Student Agreement

Last updated 20 December 2021

Enrolment

1. Upon acceptance of your Enrolment Agreement, you confirm that the details of your enrolment are correct. You will complete the enrolment process by promptly paying or satisfying the fees and charges listed on the Statement of Fees.

2. You confirm that all of the information you provide to UC, including your application for admission, is accurate and complete. You understand that if you withhold information or provide false or misleading information, your enrolment may be declined or terminated. You acknowledge that the submission of fraudulent, forged, or otherwise dishonest documentation in support of your application will automatically disqualify you from enrolment. In such a case, UC reserves the right to inform all other New Zealand universities of this fact, along with your name and date of birth, and that the Police and Immigration New Zealand may also be informed.

3. You will update UC as soon as practicable if any information that you have provided to UC changes (including but not limited to your contact details, current address while studying, immigration status, and name and contact details for your nominated/emergency contact person(s), and if you are under 18 years old or an international student, your next of kin).

4. You understand that you will not be admitted into a course or qualification unless your application complies with the UC’s admission and enrolment requirements, relevant qualification regulations, and any additional conditions advised by UC.

5. You understand that in addition to the academic requirements of any programme, further requirements may be necessary for your chosen career.  These could include other qualifications, registration with a professional body, licensing or other legal requirements.  You understand that it is your responsibility to be aware of these additional requirements and to ensure you can meet them.

6. Once you have enrolled, you may only terminate or withdraw your enrolment in accordance with the requirements set out in the UC Enrolment Regulations (canterbury.ac.nz/about-uc/corporate-information/regulations/general-regulations/enrolment-regulations).

Your Obligations

7. You agree to comply with the statutes, regulations, rules and policies of UC (as amended from time to time, with effect from the relevant date of amendment or adoption). You agree to comply with all other reasonable requirements of UC, and you accept the jurisdiction of UC in matters connected with your studies.

8. Without limiting paragraph 7, you agree to read and comply with the UC Student Code of Conduct (https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/about-uc/corporate-information/policies/student-code-of-conduct), which outlines the behaviours expected of students enrolled at UC and what you can expect from UC where misconduct is suspected. A breach of the Code of Conduct is a breach of your agreement with UC and may result in penalties imposed on you by UC. These penalties may include withdrawal or suspension of access, fines, academic penalties, and limits on academic progression or in the worst cases suspension or expulsion from UC, or if you are a resident in a hall of residence, exclusion or eviction from that hall of residence. The behavioural misconduct and academic misconduct procedures are available in the UC regulations (https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/regulations/).

9. The Academic Integrity Guidance for Staff and Students (https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/about-uc/what-we-do/teaching/academic-integrity) provides principles to ensure academic excellence within a framework of trust, fairness, mutual respect and shared responsibility. UC may require that any written work submitted (including any research interest statement) be subject to plagiarism detection software and systems. You agree that a copy of your written work may be held, stored and analysed in the plagiarism detection systems operated or used by UC and plagiarism detection providers.

10. You agree that you will use your reasonable endeavours to fulfil the requirements specified by UC for the programme of study and to enable UC to meet its obligations under the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice (Pastoral Care Code).

11. Once you have been assigned a UC email address, it will be UC's primary means of communication with you about matters relating to your enrolment and studies at UC. Emails sent by UC to your UC email address will constitute written notice to you. You are responsible for checking your UC email regularly (at least once a week). UC may also provide written notice to you by other means.

12. Some programmes and courses may require you to undertake internships, placements, research, or other activities off-campus and in the community, including in schools/kura, early childhood centres, health/medical facilities, and other institutions and workplaces. Additional requirements may apply to your participation in these community-based activities. You agree to follow the reasonable instructions and requirements provided by UC for these activities. You must also meet any applicable Government or host organisation requirements, such as any health and safety or background check requirements, and (where applicable) to be vaccinated and supply evidence of your vaccination status. If you are unable to meet the requirements to participate in a community-based activity, UC will use reasonable endeavours to accommodate you. However, UC will not be responsible if you are unable to meet the programme or course requirements due to being unable or unwilling to meet these requirements.    

Fees and Payment

13. You must pay by the relevant due date the full amount of the tuition fees, general fees, levies, and any other applicable fees or charges relating to each course you enrol in (or request enrolment in) as prescribed by UC. Unless your eligibility for Fees Free has been confirmed by the Tertiary Education Commission, you will be liable for full University fees and levies.

14. If any amounts are not paid by the due date, you acknowledge that you are not entitled to be (or remain) enrolled and UC has the right to cancel your enrolment. If UC doesn't cancel your enrolment, you agree to pay all applicable late fees and reinstatement fees. You also agree to reimburse UC for all third party legal and collection costs incurred by UC in recovering any overdue amounts.

15. You acknowledge that UC reserves the right to charge any additional taxes payable in New Zealand or in the country of study if required by any relevant legislation.

16. You acknowledge that non-payment of fees, ceasing to attend or verbally advising a member of staff will not be accepted as notice of withdrawal. Information on withdrawals and refunds (including the circumstances in which you may be entitled to a refund of all or part of your fees) is available on the UC website and in the UC Fees and Fines Regulations (https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/regulations/general-regulations/fees-and-fines-regulations/).

17. You acknowledge that if your course or programme involves an industry placement or internship, you may be required to travel away from the UC campus (including outside of Christchurch) for the placement or internship. You understand that you will be responsible for meeting your own travel and living costs relating to your placement or internship.

Our Obligations

18. UC will use its reasonable endeavours to provide you with tuition and supervision of a professional standard in the programme of study and the courses in which you are enrolled, and act reasonably and fairly in exercising its powers.

19. UC may make changes to its courses and programmes (including the offering, content, mode of delivery, fees, or timing for delivery of courses or programmes). UC will give you reasonable notice (having regard to the circumstances) of any such changes.

20. UC will use its reasonable endeavours to comply with the Pastoral Care Code. UC may undertake certain actions which may impact you in order for UC to meet its obligations under the Code.

Privacy

21. You agree that UC may collect, use, retain and disclose personal information about you in accordance with the privacy statements available at canterbury.ac.nz/about-uc/corporate-information/privacy-copyright-official-information, the UC Privacy Policy, and the Privacy Act 2020.

22. If UC is concerned about your engagement, progress, or believes your health or safety or the safety of others is in jeopardy, UC may contact your nominated/emergency contact person, the Police, or other relevant person or agency. If you are under 18 years old or an international student, UC will also contact your next of kin if there is concern regarding your wellbeing or safety.

23. When participating in an international exchange or study abroad programme, you understand that your information, including your personal details, academic progress, results, medical conditions and your wellbeing in an emergency, will be shared with the relevant international educational institution for the purposes of your participation in the relevant programme. You acknowledge that your information will therefore be shared outside New Zealand and that it may not be given the same protection as provided by the Privacy Act 2020.

International Students

If you are an international student:

24. You must meet the requirements of Immigration New Zealand to study in New Zealand. If you do not have New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency status in New Zealand, you must ensure that you hold a valid student visa and comply at all times with the conditions of that visa (this is a pre-requisite of your enrolment and a condition of your continued enrolment). You must have and maintain appropriate health and travel insurance either from UC’s preferred insurance provider or from a provider which is compliant with the requirements of the Pastoral Care Code; and

25. Information concerning your academic progress or withdrawal, including grade and wellbeing information, may be provided to or shared with your agent, homestay host, sponsor or home university upon request under agreements that facilitate your enrolment into UC, for the purposes of providing you academic and pastoral support or for the provision of Study Abroad transfer of credit and evidence relating to compliance with conditions of entitlement to study in New Zealand.

26. If you are an international student under 18 years old, UC will obtain the written agreement of your parent or legal guardian with respect to decisions affecting you.

27. You understand and agree that Immigration New Zealand can disclose to UC, and that UC can disclose to Immigration New Zealand, information that it holds that is relevant to your immigration status.

General

28. To the maximum extent permitted by law, UC's liability to you is limited to the amount of tuition fees, general fees, levies, and any other charges on your fees account that you have paid for the enrolment period in which the liability arises. UC is not liable to you for any indirect or consequential losses (including loss of opportunity, loss of future earnings or loss of reputation), or for any losses, costs or damages that you suffer or incur as a result of a breach of this Student Agreement by UC where that breach is caused by circumstances beyond UC's reasonable control.

29. If you do not, or cannot, comply with the requirements of this Student Agreement, UC may terminate this Agreement and your enrolment at UC. This is in addition to UC's rights under the statutes, regulations, rules and policies of UC.

30. If you would like to raise a complaint or dispute, you should refer to the complaints processes and information available on the UC website at https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/support/concerns/students/. Any dispute arising out of or in connection with this Student Agreement will be resolved through the applicable procedures prescribed in the relevant UC statutes, regulations, rules, and policies, or as otherwise required by law. If any dispute remains unresolved after following those procedures, you may refer:

(a) any financial or contractual dispute to the Student Contract Dispute Resolution Scheme; or

(b) any other dispute to an appropriate body or agency depending on the subject matter of the dispute, for example, NZQA, the Disputes Tribunal, the Human Rights Commission, or the Ombudsman.

31. This Student Agreement is effective from when you apply to study at UC, accept an enrolment offer, or sign this Student Agreement (whichever is earlier) and continues until your programme of study ends or is terminated. Certain provisions in this Student Agreement shall continue to apply after your enrolment has come to an end. These include paragraphs 9, (academic integrity and plagiarism), 13 to 17 (fees and payment), 21 to 23 and 27 (privacy), 28 (liability), 30 (disputes), 32 (governing law), as well as any other provisions that by their nature are intended to continue to apply.

32. This Student Agreement is subject to and governed by the laws of New Zealand.

33. UC may update this Student Agreement from time to time by updating the Student Agreement webpage at https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/enrol/student-agreement/. From the date of each update, the most recent version of this Student Agreement will apply to you and will replace any previous version(s) of this Student Agreement.