Withdraw or cancel

You can withdraw from a course or programme at any time, but it’s a big decision – and it’s worth taking a moment to think it through.

Withdrawing can affect your fees and academic record, so it’s important to understand what happens next. Before you take that step, reach out to your school or faculty, or the Student Hub – they're here to help you explore your options.

What happens when I withdraw?

The timing of when you withdraw makes a huge difference – you might get a full refund, no refund or end up with grades that hurt your academic record.

There are three withdrawal periods:

You can find the exact dates for your course(s) and programme in your course enrolment record in My AUT.

Withdraw within the enrolment withdrawal period

You (or whoever paid your fees, for example StudyLink) will get a 100% refund of any fees paid. If your fees are unpaid, your enrolment will be cancelled with nothing to pay. The courses won't show on your academic record or transcript.

Withdraw within the academic withdrawal period

You won't get any refund of fees. The courses will show a "W – Withdrawn" grade on your academic record or transcript, but this won't be included in your grade point average (GPA) calculation.

Withdraw within the non-completion period

You won't get any refund of fees. The courses will show a "DNC – Did Not Complete" grade on your academic record or transcript, and this will be included in your Grade Point Average (GPA) calculation.

International students

If you’re an international student, the refund rules above may be different for you; refer to the deadlines for enrolment changes. Withdrawing from your course(s) or programme could also have an impact on your student visa.

If you keep attending after the academic withdrawal deadline with unpaid fees

If you attend or participate in a course after the academic withdrawal period while your fees are still unpaid, you'll still owe the money, even if you stop going to class later.

What if I have extraordinary circumstances?

AUT understands that sometimes personal circumstances mean you can't withdraw within the normal deadlines. In such cases, you could make a request for consideration of these extraordinary circumstances – view more about applying for an extraordinary withdrawal.

How do I withdraw or cancel?

To cancel or withdraw from a course or programme use the Online Course Amendment form in My AUT

Does this impact my fees?

Yes – but the impact depends on when you withdraw. You may be entitled to a fees refund.

You remain liable for payment of your fees unless you formally tell us you're withdrawing before the deadline. If you don't want to pay for courses you're not taking, make sure you withdraw before the deadline for your course(s) or programme.

This is especially important if your fees are paid by student loan – withdrawing late means you'll still owe the loan money even though you're not studying. View more about the impact on your student loan.

Who should I talk to?

To make sure you understand the impact of withdrawing, you should contact:

• Your school or faculty
• AUT Student Hub

Applying for an extraordinary withdrawal

An extraordinary withdrawal should be your last option. If personal circumstances are affecting your ability to study, talk to your school or faculty as soon as possible – there might be better solutions than withdrawing.

You might be able to apply for Special Consideration for Assessment (SCA) instead, which may mean you’re eligible for an extension for your assessments, depending on your circumstances.

When could extraordinary withdrawal be possible?

If you need to withdraw outside the normal deadlines and still want to get a refund, fee credit* or grade that is outside the standard rules, and if there are extenuating circumstances, an extraordinary withdrawal may be possible.

Valid reasons may include, but are not limited to:

• Death (in family)
• Serious illness
• Family crisis
• Financial circumstances

How do I apply for extraordinary withdrawal?

To apply you need to contact your faculty, and the process will require the documented independent assessment and support of an appropriate professional practitioner relevant to your situation.

It’s important that you provide:

• A full statement that clearly states why you believe you should be eligible; and
• All the associated documentation that will support your application.

What are the deadlines?

You must normally apply before the end of the course(s) affected, and, in all circumstances, no later than three months after the course(s) end.

Applications will be considered by the University Extraordinary Withdrawal Panel who will determine the outcome.

_{*A fee credit lets domestic students re-enrol in courses of the same value at a future date at no extra cost.}