Glossary of Terms and Acronyms

NOTE: The use of the term ‘Avondale’ through this document refers to Avondale University

Academic Encumbrance: An encumbrance placed in a student’s record which identifies a status of academic probation exists.

Academic Integrity: Involves undertaking academic activity in a responsible manner so as to ensure that information and ideas are generated and communicated in an honest and ethical way and that use of the ideas and/or writing of others is acknowledged.

Academic Probation: An academic status which identifies the student has failed 50% or more of the units in which they were enrolled in a teaching period, or a student has had to show cause or appeal in regard to their unsatisfactory academic progress and it has been upheld.

Academic Misconduct: Is undertaking academic activity, either deliberately or imprudently, that can result in unmerited advantage. This can include, but is not limited to, cheating, collusion, plagiarism, fraud, falsification of data and incorrectly ascribing authorship in group projects.

Academic dress (regalia): The official dress consisting of a gown, hood or stole, and trencher (mortar board) or bonnet to be worn by graduands/graduates of Avondale. There is specified academic dress for each award – see https://www.avondale.edu.au/students/graduation/dress/

Academic Status: Identifies a student’s academic standing in regard to whether or not progression in their course is satisfactory or not. It will either be in good standing, on probation or under consideration.

Administrative Encumbrance: An encumbrance in a student’s record which prohibits access to certain services, usually due to a financial debt with Avondale. May also be due to the existence of a requirement to ‘show cause’ why enrolment should not be discontinued, or having not completed AIM.

Advanced standing: Credit granted towards a student’s enrolled course on the basis of completed formal studies and/or on the basis of recognition of prior learning. See the Advanced Standing Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

AHEGS: Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement. It is an official document provided by an awarding institution to its higher education graduates, relevant to course from which they have graduated. It provides a combination of a course specific transcript together with descriptions of the provider of the course, the course, and the graduate’s achievements, along with the contextual information relating to the Australian higher education sector and the institution.

AIM: Academic Integrity Module – an online module about academic integrity which students are required to satisfactorily complete in their first semester of enrolment in a course.

AIP: Administrative information for higher education providers: Student Support. This is the guideline higher education providers are obliged to follow in regard to student enrolment and fees to be compliant with the Higher Education Support Act 2003 and its subsequent amendments. See https://www.dese.gov.au/higher-education/higher-education-administrative-information-providers-march-2020

Applicant: A potential student who has submitted a formal application (electronic or paper) to Avondale to enrol as a student.

AQF: Australian Qualifications Framework. See https://www.aqf.edu.au/

ASQA: Australian Skills Quality Authority. The national regulator for the vocational education and training (VET) sector in Australia. See https://www.asqa.gov.au/

Assessment Task: A learning activity which students are required to submit for grading as part of the total marks obtained for a unit. Each assessment task is intended to measure the aptitude or attainment of students in meeting specified learning outcomes in a unit of study.

ATAR: Australian Tertiary Admission Rank. A between 0 and 99.95 which identifies where a student ranks within their peer cohort in the year they graduated from senior secondary school. The ATAR is derived from the scaled scores achieved for senior secondary school subjects. The specific calculation used is different in each state and territory but the result, in the form of a percentile rank (it is NOT a percentage), is designed to be nationally equivalent. See https://www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/atar

Attendance: Student involvement in structured learning activities associated with a unit,
irrespective of the mode (see definition for ‘Attendance Mode’) in which the learning activity is delivered. See Attendance Policy: Virtual and On Campus Learning at https://www.avondale.edu.au/about/policies/

Attendance Mode: Refers to the mode in which a course is offered or in which a student is enrolled and may be:
  • On Campus (ON): students attend instruction activities on the institution’s campus/es either in face-to-face sessions or in blended learning.
  • Off Campus (OC): students are remote from the institution’s campus and do not attend face-to-face instruction activities. Formal instruction is provided through the use of various modes of online communication.
  • Mixed Mode (MM): where course instruction is provided using a mix of on campus and off campus modes. Therefore, students undertake some of their learning activities off campus (remotely) but they are also required to attend formal face-to-face sessions on campus, the latter often being scheduled as an intensive session (e.g. a winter residential school).

Attendance Type: Refers to whether a student is enrolled in their course on a full time (FT) or part time (PT) basis. Most courses are offered with the option of full time or part time enrolment, but a few have only the part time option. See Study Load Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Auditing a unit: To attend class sessions associated with the face-to-face activities of a unit without submitting assessment tasks for grading. No academic credit is given for an audited unit and auditing a unit does not entitle a person to accrue academic credit. See Auditing a Unit Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Award: The qualification conferred on a student when the requirements of the relevant accredited course have been met. See Graduation and Award Conferral Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Award with Distinction: Granted to eligible students, who are outstanding achievers as identified by obtaining a minimum GPA of 6.25 for all of the Avondale units completed in a course for which they will receive an award. Any units completed at external institutions and transferred across by advanced standing into the course, or if transferred from another Avondale course as advanced standing rather than duplicate units, are not included in the GPA calculation. See Award with Distinction Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Blended learning: A learning approach where the instructor combines multiple methods of delivery of instruction; commonly blending face-to-face teaching with online activities. It is not to be confused with a unit being offered in ‘mixed mode’.

Callista: The electronic student management system used by Avondale.

Census Date: The date in a teaching period at which enrolment data is recorded by Avondale for reporting to the Commonwealth Government. Students are not permitted to add, drop or change enrolment without financial penalty after the relevant census day in each particular teaching period. See Unit Enrolment Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/ and Academic Calendars at https://www.avondale.edu.au/calendars/

CHESSN: Commonwealth Higher Education Student Support Number. It is a personal identification number allocated to students eligible for Commonwealth support loans (HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP and VSLs). CHESSNs assist both students and Avondale keep up to date with the amount of assistance they have used through the Commonwealth support schemes for tertiary study. See https://www.studyassist.gov.au/help-loans/your-chessn

Combined Degree: An accredited course which combines two fields of study (e.g. society & culture and education) into a single course. The course has one code, one set of course rules, one CRICOS number and results in the issuing of a single testamur (award) and AHEGS. Examples at Avondale include: BA/BTch, BSc/BTch. This is different to a ‘Double Degree’ which results in the conferral of two separate awards and therefore two separate testamurs and AHEGS. Avondale does not currently offer any Double Degrees.

Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP): a scheme whereby an eligible student’s tuition fees are subsidised by the Australian government so that the student is only required to pay a ‘student contribution’ amount rather than the full domestic tuition fees. Some categories of students are able to defer payment of their student contribution through HECS-HELP until earning a determined threshold.
For eligibility and further details see See https://www.studyassist.gov.au/help-loans/commonwealth-supported-places-csps

Conferral: The act of granting an award to a student, either in person or in absentia, identifying that they have completed the requirements of an accredited course. See Graduation and Award Conferral Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Conferral date: The date of the graduation ceremony when the academic achievement is recognised.

Core Units: Certain required or mandatory units that form part of a degree. Students are required to undertake core units where designated as part of their degree. See Unit Enrolment Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Course: The total program of study leading to an accredited award. See Unit Enrolment Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Course Enrolment Mode: Indicates the attendance mode in which a student is undertaking their course. May be On campus, Off Campus, or Mixed Mode. These terms do not refer to whether a student is living in the on-campus residence halls or living off-campus.

Credit Points: In most courses the academic weighting of each unit is indicated by the number of credit points awarded to it. Most units at Avondale have a credit point value of 6. In undergraduate courses and postgraduate coursework courses it is generally expected that students study four x 6-credit point units totalling 24 credit points per semester. This full-time academic load will require a time commitment of approximately 36 hours of academic work per week. See Unit Enrolment Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Credit Transfer: Refers to the transfer of credit points from completed formal study or recognised prior learning into a student’s Avondale course in recognition of equivalence in content and learning outcomes. Avondale normally uses the term ‘advanced standing’. The following three types of credit may be granted:
  • Specified credit: granted in place of specific units in a course
  • Unspecified credit: granted in place of elective components in a course
  • Block credit: granted in place of whole stages in a course.
See the Advanced Standing Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

CRICOS: Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students. Avondale’s CRICOS number is 02731D. Each course at Avondale which can be offered to students who come to Australia on a student visa has a course CRICOS number. See https://cricos.education.gov.au/

Cross-institutional Study: Where a current student is granted permission to enrol in a relevant unit (or units) at another recognised higher education provider and, on successfully completion, will be granted specified credit for the completed study into their Avondale course. See Advanced Standing Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

CSP: Commonwealth Supported Place (previously referred to as HECS place). See https://www.studyassist.gov.au/help-loans/commonwealth-supported-places-csps

CSU: Charles Sturt University. Avondale has an arrangement with CSU to jointly confer its higher education awards with this being phased out from semester two 2022. Joint conferral of awards will continue for existing students during a transition period ending 31 December 2025.

Deferment (also known as deferral): an applicant who has received an offer for entry into a course of study may defer accepting that offer for no longer than one year.

Department of Employment & Workplace Relations: The Australian federal government department that oversees national education. Recent previous titles have been the Department of Education, Skills & Employment and the Department of Education and the Department of Education and Training.

Department of Home Affairs: The Australian federal government department that, amongst several functions, issues student visas. Recent previous titles have been the Department of Immigration and Border Protection and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. See https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/

Distance Education Units: Students enrolled in distance education units are facilitated with their learning by methods other than attendance at on-campus modes of delivery such as face-to-face lectures. The offering of these units at Avondale is typically facilitated through the use of Moodle. Students studying units in the distance education mode have ready access to academic staff by telephone, email and, where appropriate, video or audio conferencing, and to their peers through Moodle.

Domestic Student (for the purposes of tuition fees): A student who is an Australian citizen, the holder of a permanent humanitarian visa, an Australian permanent resident visa holder or a New Zealand citizen.

Duplicate Units: The process used to credit transfer relevant successfully completed units in one course at Avondale into another course at Avondale to which the student has transferred. See Advanced Standing Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Enrolled Unit: A unit with a status of ‘enrolled’ indicates the student is enrolled in the unit. This status is required if the student expects to study the unit during the teaching period in which they wish to study it, and have a grade recorded. See Unit Enrolment Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Enrolment: The process of updating personal information, data required for government reporting, unit sets where relevant and enrolling in units for specific teaching periods. At Avondale this is completed online, by the student, through Student Connect. The term ‘Registration’ is no longer used. See Unit Enrolment Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

ESOS Act: Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000. The Australian government legislation which outlines the responsibilities of overseas (international) students who wish to enrol, or are enrolled, in tertiary education in Australia and the responsibilities of the education providers to whom they have applied or with who they are enrolled. See https://internationaleducation.gov.au/Regulatory-Information/Pages/Regulatoryinformation.aspx

Examination Timetable: The schedule of the times unit examinations are conducted during the official examination period at the end of each semester. See the Examinations and Tests Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Exclusion: The situation where it has been determined that a student’s enrolment in a course, or at Avondale, will be discontinued as a result of unsatisfactory academic progress. Also referred to as termination of enrolment. See Academic Progression Policy and Rules at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Exit (nested) course: A qualification nested in a course leading to a higher level qualification. Once the units completed earlier in the articulated sequence meet the course requirements of the lower level, nested qualification, the student may choose to exit with that qualification rather than remaining enrolled and completing the higher level qualification. If the lower level award has been conferred, the student has the right to subsequently enrol in the higher level course. In such circumstances the completed units will be credited to the higher level course if they comply with the time rules of the Advanced Standing Policy. Where a student who has graduated from a lower, nested qualification subsequently graduate from the higher level qualification, the lower qualification becomes redundant and therefore should not be cited. See Graduation & Award Conferral Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

FEE-HELP: An Australian government loan scheme that assists eligible fee paying students pay all or part of their tuition fees. For eligibility criteria and details seehttps://www.studyassist.gov.au/help-loans/fee-help

Fee Re-credit: The re-credit, due to substantiated special circumstances, of a FEE-HELP or VET Student Loan balance for which a student is liable. See Refund Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Fee Refund: The return of money already paid to Avondale. See Refund Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Fee Remission: The remission, due to substantiated special circumstances, of a student’s HECS-HELP liability. See Refund Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Full Time versus Part Time Study Load: A full time study load in Avondale’s non-HDR higher education courses is 4 x 6 credit points per semester (24 credit points), or equivalent. This is the minimum load a student needs to enrol in each semester to complete a course in the minimum time. It is also the load student visa holders need to be enrolled in unless there are approved extenuating circumstances for a reduced load. Additionally, many scholarships require recipients to be enrolled in a full time load which can be 3 or 4 x 6 credit points per semester for the purpose of retaining a scholarship. Centrelink considers students at Avondale to be ‘full time’ for its purposes if they are enrolled in a minimum of 3 x 6 credit point units in a semester, or equivalent. Centrelink only considers the enrolment load in single courses when determining eligibility for Centrelink payments, although officially approved cross-institutional enrolment will also be factored in. A student enrolled in 2 x 6 credit point units in a course at Avondale is considered to be part time. See Study Load Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Good Standing: An academic status which reveals the student has satisfactorily passed more than 50% of the units is which they were enrolled in a teaching period. See Study Load Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

GPA: Refers to grade point average. Avondale’s GPA is reported on a scale of seven.

Grade: The final result which is derived from student’s combined marks for the assessment tasks for a unit. See Assessment Policy for Higher Education Coursework Units at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/ View Avondale’s grading system codes see https://www.avondale.edu.au/grades/

Graduand: A student who has been confirmed to have completed the requirements of an accredited course but who is yet to have the award conferred. See Graduation & Award Conferral Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Graduate: Noun – a student who has had an award conferred on them.
Verb – a student who has successfully completed the requirement of a course and the award has been conferred.
See Graduation & Award Conferral Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Graduation: The moment when an award is conferred on a graduand; also the official ceremony at which awards are conferred. See Graduation & Award Conferral Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Graduation fee: The fee students are required to pay to attend their Avondale graduation ceremony in person, to cover the cost of their academic dress and official photograph, and graduation gift as determined by the graduating class. Those who choose do graduate in absentia are not required to pay the graduation fee. See Graduation & Award Conferral Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Graduation in absentia: When an award is conferred on a student without their presence at the graduation ceremony. Where a student graduates in absentia their graduation documents will either be available for collection or posted after the graduation ceremony. See Graduation & Award Conferral Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

HDR: Higher Degree Research – an AQF level 9 or 10 research course. See https://www.avondale.edu.au/courses/postgraduate/research/

HESA: Higher Education Support Act 2003. See https://www.dese.gov.au/higher-education-loan-program/higher-education-support-act-2003-and-guidelines

IHEA: Independent Higher Education Australia – see https://ihea.edu.au/ Previously known as Council of Private Higher Education (COPHE).

Intermission: A period of approved leave, with specific start and end dates, where a student enrolled in a course is permitted to not be enrolled in any units for that nominated time period. See Course Intermission Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

International Student: A student who requires an Australian Student Visa to temporarily reside in Australia for study purposes. See International Students Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Invalid Unit: A unit with a status of ‘invalid’ indicates that the student requires special permission to enrol in that unit. Where permission is granted, the Course Convenor needs to arrange for waiving of the rule to be applied and then inform the student they may log into Student Connect and confirm enrolment in the unit. See Unit Enrolment Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

ITECA: Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia – see https://www.iteca.edu.au/ Previously known as the Australian Council of Private Education and Training (ACPET) See

Jointly conferred award: An award conferred by more than one education institution. Avondale entered a jointly conferred award scheme with Charles Sturt University for its higher education awards from December 2015. This will be phased out from semester two 2022 and will continue for existing students during a transition period ending 31 December 2025. See Graduation & Award Conferral Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Last day to enter a unit: Students are expected to be enrolled in their unit/s by the published commencement of the relevant teaching period. Where students wish to change a unit, they may enrol in a unit up until close of business of the fifth academic day of a 13 week teaching period (or pro rata point in a teaching period of a different length). Students given a late course offer after the commencement of the teaching period, have until close of business of the end of week 2 (or pro rata point in a teaching period of a different length). Enrolling in a unit after the first day of the teaching period requires approval by the relevant Course Convenor and lecturer. See Unit Enrolment Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Last day to withdraw from a unit: Students withdrawing from a unit must consult with the Course Convenor. Withdrawals after census date will result in a grade of Withdrawal Late Without Academic Penalty (WL) or Fail due to Late Withdrawal (FW). A student is still liable for the full tuition fee where withdrawal from a unit occurs after the relevant census date. See Unit Enrolment Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Late Enrolment Fee: A financial penalty applied to a student who fails to enrol in their unit/s by the published deadline for the relevant teaching period. The deadlines are published in the official Avondale Academic Calendar which can be viewed at https://www.avondale.edu.au/calendars and see Unit Enrolment Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Mark: The final result expressed as a percentage which a student receives for the combined learning tasks for a unit. See Assessment Policy for Higher Education Coursework Units at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Maximum time limit to complete a course: The maximum time to complete a course from the time of commencement is based on the following formula:
(full-time study course duration × 2) + 2 years = maximum course length
See Study Load Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Mixed Mode Units: Units offered by mixed mode delivery combine both on-campus face-to-face sessions and distance education. The face-to-face sessions may be offered in intensive class sessions during a residential school program, or they may be offered on a regular weekly basis. The distance education component typically uses Moodle. See Unit Enrolment Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Module Credit: Credit given for part of a unit in recognition that the student has already met the unit outcomes for that section. Where module credit is granted the student must still enrol in the unit and satisfactorily complete the remaining components, as outlined by the relevant lecturer, and is still liable for the full tuition fee for the unit.

My eQuals: The official tertiary credentials digital platform providing secure access to certified, official qualification documents.

NESA: New South Wales Education Standards Authority. See https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/home Previously known as BOSTES - Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards until 2017, which was a merging of the NSW Board of Studies and the NSW Institute of Teachers from 2014.

On-campus academic activities: The structured academic sessions in a unit which require a student to attend face-to-face or professional experience activities such as lectures, tutorials, laboratory classes, skill-based classes or professional/clinical/field experience etc.

On-campus Units: Students enrolled in on-campus units attend face-to-face class sessions and also engage in some online learning activities.

Online Enrolment: The process of logging into Student Connect, selecting SELF ENROLMENT from the left hand menu, and completing each of the enrolment steps. Students are required to complete this process during the relevant enrolment period for each teaching period in which they wish to study units. See Unit Enrolment Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

OS-HELP: An Australian government loan available to eligible students who have a Commonwealth supported place to assist with undertaking some of their study overseas if they choose. For eligibility criteria and details see https://www.studyassist.gov.au/help-loans/os-help-and-overseas-study

Overload: Enrolment in more than four units in a semester teaching period, or equivalent. Where students are enrolled in units in more than one teaching period the units are counted on a pro-rata basis. For example, if enrolled in four semester one units and two year-long units concurrently, the load in the semester one teaching period would be: 4 units + 2 half units = 5 units. See Study Load Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Plagiarism: The use of someone else's ideas or words as if they were your own. Plagiarism is one form of academic misconduct/dishonesty, and students are expected to avoid it by: doing their own work when independent work is required; acknowledging all sources of information and ideas; and acknowledging all group members when group assignments are required. See Academic Integrity Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Progression Rules: Students are normally expected to pass all units in which they are enrolled in a teaching period. A student who fails 50% or more of the credit points attempted in a teaching period will be considered as not making satisfactory progress and will be placed on probation. See Academic Progression Policy and Rules at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Provisional Enrolment: An academic status which indicates the student has been accepted into the course for their first semester with an academic status of probation because the minimum entry requirements have not been met but academic success is considered to be possible. These students commence their course with a status of ‘probation’. See Academic Progression Policy and Rules at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Qualification: The award for which a student has qualified through their study.

Recent secondary education applicants: Applicants whose admission is based mostly on secondary education undertaken at school, TAFE or other VET or higher education provider (Australian or overseas equivalent) within the previous two years (this definition is from the Improving the transparency of higher education admissions: Joint higher education sector and Australian Government implementation plan, June 2017). See https://www.avondale.edu.au/study/apply/undergraduate/

Recognition of Prior Learning: The granting of advanced standing on the basis of relevant work experience or professional development activities with appropriate rigour and currency. See Advanced Standing Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

RTO: Registered Training Organisation. Refers to a provider that is registered by ASQA, or in some instances a state regulator, to deliver Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses. See https://www.asqa.gov.au/about/vet-sector/what-are-rtos

Required Withdrawal: To discontinue a student’s course enrolment due to:
  • unsuccessful course progression with show cause being dismissed
  • failure to show cause why course enrolment should not be discontinued
  • breaching of Avondale’s Student General Conduct and Discipline Policy or Australian student visa requirements.

SA-HELP: A government loan to eligible higher education students to help pay their student services and amenities fee (SSAF). See https://www.studyassist.gov.au/help-loans/sa-help

Services Australia: The Australian government department which has the responsibility of delivering a range of welfare, health, child support payments and other services to eligible people in Australia. Previously it was known as the Department of Human Services. See https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/

Show Cause: Where a student is required to outline to the relevant School Committee, in writing, why they consider enrolment in the course in which they are currently enrolled should not be discontinued (terminated) because of unsatisfactory academic progress. See Academic Progression Policy and Rules at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Standard Load: The standard full-time load for coursework courses at Avondale over one academic year is 48 credit points (i.e. 8 x 6 credit point units). For a full time student this normally means four units in a semester. See Study Load Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Statement of Attainment: An official record of the competencies achieved by a student in a partially completed Vocational Education Training (VET) course. See Academic Documents Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Staff Connect: A web-based portal that allows staff to access student information.

Student: A person who is formally enrolled in a course at Avondale.

Student Connect: A web-based portal that allows students to access and manage their student information, including:
  • Enrolment in units (subjects)
  • Submission of Commonwealth Supported Place (HECS) or FEE-HELP form, if eligible
  • Viewing tuition fee invoice and balance
  • Keeping contact details up-to-date
  • Viewing ‘Enrolment Record’ to check unit enrolment details and to providing proof of enrolment
  • Viewing details about academic enrolment (course, major, units etc.)
  • View grades
  • Checking course progression and completion details
  • Viewing graduation details if a potential graduate
  • and more…

Student Workload: Students are required to enrol in a load which is compliant with the Study Load Policy. Where they choose to enrol in an overload they may do so only with approval as outlined in the policy. Where they choose to enrol in an underload they must take into account the maximum time allowed to complete the course. International students in Australia on a Student Visa must enrol in a full time study load unless they meet the criteria which allows for a load below that, as outlined in the International Students Policy. See Study Load Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

TAFE: Technical and Further Education. Government institutions in the various states in Australia that provide a wide range of predominantly vocational tertiary education courses.

The National Code for Registration Authorities and Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students (The National Code): Currently the 2018 version, and based on the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000, it identifies the standards required of registered providers of education and training courses in regard to international students. See https://internationaleducation.gov.au/Regulatory-Information/Pages/National-Code-2018-Factsheets-.aspx

TEQSA: Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency. The national regulator for the higher education sector in Australia. See https://www.teqsa.gov.au/

Teaching Periods: Teaching periods are the length of time over which units of study are offered. There are three major teaching periods at Avondale: Semester One, Semester Two, and Year-long, but there are also several others. See the overview of teaching period commencement dates, conclusion dates, and census dates on the Avondale web: See https://www.avondale.edu.au/calendars

Testamur: The certificate issued at the completion of a course of study that indicates the student has fulfilled all the requirements prescribed for that course of study and qualifies him or her for the award conferred by the authority of the Avondale University Council. See Academic Documents Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Transcript of Academic Record: A formal written document which identifies the course/s and teaching period/s (semester) in which a student has enrolled at Avondale and details the student’s performance in all units completed. See Academic Documents Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Turnitin: A web-based tool through which assignments can be submitted to allow a text-matching service. See https://www.avondale.edu.au/library/academic-integrity/turnitin/turnitin-for-students/

Unconfirmed Unit: A unit with a status of ‘unconfirmed’ indicates that the student is not enrolled in the unit. If the student plans to study the unit they must log into Student Connect and change it to a status of enrolled. See Unit Enrolment Policy https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Under consideration: An academic status which indicates a student’s academic progression is being considered to determine which status will be applied. See Academic Progression Policy and Rules at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Underload: Enrolment in fewer units than required to complete a course in the normal time duration. See Study Load Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Unit (or unit of study): A self-contained collection of learning activities, assessment tasks, and learning outcomes normally equivalent to 0.125 EFTSL.

Unit codes: Unit codes at Avondale indicate the discipline area and the year level of the unit. The first four letters indicate the discipline area (e.g., EDUC indicates Education). The first digit indicates the year level, for example:
  1. indicates 100-level in an undergraduate degree
  2. indicates 200-level in an undergraduate degree
  3. indicates 300-level in an undergraduate degree
  4. indicates Honours level in an undergraduate degree
  5. indicates a coursework masters degree
  6. indicates a research masters degree
  7. indicates a doctoral degree
The final four digits indicate the unit sequence in the course. See Unit Enrolment Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Unit Mode: Units may be offered in the following modes:
  • On-campus (O): instruction activities for the unit are provided on the institution’s campus/es either in face-to-face sessions or in blended mode.
  • Distance (D): students are remote from the institution’s campus and do not attend face-to-face instruction activities when enrolled in the unit. Formal instruction is provided through the use of various modes of online communication.
  • Mixed mode (M): where instruction/learning for a unit uses a mix of on campus and off campus modes. Therefore, students undertake some of their learning activities off campus (remotely) but they are also required to attend formal face-to-face sessions on campus.

The unit mode is not to be confused with course attendance or course enrolment mode. A list of units and the mode(s) in which they are offered is available in the Unit Offering and Fee Schedule on the Avondale website at https://www.avondale.edu.au/study/finance/fees/ One unit may be offered in any or all of these modes in the same teaching period, if justified.

Unit Offering List & Fee Schedule: Official published list of units on offer in an academic year with the EFTSL and tuition fee for each unit identified. Avondale can only offer units which are published on the official list for a given teaching period. The list is published on the Avondale web at: https://www.avondale.edu.au/study/finance/fees/

Unit Set: Approved sequences of units that make up either a minor, major, specialisation or double major unit set, as follows:
  • Minor: An approved sequence of studies comprising at least four 6-credit point units in one discipline area or coherent multi-discipline area with at least two units at 200- or 300-level.
  • Major: An approved sequence of studies comprising between six and eight 6-credit point units in one discipline area or coherent multi-discipline area with at least two units at 300-level. It is noted that the Bachelor of Business and the BA/BTch (Sec) both offer 6 unit majors.
  • Specialisation: An approved sequence of studies comprising of at least ten units in one discipline or coherent multi-discipline area. The number of units required at each level of a course is specified in the accreditation documents for the relevant course of study.
  • Double Major: An approved sequence of studies comprising of up to sixteen 6-credit point units in one discipline or coherent multi-discipline area, with at least four units at 300 level (except for BA/BTch (Sec) TAS which requires at least two units at 300 level.
See Unit Enrolment Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

VET: Vocational Education and Training. See https://www.asqa.gov.au/about/vet-sector

Virtual academic activities: The structured online learning activities in a unit in which a student is enrolled.

Withdrawal from a course or unit/s: Students discontinuing their course or unit/s part way through a teaching period must complete and submit the official withdrawal form. A student who fails to comply with these formalities forfeits any Avondale fee refunds for which they might be eligible and is awarded a fail grade for the relevant enrolled unit/s. Students who fail to notify Avondale of their withdrawal from study or who fail to return from approved leave will be administratively withdrawn from their course of study by the Director, Student Administration Services. See Course Withdrawal Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/

Withdrawal deadlines: The published dates by which withdrawal from course units needs to occur to avoid financial and/or academic penalties in a particular teaching period. See Unit Enrolment Policy at https://www.avondale.edu.au/policies/ and Academic Calendars at https://www.avondale.edu.au/calendars/

Work and life experience applicants: Applicants who left secondary education more than two years previously and have not undertaken VET or higher education study since then (this definition is from the Improving the transparency of higher education admissions: Joint higher education sector and Australian Government implementation plan, June 2017). See https://www.avondale.edu.au/study/apply/undergraduate/