2016 Student Information What you need to know about your fees and financial assistance 1300 628 233 www.northcoasttafe.edu.au
What you need to know about your fees and financial assistance Your fees and financial assistance North Coast TAFE offers a wide range of fee for service and government subsidised courses. The fees payable vary, depending on your personal circumstances, your study history and the course you choose. If you choose a government subsidised course, and are eligible for a subsidised place, you will pay a reduced fee. You may also be entitled to a concession or an exemption that will further reduce your fee. There may also be some additional costs for items that will benefit your learning such as textbooks, personal protective equipment, and/or industry equipment. Fee for service Fee for service means paying full price for the course. If you are not eligible to access a government subsidised place, or choose to study a non-subsidised course, payment of the full fee is required. You cannot claim any concessions or exemptions. Non-subsidised courses include those not on the NSW Skills Lists, short courses, Statements of Attainment, Graduate Certificates and Graduate Diplomas, TAFE Delivered Vocational Education and Training (delivered to Years 11 and 12 students) as well as courses studied by students not living or working in New South Wales, international students and temporary visa holders. We offer a range of convenient, affordable ways to pay your fees including formalised payment plans, flexible part payments or VET-FEE Help. Search payment options on our website. Fees for government subsidised courses Courses on the NSW Skills List are subsidised by the NSW Government. Fees for funded (subsidised) places in such courses are set by the NSW Government. The prices for funded courses are the same for the same course no matter where you study. The exact fee you pay will depend on your individual circumstances. To be eligible for government subsidised training you must meet certain criteria. Once you have done this, part of the course price is paid by the government. This reduces the fee you pay. Search Fees and Financial Assistance on our website (or visit www.smartandskilled.nsw.gov.au) to check your eligibility or find more about NSW Government subsidies. To see if you are eligible for a subsidised place in a course that interests you, enquire from the course page on our website. Fee-Free Scholarships If you are aged between 15 and 30 and meet the eligibility criteria, you can apply for a NSW Government Fee-Free Scholarship at North Coast TAFE that will help you get the skills you need for your career. Fee-Free Scholarships are available for eligible learners on selected North Coast TAFE qualifications including some Certificate I to Certificate IV, Apprenticeships and Traineeships and prevocational courses. Please note, other course costs may apply. VET FEE-HELP If you are planning to study a diploma, advanced diploma, a graduate certificate, graduate diploma or certain certificate IV courses, you may be able to access VET FEE-HELP. With VET FEE-HELP, you can defer payment of your fees so that you study now and pay later. You repay your fees later when your income reaches a certain level. To find out more search VET FEE-HELP on our website or talk to our team. 2
What you need to know about your fees and financial assistance Apprentices Apprentices eligible for a government subsidised place pay a capped fee for the whole qualification. To be eligible for the capped fee you must provide proof of your apprenticeship. You may also be eligible for a concession fee or exemption. More information for apprentices is available at: Australian Apprenticeships website www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au For NSW Apprentices visit State Training Services www.training.nsw.gov.au/individuals/ apprenticeships_traineeships/index.html Trade Support Loans for apprentices If you meet the eligibility criteria, you may be able to apply for a Trade Support Loan of up to $20,000 to help you with the costs of living and learning while you undertake your apprenticeship. Trade Support Loans are flexible to meet your needs. For example, you may apply only for six months to buy your tools, or you could save up your first year s payments to buy a second-hand vehicle and then opt out of further payments; or you could take the full loan to cover living expenses such as rent, public transport and phone bills throughout your years of training. You have to repay the amount you borrow but will not be charged interest or fees on the loan. It is, however, indexed each year in line with the Consumer Price Index. Repayments are made through the tax system once your income reaches a certain level. To check your eligibility search Trade Support Loans on the Australian Apprenticeships website. Trainees Fees for trainees vary depending on whether you are a New Entrant trainee or an Existing Worker trainee. The fee you pay depends on the course you choose. New Entrant trainees A New Entrant trainee is a person who is specifically employed by a business as a trainee or enters a traineeship with that business within three months of being employed. For a New Entrant trainee, to be eligible for a government subsidised place in a course, the trainee must meet the eligibility criteria and provide proof of the traineeship. To see if you are eligible for a subsidised place click the Enquire now button located on the relevant course page on our website. Existing Worker trainees An Existing Worker trainee is a person who has been working full time in the business for longer than 3 months before being offered a traineeship. If you are an Existing Worker trainee, North Coast TAFE partners with your employer to deliver only the formal portion of training you need for your qualification. The rest of the training is gained on the job. Government subsidised places are not available for Existing Worker trainees so your course is delivered on a fee for service basis. TAFE-delivered Vocational Education and Training (TVET) courses Year 11 and 12 school students have the opportunity to study TAFE courses as part of their HSC. North Coast TAFE delivers these courses to high schools on a fee for service basis. Your school may require you to pay additional fees to contribute to the cost of TAFE-delivered courses. Speak to your school careers adviser or our VET for Schools coordinator to find out more about TVET. Want to know more? Head to www.northcoasttafe.edu.au for more information. 3
Fees, What charges you and need assistance to know about your fees and financial assistance Concessions and exemptions Concessions A concession (or fee reduction) is available on subsidised courses if, at the time of your enrolment, you meet the eligibility criteria to access a governmentsubsidised place and receive certain Centrelink benefits (see the list on our website). Students who are recognised as a dependent child/ spouse/partner of a recipient of an eligible benefit or allowance may also be eligible for a concession fee. Exemptions An exemption means you are not required to pay the course tuition fee, but you may still need to pay relevant additional costs. If you are an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island person and are eligible for a subsidised place, you are exempt from paying the course fee. If you live and work in NSW and receive a Disability Support Pension or Veteran s Affairs Compensation Pension, or are assessed as having a long term condition, injury or disability, you are exempt from paying the course fee. Exemptions or concessions are only available at the time you enrol. If you don t receive a Disability Support Pension from Centrelink but you think you may have a long term condition or a learning difficulty (such as dyslexia, ADHD or ADD), talk to our support service counsellors. By letting us know about your disability (intellectual, learning or physical disabilities such as deafness or hearing impairment, vision impairment, mental health, autism) or additional learning needs at the time you enrol, we can help you access our specialist support services so that you get the most out of your course. Search for Support for students with a disability on our website. Difficulties paying? If you are suffering from financial hardship you can talk to one of our counsellors. Counselling sessions are confidential except where information is governed by government legislation and professional requirements. To arrange an appointment, contact Student Central at your campus. Refunds and withdrawals If for any reason you need to withdraw from your course or to seek a refund the North Coast TAFE Refund Deferral and Withdrawal policy provides information to help guide you. In brief, the policy says: Refund provisions differ between subsidised and fee-for-service programs There are special refund provisions if you are eligible for a VET FEE-HELP (VFH) loan and have enrolled in a VET FEE-HELP eligible course There are no refunds for: - short courses (courses up to 5 days duration) - part qualifications, concessions or foundation skills programs after commencement - withdrawal after 2 weeks, except where transferring to another NCTAFE program within the same study period - deferral Refunds after you have participated in the course cannot be more than 75% of the course fee Refunds may apply if you exit having completed the requirements for a lower level qualification The policy applies regardless of payment option you have chosen, with the exception of VET FEE-HELP eligible students enrolled in a VET FEE-HELP eligible course. The policy also identifies circumstances that are not usually regarded as grounds for a refund. For example, refunds are not provided if you do not attend, or do not give adequate prior notification that you cannot attend, a practical session or workshop, or if you have actively participated in a course in any way. You are deemed to have participated if you: attended a class, practical sessions, exam, test or learner support submitted an application for recognition of prior learning (RPL) accessed activities or pages in the learning management system or Moodle website submitted assessments contacted your teaching section for support and assistance. The cost of materials, equipment or resources that remain your property cannot be refunded. If you have specific questions about getting a refund, withdrawing or deferring your study, search refunds on our website for more information. 4
Other terms & meanings Financial assistance Apart from our flexible payment options, there are other types of financial assistance that may help you reduce your study costs. Depending on the course you choose and your personal circumstances, you may be able to get financial support through: a government-subsidised place or Fee-Free Scholarship a fee exemption or concession if you are receiving Centrelink benefits or a Disability Support Pension a scholarship your Job Active or employer, may be willing to help with payment in an approved course (we can provide an invoice and receipt if needed) a trade support loan (for apprentices only) childcare assistance (enquire via the Childcare Access Hotline 1800 670 305). Scholarships Scholarships are available from a variety of sources such as government departments, individuals or organisations. Each scholarship has different eligibility criteria. To apply for a particular scholarship you need to follow the guidelines. The Country Education Foundation has a list of scholarships and grants available to students in regional areas at www.cef.org.au/students/scholarships. To find out more, search Scholarships on our website. A NSW Health funded scholarship helped Sally Avery with the costs of her Diploma of Nursing Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) The AQF is a nationally agreed framework that identifies the qualifications available in Australia in the three educational sectors (schools, vocational education and training, and higher education). AQF qualifications offered in TAFE NSW are Certificates I, II, III and IV, Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas, as well as some Graduate Certificates and Graduate Diplomas. These qualifications, developed with industry and community consultation, are used Australia-wide. TAFE NSW also offers higher education programs including Bachelor Degrees and post graduate qualifications. More information about these can be found at www.highered.tafensw.edu.au. North Coast TAFE qualifications align with the Australian Qualifications Framework. Registered Training Organisation (RTO) North Coast TAFE is a Registered Training Organisation (our RTO code is 90010), which means vocational education and training qualifications that we deliver are recognised and transferable throughout Australia. Training packages Training packages are industry developed and nationally endorsed for vocational education and training provided throughout Australia. Training packages identify a range of skills and knowledge (competencies) required by employers for people who work in their industry. North Coast TAFE uses these training packages to develop its courses. Tafe2Uni pathway A TAFE2Uni pathway is a great way to get practical job ready skills through TAFE and then to gain entry to a university at an advanced stage by receiving credits for units studied as part of your TAFE qualification. For example, a TAFE Certificate IV or Diploma could gain credit that saves you between 6-12 months during your university degree. North Coast TAFE graduates may also be eligible for guaranteed places into some degree programs at our partner universities. Search for TAFE2Uni on our website for updates and links to websites of our partner universities. For information on credit transfer arrangements at other Australian universities visit the TAFE NSW TAFE to University website at: www.tafensw.edu.au/courses/study-options/tafeto-university or go to the website of your preferred university and search TAFE. Advanced standing arrangements can change so it is essential that you contact the university you are planning to attend. Want to know more? Head to www.northcoasttafe.edu.au for more information. 5
We have 16 campuses between Sydney and Brisbane + online and distance courses via TAFEnow BALLINA CAMPUS 154 Burnet St Ballina 2478 Ph: (02) 6681 8900 CASINO CAMPUS 144 Barker St Casino 2470 Ph: (02) 6661 2000 COFFS HARBOUR CAMPUS Glenreagh St Coffs Harbour 2450 Ph: (02) 6648 2400 COFFS HARBOUR EDUCATION CAMPUS (CHEC) 363 Hogbin Dr Coffs Harbour 2450 Ph: (02) 6659 3000 GRAFTON CAMPUS 1 Clarence St Grafton 2460 Ph: (02) 6641 1600 GREAT LAKES CAMPUS The Northern Parkway Tuncurry 2428 Ph: (02) 6555 0600 KEMPSEY CAMPUS 58 Sea St West Kempsey 2440 Ph: (02) 6560 2900 KINGSCLIFF CAMPUS Cudgen Rd Kingscliff 2487 Ph: (02) 6674 7200 LISMORE CAMPUS 64 Conway St Lismore 2480 Ph: (02) 6623 0200 MACKSVILLE CAMPUS 5-9 West St Macksville 2447 Ph: (02) 6569 2000 MACLEAN CAMPUS Wombah St Maclean 2463 Ph: (02) 6603 5000 MURWILLUMBAH CAMPUS 146 Murwillumbah St Murwillumbah 2484 Ph: (02) 6672 0800 PORT MACQUARIE CAMPUS 70 Widderson St Port Macquarie 2444 Ph: (02) 6581 6200 TAREE CAMPUS Montgomery Cr Taree 2430 Ph: (02) 6591 3600 WAUCHOPE CAMPUS Young St Wauchope 2446 Ph: (02) 6586 9500 WOLLONGBAR CAMPUS 61 Sneaths Rd Wollongbar 2477 Ph: (02) 6620 4700 TAFEnow For online and distance courses visit www.tafenow.com.au Ph: 1300 823 366 Call us on 1300 628 233 or visit www.northcoasttafe.edu.au 16 campuses 600+ courses 50,000+ enrolments 1300 628 233 www.northcoasttafe.edu.au We acknowledge the Bundjalung, Yaegl, Gumbaynggirr, Dunghutti, Biripi and Worimi peoples, the traditional custodians of the land on which we learn and work together, and commit to build relationships, respect and opportunities for all Aboriginal people in our region. Copyright December 2015 by North Coast TAFE. Copyright of this material is reserved to the Crown in the right of the State of New South Wales. Reproduction or transmittal in whole, or in part, other than in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act, is prohibited without written authority of North Coast TAFE (RTO Code: 90010). The information included in this booklet was correct at time of publication.