Academic caution is an opportunity to improve your academic performance over the next half year of study so that you can meet your minimum rate of progress (MRP). To help you, UTS offers several support services for you to help you get back on track.

The Back on Track program offers you the chance to develop skills and strategies to enhance your learning. Please refer to the separate descriptions of each Back on Track session. The program does not aim to offer extra instruction in any of your subject areas.

To help you meet the MRP

Related university rules:  Student Rule 10.7.4

  1. Study plan: Seek advice about your study plan from an academic adviser.
  2. Learning: Attend the Back on Track program organised by the Student Services Unit.
  3. Language: If directed to do so by your academic adviser, attend a designated course run by the HELPS, the university academic language and learning unit.

Follow these 6 steps if you are confused about what you need to do. We recommend you to start immediately to ensure that all steps are completed by end of Week 4 of the session. Remember that it is your responsibility to complete the steps, and if you do not follow the steps, it may be taken into account when future decisions about your academic progress are made.

1. Decide whether you wish to:

  • continue studying this session and meet your academic caution requirements, or
  • apply for Leave of absence (before the Census Date). Follow the link to see if you are eligible. Email your Academic Adviser of your decision. You will need to fulfil your academic caution obligations during the session when you return to study, or
  • discuss with a UTS counsellor the possibility of withdrawing from your course. Follow the link to check that you understand what this means and make an appointment with a counsellor. Email your academic adviser of your decision after speaking with a counsellor.

2. Before meeting with your academic adviser:

  • assess the main factors that contributed to your unsatisfactory academic performance last session. To assist you do this, complete the online Reflection exercise. Your personalised plan will be emailed to you. You can save your personalised plan for later use and printing.
  • complete the student personal statement by referring to the reflection exercise print out. You need to write this statement on the form Record of Academic Advice that was enclosed with your Notice of Academic Caution. You are required to indicate what you intend to do to improve your results to complete the form. The meeting (see step 4) will be an opportunity to resource advice from your academic adviser about other appropriate support strategies.

3. You'll also need to:

  • establish who your academic adviser is and arrange a meeting.
  • decide which workshops of the Back on Track Program best suits your needs. The program descriptions, venues and timetable of sessions are provided. A student’s attendance at Back on Track workshops is recorded and considered as part of appeals against exclusion.

4. Meeting your academic adviser

In the meeting, you will discuss:

  • your completed Record of Academic Advice form
  • your study plan
    • If you are directed to reduce your load, you need to withdraw from a subject (on or before the Census Date).
    • If you are continuing with your course, but are spending this session on industry placement or doing an internship, please inform your academic adviser. During the session when you return to study on campus, you will be expected to fulfil your academic caution sanction obligations.
  • your English language proficiency. If directed to so, please register for an Academic Caution workshops run by HELPS. 

You must have your Record of Academic Advice form signed by your academic adviser. The workshop program will be finished by the end of Week 2 of the session. For details of your booking, refer to the confirmation email you receive after you have registered for the series of your choice.

5. Attend the recommended workshops of the Back on Track Program

  • The workshop program will be finished by the end of Week 2 of the session.
  • For details of your booking, refer to the confirmation email you receive after you have registered for the series of your choice.

6. Before the deadline stated on your letter.

You must submit the Record of Academic Advice form to the Student Centre before the deadline stated on your letter.

Academic caution and Block or Distance mode students

Block student

Check the time and dates of the Academic Caution workshops and whether you are able to attend them. If you cannot make any of these sessions, proceed on to distance mode academic caution material.

Distance student

Academic caution is calculated on your results based on one semester and is a warning about the rules relating to minimum rate of progress requirements.

Student Services understands that there are many situations and circumstances that may have contributed to a student’s results. What we want you to do is pause and reflect about what happened last semester and the plan you need to put in place to have a better semester and improve your rate of progress.

You have three options available to you at this point.

  • Continue with your studies.
  • Take a leave of absence (provided you have passed 1 subject in your current programme).
  • Withdraw from your course.

In the event that you are prevented from travelling for Autumn session, or choose to defer, you can attend the Spring session Back on Track and Spring attendance will count for completing Autumn academic caution.

Student Services has a counselling service with counsellors available to speak with you in more detail about your personal situation and talk with you about your plans.