S1: Financial Implications for Students
- If asked to do so by their education provider, students must pay 50% of the total tuition fee for the whole course before the course commences and the remainder of the tuition fees by two weeks before their second study period. This limit of 50% does not apply to OSHC and homestay payments but may apply to book fees if these are included in the course package. If the course runs for 24 weeks or less, the education provider may ask that100% of the tuition fees must be paid by the time the course commences. For longer courses, such as university degrees, payment of tuition fees may be spread over the whole course e.g. on a semester-by-semester basis.
- If the education provider with whom the student is enrolled defaults (see Provider Default below) and the provider is unable to fulfill their obligation to either refund the student or place them in an alternative course the student will be directed to the TPS. Where an alternative course in which the student can complete their studies in this area cannot be found, the TPS will refund to the student a proportion of the total fees they have paid equivalent to the proportion of the course which they were unable to complete. Examples of this situation are:
- Example A. A student has completed 3 semesters (75%) of a course that runs for 4 semesters where the college at which she is studying closes down completely, meaning that she is unable to complete her final semester of studies in that course. If no alternative course can be found where she can complete this final semester, she will be refunded 25% of the total fees that she has paid by the TPS (the total of both payments that she has made). The refund is such because she has only one semester or 25% of her course to complete.
- Example B. Another student in the same program in the same college had only completed 1 semester (25%) of his course when the college closed. If no alternative course can be found where he can complete his studies in this area, the TPS will refund to him the money he has paid for but for which he did not receive education services. As at that stage the student will only have paid for 50% of the total tuition fee and has completed 25% of the course, he will receive back from the TPS half of the tuition fee that he has paid which is the equivalent of 25% of the total tuition fees.
- For Students Under 18 years of age, the tuition fees that are refunded by the TPS would most likely be paid to the student’s parent or guardian who would have paid the fees originally.