Search
Search by area of study

Orientation - Key dates

Here are your next trimester start dates and census dates
Campus
Trimester
Start date
Adelaide
Trimester 1
1-5 February 2027
Brisbane
Trimester 1
1-5 February 2027
Melbourne
Trimester 1
1-5 February 2027
Perth
Trimester 1
1-5 February 2027
Sydney
Trimester 1
1-5 February 2027
Online
Trimester 1
1-5 February 2027
International (online)
Trimester 1
1-5 February 2027

Census and other important dates

There are important dates in every trimester that you need to know. These are listed in SAE Academic Calendars.

Census Date – Thursday of week 3

The census date is the last date in each trimester that you can make any changes to your enrolment (eg: add or drop unit(s), change course or specialisation, defer or withdraw from your course) without incurring a financial penalty. This means if you drop a unit, defer, or withdraw after the financial census date, you will still be liable for the applicable fees for the unit(s) unless there are special circumstances.

The census date is also the deadline to:

  • Apply for a Government HELP loan (FEE-HELP or SA HELP) and
  • Apply for a Tax File Number and submit evidence to Student Services; OR
  • Pay for your tuition fees if you are not applying for a HELP loan. Information of Special Circumstances is available here.

The last day to withdraw without fail occurs after the census date. This is the last day you can make any changes to your enrolment (e.g. drop units, defer or withdraw from your course) without incurring an academic penalty.

Last day to withdraw without fail – Friday of Week 8

The last day to withdraw without fail occurs after the census date. This is the last day you can make any changes to your enrolment (e.g. drop unit(s), defer or withdraw from your course) without incurring an academic penalty.

If you drop any units before the last day to withdraw without fail, you will receive a WK grade (withdrawn without failure grade) against the unit(s) you dropped and this is not included in the calculation of your Grade Point Average (GPA). You are still liable for the applicable fees for those unit(s) unless there are special circumstances.

You will also be charged tuition fees to repeat the unit(s) in a future trimester.

If you drop any unit(s) after the last day to withdraw without fail, you will receive a WF (withdrawn with failure grade) against the unit(s) you dropped. This counts as a fail grade in the calculation of your Grade Point Average (GPA). You are still liable for the applicable fees for those unit(s) unless there are special circumstances.

You will also be charged tuition fees to repeat the unit(s) in a future trimester.

Read the latest SAE News & Insights

5 Reasons to Study VFX and Virtual Production at SAE Right Now

The world of visual effects (VFX) and virtual production is evolving fast. From...
Learn More

SAE launches new Bachelor of Information Technology where creativity meets tech

SAE University College has launched a new Bachelor of Information Technology,...
Learn More

SAE launches Future Signal podcast with Dan Sultan as first guest

SAE launches Future Signal, a new podcast, featuring in-depth conversations...
Learn More

Film Graduate Ash Mines Wins 2026 SAE x Format Portfolio Award

Recent SAE film graduate Ash Mines has been named the winner of the 2026 SAE x...
Learn More

SAE Celebrates Industry Success at the 2026 Queensland Music Awards

SAE University College was proud to be represented at the 2026 Queensland Music...
Learn More
SAE graduate and FIN VFX pro Jaymes Ruffin working on his computer

6 Skills You Actually Need for a Career in VFX

When most people envision a career in VFX or virtual production, they usually...
Learn More
Three students looking at a design

What to do before Orientation

Once you have your Confirmation of Enrolment, you will need to complete a few tasks prior to Orientation.