Greeting from USC,
USC has been actively monitoring the advice provided by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) regarding the COVID-19 situation. It is our understanding that international travel restrictions will still be in place at the start of USC’s Semester 2, 2020. USC is also of the understanding that Student visa applicants have been advised to “hold off” applying for Student visas.
With the above in mind, USC has the following advice for applicants who may have applied, and for students who may have already accepted/enrolled at USC for Semester 2, 2020.
Impact on your students and action required
USC has the following recommendation for OFFSHORE and ONSHORE applicants, and we look forward to your support with communicating this advice to your students.
Applicants/Students currently outside of Australia (OFFSHORE)
USC is traditionally a face-to-face university and we genuinely believe that studying onshore at USC, Australia is one of the key strengths of our programs. While USC has moved temporarily to an online teaching model during the developing COVID-19 situation, we sincerely believe that commencing our programs online would prevent your students from fully immersing themselves in their USC experience.
Given Australia’s travel restrictions and the associated issues outside of USC’s control (e.g. pause on offshore visa processing), we would like to invite your students to vary their application to commence in one of USC’s 2021 intakes. If your students (both prior to acceptance or post acceptance) are interested in this option, they will need to:
Complete the attached COVID-19 Variation to Commencing Program form, and
Return the completed form via your agency to study@usc.edu.au
Applicants (scenario 1) or students (scenario 2) who are not interested in varying their intake and who would like to withdraw their application completely, will need to do the following:
Scenario 1: Applicants who have not yet received or accepted their USC offer:
Confirm in writing that they wish to cancel their application to USC, and
Send this written confirmation via your agency to study@usc.edu.au
Scenario 2: Students who have accepted their USC offer and enrolled at USC:
Complete the Withdrawal from Program form and the Application for Refund form
Return the completed forms to study@usc.edu.au
Once the relevant information has been submitted, USC will be in contact with either:
A revised offer (if applicable) for the new intake in 2021 (inclusive of the USC ISO Scholarship, where applicable), or
Confirmation that the application has been withdrawn and further relevant information as required
Applicants/Students currently in Australia (ONSHORE)
Given the current situation, USC is preparing to deliver its courses online (if necessary), until such time as the Queensland Government updates it guidelines for Universities. At that point, tutorials, workshops and the like will be moved back to face-to-face teaching (on campus), while continuing to adhere to any social distancing measures required.
If your students are already in Australia (onshore) and hold a current offer, that offer is still valid. If they wish to commence at USC in Semester 2, 2020, no further action is required. If your student is onshore and has not yet received an offer from us, USC will progress the application as usual.
Applicants (scenario 1) or students (scenario 2) who are not interested in commencing at USC in Semester 2, 2020, will need to do the following:
Scenario 1: Applicants who have not yet received or accepted their USC offer:
Complete either of the following
To vary intake: Complete the attached COVID-19 Variation to Commencing Program form, OR
To withdraw completely: Confirm in writing that they wish to cancel their application to USC, and
Send this written confirmation via your agency to study@usc.edu.au
Scenario 2: Students who have accepted their USC offer and enrolled at USC:
Complete the relevant form/s
To vary your intake: Complete the attached COVID-19 Variation to Commencing Program form, OR
To withdraw completely: Complete the Withdrawal from Program form and the Application for Refund form
Return the completed forms to study@usc.edu.au
Once the relevant information has been submitted, USC will be in contact with either:
A revised offer (if applicable) for the new intake in 2021 (inclusive of the USC ISO Scholarship, where applicable), or
Confirmation that the application has been withdrawn and further relevant information as required
The Department of Home Affairs’ (DoHA’s) latest updates in relation to the evolving COVID-19 situation can be found here.
We’d like to thank you once again for your support of USC and we look forward to working together to get through this difficult time.
Kind regards,
Thomas Baker
USC International