Purpose
The purpose of this policy and procedure is to outline Gallang Education & Training (GET) RTO approach to managing fees and refunds and to demonstrate how fees paid in advance are protected by GET. This complies with Clauses 5.3, 7.3, and Chapter 2 of the Standards.
Definitions
- ASQA: Australian Skills Quality Authority, the national VET Regulator and the RTO’s registering body.
- Fee Payer: The nominated payer of a student’s course fees, usually either the student or the employer paying on behalf of the student.
- SRTOs: 2025 Standards for RTOs, accessible from asqa.gov.au.
1. Information about Fees and Charges
- GET RTO protects the fees that are paid in advance by students.
- GET RTO does not require a student to pay more than $1000 in advance for services not yet provided, either prior to course commencement or at any stage during their course. Fees will be paid off during the course in instalments according to a set payment plan.
- Fees and charges for courses offered are outlined in detail on our website. In compliance with Clause 5.3 of the Standards, detailed fee information is provided prior to enrolment or commencement of training, whichever is first.
- Fee information includes:
- All costs for the course including any materials, fees, or levies.
- Payment terms and conditions.
- Our Student Handbook is available on our website, which can be accessed prior to enrolment. Our website also has our Fees & Refunds Policy and Procedure and informs the student of their consumer rights.
- Students who sign the GET RTO enrolment form acknowledge and agree to the terms and conditions of the enrolment and this policy.
- Where an employer is paying for a student’s course, a quotation will be provided at the time of enrolment outlining the total fees, payment terms, and schedule of payments applicable.
- Students have the right to a statutory ‘cooling off period’ if they signed up to a course as a result of unsolicited marketing methods such as tele-marketing and door-to-door sales.
2. Course Fee Inclusions
Course and tuition fees include:
- All of the training and assessment required for students to achieve the qualification or course in which they are enrolling within the attempts allowed. However, in the case of re-assessment, where a student fails to achieve a satisfactory outcome after three attempts of an assessment task, an additional fee may apply for additional training and re-assessment. This fee is outlined on the Student Agreement.
- One copy of the required textbooks and learning materials for each student unless otherwise stated on the Course Outline.
- Issuance of one set of certification documents including the testament (certificate) and record of results and/or a Statement of Attainment in the case of withdrawal or partial completion.
Course and tuition fees do not include:
- Any optional textbooks and materials that may be recommended but not required to complete a course.
- Replacement textbooks if original copies are lost or misplaced. Costs for replacement textbooks are outlined on the Student Agreement.
- Stationery such as paper and pens.
- Uniform fee required and placement.
- Re-assessment if required, as outlined above.
- Re-issuance of AQF certification documents – a cost of $25 per document applies.
- Direct debit setup, transaction, and dishonour fees (where applicable).
- Credit card payment surcharges.
NOTE: GET RTO cannot guarantee that students will successfully complete the course in which they enrol regardless of whether all fees due have been paid.
3. Payments
- Payments can be accepted by EFTPOS, electronic transfer, credit card, money order, or direct debit.
- Credit card payments do not incur a surcharge with GET RTO.
- Students who are experiencing difficulty in paying their fees are invited to call our office to make alternative arrangements for payment during their period of difficulty.
- Debts may be referred to a debt collection agency where fees are more than 60 days past due.
- GET RTO reserves the right to suspend the provision of training and/or other services until fees are brought up to date. Students with long-term outstanding accounts may be withdrawn from their course if payments have not been received and no alternative arrangements for payment have been made.
- GET RTO is under no obligation to provide a Statement of Attainment, Certificate, or any other form of proof that training has been successfully completed until all financial and administrative obligations are met.
4. Refunds for Fee-for-Service Students
- All course fees for fee-for-service students include a non-refundable deposit which is detailed on the Student Enrolment Form. All refunds made to GET RTO will incur an administration fee of $50. The deposit is non-refundable, except in the circumstances detailed below.
- A full refund of any fees paid (including the deposit) will apply where a student withdraws or cancels their course in writing within the cooling off period. The cooling off period is 10 days and only applies to students who purchased training through an unsolicited sales practice.
- The outcome of the refund assessment will be provided in writing to the student’s registered address within 28 business days, outlining the decision and reasons for the decision along with any applicable refund or adjustment note.
- Refund decisions can be appealed following our Complaints and Appeals Policy and Procedure.
- A student not achieving the qualification or unit/s in which they enrolled due to exhausting their attempts at assessment does not entitle the student to a refund.
- RPL application fees are non-refundable.
5. Recording and Payment of Refunds
- Refunds will be paid to the person or organisation that made the original payment.
- Refund assessments can be appealed following our Complaints and Appeals Policy and Procedure.
- Records of refund assessments and issuance of refunds will be stored securely on the student’s file and in our accounts keeping system.
Procedures
1. Student Fees
Refer to SRTOs: Clauses 5.3, 7.3
| Fee Structure |
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GET RTO reserves the right to cancel or postpone any course that does not have the required enrolment number or in the event of exceptional circumstances. A full refund or alternative courses will be offered in these circumstances. |
| Payment Procedures | Responsibility |
|---|---|
A. Deposits/Payments
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B. Fee installment invoices – fee-for-service students
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C. Managing overdue fees
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2. Refunds
| Procedure | Responsibility |
|---|---|
A. Processing refunds – fee-for-service students
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B. Refund payments
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