There are two main teaching periods called semester 1 and 2.
Some units have teaching periods called terms, trimesters, summer semester etc.
You can add or discontinue a unit without penalty only up to set dates in any teaching period.
The census date is when the university counts you as enrolled. You have to pay fees if you withdraw after census date.
For domestic students who have government support, the census date is also:
See current census dates and teaching periods
For Semester 1, the census date is the last day you can discontinue without the unit appearing on your academic record.
For Semester 2, the last day is 4 weeks after the start of the semester.
If you discontinue after these dates but before the Withdrawn fail date, your record will show the unit details with a withdrawn grade.
If you discontinue after the Withdrawn fail date, your record will show the unit details and a withdrawn fail grade. This will affect your grade point average
For some teaching periods, if you discontinue a unit before the census date, your academic record may show 'withdrawn no load'.
The last date to discontinue from a unit may differ if you are studying a unit taught:
You should check the census and discontinuation dates for your units to avoid academic and financial penalties
Changing your study load from full-time to part-time may alter the payments you receive from Centrelink.
If you discontinue before the census date, you pay fees for the time enrolled.
See chapters 1 and 3 of the Handbook of Doctoral and MPhil Degrees