
  • restrictions on the number/type of courses you can study
  • any practical experience that may need to be undertaken

  It is also important that you check for program and / or course changes and any transitional arrangements that apply.

  If you are applying for credit transfer for previous study (Advanced Standing) we recommend you contact your Faculty administration office before enrolling to discuss the effects approved credit may have on your Study Plan and the sequencing of your courses for future years.

• Before you can enrol
  

  When you sit down to enrol you’ll need your USC username and password and be aware of the courses in which you need to enrol.

  When you first log into USC Central you must confirm your cultural, disability, citizenship and parent/guardian highest education details (you only need to do this once) before you will be able to enrol online. Check that your details are accurate and either change or confirm them by clicking on the relevant button.

  Changes to citizenship information can’t be made in USC Central. If these details are incorrect, please contact Student Administration.

  Check the information in Personal Details section is correct and complete. In particular your permanent home address and enter (or copy to) your mailing address once it is known (international students need to do this within seven days of arriving in Australia). Note: both address fields must be completed, even if it is the same address.

  Provide name, phone and address details of your nominated emergency contact person.

• Choose your courses from your Study Plan
  

  Your Study Plan contains information on specific requirements for your program. Start by checking the requirements for your program to see how many compulsory courses there are, how many electives or optional courses there are, and if your program requires you to select a major / minor. To choose a major you may need to select and click the appropriate link to ascertain its requirements. Note: not all programs include majors.

  You will then need to plan your enrolment, and you can do this by using the Study Planner (Word 90KB). You will notice that not all courses on your Study Plan are available to you right away. There are various reasons for this, for example the courses may not be offered this study period / calendar year, or generally you need to finish your first year courses before proceeding to second and then third year courses. You may have a pre-requisite requirement to meet first. This information is all listed in your Study Plan.

• Register your major / minor
  

  Most undergraduate programs at the University allow you to nominate a major and / or minor that you would like to study. If your program allows you to undertake a major / minor, the details will be outlined on your Study Plan page.

  A major in a bachelor degree comprises 96 units that develop a coherent academic theme. A minor in a bachelor degree comprises 48 units that develop a coherent academic theme. All students are required to register their major / minor on the appropriate form with the appropriate Faculty as soon as practicable.

  • Registration of Majors-Minors form (PDF 40KB)
• Check class timetables for preferred class times and chosen course clashes
  

  Once you have planned your enrolment you need to choose a suitable day and time to attend that course on a weekly basis.

  This information is found in the class timetables, either in USC Central or on the web.

  Be sure to check for class clashes and be mindful of any important notes that might apply to your selected classes.

• Enrol in your courses (being mindful of deadlines specified by the University)
  

  Now you can enrol. Specific instructions on how to enrol are available. There are also dates when the enrolment periods open and deadlines for when enrolments must be completed for each study period. These dates and deadlines can be found in the academic calendar.

  Enrolment for new students

  Congratulations on your offer to study at USC. As a new student you can now accept your offer and enrol in the courses you want to study towards your program.

  As a new student there are a number of critical tasks you need to undertake to complete your enrolment. Please refer to the how to accept your offer and how to enrol pages for specific instructions, however you must:

  • accept, defer or decline your offer
  • complete the relevant checklist items online (statistical information and e-CAF)
  • check your personal details for accuracy
  • enrol in courses

  Enrolment for continuing students

  If you are a continuing student, re-enrolment for the following Study Period usually occurs in October (for Study Period 1) and May (for Study Period 2).

  Please re-enrol for all available teaching sessions so you have the best opportunity in selecting available classes.

  If you were enrolled in the previous study period, or had taken a break from study of 12 months or less, you are able to enrol online for the following Study Period.

  Remember to consult the Study Plan to determine which courses to enrol in.

  Prior to each Study Period you will be sent an e-mail to your USC e-mail account advising you when to proceed and the re-enrolment deadline.

• Confirm your enrolment
  

  It is your responsibility to check that you're correctly enrolled in the courses you wish to study.

  To be absolutely sure you have enrolled or withdrawn from your courses correctly, always check your 'Schedule' from the left-hand menu on USC Central after you have made any enrolment changes.

  Printouts confirming your enrolment are not forwarded to you from the University but you can print an unofficial academic record from USC Central from the 'Grades' link in the left-hand menu. This is the proof of enrolment document that you may need to provide to Centrelink etc.

Once you enrol you can change your mind.

• What if I don't re-enrol?
  

  If you do not re-enrol you are considered to have taken a break from your studies. A student, who has had an enrolment in at least one study period, can take up to a year off from studying by not enrolling in any courses for up to two study periods (12 months). Approval to do this is not required. However, students should be aware of any impacts this might have on their enrolment for future study and should look closely at the course requisites and requirements before making this decision.

  If a student has no enrolments in a third consecutive study period then they will have their enrolment as a student discontinued. If at a later stage they decide to study at the University again they will need to reapply for entry to the University via QTAC for an undergraduate program or directly to the University for a postgraduate program. Admission is automatic as long as the conditions in the Enrolments - Academic Policy 10.4 are met.

• Changing your enrolment
  

  You can change your course selection, but you should aim to finalise your enrolment well before the commencement of the teaching session. Please be advised that a discussion with a Course Coordinator or Program Advisor does not constitute an enrolment, you will still need to formally enrol in that course through USC Central.

  TIP: always withdraw first to avoid enrolment overload limits.

  Steps to changing your enrolment

  Step 1

  Check what alternative course/s you could study, and if the course you wish to withdraw from is a pre-requisite course for another course you'll want to study later on. You can do this by:

  • checking your Study Plan, or
  • speaking to a Program Advisor in your Faculty

  Step 2

  Make any changes as soon as possible . There are cut-off dates after which certain changes cannot be made, or may require special approval or may have a financial implication.

  Example: Courses may not be added to your enrolment after the end of Week 2 of each semester (week 1 of sessions) and withdrawals after the Census Date incur financial and other penalties.

  To check which dates are set as deadlines for changes, refer to the academic calendar.

  When you know what course/s you'd like to enrol in, you need to check the Study Plan to find when it is available to study.

  Step 3

  You've talked to support staff, you've checked the Study Plan and you are aware of any deadlines, cut-off dates and the implications of adding or withdrawing from a course. Now, through USC Central, you can add or withdraw from a course.

• Changing programs / program withdrawal or taking a break from study
  

  Changing programs

  To change your program at the University of the Sunshine Coast you need to apply to the University for a program change .

  Program changes can only be requested during September to commence in a new program for Study Period 1, and April to commence in a new program for Study Period 2.

  For your program change to be approved, you will need to meet the admission requirements for the new program.

  Withdrawing from your program

  Before taking this step please talk to us to make sure you have considered all of your options and understood any implications of withdrawing from your program. The University provides Support Services for students that you may like to access. For instance is a break from study, rather than a complete program withdrawal, a possibility? Is there any special consideration the University could make to assist your successful completion of your program, or to help you through a difficult time?

  If you do wish to withdraw from your program of study, please access Indefinite Withdrawal from your program via USCCentral.

  Taking a break from your study

  A student, who has had an enrolment in at least one study period, can take up to a year off from studying by not enrolling in any courses for up to two study periods. Approval to do this is not required. However, students should be aware of any impacts this might have on their enrolment for future study and should look closely at the course prerequisites and requirements before making this decision.

  If a student has no enrolment in a third consecutive study period then they will have their enrolment as a student discontinued. If at a later stage they decide to study at the University again they will need to reapply for entry to the University via QTAC for an undergraduate program or directly to the University for a postgraduate program. Admission is automatic as long as the conditions in the Enrolments - Academic Policy 10.4 are met.

• Student holds
  

  A student may have a hold imposed on their record for failure to pay, by the due date :

  • your tuition fees
  • library fines
  • student loan repayments
  • field trips payments
  • or other invoiced amounts

  A hold on your record means that you will not be able to enrol and / or see grades for your courses. To have the student hold removed, you must pay all of your overdue fees and charges and advise the University that you have made the payment.

Continuing students

For a step-by-step instruction guide to help you manage your program in USCCentral:

• access the USC Central guide—continuing students online; or
• download the USC Central Continuing Students Guide (PDF 1.7MB) *

* For PDF documents you must have the free Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded from the Adobe Download page.

Forms

• Study Planner (Word 90KB)
• Student Timetable Planner (Word 72KB)

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