A university student who completed her bachelor degree requirements in 2012 was denied graduation for more than a decade after repeated administrative failures left her caught between the university and Open Universities Australia.
The National Student Ombudsman found the student, identified under the pseudonym Chloe, had paid for and completed all required units but was unable to have her degree conferred despite pursuing the matter repeatedly between 2012 and 2023.
National Student Ombudsman Iain Anderson said the delay had restricted her employment prospects and potential earnings.
“The student had completed all required units to graduate in 2012 and despite numerous attempts over several years, her graduation was continually delayed due to the university not taking ownership and ensuring the degree conferral occurred. This has unfairly disadvantaged and limited the student’s career progression for over a decade,” Mr Anderson said.
Chloe enrolled in the bachelor degree through Open Universities Australia in 2009. When she approached the university about graduating in 2012, she was told OUA students were subject to a separate process and that the staff member responsible was on leave.
A student who completed her bachelor degree in 2012 was denied graduation for more than a decade after repeated administrative failures left her caught between a university and Open Universities Australia
Her subsequent attempts to resolve the matter produced conflicting responses. The university and OUA each directed her to the other organisation or advised that someone would follow up, but her graduation was not processed.
When Chloe again sought to graduate, the university took 18 months to deal with her 2023 request. It eventually rejected the application in 2025, citing what it described as a 10-year limit on graduation requests. The Ombudsman later found that advice was incorrect.
Chloe complained to the National Student Ombudsman in 2025. Its investigation found her records had been mismanaged and that the university’s handling of her most recent application had been inadequate, incorrect and unreasonably slow.
Mr Anderson said the university’s response to the Ombudsman contrasted with its treatment of the student.
“The lack of responsiveness to the student’s original written request highlights a disparity between the university’s willingness to respond to the NSO and to the student. It should not take intervention from the NSO to yield a responsive and fair outcome”, he said.
The Ombudsman made four recommendations, including that the university explicitly and unreservedly accept full responsibility for the delayed graduation and invite Chloe to seek financial compensation.
The university was also asked to report to the Ombudsman on promised improvements to its services and submit a Material Change Notification to the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency.
It accepted all four recommendations.
The Ombudsman withheld the names of Chloe and the university, saying identification could affect their future dealings as the recommendations were put into effect.
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