Fees and Charges Policy (International Students)

• VTI will charge a range of fees and charges for courses. These charges will be provided to the student in the Letter of Offer/Acceptance of Offer and Enrolment Agreement prior to issue of the eCoE.
• Students will be notified about the total fees that they are required to pay prior to enrolment in course. Total fees = Tuition fee + Materials Fee + Enrolment Fee.
• VTI will not accept any fees until the student has signed and accepted the Acceptance of Offer and Enrolment Agreement.
• Payments for all fees must be in Australian Dollars by cash, bank cheque, credit card or debit card made payable to VTI.
• Credit card payments incur a surcharge of 3%.
• Fees can be paid in full or an initial deposit payable on enrolment as mentioned in the Letter of Offer/Acceptance of Offer and Enrolment Agreement. If fee is paid in full prior to course commencement, the student must acknowledge that in the written agreement that the full fee is being at their own will and not upon VTI’s request.
• Course fees must be paid in accordance with the Individual Student’s Payment Plan.
• Regular reminder email will be sent by Accounts Team prior to the due date of the fee payment.
• Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) fee is charged per Unit of Competency outlined in Fee Schedule Appendix 1.
• VTI will not issue any qualification until all fees are paid in full.
• Refunds will be granted according to the VTI Refund Policy.

4.1 Tuition Protection Service (TPS)

Protection of Tuition Fees and Charges in the unlikely event that the VTI is unable to deliver a course you have paid for and does not meet their obligations to either offer you an alternative course that you accept or pay you a refund of your unspent prepaid tuition fees (this is called a provider's 'default obligations'), the student will be offered enrolment into an alternative course at no extra cost or, the student will be refunded the unspent portion of the tuition fees paid to date (Tuition fee per week × number of weeks between the date of default and the end of the period to which the payment relates) within 2 weeks of the day on which the course ceased to be provided.

Students have the right to choose whether they would accept a refund of tuition fees or to accept a place in an alternative course. If student chooses placement in another course, the student will sign a new written agreement with the VTI to indicate the student accepted the placement. In the unlikely event VTI is unable to provide a refund or place student in an alternative course, TPS will assist you in finding an alternative course or to get a refund if a suitable alternative is not found.

Notification obligations

In the unlikely event that VTI defaults, it will notify the ESOS agency and TPS Director within 3 business days of the default occurring and will have a period of 14 days after the default day to satisfy its tuition protection obligations in relation to an affected student. VTI will give a notice to the ESOS agency and the TPS Director within 7 days after the end of the obligation period to notify the outcome of discharge obligations. For further information, visit TPS website at https://tps.gov.au/Home/NotLoggedIn

4.2 Late Fee Payment

• Balance of fees is to be paid on an instalment program outlined in Payment Plan that is prepared and given to the student on Orientation Day.
• Late payment of Fees will incur a penalty of AUD $50 per week on the fee instalment owed to VTI as referred in the Payment Plan. Please refer the Fee Schedule-Appendix 1.
• VTI may restrict or withhold services or materials from the student if fees are overdue.
• Late payment fee can be waived off on CEO/Account Department's discretion.

4.3 Extension of Payment

• If there are special or extenuating circumstances that prevent student from making payment by the due date, student may request an extension for payment of fees in writing to the VTI’s Accounts Team at accounts@vocationalinstitute.com.au. VTI may approve or reject student request for an extension of time for payment in its absolute discretion. If an extension of time is granted, the due date for payment becomes the extended date.
• This application or request must accompany by certified documents as evidence of financial hardships pursuant to the Compassionate and Compelling Circumstances. Request to extension must be made prior to the due date of payment.

4.4 Fee Variations

Changes to tuition fees may be incurred through:

• Transfer from one course to another

Course Enrolment Variations

• All fees are due and payable to the VTI in the event a student abandons the course.
• In the event a commencing or continuing student does not arrive in time to commence classes, VTI may, in its absolute discretion, not permit the student to commence studies and defer or cancel the student’s enrolment. Fees remain due in these circumstances and there will be no refund of monies paid (Please refer to Refund Policy and Procedure for further details).

4.5 Cancellation of Enrolment on Non-Payment basis

• Regular reminder email will be sent out prior to the due date of the fee payment.
• First formal warning email will be sent out to the student if the payment is overdue by 5 working days from the payment due date.
• Final intention to report notification will be sent out to the student if the payment is overdue by 10 working days from the payment due date. Student will be given 20 days to access the VTI’s appeals process.
• If at any time during the above process, student chooses to make payment, student will be charged $50 per week as late fee payment.

4.6 Provider Initiated Course Deferral, Suspension or Cancellation

• VTI may at its discretion defer the commencement date, cancel or vary a course prior to course commencement. In the event of deferral or cancellation before course commencement VTI will refund fees in accordance with the ESOS Act Section 27 and the student agrees that there shall be no further entitlement to damages whatsoever.
• Upon suspension of enrolment, the fees remain due on the scheduled dates according to the Payment Plan.
• Regarding cancellation of a student’s enrolment during the course refer to the VTI Refund Policy.

4.7 Student Initiated Course Deferral, Suspension or Cancellation

• In the event of deferral or cancellation before course commencement VTI will refund fees in accordance with VTI Refund Policy.
• Upon suspension of the course, the fees scheduled in the Payment Plan, remain due on the scheduled dates.
• Regarding cancellation of enrolment during a course refer VTI Refund Policy.

4.8 Recognition of Prior Learning & Obligations to Recognize AQF Qualifications

RPL will be charged per Unit of Competency. Please refer the Fee Schedule-Appendix 1.

4.9 Course Materials

• Tuition fees do not include the cost of resource materials, equipment, kits, tools and uniforms required for specific courses.
• Additional fees for the cost of materials, additional equipment or other resources necessary to successfully complete a course will be charged. Material Fee includes safety boots, overalls, tool kit (For Automotive courses), learning material (PowerPoint handouts, student guide, supporting templates and any other supplementary supporting material required). Please refer the Fee Schedule-Appendix 1 for further information.

4.10 Course Extension/Re-enrolment

Course extension or Re-enrolment arising by the factors like:

• Compassionate and compelling circumstances and the student has provided sufficient evidence(s) to make such determination
• The student has attended the required course progress meetings and agreed to the prescribed intervention strategies
• VTI has approved deferment or suspension of studies under its relevant policy and procedure

Student may be charged on the basis of the total duration of the extension (Full price of the unit as per pro rata to course fees).

4.11 Unit Re-assessment

• Student have total of three attempts for submission, where the first (submission) and second (first re- submission) incur no cost whereas the third attempt (second re-submission) may be chargeable to the Student (AUD $150 per unit) Refer Fee Schedule-Appendix 1.
• If the student fails after the Re-submission, then the student may be required to enrol for the unit. The eCoE may be extended if applicable as per 4.9 above.

4.12 Additional Charges

• Student ID cards are issued free of charge. A fee is applicable for replacing a lost card.
• Testamurs, Statement of Results and Completion letter and Statement of attainments are issued free of charge.
• Re-issue any of the above documents will incur a charge. Refer Fee Schedule-Appendix 1.

The Administration Team, Operations Manager is responsible for effective implementation and management of this policy as well as provision of information on ways to resolve complaints of breaches of this policy. The CEO has overall responsibility for the implementation and review of this policy.

Few related documents to Fees and Charges Policy are:

• Letter of Offer and Acceptance of Offer and Enrolment Agreement
• Refund Policy and Procedure
• Complaint and Appeal Policy and Procedure
• Recognition of prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Transfer (CT) Policy and Procedure
• Issuance of AQF Certification and Documentation Policy
• Deferment, Suspension, and Cancellation Policy
• Reassessment Policy