Introduction

The College shall not offer any non-AQF Awards which may not lead to a qualification located at levels 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 of the AQF qualification types.

All the College Higher Education Diplomas shall be completed as a Level 5 Qualification, as described in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).

All the College Associate Degrees shall be completed as a Level 6 Qualification, as described in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).

All the College undergraduate Degrees shall be completed as a Level 7 Qualification, as described in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).

The College’s Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma awards shall be completed as Level 8 Qualifications, as described in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).

The College’s Masters award shall be completed as a Level 9 Qualification, as described in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).

All the College’s awards shall be titled, strictly using the nomenclature consistent with the AQF Qualifications Issuance Policy.

Transcripts and Testamurs: completed awards

At graduation, each graduand shall be presented with the following documents:-

• a testamur for each award completed;
• a transcript of results; and
• an Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement if the graduand is graduating with a Higher Education award.

For all testamurs issued with respect to AQF qualifications Levels 5 to Level 9, the words “The award is recognised within the Australian Qualifications Framework” shall appear on the testamur.

For the time being, all deliveries and assessment of the College’s courses shall be conducted in the English language.

For all higher education graduands, the Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement shall contain the words “The Course is delivered in English”.

All testamurs, Higher Education Graduation Statements and Official Transcripts issued by the College shall contain the following information:

• name of the Provider;
• name of the graduate receiving the award;
• award by its full title;
• date of issue: and
• person(s) authorised to issue the award.

All testamurs issued by the College shall be uniquely numbered and embossed with the College Seal. All testamurs, Australian Higher Education Graduation Statements and Official Transcripts shall be issued on security paper utilising transparent inks which, when photocopied, are reproduced on white bond paper with the watermark “COPY”.

The Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement Logo which was licensed to the College on 23 January 2012, shall be used strictly in accordance with the Licence Deed in relation to the Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement Initiative.

Statement of Results and or Official Academic Transcripts: incomplete awards

In the event that a student elects to study one or more subjects that are part of an accredited course, does not complete the full course, but requires a certified statement of results, the College shall issue to the student, upon request, an Official Academic Transcript. The official Academic Transcript shall be issued on security paper utilising transparent inks which, when photocopied, are reproduced on white bond paper with the watermark “COPY”. The Official Academic Transcript will include the words, “The requirements of the (name of award) have not been fulfilled”.

In the event that a student elects to study one or more subjects that are part of an accredited course, does not complete the full course, but requires an uncertified statement of results, the College shall issue to the student, upon request, a Statement of Results. The Statement of Results shall be issued on white bond paper, and include the words, “The requirements of the (name of award) have not been fulfilled”.

Official Academic Transcripts and Statements of Result are signed by the Registrar and shall indicate:

• the student’s name and student number;
• the code number and full title of the subject(s) studied;
• the semester and year of study in which each subject was undertaken; and
• the date of issue of the document.

Replacement/reissue of Official Academic Transcript, Statement of Results, Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement or Testamur

In the event that a graduate, or a current or past student requests the replacement or reissue of an Official Academic Transcript, Statement of Results, Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement or Testamur, the College shall:

• Determine whether the details of the request match the records of the College, in electronic databases and hard copy records on the student’s personal file;
• take steps to validate the identity of the student, or confirm the type of document required and its contents if identification is uncertain, or there is disparity in the information provided by the student and the College’s records;
• Cross check that any documents replaced or reissued by the College are identical to the electronic or hard copies of the documents originally issued held by the College; and
• Arrange for the replacement or reissued documents to be signed by the appropriate delegate, and saved on students file for the College’s future reference.

Graduation Process

To graduate from the College a student must have completed all the requirements for a course of study and paid all fees and fines due. All students must have notified the college of their USI (Unique Student Identifer). Students should apply to graduate by completing the on-line form by the date specified on the form and advertised by the College. Applications shall be lodged during the student’s second last semester preceding the graduation ceremony. Students must apply to graduate when they believe they have completed, or are close to completing, study for the award in which they are enrolled. Failure to apply to graduate by the due date may preclude graduation until the following year.

Conduct of graduation checks

Students shall be responsible to seek regular up-to date information about the progress they have made towards completion of their respective awards. Students who believe that they have completed the requirements of their award, or are anticipating completion of their award in the current semester of study or the forthcoming semester of study, and are unable to confirm for themselves their current status, shall be required to complete an Application for Graduation or Progress Check Form and lodge it with the College.

As an additional prompt to the students, all students during the enrolment process shall be asked to indicate if they believe they will be eligible to graduate on completion of their current semester of study or the forthcoming semester. If this is the case, the students shall be requested to complete an online Graduation Application Form.

The College shall be responsible to conduct a check of the progress made towards completion, as requested by the student, and inform the student of the outcome of the check.

After the graduation cut-off date, and when all final marks have been distributed, final checks shall be undertaken with respect to each graduand to ensure that the course rules have been met. Students shall be referred to the Course Advisor for further advice if disputed details need to be clarified, or the student’s options need to be explained if it is believed that the student may be ineligible to graduate.

In the event that details advised to the student are disputed, the student’s concern shall be properly investigated by the College and the outcome of the investigations shall be advised to the student, in writing and copied to the Course Advisor. Students shall also be provided with details of their appeal/review rights as outlined in the College’s Complaints and Grievances Policy and Procedures for Academic Matters.

In the event that no details are disputed and the student has met the requirements of the award, his or her name shall be recorded in the Student Management System as a graduand for the next graduation ceremony.

Provided all tuition fees, other charges and/or fines have been paid, a student who completes all the requirements of his or her award shall not be prevented from graduation for any reason, including a change of faith position which becomes apparent during the student’s course of study. In the event that a student is determined to have been involved in a serious moral indiscretion prior to the completion of his or her studies, the student shall be dealt with under the College’s misconduct provisions. Any intervention(s) shall, of necessity, be implemented prior to the student completing his or her course.

All students who are obtaining an award in which a they have already received an award nested inside the new award will not be required to hand in their previous award.

Graduation Preparation

The College will inform all students of the graduation preparation procedures. Information shall be provided on the College website and via email correspondence.

The College will make available on the College website an Application for Graduation. 

Communication from the College shall advise students of the following information:

• application closing dates and late fees;
• details of events associated with Graduation;
• details of any fees for the Graduation Ceremony or the events associate with Graduation
• details of the Graduation Ceremony.

Detailed follow up information regarding graduation is forwarded to all graduands in emails despatched from the College.

Eligibility to Graduate

The Registrar will prepare an accurate schedule of all potential graduands who are deemed to have completed all the requirements of the award in which they are enrolled. The Schedule and any qualifying remarks shall be made available to the Dean of Studies and Course Coordinators during the discussion of semester results. Any concerns raised during this meeting will be investigated by the Dean of Studies before presenting the schedule to the Academic Standards & Risk committee.

In the event that:

• the concern(s) is/are investigated and further information can be provided to the Learning Teaching and Research committee which satisfies it that there is no impediment to graduation, then the name(s) of the candidate(s) involved shall be scheduled for graduation.
• the concern(s) are found to be valid and are, in fact, an impediment to graduation, the graduand(s) involved shall be advised in writing immediately. The written advice shall include full details of appeal and review provisions available to the graduand(s).

From 1 January 2023, all higher education students, including those who commenced prior to 2021, must have a USI in order to graduate and receive their award. This includes all students who started before 2021, and all onshore international students. Continuing students should acquire their USI as soon as possible. 

Submission to the Academic Standards & Risk Committee

The Dean of Studies shall be responsible to include an item in a meeting of the Academic Standards & Risk committee reviewing the schedule of potential graduands and any qualifying remarks .
The schedule submitted to the Academic Standards & Risk committee of the College shall contain:

• a statement that the Dean of Studies, on the advice of the Registrar believes that all the candidates for graduation have met all the requirements of their respective courses; and
• a request that the Academic Standards & Risk committee give approval for the names of all candidates to be submitted to the College’s Academic Board for approval.

Submission to the College's Academic Board

On receipt of a recommendation from the Academic Standards & Risk committee, the Dean of Studies shall be responsible to submit the schedule of potential graduands to the College’s Academic Board for approval to be submitted to the College Governing Board.

The schedule submitted to the Academic Board of the College shall contain:

• a statement that the Academic Standards & Risk committee, on the advice of the Dean of Studies believes that all the candidates for graduation have met all the requirements of their respective courses; and
• a request that the Academic Board give approval for the names of all candidates to be submitted to the College’s Governing Board to conferral.

Submission to the College Governing Board

On receipt of approval from the Academic Board, the Dean of Studies shall be responsible to submit the schedule of potential graduands to the secretary of the College Governing Board  (the conferring authority) for ratification with a statement that all investigations have demonstrated that the candidates have met all the requirements of their respective course(s).

Issue of documentation

When advice is received from the Governing Board that the candidates are approved for graduation, the College shall prepare Official Transcripts, Australian Higher Education Graduation Statements and testamurs for all graduands, cross-checking all documents that are prepared. All documents shall be finally checked by the Dean of Studies to ensure accuracy.

Testamurs shall be signed by the College Executive Principal and Dean of Studies. Australian Higher Education Graduation Statements shall be signed by the Dean of Studies. If nominated staff are unable to sign in person, then electronic signatures may be used. Transcripts are signed by the Registrar.

Conferral of awards

Awards shall be presented to each graduand by the College Principal present at an annual graduation ceremony.

All graduands shall receive their testamur, Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement and an Official Transcript of their studies. Those graduating in absentia will be sent their documentation within four weeks of the ceremony.

Students who have already received an Official Transcript after completion of studies will only receive a duplicate if paid for.

Student Access to Records

Students shall have online access to their personal contact details, which they can edit independently, and have access to their results.

Students may also have access to review any information contained on their personal files, and they may request to have incorrect information corrected or removed from their files. Student access to their own personal records is described in detail in the Records Management and Archiving Policy. All decisions made as a result of the student’s request to review the information in their files shall be subject to review as detailed in the Complaints and Grievances Policy: Non Academic Matters.