• Section 1 - Purpose and Context
• Section 2 - Definitions
• Section 3 - Policy Statement
• Internal Credit
• International Students
• Unsatisfactory Progression Outcomes (Suspension, Exclusion, Conditional Enrolment)
• Section 4 - Procedures
• Section 5 - Guidelines

Section 1 - Purpose and Context

(1) The University provides reasonable opportunity for students to reorient their undergraduate or postgraduate study program after entry into the University. The University facilitates program transfers for that purpose, while maintaining the academic integrity of the admissions process.

(2) This policy applies to all students transferring between eligible undergraduate or postgraduate programs of the University. It does not apply to Foundation Studies Certificates, Undergraduate Preparation Programs, Bachelor Honours transfers, Graduate Entry Bachelor programs, Postgraduate Research programs or Pathway Articulation transfers.

(3) This policy should be read in conjunction with the following policies:

1. Admissions Policy;
2. Credit for Prior Learning Policy;
3. Progression Policy;
4. Enrolment Policy.

Section 2 - Definitions

(4) For the purpose of this policy, the following definitions apply:

1. Credit for Prior Learning (Credit) means credit granted on the basis of previous successfully completed formal or informal learning, expressed in the form of Entry Level Credit, Unspecified Credit, Specified Credit, Internal Credit and Transfer Credit.
2. Conditional Enrolment means a type of progression outcome for students whose academic performance is unsatisfactory. Placement on Conditional Enrolment limits the number of subjects in which a student may register in each term.
3. Department of Home Affairs means the Australian Government department responsible for the issuing of student visas to international students.
4. Domestic Student means a student who is:
   1. an Australian Citizen;
   2. a New Zealand Citizen;
   3. the holder of an Australian Permanent Resident Visa; or
   4. the holder of a Humanitarian Visa.
5. eCOE means Electronic Confirmation of Enrolment, which is the document provided by higher education providers to international students to verify their enrolment in a specified program.
6. Exclusion means an excluded student's enrolment is discontinued and they are excluded from any enrolment in any program at the University during the period of Exclusion. A student excluded from the Professional Entry Medical Program is excluded from the medicine program only and may continue studying in another approved program with academic approval.
7. Field of Study means the subjects that a student can select to make up a designated and distinctive component of their program structure. The most common fields of study are Majors and Minors.
8. Home Campus means the campus that the student’s program attempt is recorded at. Students normally register in subjects offered at their Home Campus.
9. Internal Credit means credit expressed in the form of a specified number of credit points towards an award program, automatically recognised for previous successfully completed studies at Western Sydney University.
10. Internal Program Transfer means transferring from one eligible program at the University to another at the same level, through a process conducted within the University, as opposed to requiring a student to reapply for admission to the new program.
11. International Student means a student who is not:
    1. an Australian Citizen;
    2. a New Zealand Citizen;
    3. the holder of an Australian Permanent Resident Visa; or
    4. the holder of a Humanitarian Visa.
12. Program Variation means the process of making an administrative change to a student’s program, where a program transfer is not required, such as:
    1. changing home campus (after completion of first term);
    2. moving from a double degree to a constituent single degree;
    3. moving in or out of an Advanced program (within the existing program);
    4. changing a program for graduation purposes;
    5. change of mode of study.
13. Suspension means a sanction barring a student from attendance and enrolment at the University for a specified period of time.
14. UAC means the University Adminissions Centre. UAC is the agency that processes applications for admission to most undergraduate and postgraduate programs at participating institutions in NSW and the ACT.
15. University means Western Sydney University, including Western Sydney University - The College (The College) and University partner providers.

Section 3 - Policy Statement

(5) A current undergraduate or postgraduate student at the University who wishes to transfer to another eligible program at the University, applies, in most cases, via the published program transfer process.

(6) A current undergraduate student at the University who wishes to change from a double degree to a component single degree, applies for a Program Variation.

(7) A student may only transfer between equivalent levels of award (e.g. Bachelor degree to Bachelor degree, Diploma program to Diploma program).

(8) Programs that are excluded from the program transfer process are published on the relevant Transferring to a new course webpage. If a student wishes to transfer into a program that is not available through the program transfer process, they must apply for admission. Refer to the Admissions Policy for more information.

(9) Applications for transfer must be received by the applicable closing date for the upcoming term. 

(10) Applicants for transfer will need to meet the current entry requirements for admission into the program they wish to study, including any additional selection criteria specified for that program.

(11) The full academic history of applicants will be considered, including current and previous study attempts. Students should provide their full academic history from the University with their application for program transfer for it to be considered when their request is assessed.

(12) Some programs have strict quotas in place that restrict the number of students who will be able to transfer into the program at any given intake.

(13) Students are permitted to study concurrently. If a student is approved to transfer to a different program and no longer wishes to continue to study in the program in which they are currently enrolled, they are responsible for discontinuing and finalising their enrolment in the first program. Rules and procedures for discontinuing study and associated liability for fees are outlined in the Enrolment Policy and Student Fees Policy. 

(14) The only avenue for appeal is for procedural irregularity is as per the Academic Appeals Procedures.

Internal Credit

(15) Previous successfully completed subjects at the University will be automatically recognised in the new program as Credit for Prior Learning (Credit), where they are part of the new program's structure. Refer to the Credit for Prior Learning Policy for the rules and procedures that apply.

(16) Due to differences in program structures and subject availability, some adjustment to the standard minimum time for completion of the program the student transfers to may occur.

International Students

(17) An international student wishing to transfer programs must meet the current international admission criteria for the program into which they are applying to transfer.

(18) An international student wishing to transfer programs applies via the process published on the Transferring to a new course webpage.

(19) An international student wishing to transfer programs will be issued with a new eCoE. Where the period of study has been changed, the University will advise the relevant Government department, as required by legislation.

Unsatisfactory Progression Outcomes (Suspension, Exclusion, Conditional Enrolment)

(20) A student placed on Conditional Enrolment in a program will still be allowed to apply to transfer programs.

(21) A student who has been Suspended from a program can apply to transfer to another program when the period of Suspension is due to finish.

(22) A student who has received a program transfer offer but is subsequently Excluded, will not be permitted to enrol in the new program and will need to reapply to the University after their period of Exclusion. Refer to the Admissions Policy and the Progression Policy. 

Transfer of Field of Study

(23) A change of field of study is not considered a program transfer. Rules governing selection and changes to field of study are covered in the Enrolment Policy.

Section 4 - Procedures

(24) Instructions for domestic students and international students on the different processes for how to apply for a program transfer are published on the Transferring to a new course webpage.

Section 5 - Guidelines

(25) Programs eligible for the program transfer process are listed on the Transferring to a new course webpage.

(26) Students at The College wishing to apply for a program transfer should speak with their First Year Experience Coordinator prior to applying to transfer.

(27) Students applying for a program transfer compete with all other applicants for a place in the program, and places go to the most competitive applicants. An applicant’s full academic history is considered in the assessment process, not only current results.