Statement of Tuition Assurance

Information for affected students

IH Sydney will notify affected students in writing that an approved course is no longer provided within 2 business days after it ceases to provide the course after it starts but before it is completed.

As soon as practicable, IH Sydney will also update its website to reflect that the course is no longer being delivered and to give students information about the tuition protection arrangements.

The Commonwealth Department of Education (the Department) (or a consultant engaged by the Department) will work with affected students to identify a replacement course and arrange for students to be placed with replacement providers.

Replacement courses must meet the following requirements:

1. the course must lead to the same or comparable qualification as the original course;
2. the mode of delivery of the replacement course must be the same as or, with the student’s consent, similar to the mode of delivery for the original course;
3. the location of the replacement course must be reasonable, having regard to the costs of, and the time required for, a student’s travel; and
4. the student will not incur additional fees that are unreasonable and will be able to attend the replacement course without unreasonable impacts on the student’s prior commitments

Affected students will be offered a replacement course and may seek a review about whether the course offered to them meets the requirements for replacement courses.

A student who accepts the replacement course offered will not be required to pay the replacement provider for the replacement components of the replacement course. However, the fees payable for the remainder of the replacement course may be different from the fees payable for the original course.

A student who accepts the replacement course offered will also receive course credits for parts of the original course successfully completed by the student, as evidenced by:

1. a copy of a statement of attainment or other Australian Qualifications Framework certification document issued by the course provider or an authorised issuing organisation in accordance with the Australian Qualifications Framework; or
2. a copy of an authenticated VET transcript issued by the Student Identifiers registrar.

Each affected student will have a period of six (6) months in which to accept the replacement course offer. The Department may extend that period in circumstances that justify an extension.

If an affected student enrols in a course that is not a replacement course, the student may be required to pay additional tuition fees, and might not receive the course credits the student would have received if the student had enrolled in a replacement course.

Where there is no suitable replacement course for a student, IH Sydney will re-credit the student’s FEE-HELP balance for the affected parts of the original course.

The amount re-credited will be equal to the amount of VET Student Loan used to pay tuition fees for the student for the course, or parts of the course.

For tuition fees paid up-front below $1500, students should be aware that there is no formal protection in place and students will be responsible to seek a refund for these fees directly from IH Sydney if IH Sydney fails to provide the agreed services.

IH Sydney has in place a refund policy which is detailed in student handbook. If the provider is under external administration, this may require the student submitting a proof of debt with the external administrator.

It is strongly recommended for students to retain assessments, records of competencies or statements of attainment that they receive from their education provider.

Approved Course refers to a course that has been approved for eligible students to use a VET Student Loan to pay for all or part of their Tuition Fees.

The Rules refers to the VET Student Loans Rules 2016.

When IH Sydney ceases to provide an Approved Course

If for any reason IH Sydney ceases to provide an Approved Course after it starts but before it is completed, we will:

1. within 2 days of ceasing to provide the Approved Course, notify students enrolled in the Approved Course, in writing, that the Approved Course is no longer being provided;
2. within 7 business days after notifying the students, hold a meeting with the students and the tuition assurance scheme operator for the Approved Course at the location where the Approved Course was primarily delivered;
3. as soon as practicable, update our website to reflect that the Approved Course is no longer being provided and to give tuition assurance information;
4. give the tuition protection scheme operator notice of events as required under sections 52 (information about events that affect provider) and 53 (notice and information when course ceases) of the rules;
5. as soon as practicable after receiving notice from the operator required under subsection 73(2) (notice that a student’s FEE-HELP balance must be re-credited) recredit the student’s FEE-HELP balance.

When IH Sydney provides a replacement course

When IH Sydney provides a replacement course under a tuition protection arrangement we will ensure that each student enrolled in the replacement course:

1. is granted course credits for parts of the original course successfully completed by the student, as evidenced by a statement of attainment issued in accordance with the Australian Qualification Framework; and
2. is not charged tuition fees for a replacement component of the replacement course.

This document is made available to students and persons seeking to enrol on our website.