Commencing student

Higher education

A student is classified as a commencing student in relation to a particular course of study. A student is a commencing student for a year if she/he started studying in a course of study for the first time at the higher education provider or an antecedent higher education provider in that year. An antecedent higher education provider means a higher education provider which has merged with the higher education provider at which the student's enrolment continues.

Students of the following types are not to be classified as commencing students:

  • students who are starting a specialised program of studies after completing, at the institution or an antecedent institution, a common initial year or years of a general program;
  • students who, having completed an initial year of study at the institution or an antecedent institution then exercise a standard option of continuing their studies but at a lower level (i.e. their studies would then lead to an award at a level lower than that which pertains to the program of studies undertaken in the first year);
  • students who move from course to course within a course of study;
  • students who transfer to a bachelor's honours course of study having previously been enrolled, at the higher education provider or an antecedent higher education provider, in the related bachelor's pass course of study;
  • students who transfer to a master's honours course of study having previously been enrolled, at the higher education provider or an antecedent higher education provider, in the related master's pass course;
  • students who are enrolled in a course of study at the higher education provider or an antecedent higher education provider which is upgraded in level or renamed;
  • students who are resuming the same course at the higher education provider or an antecedent higher education provider after an absence;
  • students continuing from the first component of a combined course to the second or later components;
  • students resuming a combined course which normally leads to a single award after having been conceded an award for another course of study;
  • students who have completed part of the requirements of a combined course of study at the institution and then change their enrolment to one of the components of that combined course of study;
  • students who have completed part of the requirements of a unitary course of study at the institution and then change their enrolment to a related combined course of study which leads to an award or awards that subsume the award applicable to the unitary course of study; or
  • students who transfer within the higher education provider from one course strain to another course strain, where the course leads to the same award. (e.g. a student who changes from a BSc (Chemistry) to a BSc (Physics)).

VET

A student who is classified as a commencing student in relation to a particular course of study. A student is a commencing student if they have enrolled in the course for the first time at the VSL provider or antecedent VSL provider between 1 January of the Reporting Year and 31 December of the Reporting Year. An antecedent VSL provider means a VSL provider which has merged with the VSL provider at which the student's enrolment continues.

Application of glossary term:
  • Aggregated awards (HE)
  • Course admission (HE)
  • Course admission (VET)