- Purpose
- Scope
- Legislative Context
- Definitions
- Actions
- Refunds for Program Cancellations
- Refunds for VET Programs at Certificate IV Level or below
- Examples
- Refunds for VET programs at Diploma level and above (including programs eligible for VET Student Loans)
- Examples.
- Refunds for Accredited and Non Accredited Short Courses/Programs
- Refunds for Withdrawal in Exceptional Circumstances
- Refunds for Deceased Students
- Refunds not included elsewhere
- Applying For a Refund
- Assessing and Paying Refunds
- Appealing a Refund Decision
- Remission of HELP Debt (VET Student Loan)
- Responsibility
- Supporting Documents
- Implementation and Communication
- Records Management
This procedure outlines the administrative processes for determining a student’s eligibility for a refund and subsequent payment or fee adjustment.
This procedure applies to all VET students, current VET applicants, or former VET students at Federation University, both full fee paying and government supported students.
This policy is in accord with the:
- Higher Education Support Act 2003
- VET Student Loans Act 2016
- Skills First Program – 2021 Dual Sector VET Funding Contract
- Skills First Program – Guidelines about Fees
- Federation University Statute 9.2 Fees & Charges
Term | Definition |
Census Date | The census date is the deadline by which students enrolled in a VET Student Loan program must take certain actions, such as withdraw from a unit(s) or a full program without financial penalty. A census date applies to each unit. |
Fee For Service | Accredited or non-accredited short course/program, usually delivered for commercial purposes. |
Full Fee Student | A Full Fee Student is a student who is ineligible for a Government Subsidised Place (GSP) or a student enrolled in a fee for service program. |
Government Subsidised Place (GSP) | A GSP is a Vocational Educational training place for which the Victorian government makes a financial contribution through the Skills First Program. Only eligible individuals can access a GSP place. |
Eligible individual | An eligible individual enrolled in an eligible funded program. Eligible individuals pay a tuition fee which contributes towards the total cost of their program. |
Material Fee | The cost of materials and other incidentals purchased by the University and provided to the student, such as tools for trade, equipment, uniforms, textbooks, excursions, etc. |
Program | A series of units of vocational education and training, or the modules of a VET accredited program that combine to become a qualification from an accredited Training Package or skill set. |
Program Commencement Date | The date of first scheduled training for the first unit towards the completion of the qualification in which the Eligible Individual has enrolled. |
Skills First Program | The Skills First Program, governing body for Further Education and Training, www.education.vic.gov.au |
Tuition Fee | The enrolment fee for a unit determined by the University for Domestic and International Full Fee paying students and GSP eligible students. |
Unit | Is the unit of learning in a VET qualification and includes assessment requirements and the specification of the standards of performance required in the workplace as defined in a training package or accredited program. In Campus Solutions ‘unit’ may be replaced with ‘course’. |
VET | Vocational Education and Training |
VET Student Loans | Australian government loan program to assist eligible students enrolled in approved higher level vocational education and training (VET) programs to pay all or part of their tuition fees. |
A student’s eligibility for a refund will depend on the timing and reason for their withdrawal as well as the type of program that they were enrolled in.
ACTIVITY | RESPONSIBILITY | STEPS | |
A | Refunding students for program cancellations | Program area/Student HQ/Student Finance |
|
ACTIVITY | RESPONSIBILITY | STEPS | |
A. | Refunding students who withdraw | Program area/Student HQ/Student Finance |
|
B. | Refunding material fees | Program area/Student HQ/Student Finance |
|
C. | Liability for unpaid fees after withdrawal or cancellation from program | Student |
|
- Eligible for refund: A student is enrolled with a program commencement date of 1 February and formally withdraws on 25 February. A full credit of tuition fees is issued and the student is eligible for a refund as the withdrawal occurred within 4 weeks (28 calendar days) of the program commencement date (excluding any graded units).
- Not eligible for refund: A student is enrolled with a program commencement date of 1 February and formally withdraws on 10 March. The student is not entitled to a credit of tuition fees or refund as the withdrawal occurred more than 4 weeks (28 calendar) days after the program commencement date.
ACTIVITY | RESPONSIBILITY | STEPS | |
A. | Refunding students who withdraw | Program area/Student HQ/Student Finance |
|
B. | Refunding material fees | Program area/Student HQ/Student Finance |
|
C. | Liability for unpaid fees after withdrawal or cancellation from program | Student |
|
- Eligible for refund: A student is enrolled in a Diploma program and has a census date of 3 March for an enrolled unit. The student formally withdraws from the unit on 3 March. A full credit of tuition fees is issued and, where the student has a VET Student Loan, they will not incur a debt for the withdrawn unit as the withdrawal occurred on the applicable census date. If the student paid upfront they will be eligible for a refund.
- Not eligible for refund: A student is enrolled in a Diploma program and has a census date of 3 March for an enrolled unit. The student formally withdraws from the unit on 3 April. The student is not entitled to a credit of tuition fees, adjustment to their VET Student Loans debt, or a refund as the withdrawal occurred after the census date.
ACTIVITY | RESPONSIBILITY | STEPS | |
A | Refunding students who withdraw | Program area/Student HQ/Student Finance |
|
ACTIVITY | RESPONSIBILITY | STEPS | |
A | VET Student Loans students withdrawing after the census date | Student |
|
B. | All other VET students withdrawing after the 4 week withdrawal date | Student |
|
ACTIVITY | RESPONSIBILITY | STEPS | |
A. | Applying for a refund for a deceased student | The personal legal representative of the Deceased Estate |
|
ACTIVITY | RESPONSIBILITY | STEPS | |
A | Refunding material fees | Program area/Student HQ/Student Finance |
|
B. | Refunding tuition fees | Student HQ/Student Finance |
|
Student |
|
ACTIVITY | RESPONSIBILITY | STEPS | |
A. | Assessing refund applications | Student Finance |
|
B. | Payment of refunds | Student Finance |
|
C. | Unclaimed Refunds | Student Finance |
|
D. | Credit Balances | Student Finance |
|
ACTIVITY | RESPONSIBILITY | STEPS | |
A. | Appealing a refund decision | Student |
|
In special circumstances, a student can apply to have their HELP debt re-credited (known as remission of debt).
ACTIVITY | RESPONSIBILITY | STEPS | |
A. | Eligibility | Student |
A student may be eligible for remission HELP debt for a course if:
Applications for a remission of HELP debt can be submitted up to 12 months after:
|
B. | Applying for remission of debt | Student |
|
C. | Assessing | Student HQ |
|
D. | Review and appeals | Student |
There is no charge to the student for a remission of debt application or review of decisions, other than review by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. A student seeking a review will not be victimised or discriminated against for:
Under section 71 of the VET Student Loans Act 2016, an application for re-crediting can be made within 5 years after the census date for the course, or the part of the course, concerned, or within that period as extended by the Secretary. The (VET Student Loans) Secretary may re-credit a student’s HELP balance in relation to special circumstances if the course provider:
|
- Chief Financial Officer (as the Approval Authority) is responsible for monitoring the implementation, outcomes and scheduled review of this procedure.
- Head, Financial Operations (as the Document Owner) is responsible for maintaining the content of this procedure as delegated by the Chief Financial Officer.
Forms
- Refund Application - Domestic Student (PDF 970.1kb)
- Remission of Debt Application Form (PDF 230.5kb)
The VET Student Refund Procedure will be communicated throughout Federation University via:
- an Announcement Notice under 'FedNews' on the University's website and through Federation University's Policy - 'Recently Approved Documents' webpage to alert the University-wide community of the approved Policy;
- inclusion on the Federation University Policy, Procedure and Forms website; and/or
- distribution of e-mails to Head of School / Head of Department / University staff; and/or
- documentation distribution, eg. posters, brochures.
Title | Location | Responsible Officer | Minimum Retention Period |
Refund Request Form | Student Finance records / Finance Refund File |
Manager, Student Finance TAFE Manager, Financial Services |
7 years |
Remission of Debt Application Form | Student HQ | Manager, Student HQ | 7 years |
Request for Adjustment / Refund | Student Finance records | Manager, Student Finance (TAFE) | 7 years |
Withdrawal Form | Student HQ | Manager, Student HQ | 7 years |