VET Student Loans (VSL) - Tuition Protection

Introduction

The Tuition Protection Service (TPS) protects VET Student Loans (VSL) students when their provider defaults. That is, the provider closes, fails to start a course or stops offering a course to eligible students. The TPS helps VSL students to:

• continue their studies with a replacement provider in an equivalent or similar course; or

• if a suitable course is not available, receive a loan re-credit for parts of the course commenced but unable to be completed because of the provider’s default.

Information for affected students

• Strategix Training Group will notify affected students in writing that an approved course is no longer provided within 24 hours after Strategix Training Group ceases to provide the course after it starts but before it is completed. The provider must also notify students within 24 hours, alerting them to:

  • the name of the course or parts of the course in default

  • the date of the default

  • a link to Tuition Protection Services

• Strategix Training Group will notify the VSL Tuition Protection Director of the circumstances of the default within 24 hours after Strategix Training Group ceases to provide the course after it starts but before it is completed.

• As soon as practicable, Strategix Training Group will also update its website to reflect that the course is no longer being delivered and to give students information about the tuition assurance arrangements.

  • Strategix will, within 3 business days of the default occurring, give a written notice to the VSL Tuition Protection Director specifying:

    • the following information for each student in relation to whom the provider has defaulted:

      • (i)  the student’s full name and contact details;

      • (ii)  the course, or part or parts of the course, that the student was enrolled in at the time of the default;

      • (iii)  the amount of the tuition fees for each course, or part of the course, that student was enrolled in at the time of the default;

      • (iv)  details about the payment of those tuition fees, including the amounts that are covered fees; and

    • any other matter prescribed by the rules.

Replacement courses

• The TPS will work with affected students to identify a replacement course and arrange for students to be placed with replacement providers.

• Replacement courses must meet the following requirements:

  • the course must lead to the same or comparable qualification as the original course;

  • the mode of delivery of the replacement course must be the same as or, with the student’s consent, similar to the mode of delivery for the original course;

  • the location of the replacement course must be reasonable, having regard to the costs of, and the time required for, a student’s travel; and

  • the student will not incur additional fees that are unreasonable and will be able to attend the replacement course without unreasonable impacts on the student’s prior commitments.

• Affected students will be offered a replacement course and may seek a review about whether the course offered to them meets the requirements for replacement courses.

• A student who accepts the replacement course offered will not be required to pay the replacement provider for the replacement components of the replacement course. However, the fees payable for the remainder of the replacement course may be different from the fees payable for the original course.

• A student who accepts the replacement course offered will also receive course credits for parts of the original course successfully completed by the student, as evidenced by:

  • a copy of a statement of attainment or other Australian Qualifications Framework certification document issued by the course provider or an authorised issuing organisation in accordance with the Australian Qualifications Framework; or

  • a copy of an authenticated VET transcript issued by the Student Identifiers registrar.

• Each affected student will have a period of six (6) months in which to accept the replacement course offer. The Department may extend that period in circumstances that justify an extension.

• If an affected student enrols in a course that is not a replacement course, the student may be required to pay additional tuition fees, and might not receive the course credits the student would have received if the student had enrolled in a replacement course.

Re-crediting of students’ FEE-HELP balances

• Where there is no suitable replacement course for a student, Strategix Training Group will re-credit the student’s FEE-HELP balance for the affected parts of the original course. The amount re-credited will be equal to the amount of VET student loan used to pay tuition fees for the student for the course, or parts of the course.

Record keeping

• It is suggested best practice for students to retain assessments, records of competencies or statements of attainment that they receive from their education provider.