Fees Policy

1. Purpose

To ensure that CIT follows regulatory requirements and that prospective and current students have access to the fee structure and framework associated with enrolment into CIT (including for Skills Recognition), their rights and responsibilities in relation to payment and refunds, and the financial assistance available for students experiencing financial difficulty to assist them to reach their learning goals.

2. Scope

This policy covers all student fees, refunds, concessions and payment plans for all courses offered at CIT other than international student fees (which are covered under the International Students Administration and Fees Policy. This policy should be read in conjunction with the Admission and Enrolment Policy and other policies, procedures and documents set out below.

3. Principles

3.1 CIT is subject to ministerial guidelines in relation to setting fees for government subsidised training courses.

3.2 CIT is responsible for setting fees for commercial courses and other activities.

3.3 Fees are payable once enrolment is confirmed.

3.4 CIT offers a number of options, including concessions, student loan assistance, payment plans and fee assistance to eligible students in order to assist those in financial difficulty.

3.5 Students must make any applications for assistance or alternative arrangements before fees are due and paid.

3.6 Students who do not pay their fees in full by the due date(s) or who are deemed not compliant with the requirements that may confer with the alternative options (refer Principle 3.4) may have their enrolments cancelled.

4. Policy Schedule

4.1 Payment terms

4.1.1 Amounts of fees due and payment due dates which apply to a student’s enrolment are to be listed on the student invoice.

4.1.2 Students who do not either pay in full or who have not made alternative arrangements in accordance with the clauses below before or on the due date, may have their enrolment cancelled. If this occurs, students will not be able to continue in class activities or any work experience and their attendance and/or assessment results will not be recorded.

4.2 Fee concessions

4.2.1 Fee concessions are available to eligible CIT students on Government-subsidised programs (including Australian Apprenticeships) to assist those in financial difficulty.

4.2.2 To claim a fee concession, prospective students must produce proof of eligibility prior to the commencement of their first class for that enrolment.

4.2.3 In cases where a student is unable to provide proof of eligibility for concession within the required timeframe due to unusual Centrelink delays, CIT may, at its sole discretion, grant a limited extension of time beyond the date of a student’s first class for a semester. Such extensions of time will NOT be granted:

1. where there are delays due to typical and reasonable Centrelink processing times; or
2. in instances where the student is unable to provide proof that all Centrelink administrative requirements were met no later than two weeks before the commencement of the students first class for that enrolment.

4.3 Australian Government Student Loan Assistance (VET Student Loans and FEE-HELP)

4.3.1 CIT will offer Australian Government student loan assistance to eligible students enrolled in eligible Australian Government student loan assistance programs in accordance with the Higher Education Support Act 2003, the Higher Education Support (VET) Guideline 2015, the VET Student Loans Rules 2016, and the VET Administrative Information for Providers.

4.3.2 Prospective students wishing to apply for a HELP Loan (VET Student Loans and FEE- HELP) program must:

1. meet the requirement and
2. show an Australian Year 12 Certificate OR Certificate IV and above OR
3. successfully complete the Australian Core Skills Framework (VET Student Loan) Learning Language and Literacy assessment as required by the Australian Government.

4.3.3 A student who has elected to apply for Australian Government student loan assistance is deemed to have paid all fees in full:

1. to the limit and extent to which they have applied, and are eligible, for that assistance; and
2. excepting any fee which is not covered by Australian Government student loan assistance.

4.3.4 Students on Australian Government student loan assistance must abide by any and all ongoing requirements (specific examples include submitting VET Student Loan Progression forms to the Commonwealth Government within required timeframes, and ensuring that information provided to CIT is consistent with information provided to the Commonwealth Government).  Students who fail to meet these requirements may be deemed to have not met their financial obligations, and enrolment may be cancelled as per clause 4.1.2 above.

4.4 Payment plans

4.4.1 Payment plans are not fee assistance and should not be the first option offered when exploring financial assistance for students experiencing hardship. If a student experiences genuine financial hardship, other assistance should be explored first to address the issue of affordability through reducing the total fee payable and not simply by deferring payment.

4.4.2 CIT recognises that payment plans can be problematic for students on limited means or those with limited financial literacy and can cause negative impacts on the student beyond their relationship with CIT. Before authorising a payment plan, CIT staff must take care to make reasonable enquiries to ascertain the student's capacity to meet the terms of any payment plan to not put the student in a position of significant risk of later financial difficulty and/or default.

4.4.3 An application for a payment plan must be made prior to the relevant invoice due date.

4.4.4 A payment plan will not be granted for amounts of less than $100, and the payment plan should not extend further than two weeks prior to the student’s final class for that enrolment.

4.4.5 A CIT student on an approved payment plan must make the required payments according to the agreed payment schedule.

4.4.6 A CIT student who does not maintain the agreed payment schedule will be deemed to have not met an enrolment requirement. Any payment plan payments made to date will be absorbed by CIT, and enrolment may be cancelled as per clause 4.1.2 above.

4.5 Fee waivers, refunds and transfers

4.5.1 At CIT's discretion, fees may be waived or refunded in part or full in exceptional circumstances. Examples of exceptional circumstances include:

1. disability or serious illness as documented by a medical certificate (minimum absence two weeks) or as recommended by the CIT Education Advisors Disability, Counsellors or Manager of Student Support; or
2. interstate work transfer - to be substantiated by documentation from their employer; or
3. a significant change to their family situation such as the death of a partner, child or parent; or
4. a significant administrative error made by CIT that cannot otherwise be reasonably rectified.

4.5.2 Fee waivers relating to Australian Government student loan assistance amounts are subject to additional Commonwealth legislative and regulatory requirements and require approval by the Director, Corporate Services.

4.5.3 A full refund of all fees (except for international student administration and recruitment fees) will be approved if:

1. CIT cancels, or is otherwise unable to deliver, a subject or course in which a student has registered and paid fees; or
2. an Australian student withdraws, and advises CIT of that withdrawal in writing, before the due date of relevant fees or before any applicable census date.

4.5.4 Any credit on a student’s account will be applied to any current fees before any refund is issued.

4.5.5 Where a refund is not approved, any credit will be retained on the student’s account for use against future enrolments.

4.5.6 Where a student has transferred between courses/subjects in line with the Admission and Enrolment Policy, the original student fees will also be transferred, provided that fee requirements are met before the transfer is finalised.

4.5.7 Refunds must be approved by appropriate CIT staff in accordance with the CIT Financial Delegations Manual. Delegates may use discretionary powers to determine if refunds will or will not be granted.

4.6 Staff studying at CIT

4.6.1 Current CIT staff (including non-permanent staff) are able to enrol in any course or unit of study where there are vacant places free-of-charge.

4.6.2 Paying students will always have priority for places over non-paying CIT staff, and a CIT staff member with a fee-free enrolment may have their enrolment cancelled at any time if that place is required for a paying student.

4.6.3 An area can apply to the Director, Corporate Services, for an exemption from fee-free staff enrolment. An exemption may be granted for a variety of reasons including in cases where CIT would incur significant additional external costs from such enrolments.

5. Documentation

Legislation

• Higher Education Support Act 2003
• Higher Education Support (VET) Guideline 2015
• VET Student Loans Rules 2016

Government Resources

• Australian Apprenticeships
• NSW Apprenticeship and Training Program Guidelines
• VET Administrative Information for Providers
• Australian Core Skills Framework

CIT Policies, Guides and Resources

• ACT Government Fee Assistance Application
• Admission and Enrolment Policy
• Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students Policy
• Centrelink Client Consent Form
• CIT Financial Delegations Manual (CIT Staff Only)
• CIT Indigenous Scholarships
• Complaints Students and Community Members Policy

6. Definitions

All terminology used in this policy is consistent with definitions in the CIT Definitions of Terms.

7. Policy Contact Officer

Director, CIT Corporate Services.

Contact CIT Student Services on (02) 6207 3188 or email infoline@cit.edu.au for further information.

8. Procedures

This policy is implemented through the associated procedures. Authority to make changes to the procedures rests with the policy owner.