Taking a break from study

In most cases, taking a break from study means applying for a Leave of Absence.

As opposed to a deferral – which is granted to students who have yet to begin their course or haven’t yet completed 10 units – a Leave of Absence will have specific eligibility requirements. However, a Leave of Absence still has the advantage of allowing you to return to your program without going through the admissions process.

A Program Advisor can help you to decide if a Leave of Absence is the right option for you. You should also talk to them if you are considering withdrawing completely from your program.

Domestic and off-shore

If you’re a domestic or off-shore student enrolled in an eligible program, you can apply for a one-year Leave of Absence via myHub.

Leave of Absence

Domestic and offshore coursework students seeking leave of absence:

  • of more than one academic year; or
  • from a program excluded from automatic leave of absence (listed below)

must submit an Application for Leave of Absence, including any supporting documentation, prior to the commencement of the term of study in which they wish to begin their period of leave of absence.

Applications for leave of absence made by international students will only be considered where the student has demonstrated grounds that comply with the compassionate/compelling circumstances as per the Enrolment Procedure Manual.

Further information about leave of absence can be found in the Enrolment Procedure Manual or by emailing ProgramAdvice@newcastle.edu.au

Programs excluded from automatic leave of absence

Program Code Program Name
11435 Bachelor of Aboriginal Studies (Honours)
40209 Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
10988 Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Honours)
10982 Bachelor of Biotechnology (Honours)
11060 Bachelor of Business (Honours)
10801 Bachelor of Commerce (Honours)
11584 Bachelor of Communication (Honours)
40327Bachelor of Criminology (Honours)
11547 Bachelor of Development Studies (Honours)
11706 Bachelor of Environmental Science and Management (Honours)
12230 Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science (Honours)
12243 Bachelor of Food Science and Human Nutrition (Honours)
11691 Bachelor of Health Science (Honours)
10159 Bachelor of Mathematics (Honours)
12389 Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours)
12330 Bachelor of Midwifery (Honours)
11532 Bachelor of Natural History Illustration (Honours)
10954 Bachelor of Nursing (Honours)
40100 Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours)
10496 Bachelor of Science (Honours)
10726 Bachelor of Social Science (Honours)
11254 Bachelor of Visual Communication Design (Honours)
Program Code Program Name
40097Bachelor of Biomedical Science
10988 Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Honours)
40312Bachelor of Biomedicine
11487Bachelor of Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety
40257Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science
11691 Bachelor of Health Science (Honours)
40002 Bachelor of Medical Radiation Science (Honours) (Diagnostic Radiography)
40010 Bachelor of Medical Radiation Science (Honours) (Radiation Therapy)
40011 Bachelor of Medical Radiation Science (Honours) (Nuclear Medicine)
40046 Bachelor of Medical Science
12389 Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours)
10379 Bachelor of Medicine
11707 Bachelor of Medicine Joint Medical Program University of New England
12200 Bachelor of Midwifery
40297Bachelor of Midwifery
12330 Bachelor of Midwifery (Honours)
11725 Bachelor of Nursing
40298Bachelor of Nursing
10954 Bachelor of Nursing (Honours)
12339 Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Honours)
12338 Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours)
12390 Bachelor of Oral Health Therapy
12328 Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)
12337 Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours)
11692 Bachelor of Podiatry
12318Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours)
Program Code 
  
  
  
  
 
Program Code Program Name
12343 Bachelor of Aboriginal Professional Practice / Bachelor of Laws (Honours)
12242 Bachelor of Aboriginal Professional Practice
40181Bachelor of Aerospace Systems Engineering (Honours)
40299Bachelor of Aerospace Systems Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours)
40302Bachelor of Aerospace Systems Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Honours)
10435 Bachelor of Arts
12340 Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Laws (Honours)
10436 Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Science
40055Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (Honours)
40080 Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Science
40078Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Business
40079Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Mathematics
40197Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Science
40054Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours)
40082Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Business
40083Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Environmental Engineering (Honours)
40084Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Mathematics
40085Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Surveying (Honours)
10446 Bachelor of Commerce
10177 Bachelor of Computer Science
40086Bachelor of Computer Systems Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Science
40088Bachelor of Computer Systems Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Computer Science
40087Bachelor of Computer Systems Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Mathematics
40198Bachelor of Computer Systems Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Science
40041Bachelor of Creative Industries
40125 Bachelor of Creative Industries / Bachelor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
40071 Bachelor of Electrical & Electronic Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Science
40072Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Business
40073Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Computer System Engineering (Honours)
40070Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Mathematics
40199Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Science
12284Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Chemical)
12287Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Chemical) / Bachelor of Science
12288Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Civil)
12289Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Civil) / Bachelor of Business
12291Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Computer)
12294Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Computer) / Bachelor of Science
12295Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Electrical)
12296Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Electrical) / Bachelor of Business
12297Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Electrical) / Bachelor of Mathematics
12298Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Environmental)
12300Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Mechanical)
12301Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Mechanical) / Bachelor of Business
12303Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Mechanical) / Bachelor of Science
12304Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Mechatronics)
12305Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Software)
12281Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Surveying)
12290 Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) (Civil) / Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Environmental)
12282Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)(Civil)/Bachelor Engineering (Honours) (Surveying)
12302
12302Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) (Mechanical) / B Engineering (Honours) (Mechatronics)
40057Bachelor of Environmental Engineering (Honours)
40090Bachelor of Environmental Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Science
40200Bachelor of Environmental Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Science
11705Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science
10253Bachelor of Mathematics / Bachelor of Computer Science
10092Bachelor of Mathematics / Bachelor of Science
40091Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Science
40093Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Business
40092Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Mathematics
40094Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Honours)
40201Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Science
40064Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Honours)
40074Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Business
40076Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Science
40202Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Science
40075Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Honours)
40076Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Mathematics
40126Bachelor of Medical Engineering (Honours)
10379Bachelor of Medicine
11707Bachelor of Medicine Joint Medical Program University of New England
12200Bachelor of Midwifery
40045Bachelor of Music
40206Bachelor of Music
40120 Bachelor of Music / Bachelor of Arts
40207 Bachelor of Music / Bachelor of Arts
11498Bachelor of Natural History Illustration
11725Bachelor of Nursing
12362Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)
40173Bachelor of Renewable Energy Engineering (Honours)
10323Bachelor of Science
12346Bachelor of Science / Bachelor of Laws (Honours)
40056Bachelor of Software Engineering (Honours)
40058Bachelor of Surveying (Honours)
40077Bachelor of Surveying (Honours)/Bachelor of Business
12366Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood and Primary) (Honours)
12369Bachelor of Teaching (Fine Art) (Honours)
12370
12368Bachelor of Teaching (Humanities) (Honours)
12371Bachelor of Teaching (Mathematics) (Honours)
12367
12215
12367 Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) (Honours)
12215 Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) / Bachelor of Arts
12372 Bachelor of Teaching (Science) (Honours)
40006Bachelor of Technology (Renewable Energy Systems)
11253 Bachelor of Visual Communication Design
11509 Doctor of Business Administration
40023Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing
40144Graduate Certificate in Co-operatives Management and Organisation
12276Graduate Certificate in Family Studies
40067Graduate Certificate in Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship
40026 Graduate Certificate in Pollution Impact Assessment
40032Graduate Certificate in Studies
11249 Master of Applied Management (Nursing)
11256Master of Applied Linguistics
12378 Master of Aviation Management
12397 Master of Business Administration / Master of Applied Finance
12398 Master of Business Administration / Master of Human Resource Management
12379 Master of Business Administration
11685Master of Clinical Epidemiology
11277 Master of Engineering Management
12325Master of Environmental and Business Management
12323Master of Environmental Management and Sustainability
40024Master of Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation
12277Master of Family Studies
11687Master of Health Science
12233Master of Information Technology
40068Master of Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship
10973 Master of Midwifery Studies
40149 Master of Professional Accounting/Master of Business Administration
40051 Master of Professional Engineering (Chemical)
40182Master of Professional Engineering (Chemical)
40049 Master of Professional Engineering (Civil)
40060Master of Professional Engineering (Computer Systems)
40065Master of Professional Engineering (Electrical & Electronic)
40053Master of Professional Engineering (Environmental)
40062 Master of Professional Engineering (Mechanical)
40031Master of Studies
11714 Master of Teaching (Primary)
11715 Master of Teaching (Secondary)
12273Master of Workplace Health and Safety
40296Undergraduate Certificate in Construction Management
40285Undergraduate Certificate in Criminology and Human Services
40305Undergraduate Certificate in Engineering
40286Undergraduate Certificate in Environmental Studies
40293Undergraduate Certificate in Foreign Languages and International Studies
40306Undergraduate Certificate in Health and Welfare
40287Undergraduate Certificate in Information Technology
40308Undergraduate Certificate in Preparation for Nursing Studies
40292Undergraduate Certificate in Special and Inclusive Support in Education
40307Undergraduate Certificate in Teacher Preparation

International

If you’re an international student enrolled in an eligible program, you can apply for a Leave of Absence for one term of study if there are compelling or compassionate circumstances. You will need supporting documentation to apply and you must discuss this with a Student Progress Advisor.

Email StudentAdvice@newcastle.edu.au or visit Student Central to make an appointment.

If you are an international student under the age of 18, please contact International Student Engagement on international-engagement@newcastle.edu.au for further advice.

International student requirements

Higher Degree by Research

The Office of Graduate Research will assist you with the Leave of Absence or program withdrawal process. You can apply using this application form.

For more information about the requirements for Leave of Absence, read the Enrolment Manual – see Clause 47-54.