USYD census date: withdraw without fees or fail

Census date is the point when your enrolment in a unit is finalised and you become academically and financially liable. Each unit has its own census date, based on the session it is taught in. The first thing to do is find the census date for every unit you are thinking about changing.

Find your unit's census date first

Use the university's census date finder to find the date for your unit. Do not use the date for another unit or another session. The official pages we read do not state a separate time limit for withdrawing, so confirm the deadline on the university's page for your unit. If the page does not answer your question, ask the university to confirm the date that applies to you. The census date is the last day you can finalise or withdraw from a unit, suspend your studies, discontinue your course or discontinue a unit without affecting your grades or being financially liable. So if you are before that date, the withdrawal can be finalised without those consequences. The facts above do not set out the steps for withdrawing. Check the university's page or your unit information for the process, and keep a copy of what you submit and any confirmation you receive.

If you are international

International students can only discontinue from a unit if they have been impacted by circumstances beyond their control. That condition comes from the university's census date page. If that applies to you, speak to the Students' Representative Council (SRC) or Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association (SUPRA) about what the university needs from you. Any evidence you provide must be true and must relate to your circumstances. Do not alter a document or ask for a certificate for an illness you did not have.

After the census date

For domestic students, discontinuing a unit or course after the census date leads to a grade of Discontinue fail (DF). The student remains financially liable. Read the conditions for your own case and confirm them with the university. If you are not sure whether you are before or after the date, use the census date finder and compare it with the date you are acting.

Get help and keep records

The free help listed for this university is the Students' Representative Council (SRC) and Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association (SUPRA). Contact one of them and ask them to explain the university's process and your options. Keep copies of your withdrawal request, any confirmation, and any correspondence with the university. If you later need to show what you did and when, those records will help. Do not change a document after you submit it. If you receive an outcome you disagree with, read the outcome letter and ask SRC or SUPRA what the next step is under the university's process. The facts above do not set out appeal steps.