POLICY. Title Information for Students on TAFE SA Fees Policy Semester 1, Table of Contents. Approved TAFE SA Executive Date: 3 March 2015

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1 POLICY PPMF TAFESA 181 Title Information for Students on TAFE SA Fees Policy Semester 1, 2015 Approved TAFE SA Executive Date: 3 March 2015 Contact Officer Name Nick Howie Phone (08) Position Title Address Manager, Regulation Nick.howie@tafesa.edu.au Table of Contents 1 Policy Scope Definitions Related policies delete if not applicable References e.g. legislation, standards or government circulars - delete if not applicable Procedure Student Fee Structure Government Funded Rate Student eligibility for TAFE SA Concessions Incidental Fees Fees-by-Instalment Fee Exemptions Student Fee Refunds Number of Enrolments Financial Terms and Conditions Consent Responsibilities Review of TAFE SA Policy Publication of Fees... 8 TAFE SA Policies are issued under the TAFE SA Policy Management Framework. They are binding on all TAFE SA employees Version 1.0 3/03/2015 Responsible Division Executive (Policy Owner): Director, Educational Services

2 1 Policy This policy informs students and potential students of the of student fees to be charged for courses delivered by TAFE SA for Semester 1, This policy also establishes the practices to be adhered to in the administration of these fees. 2 Scope This policy applies to all students registering for study at TAFE SA. This policy does not cover: International Students Refunds for students who have applied for or accessed VET FEE-HELP or FEE-HELP Fee for Service 3 Definitions Course / Program / Qualification DSD Fee For Service Fees Paid Financial Hardship Refers to: An education training program the completion of which leads to a qualification recognised under the Australian Qualifications Framework or A combination of Units of Competence which result in a statement of attainment or qualification Department of State Development Also known as Enterprise Training. Any training which is a delivered for an enterprise or organisation by TAFE SA, and is not subject to individual student funding Refers to individual s Student Fees actually paid (not just invoiced) for a specific unit of competence and not the whole qualification Refers to: A student who has applied for Fees by Instalment but was not granted due to insufficient funds and/or A student who has explored alternative funding with a Student Counsellor and no funding was available Full Fee Paying (FFP) Student Funding (funded) A student that is not eligible and not in receipt of a government funded course. (Note a FFP student may be eligible for VET FEE HELP or FEE HELP) Courses may be subject to government subsidies. The amount of the subsidy may be up to 100% of training costs. Access to these courses will be subject to eligibility criteria 2 P age

3 Incidental Fee In some courses, there will be incidental charges for optional items like textbooks and uniforms and anything which becomes the property of the student. The student generally pays for these things. Incidental Fees can only cover: Optional items that are not essential to complete the Course; Alternative access to an essential item for the Course. For example, a charge to purchase learning resources to take home that a Training Provider may normally provide to the Student through the Provider s Library or for use only in the classroom or workshop; Items that become the property of the student where there are other suppliers. For example, retail outlets, borrowing the text from the library, purchasing second hand, using items they already own); Food, transport and accommodation costs associated with field trips that form part of the Course. Module or Unit of Competence Priority Qualifications Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) SATAC Short Course Skills for All (S4A) Student Student Fee VET FEE-HELP and FEE-HELP Refers to a unit of study defined by a specific code for registration purposes. Refers to qualifications identified as being a priority for South Australia and are specifically identified as such in the Funded Training List. This list can be found at: A formal process for granting individuals credit for skills, knowledge and experience gained through working and formal and/or informal learning against units of competency South Australia Tertiary Admissions Centre process applications on behalf of TAFE SA Any program of study that does not result in a qualification attainment. Short Courses can be either accredited or non-accredited. A South Australian Government training initiative, which funds training based on set criteria for eligible students A person enrolled in TAFE SA. The fee that is charged to a student for the provision of all training and assessment services that is not subject to government funding. Student fees include Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) assessment when required. A student fee does not include incidental expenses An Australian Government program providing income contingent loans to eligible students enrolled in eligible VET courses or higher education courses for the payment of tuition fees. 3 P age

4 4 Related policies PMF TAFE SA 65 PMF TAFE SA 70 PMF TAFE SA 72 PMF TAFE SA 74 PMF TAFE SA 76 PMF TAFE SA 79 PMF TAFE SA 81 PMF TAFE SA 135 Enrolment of Compulsory Education Age and Compulsory School Age Students in TAFE SA Procedure Admissions and Course Management Policy TAFE SA Refunds and Re-credits for FEE- HELP & VET FEE-HELP approved Courses Policy VET FEE-HELP Policy Fees by Instalment Policy Student Holds Policy Guardianship of the Minister Policy International Students Tuition Fees and Charges Policy 5 References e.g. legislation, standards or government circulars South Australian Government Web site Skills for All 6 Procedure This process outlines the setting and administration of student fees. Information is provided about eligibility for student refunds and fee adjustments including concession rates. Procedure content sub sections should relate to the policy statement made in item 1. That is procedure should relate directly to implementing the policy in cases where it seems necessary to include additional information it may indicate the policy statement needs refining. 6.1 Student Fee Structure Government Funded Rate Certificate I, Certificate II and Priority Listed courses are fee free for eligible students under Skills for All. For any course that is not listed as fee free on the Skills for All Funded Training List, a student fee will apply TAFE SA will calculate the cost of Skills for All funded places in accordance with the Skills for All rules and publish the resulting Student Fee for each course on the TAFE SA website. This will include the Student Fee where no subsidy funding is provided (Full Fee Paying students). TAFE SA will publish a schedule of any Incidental Fees. A Schedule of Fees is approved by the TAFE SA Board, through its delegate, as required. Students will be given as much notice as possible of any proposed changes. 4 P age

5 6.2 Student eligibility for TAFE SA funded training Students can check whether they may be eligible for funded training through Skills for All Website Eligibility Calculator Students who are not eligible for Skills for All, for example students who reside or work interstate, can be offered a non-funded place and will be charged the agreed Full Fee Paying (FFP) rate Eligibility for Skills for All funded place will be assessed on student enrolment. 6.3 Concessions Concession rates will be provided to those students who at the time of enrolment are: o The recipient of a valid Health Care Card; or o Pensioner Concession Card; or o Veteran Affairs Pensioner Concession Card; or is o Currently a prisoner* in a South Australian correctional institution. *For the purposes of this policy, prisoner includes all prison inmates, detainees, people on remand, those held in South Australian institutions in connection with the commission of an offence, and extends to children in South Australian detention centres who are beyond the age of compulsory schooling. As home detention is not included within the meaning of South Australian correctional institute all people on home detention are excluded from concessional rates applied to a prisoner. Concessions will be validated at the time of enrolment. Failure to produce a valid Health Care Card or other concession card, as described in 6.4.1, at the time of enrolment, will result in the applicable non concession Student Fee being charged. Concession eligible students will pay the concession rate as published on the TAFE SA website. 6.4 Incidental Fees Students must be made aware of any Incidental Fees before registration and must be given the option of paying that Incidental Fee or purchasing the product from another source. 6.5 Fees-by-Instalment Fees-by-Instalment arrangement may be made available to a student in accordance with the Fees-by- Instalment Policy. 6.6 Fee Exemptions The TAFE SA delegates who can approve individual Student Fee exemptions are listed on the TAFE SA intranet. Persons under the Guardianship of the Minister (GOM) must contact Skills SA to verify their eligibility; TAFE SA Admissions implements the decision of DSD regarding entitlement and only TAFE SA Admissions can apply the hold that prevents any charges from being made. Workgroups do not have authority to exempt fees on the basis of GOM status. 5 P age

6 The Companion Card exemption applies when the student requires an attendant carer to attend classes with them. The carer can have their fees exempted once their companion card has been provided. Exemptions from payment of the Student Fee for fees paid previously can be applied when the student is resulted with an MS (Module Started) and is re-enrolled in the same unit of competence in the following semester. The charge for the unit of competence from the first enrolment must be verified as having been paid in full before this exemption can be applied to the student account. The Police Academy exemption applies when a student is a member of the Police Academy and is enrolled in the relevant units of competence where there is a memorandum of agreement for training. Exemptions from payment of the TAFE SA Student Fee may be granted on the grounds of financial hardship. 6.7 Student Fee Refunds General Principles Full refund on student fees is payable when a student withdraws from the unit of study one day prior to the unit of study commencing or earlier Partial refund of 50% of student fees is payable when a student withdraws from a unit of study prior to 20% being completed. All refunds are subject to the receipt of the appropriate documentation within the required time limit. Refunds requested due to personal circumstances change must be accompanied by supporting documents o Personal circumstances beyond a student s control include: o Sickness (verified by a medical certificate); or o A change of employment circumstances (verified by employer); or o Other valid reason at the discretion of the delegate (as listed on the TAFE SA Intranet under Our TAFE SA at: A student will be liable for all unpaid student fees after 20% of the unit of study is complete A full refund will be payable if TAFE SA cancels a course Student fees paid for short courses will not be refunded (except for cancelation by TAFE SA) All VET FEE HELP and FEE HELP eligible students will be subject to the refund rules under those programs Exemptions A full refund of the Student Fee paid will be granted where: A student accepts a place in a higher preference course. Students must submit a copy of the ed offer to the relevant workgroup as part normal withdrawal application A student is granted RPL for any unit of study they are registered in before twenty percent of that class has been completed No Refund of Fees Paid No refund will be granted: For fees paid for RPL; For fees paid for incidental items that have been supplied or purchased through a TAFE SA; Where the refund is below $20 6 P age

7 6.8 Number of Enrolments Students are eligible to enrol a maximum of three times at a government funded rate to pass a unit of competence (this includes RPL). Further enrolments beyond three will be charged at the Full Fee Payment (FFP) rate for that unit of competence. A withdrawal from the unit of competence, after the class has commenced, will count as an enrolment with the exception of circumstances which may have been caused by TAFE SA, for example a cancelled class. 6.9 Financial Terms and Conditions Consent Individuals who have an overdue TAFE SA debt will not be allowed to register in TAFE SA courses. This includes enrolment into fee free courses. Students enrolling in TAFE SA will be required to register through Self Service Banner (SSB) and to accept responsibility for payment of the fees arising from their enrolment by personally accepting the financial terms and conditions. Staff members engaged in enrolling students via Internet Native Banner (INB) must ensure that the student has accepted the financial terms and conditions by signing an official TAFE SA Registration form and has completed and submitted the signed Skills for All Agreement Form. The staff member must create the associated Skills for All learner ID and training account. Students who fail to pay their fees within the required time frame (7 days) may have a hold applied to their account and be prevented from registering into any classes unless there are compassionate grounds (as approved by the relevant delegate). No refund of any amount will be paid in these circumstances. 7 Responsibilities TAFE SA staff engaged in enrolling students must ensure they have received a completed registration form signed by the student, and parent or guardian (if the student is under 18 years of age), prior to enrolling the student into the nominated classes. It is the responsibility of the enrolling staff member to send the invoice and payment options to the student within twenty four hours of the enrolment/registration. The enrolling staff member must also ensure the student is advised that payment must be made within seven days or the registration may be terminated. No other registration may be possible into any TAFE SA course until the outstanding payment is resolved. TAFE SA staff members must ensure they have received a signed incidentals form from the student prior to entering the charge onto the Student Information System. It is the responsibility of the Business Operations Managers (BOM) to ensure all supporting paperwork is attached to an appropriately approved exemption form prior to any exemptions being entered into the relevant Accounts Receivable system. 7.1 Review of TAFE SA Policy This Policy will be reviewed by TAFE SA as required and according to feedback received and/or contextual changes. 7 P age

8 8 Publication of Fees TAFE SA Student Fees and relevant policy information will be made publicly available on the TAFE SA website in an online accessible and printable format, in the section About Us \ Apply & Enrol. Amendments will be incorporated within two working days. 8 P age