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Deadlines
Deadlines for Show Good Cause and Exclusion are not negotiable. Please do not ignore them. If you miss the Show Good Cause deadline it is likely that you will be excluded and need to submit an exclusion appeal. If you miss the Exclusion deadline, it is likely that you will be excluded and may not have an opportunity to appeal unless you have documentation to explain why your Exclusion appeal was late. If this has happened, seek help from an SRC caseworker. Exclusions are for a minimum of four semesters, and readmission is not automatic.
What is Show Good Cause?
If you have been asked to Show Good Cause it is because the University is concerned you will not be able to complete your degree. Your Show Good Cause letter is an opportunity for you to explain to the University how you are going to pass all your units in the future. If you do not make significant changes to how you approach your studies, the University will reasonably assume that you will continue to fail units of study and will exclude you from your degree.
You may be required to show cause if you fail progression based on the following reasons.
- You failed the completion rate requirement* or a barrier unit of study, compulsory unit of study, field work, clinical work, practicum or other professional experience multiple times.
- You were unable to meet the requirements for the award within the applicable maximum time limit.
- You did not meet other required standards set out in applicable faculty resolutions or local provisions.
- You made recurrent applications for late discontinuation under special circumstances.
* The completion rate requirement is having passed than 50% or more of the units attempted since commencing your degree. This might mean you will be asked to show good cause even if you passed everything in the most recent semester, due to fail grades in previous semesters.
More information: Special Consideration | Discontinue Not Fail
Before writing your letter
Reflect on what changes you need to make, to pass all your units and complete your degree. If you are in the wrong course, consider other study options (other courses at this University, or another university, TAFEs, or colleges); work opportunities; or other activities. You can ask permission to discontinue the degree and not be excluded, as an exclusion will make it more difficult to get into some courses. You will need to make a request to discontinue your course before your Show Good Cause deadline. You should still submit a Show Good Cause letter and explain that you have requested to discontinue your course. Note that discontinuing from your degree is permanent and you will not be able to return to that degree without re-applying.
If you need time away from your studies, consider suspending your studies or reducing your study load for a semester or two. It is better to enrol in two units of study and pass them both, than enrol in four and fail one. If you are on a Centrelink payment, contact an SRC Caseworker before reducing your study load. If you have a student visa, contact a migration agent before reducing your study load.
Your Letter
Your letter should be approximately 2 pages long and contain two main sections (these are explained in detail further below):
- The problems and their impact on your study; and
- The solutions to overcome these problems.
- The problems and their impact on your study
Outline the problems that caused you to fail in each of your semesters and explain how they impacted your ability to study. For example, being unable to attend classes, not being able to concentrate in class, being very tired, missing deadlines, etc. You do not need to give a lot of detail about the illness, injury, or misadventure, but rather give a clear explanation of the impact of these problems on your study.
- The solutions to overcome these problems
This is the most important part of your letter. If you do not have plausible solutions, it is likely that the University will think you will continue failing. Clearly link your solutions to each of the problems you experienced in the past and how you will successfully manage problems in the future. Saying that a problem is resolved is not enough. Avoid general statements like, “I will try harder”, or “I will use the Learning Hub to improve my studies”. Be specific, e.g., “I am enrolled in the Note Taking workshop on 1st March”; or “I have completed the Learning Hub’s time management module”. Explain why this is helpful, e.g., “this will help me to complete essays before the due date”.
In addition, explain what other solutions are going to help you pass your units. This includes better time management, improving study skills, and a realistic degree plan. It is also important to understand University’s processes, including Special Consideration, Discontinue Not Fail, and a reduced study load. The University expects you will talk to an academic advisor about how you can successfully complete your course. Engage in these solutions as soon as possible, so you can outline the steps you have already taken, rather than saying what you might do in the future.
If you have previously been asked to show good cause:
- You should acknowledge you have previously been asked to show good cause and briefly explain the previous problems and solutions you put forward in your last show good cause letter. Then explain why these solutions did not work.
- If new problems arose, explain these and how they impacted your studies. Then discuss the solutions you have for these new problems.
- Remember to focus on your most recent semester. You do not need to go into lengthy detail on the problems and solutions that you explained in your previous show cause letter.
Evidence
Attach evidence of your problems, the impact they had on your study, and your solutions. Remember the impact of the problems on your study is most important. For example, if you missed classes because your mother was sick, you need a doctor’s certificate to show that not only that your mother was sick, but how your studies were impacted by her illness. The strongest evidence is a Professional Practitioner’s Certificates, completed by your doctor, psychologist or psychiatrist.
Other helpful evidence can include police reports, a study timetable or evidence of meetings with an academic advisor, and workshops undertaken at the Learning Hub.
Your Draft Letter
We have included a template to help you structure your letter at the end of this page. If you would like an SRC caseworker to give you some feedback on your draft letter, contact a caseworker and send us:
- your draft letter as a Word document
- any documents of evidence; and
- academic transcript (go to Sydney Student, ‘My Studies’, ‘Assessments’, ‘View your academic transcript’ and download)
Keep Attending Classes
While waiting for the outcome, continue attending class and completing assessments. If you are successful in your Show Good Cause letter, you will continue with the rest of the semester as normal.
Show Good Cause Outcomes
It is important that you enrol for the semester and continue attending classes until you receive an outcome. There are three possible outcomes:
- You have shown good cause
The Faculty believes that you will be able to successfully complete your degree and will not fail any more units.
- You have not shown good cause and will be excluded
The Faculty does not believe that you are able to successfully complete your degree and will proceed to exclude you. You can appeal your exclusion, so talk to an SRC Caseworker about your options.
- You have not shown good cause but are permitted to re-enrol with conditions
The Faculty believes that you might be able to successfully complete your degree provided you abide by the conditions they specify.
Read these carefully, as the Faculty expects you to abide by these conditions. If you are asked to show good cause in a future semester and have not abided by these conditions, the faculty may take this into consideration.
Some Helpful Resources
ACADEMIC ADVISORS: Each faculty has academic advisors who can provide you with degree specific advice on how to structure the remainder of your degree, whether you should consider changing your major, and how many credit points you should consider enrolling in.
LEARNING HUB: The Learning Hub helps you to develop learning and study skills through individual appointments, group workshops, and online resources.
There is also a Maths Learning Hub to help you develop the maths skills you need for your course. They have resources and modules available online, individual appointments, workshops, and bridging Maths and Statistics courses.
PEER ASSISTED STUDY SESSIONS: The Business School provides an hour-long session each week in a small group setting to reinforce lecture and tutorials in specific units of study.
FASS WRITING HUB: The Writing Hub helps FASS students through each stage of the writing process, including interpreting essay questions, developing ideas, and understanding how to reference correctly.
STUDENT COUNSELLING SERVICE and WELLBEING SUPPORT: The University offers free and confidential counselling and wellbeing services. You need to register by clicking on the red box on this link and a clinician will contact you and arrange for you to receive the appropriate support. Student Counselling Service offers individual and confidential counselling, as well as self-help resources to support your mental wellbeing and studies. There are also many other community resources that you might want to consider, including Headspace, Reach Out, Beyond Blue, Head to Health, and Talk Campus.
DISABILITY SERVICES UNIT: Students with a disability, long term injury or illness, or primary carer’s responsibility for someone with a disability can gain access to adjustments and services that can help them to succeed in their studies. Disabilities include physical or mental illnesses or conditions, as well as learning difficulties.
PEER SUPPORT ADVISORS: The students have been trained to assist with a range of enquiries ranging from what support services are available to you through to social activities you might enjoy. You can contact them through a live chat or through a scheduled zoom meeting.
LETTER TEMPLATE:
Your name & SID
Date:
Faculty of ………
The University of Sydney,
NSW 2006
Dear Faculty,
Introduction: start your letter by explaining why you are writing. For example…
I write to Show Good Cause as to why I should be allowed to continue studying a Bachelor of < … >. I have outlined below the difficulties I have faced since beginning my university studies, and the solutions I am using to ensure that I will successfully complete my degree.
First section:
- Outline the problems you have faced in each semester you have been at uni and how they affected your ability to pass the units you failed. You do not need to go into explicit detail about your problems - the focus should be on how your problems impacted your study.
Second section:
- Detail the solutions you will use for each of the problems you experienced. (Refer to the Helpful Resources listed above).
- Outline the additional things you will do to ensure that you are a successful student, e.g., workshops from the Learning Hub, completed the time management module, reduced study load.
- Explain the strategy you will use to monitor and maintain your academic progress, e.g., meet with an academic advisor each semester.
- Explain your commitment to the course and what you will do with the degree when you are finished.
Yours sincerely,
Your full name
Contact a Caseworker
If you need more advice about your specific situation, contact an SRC Caseworker by completing the contact form (below)
Caseworker Contact Form
This information does not constitute legal advice. Seek qualified professional advice before making decisions about educational, financial, migration or legal matters. This information can change from time to time. Check for the most up-to-date information.
Information updated on 16 Jan 2025