Supporting Documents for Fee Reversal and Withdrawn grade (Special Circumstances)

Fee reversal and/or Withdrawn grade

When you apply for a fee reversal and/or a Withdrawn (WDN) grade, make sure you provide the correct supporting documents as evidence of your special circumstances. These documents are different from those required for a special consideration, intermission or discontinuation applications.

Requirements

Your supporting documents need to show that your special circumstances:

• were beyond your control
• did not make their full impact on you until on or after the census date, and
• made it impracticable for you to successfully complete the unit requirements.

Check the circumstance below to find out what kinds of documents you’ll need to submit with your application.

If your documents aren't in English, they must be translated by a NAATI-accredited translator.

If you give false information

It's important you give us information that’s true, accurate and complete - without intending to mislead or gain unfair advantage. If you make a false statement or provide a falsified supporting document, we won't approve your application and we'll refer the matter to the Academic Integrity team  for an investigation into academic misconduct.

Do not, under any circumstances, submit fraudulent documentation

You’re responsible for making sure that the documents you supply to us are genuine, accurate and complete as per the Student Code of Conduct.

Medical documentation clarifications

We’ve clarified the requirements for medical documentation from online or overseas medical providers. To make sure your application gets processed as quickly as possible, review the requirements outlined in the medical circumstances and family/personal circumstances sections of this page before you submit your application.

Supporting documents

Medical circumstances

You can apply for special circumstances for medical reasons if you’ve experienced an acute serious illness, injury, or a mental health condition that made it impracticable for you to successfully complete the unit requirements.

You need to provide a letter from a doctor, counsellor or medical professional which outlines the impact of your medical condition on your ability to study. The letter must verify that the impact of your medical condition has changed to such an extent that you are unable to complete your unit requirements successfully. The letter should include:

• the date your condition began and/or changed
• a professional opinion on how the condition made it impracticable for you to complete your study requirements (e.g, you were unable to attend classes, sit a final assessment, or complete an assignment).
• when it became apparent that you couldn’t complete your unit requirements successfully, and
• the duration of the impact on your ability to study.

If your medical letter of support is backdated, it must:

• certify that your medical professional consulted with you during the specific period of reported impact outlined in your application, or
• include an explanation of how your medical professional determined your condition (e.g., through specialist reports or clinical markers) if they did not see you during the actual time you were impacted.

If you’re applying for special circumstances for consecutive teaching periods, your evidence must:

• justify your decision to continue your studies, or enrol in further study, despite your prior circumstances.
• explain what changed or unexpectedly worsened in the current period.
• outline any proactive steps, medical advice or management strategies you followed to mitigate the impact and why these steps were ultimately insufficient.

Acceptable medical documentation

Your medical documentation must:

• be from an AHPRA-registered health practitioner or a social worker accredited with the AASW;
• be provided by a health practitioner whose expertise relates to your diagnosis and treatment; and
• include your provider details: name, practice address, contact details, and AHPRA registration number or social worker registration number.

Acceptable documentation must be from an in-person consultation (or video/phone consultation if attending in-person was impractical).

Medical documentation issued without a consultation with a health practitioner won’t be accepted.

Family/personal circumstances

You can apply for special circumstances under family/personal reasons if unexpected events in your personal or family life have made you unable to successfully complete the unit requirements.

You’ll need to provide evidence that proves your circumstances and shows their impact on your ability to complete the unit requirements.

Death of a family member

This applies to the loss of a close family member or someone with whom you have a significant relationship.

Proof of event

You must provide one of the following to confirm the occurrence:

• A death certificate, or
• A funeral notice or obituary.

Supporting letter (impact statement)

You must also provide a letter from an independent professional (e.g., a GP, counsellor, or social worker) that confirms:

• your relationship to the deceased
• the date of passing
• how the bereavement impacted your ability to study (e.g., severe emotional distress, travel requirements for the funeral, or legal responsibilities for the estate).

Severe illness of a close family member

This applies when a family member’s sudden illness or injury requires your support or causes significant distress.

Proof of the situation

You must provide a medical certificate or specialist letter confirming the family member’s medical condition and the treatment dates.

Supporting letter (impact statement)

This is a letter from an independent professional (such as the family member’s doctor or your own GP/counsellor) that explains:

• your relationship to the person
• your required involvement (e.g., you became the primary carer or were required to provide 24-hour supervision)
• how the situation made study impracticable (e.g.,your caregiving duties coincided with lab assessments or classes, making attendance impossible)
• that the impact occurred or peaked after the census date.

Unforeseen financial difficulties

This covers sudden, extreme changes to your financial stability that were beyond your control, such as the loss of a primary income source.

Proof of the situation

A letter from an appropriate authority (such as a bank, tax agent, or employer) on official letterhead certifying the change in your financial situation. The letter should include:

• the date your personal circumstances began and/or changed
• the nature of the change (such as sudden business closure or loss of a sponsor)
• how this change affected your ability to study (including inability to afford essential study materials or the need to take on emergency work), and
• when it became apparent that you couldn’t complete your unit requirements successfully.

Family violence or relationship breakdown

This applies if you have experienced a major change in your domestic circumstances, such as the sudden end of a long-term relationship or escaping an environment of family violence. In these sensitive situations, we aim to make the process as straightforward as possible.

Proof of the situation

You should provide one or more of the following documents that verify both the timing and the impact of your circumstances:

• A medical certificate: A certificate following consultations with a registered health practitioner that outlines the impact on your capacity to study.
• A professional letter of support: A letter from a specialised support service (such as a family violence hub or the Monash Safer Community Unit, a registered psychologist, a social worker, or a legal practitioner). This is often the most effective document as it can combine the event details with a professional assessment of your capacity to study.
• Police or court documentation: A police report, court record, or related official legal documentation that confirms the incident and timing.
• Official protective documentation: A copy of an Intervention Order (IVO), a safety notice, or a formal police report (including a case number and date).
• Verification of displacement: Evidence showing a sudden change in housing or a need to access emergency accommodation due to safety concerns.

If you need any support to get through your circumstances, Monash College Counselling is here to assist you. If you are impacted by family violence, you can also contact the Monash Safer Community Unit for confidential assistance with safety, support and reporting options.

Victim of crime or unexpected trauma

You may apply for special circumstances if you have been the victim of a crime or have experienced a sudden, traumatic event that had a significant and unexpected impact on your studies.

Proof of the situation

Your evidence must verify that the event occurred and describe the impact on your academic capacity. We recommend providing the following:

• Official incident documentation: A formal police report, an incident statement, or a report from an emergency service (such as Ambulance Victoria or the MFB). This must include the date of the incident and an official reference or case number.
• A professional impact statement: A letter from a registered psychologist, trauma counsellor, or GP. This is particularly important if the primary impact is psychological, as it shows how the trauma prevented you from focusing on your studies, attending classes, or completing assessments.

The documentation should clearly state the:

• Event date: Confirmation that the incident occurred on or after the census date (or that the traumatic impact peaked after that date).
• Psychological, physical or legal impact: How the event disrupted your studies.

Acceptable medical documentation

Your medical documentation must:

• be from an AHPRA-registered health practitioner or a social worker accredited with the AASW
• be provided by a health practitioner whose expertise relates to your diagnosis and treatment
• include your provider details: name, practice address, contact details, and AHPRA registration number or social worker registration number.

Acceptable documentation must be from an in-person consultation (or video/phone consultation if attending in-person was impractical).

Medical documentation issued without a consultation with a health practitioner won’t be accepted.

Employment-related circumstances

If changes to your employment status or conditions have made you unable to complete the unit requirements, you can apply for special circumstances. You’ll need to provide evidence showing what has changed, when it changed, and how it affects your ability to complete the unit requirements.

You need to provide a letter from your employer on an official letterhead signed by your manager or a human resources representative. It should include the company’s contact details for verification. The letter must:

• state that the change was required by the employer, not a voluntary request  you made
• explain what has changed in your employment circumstances (with an outline of previous and current/future work arrangements)
• state the reason for the change
• state when the change took effect
• state when the change was first communicated to you
• confirm that the changes are beyond your control, and
• state how the new circumstances prevent you from completing the unit requirements (e.g., increased hours or shift changes conflict with your study, or you’ve had to relocate unexpectedly, making campus attendance impractical).

Course-related circumstances

You can apply for special circumstances based on course-related reasons (e.g., Monash has changed or cancelled the unit or its delivery mode). In most cases, the evidence for these applications will come from the College staff or systems. You could provide:

• Official correspondence: Copies of emails or formal letters from your faculty, school, or Unit Coordinator notifying you of the change.
• A statement from your faculty: If the change isn't documented in a broad email, a letter from a relevant academic staff member (e.g., discipline leader, unit leader or a faculty delegate) confirming the disruption.

Your documentation should clearly identify the nature, timing, and significant impact of the change. It should also confirm the:

• nature of the change – clearly identify what was added or altered (e.g., a new hurdle requirement, a change in location, or a shift in dates)
• timing – evidence that the notification occurred after the census date
• impact – why this specific change made it impossible for you to complete the unit.

Other extreme circumstances

If you’ve experienced extreme circumstances that haven’t been covered on this page, such as a natural disaster,  a serious accident, mandatory civic duties (such as jury service), or emergency military service, you’ll need to provide evidence that explains:

• what happened
• when it happened
• how it affected your ability to study and complete your unit requirements, and
• the duration of this impact.

Your evidence needs to include independent, verifiable documentation. We may contact you to ask for additional information.