Intermission (study leave)

Once you have started your course you may choose to apply for study leave. Usually, leave is granted for a maximum of one full year or two consecutive semesters. You can also apply for study leave for one semester.

You are required to complete your degree within a certain timeframe, which includes any periods of study leave. See study load and attendance.

Eligibility and how to apply

Domestic coursework students

Apply for intermission using the Web Enrolment System (WES).
Record your transaction number.

Exceptions
These students must use the intermission application form (pdf 44kb):

Postgraduate Law students - submit the form to pgstudents@monash.edu
MBBS (Monash Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery) students

International students

If you're on a student visa, approval for study leave is given only for compassionate or compelling situations. This means a situation which is beyond your control and impacts on your course progression or wellbeing.

It's important to understand how taking study leave may affect your visa. Your visa may be cancelled if you:

take more than six months study leave and stay in Australia
go home while on study leave and it exceeds 12 months.

To apply

Download an intermission application (pdf 44kb).
Take your application to a Monash Connect adviser to discuss visa implications and have it stamped.
Submit your application as instructed on the form.

Research students

Submit a leave from candidature/scholarship form (pdf 28kb).

South Africa

Submit an intermission application (pdf 44kb) to Student Services.

When to apply

To avoid financial and academic penalties, apply for intermission:

during the re-enrolment period (for the next academic year)
before the census date, if you decide to take a break once the semester has started.

If you plan to go on study leave for only one semester, you need to re-enrol in the other semester. See re-enrolment dates and details.

Penalties incurred after the census date
Applying for study leave after the census date, will result in fees being charged for all enrolled units and a withdrawn or fail grade. For penalty dates, see census dates and teaching periods. WES will also assign your application to the next teaching period, so if you need to apply for intermission after the census date, you must contact your faculty first.

Fees

If you have paid your fees upfront and apply for study leave before the census date, you can apply for a refund. Fees will not be refunded if you apply for study leave after the census date. If, for the following year, you fail to re-enrol on time then apply for study leave, you will be charged the late enrolment fee.

Exception
If you can provide proof that exceptional circumstances caused you to apply after the census date, you can apply for a refund or reversal of loan debt (remission of debt).

Outcomes and notification

Domestic students

When you apply for intermission using WES:

you will receive an email confirming your application
any enrolled units for the relevant study period will be discontinued by the system or faculty staff
your faculty will notify you by email within two weeks.

International students on a student visa

Your application is assessed by your managing faculty, who will notify you of the outcome in writing. Do not discontinue any units while waiting for the outcome of your application.

During your study leave

While you’re on study leave, you:

remain a student of Monash University with access to University services
must keep your contact details up to date to receive communication from the University
must check your Monash email account for important information while you are on intermission.

Returning from study leave

You will receive a reminder to re-enrol in early September. You must re-enrol during the October/November re-enrolment period to avoid a late fee.

International students on a student visa need to apply for a new electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCOE) with a revised completion date, before returning from study leave. See managing your visa.

Extending or returning early

Contact your faculty if you want to return early.

If you need to take a longer period of study leave, contact your faculty before the re-enrolment period ends. Intermission extensions are approved only in exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the faculty. You will need to provide supporting documentation.