ACUcom Student Handbook VET FEE-HELP Guide 2015

ACUcom Student Handbook VET FEE-HELP Guide 2015

Table of Contents Welcome... 3 What is the purpose of this Guide?... 3 Legislative Instruments... 3 Definitions... 4 Contact Information... 4 Courses and VET Units of Study... 5 Credit Transfer... 5 Census Dates... 6 Student load... 6 Admission at ACUcom... 6 Overview of the VET FEE-HELP admission and administration processes... 6 Key Dates... 8 Student Eligibility Requirements... 8 Request for VET FEE-HELP Assistance Form... 9 Tax File Number Requirements... 9 Course Fees... 10 Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN)... 10 Withdrawal or Non-Completion of Studies... 11 Tuition Fee Refund Policy... 12 Additional Tuition Fees and Charges... 12 Tuition Assurance Requirements... 12 Continuous Improvement... 13 Privacy... 13 Complaints and Appeals Management... 14 Questions or Feedback... 14 Location: Y:\Compliance - Master Folder\Compliance\ACU Operations\ACU Manuals ACUcom Page 2 of 14

Welcome Australian Catholic University (ACUcom) is now able to offer VET FEE-HELP from January 2015. VET FEE-HELP allows eligible students to apply for a loan from the Australian government for all or part of their tuition fees. This Guide has been designed for people enrolling in vocational education and training (VET) courses at a Diploma level and, who are considering accessing the Commonwealth s VET FEE-HELP loan scheme 1. This Guide provides you with relevant information so that you can make informed decisions about your training and funding options. What is the purpose of this Guide? This Guide provides a quick reference to VET FEE-HELP information and requirements and has been designed to be read in conjunction with the following documents: VET FEE-HELP Information for 2014: Australian Government Publication VET FEE-HELP Information for 2015: Australian Government Publication Study Assist website: www.studyassist.gov.au ACUcom Student Handbook ACUcom Policies and Procedures VET FEE-HELP Fee Schedule and Census Dates We recommend that you keep this Guide as you may need to refer to i t throughout your studies with ACUcom. If you require any further information or have any questions related to your qualification or any of our policies and procedures please do not hesitate to contact either your trainer or our administration staff. Legislative Instruments Education and Training Reform Act 2006 and associated Ministerial Statements: The Skills Statement, Maintaining the Advantage: Skilled Victorians; and Securing Jobs for Your Future - Skills for Victoria. Higher Education Support Act 2003 and the associated legislative guidelines for VET FEE-HELP: the VET Provider Guidelines; the VET FEE-HELP Guidelines, and the Administration Guidelines. University of Ballarat Act (1993). Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth). 1 The VET FEE-HELP loan scheme is a Commonwealth initiative that enables VET students enrolled in a Diploma qualification or higher fee assistance. Location: Y:\Compliance - Master Folder\Compliance\ACU Operations\ACU Manuals ACUcom Page 3 of 14

Definitions Accumulated HELP debt: The consolidated total of any VET FEE-HELP, FEE-HELP, HECS-HELP, OS-HELP or SA-HELP debts you have incurred (including any Australian Government study loans incurred before 2005). Approved VET provider: (VET provider) In this booklet, this term means an organisation that has been approved by the Australian Government to offer VET FEE-HELP loans to eligible students. Census date: This date is set by approved VET providers and it is the deadline for various requirements, like making an upfront payment, applying for a VET FEE-HELP loan, paying your tuition fees or formally withdrawing your enrolment in order to not incur a debt. CAN: (Commonwealth Assistance Notice) A notice from your approved VET provider detailing information about the Commonwealth assistance you have used for the study period. CHESSN: When a student first applies for admission to their provider or via the Tertiary Admissions Centre, they will be allocated a CHESSN. The CHESSN is a unique identifier that remains with the student throughout their studies and afterwards. The CHESSN helps providers and the Australian Government provide information about any Commonwealth assistance (scholarships or VET FEE-HELP loans) that may have been used. EFTSL: (equivalent full-time student load) How your study load is measured. One EFTSL is the load you will have when studying full-time for a year. FEE Schedule: A schedule that outlines VET units of study, venue, delivery location, delivery mode, census dates, course costs, incidental costs, proposed commencement and completion dates Re-crediting FEE-HELP loan: Applicants can only have their HELP debt remitted (and FEE-HELP balance recredited if applicable) under particular circumstances. There are no provisions under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA) to have debt remitted if the unit or course of study has been completed. Units of Competency: Units of competency are the nationally agreed statements of the skills and knowledge required for effective performance in a particular job or job function they describe work outcomes as agreed by industry. VET unit of study: Each unit of competency offered in an eligible course equivalent to a VET unit of study, or a number of units of competency may make up a VET unit of study. Each VET unit of study, whether it is comprised of one or any number of units of competency has its own VET unit of study code, EFTSL value, census date and VET tuition fee. Contact Information Sukh Sandhu National VET FEE-HELP, Quality Assurance & Compliance Manager Sukh.Sandhu@acu.edu.au Location: Y:\Compliance - Master Folder\Compliance\ACU Operations\ACU Manuals ACUcom Page 4 of 14

Courses and VET Units of Study VET FEE-HELP courses are broken down for the purposes of program structure, enrolment and fees into VET units of study. What this means is that the course you choose to enroll in will be divided into a series of similar subjects or Units of Competence. ACUcom s VET units of study are undertaken as part of a Nationally Recognised Diploma qualification. Fee Schedule information provided prior to application outlines the following for each VET unit of study: Units of Competence included Mode of delivery Place of delivery Commencement and Completion dates Census Dates Incidental Costs Total cost Please note: Pre-requisite units are not contained within a VET unit of study. Eligible students cannot access VET FEE-HELP for additional VET units of study once the requirements of the course have been met. Debt is incurred after the census date of each VET unit of study. Census dates are scheduled after 20 per cent of the way through the VET unit of study. Credit Transfer ACUcom recognises AQF qualifications and statements of attainment issued by any other Registered Training Organisation and will grant credit transfer to students who have successfully completed the exact unit(s) with another RTO. If you are eligible for credit transfer you must advise ACUcom at the time of application to ensure you incur the correct debt. An application for Credit Transfer must include a Course Credit Application Form (available from administration) and certified copies of certificates/transcripts which outline the units in which credit transfer is being sought. ACUcom will only provide transfer on identical units i.e. with the same unit code. Where units may be similar but not identical, credit transfer may not be available. Location: Y:\Compliance - Master Folder\Compliance\ACU Operations\ACU Manuals ACUcom Page 5 of 14

Census Dates Census dates are set for each VET unit of study. The census date is the date after which you will incur a debt for the VET unit of study that you are enrolled. The census date for a unit of study is the closing date for a student to apply for VET FEE-HELP assistance for that unit. A census date can be set no earlier than 20% of the way through a unit [HESA Schedule 1A cl67(2)]. ACUcom must set a census date for each unit of study it provides or proposes to provide during a year [HESA Schedule 1A cl67(1), VET Administration Guidelines 3.5] and this shall be included in the unit outline detail and cost information. The period of time during which the unit of study is undertaken must include any normal study breaks, assessment or examination periods (except supplementary examinations). Student load EFTSL is the measure of the study load for a year (for a student undertaking a course of study on a fulltime basis). Admission at ACUcom ACUcom is committed to ensuring that student selection processes are fair and equitable and are consistent with workplace performance, competency level and Training Package requirements. Selection into our programs is based upon the applicant/student: Satisfying appropriate funding body criterion Meeting required pre-requisite qualifications and experience Meeting required industry age requirements that may be in place for a particular course Agreement to abide by the organisation s policies, procedures and code of conduct Payment of required fees and charges Overview of the VET FEE-HELP admission and administration processes Please refer to process below for ACUcom s Application and Enrolment procedure. 1. Student emails contact.acucom@acu.edu.au to request a Request for VET FEE-HELP Assistance Form. 2. Student can collect the Request for VET FEE-HELP Assistance Form and VET FEE HELP Information for 2015 Booklet from ACUcom Reception in Melbourne, where staff can assist with any queries, or student can request the documents to be mailed out. 3. Student returns original Request for VET FEE-HELP Assistance Form to ACUcom for processing. Location: Y:\Compliance - Master Folder\Compliance\ACU Operations\ACU Manuals ACUcom Page 6 of 14

4. Application is processed and a CHESSN number allocated. 5. A confirmation letter is then sent to student detailing the units enrolled into through VET FEE-HELP. 6. Student will receive a CAN notice from ACUcom within 28 days of the Census date. Changes to Enrolments can still be made up until the published Census date, however new subject enrolments will not be accepted. If a student enrolls in a unit after the Census date, VET FEE-HELP cannot be used as a payment method for that unit. Students should refer to the ACUcom VET FEE-HELP Guidelines for the policy on withdrawals, refunds, debt incurred and Census dates. Please note: If you are applying for VET FEE-HELP and do not provide your TFN you will not be entitled to a VET FEE-HELP loan and will need to pay your tuition fees up-front to ACUcom. You must apply for VET FEE-HELP before the census date or start of your second year of study. If you do not, you will not be able to defer your fees with VET FEE-HELP and will have to pay your fees upfront to ACUcom. You must read the Information for 2015 booklet before completing and signing the Request for VET FEE- HELP Assistance Form. When completing the Request for VET FEE-HELP Assistance Form, you must tick all relevant boxes and sign the declaration. Return the form to ACUcom Reception before the end of 2014. If you have not submitted a completed Request for VET FEE-HELP assistance form on or before the census date for the unit, you will not be entitled to VET FEE-HELP assistance for that unit. How much can I borrow? In 2015 the FEE-HELP limit is $97,728. This is the maximum amount you can borrow through VET FEE-HELP (and FEE HELP) over your lifetime. Is there a loan fee? No application fees are charged for requesting VET FEE-HELP assistance. In 2015 if you are a fee paying student you will incur a 20% loan fee. This is included in your VET FEE-HELP debt. Students who can access Government funding for their course do not pay the loan fee. In Victoria no interest is charged on your VET FEE-HELP debt, however, your debt is indexed annually by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to maintain its real value. How do I repay the loan? You have to start repaying your VET FEE HELP debt through the taxation system once your income is above the compulsory repayment threshold, even if you are still studying. The compulsory repayment threshold is adjusted each year. For the 2014-15 income year the compulsory repayment threshold is $53,345. Location: Y:\Compliance - Master Folder\Compliance\ACU Operations\ACU Manuals ACUcom Page 7 of 14

After you apply Approval and notification process ACUcom will assess your VET FEE-HELP application after you submit it. If your application is approved, we will contact you via email to advise you to view your HELP approval letter. Your HELP approval letter contains important information about the terms of your HELP loan. Your tax invoice and making payments You will receive a tax invoice each semester outlining your tuition fees and charges. If you choose to make up-front payments, they will be deducted from the amount that the government lends you through the loan scheme. There is no discount available on these up-front payments. Key Dates Key dates, including Census Dates, are published online on our website, under the VET FEE HELP Section. Student Eligibility Requirements To be eligible for VET FEE-HELP, a person must: Meet the citizenship or residency requirements Be a full fee-paying student or a subsidised student in an eligible state or territory Have a fee-help balance greater than zero and has not exceeded the fee-help limit Be enrolled in a vet unit of study that meets the course requirements Be enrolled in the vet unit of study on or before the census date and remain enrolled at the end of the census date Meet the tax file number requirements Have completed, signed and given to an appropriate officer of the provider a request for VET FEE-HELP assistance form on or before the census date. Citizenship or residency requirements To be eligible for VET FEE-HELP, a person must be either an Australian citizen or the holder of a permanent humanitarian visa who will be resident in Australia for the duration of the VET unit of study. If a student gains Australian citizenship partway through their course, the student may be eligible for VET FEE-HELP for VET units of study yet to be completed, including VET units of study currently enrolled where the census dates have not passed. For more information please see ACUcom s Access and Equity policy and procedure located on our website. Location: Y:\Compliance - Master Folder\Compliance\ACU Operations\ACU Manuals ACUcom Page 8 of 14

Request for VET FEE-HELP Assistance Form Students request VET FEE-HELP by completing, signing and submitting a Request for VET FEE-HELP Assistance form to ACUcom Reception on or before the census date for the VET unit of study. Generally, only the student receiving VET FEE-HELP is permitted to sign the Request for VET FEE-HELP Assistance form. A copy of the Request for VET FEE-HELP Assistance form is retained for a minimum period of seven years after the student has completed their course. Students eligible for VET FEE-HELP are given a VET FEE-HELP information booklet for the relevant year prior to completing and submitting the Request for VET FEE-HELP Assistance form. Students declare on the request form that they have received and read the booklet. Information booklets are also available from http://studyassist.gov.au Tax File Number Requirements Who is required to provide a TFN? All students who wish to access VET FEE-HELP are required to provide their tax file number (TFN) on their Request for VET FEE-HELP Assistance Form. Students who do not have a TFN should apply for one by completing a TFN Application or Enquiry for Individuals form available from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). When must students provide their TFN? Students are required to provide their TFN, or a Certificate of Application for a TFN, on or before the census date for the VET unit of study for which they wish to access VET FEE-HELP. How should students provide their TFN? Students should provide their TFN on a Request for VET FEE-HELP Assistance form. If a student does not provide their TFN on the form or a Certificate of Application for a TFN on or before the census date for that VET unit of study, they will not be eligible for VET FEE-HELP for that VET unit of study. Notification if a student does not provide a TFN If a student does not provide a TFN on their form and the student intends to access VET FEE-HELP, ACUcom is required to notify the student in writing, within seven days of receiving the form, or before the census date if earlier, that the student s TFN or a Certificate of Application for a TFN is required on or before the census date. The provider is not obliged to provide this notice if the student is not eligible for VET FEE-HELP. Students who do not have or cannot remember their TFN Students who do not have, or cannot remember, their TFN, or who have applied to the ATO but have not yet received a TFN, must contact the ATO to acquire their TFN or to obtain a Certificate of Application for a TFN. Location: Y:\Compliance - Master Folder\Compliance\ACU Operations\ACU Manuals ACUcom Page 9 of 14

As a TFN is usually provided within 28 days of application, it is essential for students to apply early to ensure they have their TFN on or before the census date. If a student applies for a TFN less than one month before the relevant census date, the student should request the ATO to issue him or her with a Certificate of Application for a TFN. If a student has not received their TFN by 10 days before the census date, the student should provide this certificate to their provider as proof of having applied. The student must quote their TFN within 21 days from the day the ATO issues the student a Tax File Number Advice. The provider must be satisfied that the TFN quoted by the student is a valid TFN, in line with the requirements set out in the Tax File Number Guidelines 2011 (TFN Guidelines. Students who fail to quote their TFN within 21 days of issue by the ATO Students who provide a Certificate of Application for a TFN should notify their provider of their TFN within 21 days of receiving it from the ATO. Students who have provided a Certificate of Application for a TFN in lieu of a TFN continue to be eligible for VET FEE-HELP. Tax file number use, retention and disposal ACUcom will retain student s tax file numbers until: The calculation of the final VET unit of study debt for the course for which the student has sought VET FEE-HELP has been completed; The student s account with the provider is finalised; and The ATO has been notified of the final debt We will not; Disclose students TFNs Use TFN s for any purpose other than processing a HELP debt Use TFN s as a means of identifying students; Any unauthorised request for a student to provide a TFN; and Any unauthorised recording of a TFN. Course Fees Course fees will vary depending on the course you are enrolled in. Course fees are determined by how your course is delivered and its duration. To ensure students are well informed of the financial considerations of their enrolment, ACUcom provides fee information to each student prior to enrolment. Course fees are located in the Fee Schedule and can be found on ACUcom s website. If you have not received fee information or if you have any questions regarding fees and charges you are encouraged to contact ACUcom Reception for more information. Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN) A CAN details the amount of Commonwealth assistance a student has used for the relevant study period. Providers will send students their CAN within 28 days of the census date (for each study period). Location: Y:\Compliance - Master Folder\Compliance\ACU Operations\ACU Manuals ACUcom Page 10 of 14

The CAN will outline for each VET unit of study the following information The person s name; The name of the provider; The person s student identification number as issued by the provider; The person s CHESSN The VET unit of study(s) and course(s) in which the person is enrolled with the provider; The VET unit of study identification code; The census date; The tuition fee amount; The amount of upfront tuition fee payment; The amount of VET FEE-HELP; The amount of the VET FEE-HELP loan fee; and The amount of VET FEE-HELP debt. Checking the accuracy of your CAN A student must check the details on their CAN carefully. In particular, the student should ensure that: the student contribution amounts/tuition fees listed on the CAN are the same as those published on their provider s website (or invoice issued to students); the CAN doesn t include any units the student withdrew from by the census date; and if applicable, the FEE-HELP loan fee/vet FEE-HELP loan fee has been calculated correctly. If a student thinks there are incorrect details on their CAN, the student has 14 days (some providers may allow more time) from the date of their CAN to submit written notification to their provider requesting a correction to their CAN. Keeping a record of CANs A student should keep a copy of all their CANs so they have a record of the total amount of Commonwealth assistance they have accessed for their studies. CANs are a handy way for students to keep track of their entitlements as they progress through their course. The CAN is the first document a student would consult to check if the calculation of their VET FEE-HELP debt is accurate particularly since the CAN will have a breakdown of each unit that student is enrolled in for that study period. Withdrawal or Non-Completion of Studies If you are having difficulty with your training and are considering withdrawing, speak to your Trainer or Coordinator as early as possible, as they may be able to help you to put a plan in place and to access additional help to enable you to complete your course. However, if you do need to withdraw from a VET unit of study and/or your qualification you are required to notify ACUcom in writing. If you fail a unit, or withdraw after the census date, you are still liable to pay the tuition fee for that Location: Y:\Compliance - Master Folder\Compliance\ACU Operations\ACU Manuals ACUcom Page 11 of 14

VET unit of study, regardless of whether you attended classes or handed in any assessment tasks. If you used a VET FEE HELP loan you will incur a VET FEE-HELP debt and if you made an upfront payment, you are not eligible for a refund of that payment. Students who fail a unit of study are able to appeal the assessor s decision. See ACUcom s Complaints and Appeals Policy for more information. Tuition Fee Refund Policy You will not incur liability for a VET unit of study until after the relevant census date, which cannot be earlier than 20 per cent of the way through the VET unit of study. This applies to all eligible students, regardless of whether they pay tuition fees upfront or seek VET FEE-HELP. If you withdraw from a VET unit of study on or before the relevant census date, ACUcom will repay the related tuition fees paid for the VET unit of study. This does not apply where tuition assurance has been activated because the provider ceases to provide the VET unit of study. For more information see ACUcom s Refund policy and procedure. If you withdraw from a unit of study after the census date due to serious illness or because of special circumstances, you may apply to have your FEE-HELP balance re-credited and your HELP debt removed. For more information refer to ACUcom s Refund Policy and Procedure. Decisions regarding re-crediting a person s FEE-HELP balance are reviewable. A review of a decision may be requested by the person affected by the original decision or without a request if the provider is satisfied that there is sufficient reason to do so. The person s request must be made in writing and given to the Director of ACUcom within 28 days from the day the person first received notice of the original decision, or a longer period as allowed by the review officer. In the written request, the person must state the reasons why they are asking for a review. Additional Tuition Fees and Charges At ACUcom you are not required to pay any additional fees and charges outside of the incidental costs listed on the Fee Schedule. You will be provided with a Fee Schedule on course enquiry. Tuition Assurance Requirements To protect students from losing any monies paid in advance ACUcom complies with the Commonwealth requirement of tuition assurance. ACUcom has Tuition assurance arrangements with the Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET). Location: Y:\Compliance - Master Folder\Compliance\ACU Operations\ACU Manuals ACUcom Page 12 of 14

Continuous Improvement To continually improve the services we provide to our students and industry, we encourage students to provide feedback about the quality of our programs, trainers, facilities and resources. You can provide verbal and written feedback throughout your training through Evaluation Forms supplied midway and at the completion of a course or via ad hoc feedback to trainers or staff members. We look forward to hearing your thoughts about our service and your program. Privacy ACUcom may collect information from students or potential students, either electronically or in hard copy format, including information that personally identifies individual users. ACUcom may also record various communications that students or potential students have with us. In collecting personal information ACUcom will comply with the privacy requirements of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 and the information privacy principles set out in the Privacy Act 1988. The Privacy Act sets out rules by which ACUcom are allowed to collect and handle your information. More information can be found at www.oaic.gov.au or www.privacy.org.au. Records held by ACUcom include: Information you provide on your enrolment form Identification details Training / Employment details Copies of any supplied evidence relating to recognition of prior learning or current competence Copies of certificates or qualifications Payment information Complaints or Appeals lodged (if applicable) including reports and outcomes. Personal information (including course enrolment details) about students studying with ACUcom may be shared with the Australian Government and designated authorities for reporting, statistical and auditing purposes. ACUcom will store securely all records containing personal information and take all reasonable security measures to protect personal information collected, from unauthorised access, misuse or disclosure. Students have the right to access, or obtain a copy of, their personal information kept by the college. Requests are to be made in writing to the Compliance Manager. Postal Address: ACUcom Locked Bag 4115 Fitzroy MDC Victoria 3065 Location: Y:\Compliance - Master Folder\Compliance\ACU Operations\ACU Manuals ACUcom Page 13 of 14

Records may not be removed from ACUcom, however students may take notes of information appearing on their records. Personal details can be amended at any time by contacting administration and/or completing another Enrolment form. Complaints and Appeals Management This process exists to ensure that should a student have a grievance, she/he will have access to a full and fair hearing of their concerns, and the right to a mutually agreeable solution. Details of any dispute will be kept strictly confidential. Under no circumstances will a student be penalised or suffer any loss of privilege as a result of initiating the grievance process. At any time during the process, the aggrieved student has the prerogative to seek the active support of another person not directly involved in the grievance for the purposes of clear representation. For more information refer to Complaints and Appeals Policy on our website Questions or Feedback Every effort has been made to ensure that information included in this Guide is correct at the time of publication. Should you have any questions or feedback about the information in this Guide, please speak to ACUcom administration staff. Any updates to Guides, Handbooks, Policies or Procedures will be available for download from our website so we advise that you view this regularly. Please send your questions or feedback to quality.acucom@acu.edu.au. Location: Y:\Compliance - Master Folder\Compliance\ACU Operations\ACU Manuals ACUcom Page 14 of 14