Important Information for VET FEE-HELP/VET Student Loans Students in 2017
The Australian Government has passed new laws which mean that from 1 January 2017 the VET FEE-HELP student loans program will cease and a new VET Student Loans program will commence.
Students currently financing their studies through a VET FEE-HELP loan will not be automatically transferred to the new VET Student Loans program.
As a continuing VET FEE-HELP student, you have the option to continue accessing the current VET FEE-HELP program next year until 31 December 2017.
What this means for you:
You will need to notify the Australian Government Department of Education and Training that you wish to continue to access VET FEE-HELP.
The Australian Government has advised you will need to do this by logging into an Australian Government system using details provided by the Australian Government Department of Education and Training. This information will be sent to you by the Department in December 2016.
Once you have completed the opt-in process, you will need to provide TAFE SA with the confirmation email you receive from the Australian Government Department of Education and Training. This will need to occur before you enrol into your qualification in 2017. If you have already enrolled, please contact your educational program area.
If you do not let the Department know that you would like to continue to access VET FEE-HELP and provide TAFE SA with evidence from the Department of Education and Training you will be responsible for upfront payment of all future student fees. If you do not choose to opt-in to continue VET FEE-HELP, you will need to consider payment options including:
- Applying for a VET Student Loan; or
- Paying fees upfront.
- Fees by Instalments
Please be aware that some courses currently available under VET FEE-HELP may not be eligible for assistance under the new loan program.
Further information will be made available when published by the Australian Government Department of Education and Training.
Important Information for 2017
The Australian Government has passed new laws which means that from 1 January 2017 the current VET FEE-HELP student loans program will cease and a new VET Student Loans program will commence.
The VET Student Loans program is designed to give eligible students access to quality higher level VET qualifications, particularly those students who could not otherwise afford to pay upfront.
A range of measures will be implemented from 1 January 2017 that will affect students hoping to access income contingent loans to pay for their course fees.
Loan caps
- Eligible students will be entitled for loans up to a capped amount.
- Providers may charge above this cap for a course, and if so, students will be expected to pay for the difference according to the provider’s billing period.
Eligible courses
- Certain Diplomas, Advanced Diplomas, Graduate Certificates and Graduate Diplomas are eligible for VET Student Loans that are linked to industry needs and employment outcomes.
- If you wish to access a loan to study a higher level VET course you will need to select one of these eligible courses.
- List of eligible courses
Further information on how students can apply for a VET Student Loan will be made available by the Australian Government Department of Education and Training. Students may need to consider payment options until they are able to access a VET Student Loan.
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Are There Student Entry Requirements?
Details of Student Entry Procedure requirements for the VET Student Loans Program will be made available when published by the Australian Government Department of Education and Training.
For VET FEE-HELP students, in accordance with the Higher Education Support (VET FEE-HELP Reform) Bill 2015 and the associated VET Guidelines 2015, all students wishing to apply for a Commonwealth student loan must be assessed for academic suitability to undertake a high level VET qualification. This is a student protection measure introduced by the Commonwealth Government from 1 January 2016.
Ways to assess your academic suitability
In order to apply for a student loan to cover your course fees, you must meet one of the following requirements:
- provide a copy of your senior secondary certificate of education, that has been awarded by an Australian authority or agency when you apply to enrol (Where possible this information will be provided to TAFE SA via SATAC). TAFE SA is required to store a copy of this for five years after you enrol. OR
- undertake a literacy and numeracy assessment using an approved assessment tool and display competence at or above Exit Level 3 in the Australian Cores Skills Framework (ACSF). TAFE SA will advise you how you may undertake this assessment. TAFE SA must be confident that you complete this test independently and have the required skills. If you undertake a literacy and numeracy assessment, TAFE SA will inform you of your results as soon as practicable after the assessment. A copy of your results will be stored for five years after you enrol and may be provided to the Commonwealth if requested.
If you are not able to meet either of these requirements, you will not be eligible to apply for a Commonwealth student loan.
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Requirements for a Commonwealth student loan.
Student Counselling
TAFE SA Staff must ensure that all eligible students are counselled before enrolling in an eligible qualification. This counselling must include the information on the loan scheme, ensuring it is understood and acknowledged in full by the student.
All eligible students must be provided with the following information to enable them to select payment options with a clear understanding of their rights and the implications of taking out a student loan.
Payment Options
- up-front payment;
- Government loan once the two day cooling-off period after registration into the first CRN in an eligible qualification
Maximum Fees for the qualification
- the tuition fees that are covered by a student loan,
- whether a loan fee will apply and if so the amount,
- any other fees that may be incurred that will not be covered by a student loan
Registration into CRNs
Register into each CRN more than 15 days prior to census date to enable student to receive an Invoice Notice.
Location of information
Location of the published tuition fees, published census dates, and published withdrawal policy and procedures, Statement of VET Tuition Assurance see here
Two-Day Cooling Off Period
TAFE SA must ensure that a student has a cooling off period of two business days following their first registration in a CRN/RPL in an eligible qualification. myTAFESA.
14 Day Invoice Notice
TAFE SA must ensure that all eligible students receive an Invoice Notice at least 14 days and at most 42 days before the Census date of a specific CRN.
Consequently, students wishing to apply for a student loan must be registered into their CRNs at least 15 days prior to their Census dates
Commonwealth Assistance Notice
Students will receive their Commonwealth Assistance Notices (CAN) via email, within 28 days of each census date.
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How do I Apply?
The Australian Government is yet to provide information on how students apply for VET Student Loans. Applications cannot be accepted until after 1 January 2017.
What is the Census Date?
The census date is the last date which students can withdraw from a unit of study (CRN) without incurring a debt for that unit of study. A student’s CRN census date is calculated as their nominated start date plus 20% of the course duration.
TAFE SA has provided a census date calculator to enable students to view their census dates prior to CRN registration. The census date calculator is available via the Census Date Calculator link on the Self-Service Banner (SSB) homepage.
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Non State Government subsidised students will be charged a 20% loan fee. The loan fee is added to the student loan but is not included within the student's lifetime FEE-HELP limit.
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What Happens if I Withdraw?
If you are an eligible student studying a Diploma or above qualification and withdraw before the census date you will receive a full 100% refund of any tuition fees you have paid upfront and will not incur a student loan debt.
If you are an eligible student studying a Diploma or above qualification and withdraw after the census date you will incur a debt (unless the debt is remitted under special circumstances) If special circumstances apply, you will need to apply for refund/re-credit.
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What is a Commonwealth Assistance Notice?
If you are approved for a VET Student Loan, you will be issued with a Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN) within 28 days of the census date via email. A single, always up to date copy for each program of study and semester will be displayed in your student account in Self-Service Banner (SSB).
The CAN will include details of the units of study covered by VET Student Loan. Please view the following sample CAN for your reference.
If you believe that the information in your CAN is incorrect, you must, within 14 days of the CAN issue, submit a CAN review request via the Contact us form or by emailing vet.feehelp@tafesa.edu.au. You should include evidence showing why you think the CAN is incorrect.
When the VET Student Loans team receives the CAN review request, they will review the request and re-issue the CAN if they determine that the original CAN was incorrect.
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Statement of Tuition Assurance
Statement of Tuition Assurance (VET FEE-HELP)
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Policies and Procedures
Related policies and procedures cover fair treatment, personal information, academic grievance, student complaint resolution and refunds/re-credits. If you require further information, please email vet.feehelp@tafesa.edu.au.