Fee Administration and Refund Policy

PURPOSE

Skills Training College adheres to the relevant compliance and legislative frameworks such as the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (SRTOs 2015) and ESOS Legislative Framework. As such, Skills Training College will provide transparency in the application and administration of fees and charges including refund and will put in place a fair and reasonable refund process.

The purpose of this policy is to provide for the appropriate application and administration of fees and handling of client refunds.

POLICY PRINCIPLES

Error! Reference source not found.implements fair and reasonable refund practices and transparent and process for fee application and administration. Skills Training College will ensure that:

1. prospective students are aware of its fee policies in order to make informed decisions about enrolment in a course;
2. its fee and refund policy is prominent and accessible to its staff, prospective students, and existing students;
3. it implements and maintains a process for fair and reasonable refund and fees paid; and
4. it provides refunds for fees and charges paid by clients, where training and assessment activities have not been delivered

Fee Information

1. Skills Training College will inform its prospective students and employers (if applicable) of the full and accurate course fees associated with the training and the refund policy before enrolment.
2. Skills Training College will ensure that the fee and refund policy is accessible to its staff, prospective students and existing students. The fee information will include but will not be limited to the following information:
   1. Breakdown of the course fee (if any)
   2. Fee and Refund policy
   3. Incidental fees
   4. Compulsory fees
   5. Additional charges or co-contributions
   6. Methods of fee collection
   7. Process for recovery of outstanding student fees
3. For any incidental fees that may be applicable, Skills Training College will inform the prospective student before enrolling that such fees are a charge for an essential good or service and that the student has a choice of acquiring this from a supplier other than Skills Training College.

Fee Administration

1. Skills Training College will only charge fees for accredited training in accordance to the fee information published and provided to the prospective student and the Fee Administration and Refund
2. Skills Training College will retain accurate course fee payment, waiver, exemption or refund record for each
3. Skills Training College will require payment prior commencement of training as well as pre-payment plans for
4. Skills Training College will allow participant course fees to be paid on behalf of the student by their employer or another third party (if applicable).
5. Skills Training College will maintain an account with an Australian ADI (authorised deposit- taking institution). Fees will be paid into the account within 5 business days of receiving the fees.
6. Skills Training College will ensure that, at all times, there is a sufficient amount (the protected amount) standing to the credit of the account to repay all tuition fees to every overseas student or intending overseas student (a relevant student):
   1. in respect of whom tuition fees have been paid to the provider; and
   2. who has not yet begun the course that the provider is to provide to the student
7. Skills Training College will ensure that withdrawal from the account, so as to reduce the balance of the account below the protected amount, is done only if:
   1. the amount is withdrawn to pay a refund in case of provider default, refund under a written agreement about student default and other refunds, in relation to, a relevant student; or
   2. the provider arranges, under provider default, for a relevant student to be offered a place in an alternative course at the provider’s expense and the amount is withdrawn to pay the alternative provider in relation to the relevant student; or
   3. the amount is withdrawn to pay the TPS Director when provider defaults in relation to the relevant
8. Skills Training College will ensure that withdrawal from the account in accordance with the provisions mentioned above, will not be more than the amount of the tuition fees received from the relevant student before the student begins the
9. Skills Training College will pursue to contact students who have not requested a refund within 4 weeks of leaving the College and keep such evidence on the student

Fee Payment Arrangements

1. Skills Training College does not receive, in respect of an overseas student or intending overseas student, more than 50% of the student’s total tuition fees for a course before the student has begun the course, unless:
   1. either the student or the person who is responsible for paying the course fees choose to pay more than 50% of the overseas student’s, or intending overseas student’s, total tuition fees for a course before the student has begun the course
   2. the course has a duration of 25 weeks or
2. All outstanding fees must be paid in full before certification will be issued by the
3. All outstanding fees must be paid by the student and understands the COMPANY will not issue a Letter of Release if fees are owed for the current study period.
4. Flexible payment arrangements, such as instalments, credit card, and direct debit, cheques and EFT remittance are acceptable to accommodate the diverse financial situations of clients.

Outstanding Student Fees

1. If payment instalment / arrangements are in place, and a payment becomes overdue and remains unpaid for a period in excess of 14 days, Skills Training College reserves the right to suspend the clients learning or assessments (or both) until all fee payments are up-to-date.
2. Non-payment of fees by the due date for continuing enrolments will result in suspension of training. Skills Training College will notify all parties in writing if Once payment has been finalised, parties will be notified of the recommencement of training.
3. Skills Training College will charge a recommencement fee for any suspended training to cover administration
4. Skills Training College will not issue SOAs or Certificates if training fees are
5. Skills Training College will inform students of its process for the recovery of outstanding student fees prior to enrolment through the Fee Administration and Refund

Tuition Protection

1. Skills Training College utilises the Tuition Protection Service (TPS). The TPS is an initiative of the Australian Government to assist international students whose education providers are unable to fully deliver their course of study. The TPS ensure that international students are able to either:
   1. Complete their studies with another course or with another education provider
   2. Receive a refund of their unspent tuition

Skills Training College meets its obligations to provide TPS for all international students. For more information visit the TPS Website

1. Details of  National  Training  College  Refund  Policy  are  publicly  available  to  prospective

students and employers (if applicable), staff and existing students and employers (if applicable).

2. Skills Training College will make students aware of the refund policy prior
3. With regard to all withdrawal of training, Skills Training College will first encourage a client to continue training or provide other options such as enrolling to another course date, prior to processing refund applications. It is the policy of the Skills Training College to ensure that all applications for refund of fees are
4. Students are eligible to withdraw / cancel their enrolment by placing a formal notice of cancellation either in writing through email or by filling out the Withdrawal from Training Form on or before X days before the commencement of training, unless the student has already commenced the
5. Students may contact the Student Support Officer in person or through the following contact details for enquiries or any questions regarding refund request and withdrawal from training:
   1. Contact number: 0434 314 393
   2. Email address: enquiries@nationaltrainingcollege.com.au

4. Skills Training College requires written notification of withdrawal from training and refund request; this may be via letter, email or through the completion of the Withdrawal from Training Form and Refund Request Form with relevant evidence supporting the request. Refund will be assessed upon receipt of the request. Statement of fees that includes all fees applied and any fees refunded (if applicable) will be provided where a student withdraws from training.
5. Special consideration may be given as per Management review and approval, in extenuating circumstances (compassionate/compelling) with sufficient supporting evidence in consideration of the best interest of the student and/or their immediate
6. Skills Training College may provide consideration for refund for students who have commenced training with the discretion of the CEO/Manager.
7. Skills Training College will charge a non-refundable Administration Fee Error! Reference source not found.to cover administration
8. All refunds will be paid in Australia dollars to the student or organisation who entered into the contract with the Skills Training College or the person nominated by the student in the written agreement to claim
9. Skills Training College does not provide refund where:
   1. There are changes to work hours
   2. Personal inconvenience / travel inconvenience
   3. Moving interstate
   4. Cancellation of student enrolment due to misbehaviour / breach of the Skills Training College’s code of behaviour
10. Skills Training College does not accept liability for loss or damage suffered in the event of withdrawal from a course by a
11. Refunds for cancellation of enrolments and other conditions are granted based on the Refunds Table and Minimum Refund Calculation Table according to the Education Services for Overseas Students (Calculation of Refund) Specification 2014 as outlined in the annex of this
12. Where a compliant international student agreement is not in place, or if a student’s visa is refused (with exception in reference to 47D(5) of the ESOS Act 2000) refunds will be calculated in accordance with Minimum Refund Calculation Table of this policy (see Annex).

Provider Default

1. A registered provider defaults, in relation to an overseas student or intending overseas student and a course at a location, either the provider fails to start to provide the course to the student at the location on the agreed starting day or the course ceases to be provided to the student at the location at any time after it starts but before it is completed; and the student has not withdrawn before the default
2. In the unlikely event that Skills Training College cannot offer or cancels a course the following options are available:
   1. arrange for an alternative course with another registered CRICOS provider at Skills Training College’s expense
   2. provide refund according to the minimum refund calculation table of this policy (see annex)

3. The student may accept or reject the offer for an alternative course in the event of provider default. If the offer is accepted a new Acceptance of Offer must be signed for the new
4. Skills Training College will notify, in writing, the ASQA and the TPS Director of the default within 3 business days of the default occurring. This notice will include:
5. the circumstances of the default;
6. the details of the students in relation to whom the Skills Training College has defaulted;
7. advice as to:
   1. whether Skills Training College intends to discharge its obligations to those students under provider default; and
   2. (if appropriate) how Skills Training College intends to discharge those obligations.

5. Skills Training College will fulfil its obligations to student due to provider default within

14 days after the default day following the provider obligation period.

6. Skills Training College will give a notice of the outcome of the discharge of obligations in relation to provider default to ASQA and the TPS Director within 7 days after the end of the provider obligation period. The notice will include the following:
   1. whether the provider discharged its obligations to the students in accordance with its obligations in case of provider default;
   2. if the provider arranged alternative courses:
      1. details of the students the provider arranged alternative courses for; and
      2. details of the courses arranged; and

• evidence of each student’s acceptance of an offer of a place in an alternative course;

1. if the provider provided refunds:
   1. details of the students the provider provided refunds to; and
   2. details of the amounts of the refunds

Student Default – VISA Refusal

• Refund will be provided to students who are unable to obtain a visa to enter Australia to undertake their study according to the minimum refund calculation table of this policy (see Annex).
• Students are required to provide written evidence of the visa refusal from the relevant authority in order to process the refund.
• Skills Training College will pay the refund within the provider obligation period of 4 weeks after receiving the refund request and written evidence of visa refusal.
• Where a student’s visa is refused, even if there is a compliant written agreement in place or where there is no compliant written agreement in place, Skills Training College will give a notice of the outcome of the discharge of obligations in relation to such cases to ASQA and the TPS Director within 7 days after the end of the provider obligation period which is 28 days after the default occurs. The notice will include the following:
  1. whether the provider provided a refund in other cases;
  2. details of the student the provider provided the refund to;
  3. details of the amount of the refund

Student Default – Refund under a written agreement

1. An overseas student or intending overseas student defaults, in relation to a course at a location, if
   1. the course starts at the location on the agreed starting day, but the student does not start the course on that day (and has not previously withdrawn); or
   2. the student withdraws from the course at the location (either before or after the agreed starting day); or
   3. the registered provider of the course refuses to provide, or continue providing, the course to the student at the location because of one or more of the following events:
      1. the student failed to pay an amount he or she was liable to pay the provider, directly or indirectly, in order to undertake the course;
      2. the student breached a condition of his or her student visa;
      3. misbehaviour by the

2. Skills Training College will pay a refund if an overseas student or intending overseas student defaults in relation to a course provided at a location according to the International Student Agreement entered into with the The refund will be paid within the provider obligation period of 4 weeks after receiving a written claim from the student.
3. As an exception, Skills Training College will not provide a refund if the student was refused a student visa due to one or more of the following acts or omissions by the student that directly or indirectly cause the student to default:
   1. the student’s failure to start the course on the agreed starting day;
   2. the student’s withdrawal from the course;
   3. the student’s failure to pay an amount he or she was liable to pay the provider, directly or indirectly, in order to undertake the course

COMPLAINTS AND APPEALS

International students who are not satisfied with the decision made by Skills Training College regarding a refund request may access the Skills Training College’s Complaints and Appeals Policy and Procedure. Students must go through and complete the formal complaints and appeals process of Skills Training College before seeking any external appeal.

This policy, and the right to make complaints and seek appeals of decisions and action under various processes, does not affect the rights of the student to take action under Australian Consumer Law if the Australian Consumer Law applies.

MONITORING AND IMPROVEMENT

The Skills Training College Compliance Manager is responsible for ensuring compliance with this policy. The Accounts Team Skills Training College will process refund requests.

Skills Training College ’s CEO and/or Compliance Manager is responsible for all continuous improvement processes in relation to the fee administration and refund policy and procedure and ensuring all staff, including those from the third party providers are complying with the provisions of this policy.

Cancellation Fees

Below is our cancellation fee table:

Minimum Refund Calculation as per the Education Services for Overseas Students (Calculation of Refund) Specification 2014

Description of the ESOS Framework

The Australian Government wants international students to have a rewarding, enjoyable and safe experience when they come to Australia to study. Australia’s education and training system offers high quality services and protection for international students to ensure they make the most of their time here.

The laws that protect international students form the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) framework. They include the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 and the ESOS National Code.

Please read a summary of the ESOS Framework including your rights, responsibilities, requirements, support services, and other information about studying in Australia on the AEI website here: ESOS Framework.