What is a Murdoch census date and why is it important?

A census date is the last date that you can withdraw from a unit within a particular teaching period without incurring fees or having the unit appear on your academic transcript.

It is also the date when the Commonwealth notice is finalised for domestic students on a Commonwealth supported place, which means it’s the final date to make payment or complete a Commonwealth Assistance Form to defer your fees (e.g. HECS-HELP), if you are eligible.

When is the census date?

Each teaching period has a different census date. You can view all census dates on the teaching periods page.

Notable 2023 census dates:

• The census date for Trimester 2 (T2), 2023 is Monday 29 May 2023.
• The census date for Semester 2 (S2), 2023 is Monday 28 August 2023.
• The census date for Trimester 3 (T3), 2023 is Monday 18 September 2023.

If you're studying cross-institutionally, you'll need to ensure you familiarise yourself with the host university's census dates.

Do I need to record my USI before census?

If you are a domestic student you must record a valid Unique Student Identifier (USI) in MyMurdoch before the Census date to access your Commonwealth Supported Place or any HELP loans.  

If you are an international student you will need to register a USI before you can graduate.

What does withdrawing after census mean for my Academic Progression Completion Rate?

Any unit you withdraw from after the census date will be counted as an unsuccessful unit attempt, which will impact your Completion Rate percentage.

See the Academic Progress FAQs for more information.

As a domestic student accessing Commonwealth Assistance, what does withdrawing after census mean for me?

If you are a domestic student and you commenced your course in 2022 or after your access to Commonwealth Assistance such as your Commonwealth Supported Place or any HELP loans will be impacted by your Completion Rate. The Government Job-ready graduates package requires you to maintain a completion rate of at least 50%.

You can read more about the Job-ready graduates package here.

Withdrawing from a unit after the census date will incur the usual penalties and this will also count in the calculation of your completion rate as an unsuccessful unit attempt.

I am an International student, can I withdraw from my unit?

If you are on a student visa you are required to maintain a full study load (24 credit points per year/12 credit points per semester) to ensure your degree is completed in the time specified on your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE). 

If you do not maintain a full study load you will be deemed as having breached the conditions of your student visa and may be reported to the Department of Home Affairs (DHA).  You can check your visa conditions using Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) on DHA's website.

I am thinking about withdrawing, where can I get help?

If you are thinking of withdrawing from units or reducing your study load, help is available.

For unit-specific advice, we encourage you to reach out to your Unit Coordinators.

For more general support with your studies, we encourage you to reach out to myMurdoch Advice to discuss your options. Our friendly advisors can help you make an informed decision that takes into consideration your study goals, wellbeing and personal circumstances.

How do I withdraw from my unit?

You can discontinue/withdraw from units from the MyInfo self enrolment steps under the ‘units’ step.  

Check your registered email for a unit withdrawal receipt to confirm the withdrawal was successful.  If you did not receive an emailed receipt please contact The Student Centre immediately or email studentcentre@murdoch.edu.au

What about fee refunds?

Please refer to our refund of fees advice page.

International students studying through our Australian campuses need to refer to the refund conditions provided with their offer letter.

Students studying at Murdoch Singapore, Dubai or Myanmar must refer to their agreement with the partner institution.