Swapping units

Higher education students can withdraw from a unit and enrol in another in My Swinburne.

  1. Select the My Study tile on the homepage, then click on Swap a Unit in the menu on the left.  
  2. Press the Swap this Unit button corresponding with the unit you wish to swap, choose the unit you choose to replace it, then click Swap into this Unit. 
  3. Once this has processed, click next. 
  4. Select your study combination (year, semester, location and attendance mode). When your option shows as SELECTED, click next. 
  5. Add a reason for the change using the dropdown menu, confirm by clicking next 
  6. If you’re satisfied with the enrolment quote, click Finish.  

Refer to the academic calendar to view the last date you can add a unit:

  • Select the relevant teaching area from the 'Teaching Area' drop down menu. 
  • Select ‘Add units of study’ from the 'Key Date' drop-down menu. 
  • Select the relevant year from the 'Year' drop-down menu.

You can swap a major, co-major and minor in My Swinburne , provided you've not yet started any of the units in your major or minor. Go to the My Study tile and remove your major, co-major or minor from within the Manage My Course window. You will then need to return to the home page and click back into the My Study tile to select a replacement, enrol in your new units and plan your new timetable.

To swap once you've started any of your major or minor units you need to submit the Amend Your Enrolment form. 

If you have enrolled part-time but want to take up more units later, you can enrol in extra units in  My Swinburne. See How to enrol for more information about the enrolment process.  

If you want to enrol in a course load that's greater than full-time (overloading), you'll need to submit the Enrolment amendment form. Overloading is not available to new students. 

Submit an online Enrolment Amendment form to:

  • change your major or minor

  • overload in the next semester

  • underload for a semester (international students only).

Contact studentHQ if you have any questions about what you can and can’t change in My Swinburne.

OUA students who want to change or transition from their current course to a newer version should refer to our course transition process.

Do you know your key enrolment dates?

To avoid academic and financial penalties, make sure that you enrol or make changes to your enrolment by the correct cut-off dates. Learn more about your key enrolment dates.

Looking for your course planner?

Ensure you enrol in the correct units by downloading your course planner and find information on core units, the number of required completed units and the recommended study sequence for your course.

Swapping and Withdrawing from Units
View transcript [PDF, 226KB]

Withdrawing from a unit

Before census date

If you are a local student enrolled in a higher education course, vocational education diploma, advanced diploma or graduate certificate and withdraw on or before the census date for a unit, you will not incur fees for the unit. There is no fee to withdraw from a unit.

You can withdraw from units online in My Swinburne.

  1. Go to the My Study tile and select Withdraw From a Unit in the menu on the left.
  2. Tick the box next to the unit you’d like to withdraw from and click Confirm

After census date

If you want to withdraw after the census date, or have made a mistake with a unit withdrawal and you need to re-enrol after the census date, you will need to submit an  enrolment amendment form. We do not charge an additional fee to withdraw from a unit.

If you want to withdraw after the census date you will be liable for tuition fees that relate to that unit. 

If you’re a higher education student, you will also incur an academic penalty (fail grade) if you withdraw from a unit after the academic penalty date.

View the academic calendar to check when the academic penalty date falls for the unit you want to withdraw from.

Check the census dates on the indicative course fees page or on your Statement of Account and Tax Invoice in the My Finances tile of My Swinburne.

Withdrawing from a unit without adding another unit may mean that you're studying less than a full-time study load (underloading). You may need to apply to underload on a semester-by-semester basis.

Most study visas require that international students study full-time.  

You'll need to provide documents, such as a medical impact statement, to support your application.

Open Universities Australia (OUA) students should refer to the OUA website for information on withdrawing.

All requests to withdraw from a unit of study must be submitted directly through the OUA website.

Need help withdrawing from a unit?

Speak with studentHQ or make an appointment with an enrolment specialist if you're unsure about what's involved or want more advice when it comes to withdrawing from a unit. We also encourage you to make use of our support services if you're having problems with your studies.

More information

Need help with your enrolment?

If you need technical support as you enrol or are looking for more specialised advice, we're here to help.

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