REFUND POLICY – TRAINING
REFUND POLICY – TRAINING
- Policy
This policy/procedure provides all staff and students information on the ability to apply for a refund of tuition fees in certain circumstances.
The following procedures ensure all students are treated fairly and with integrity when applying for refunds. All refunds applications are to be submitted to Student Administration and the following procedures followed in assessing the application.
Emergency First Aid Pty Ltd ensures protection of all fees and aims to provide clear and accessible information to students about fees and charges prior to and throughout their enrolment with Emergency First Aid Pty Ltd.
Standards for RTO’s 2015.v2.2 – Chapter 2 – Enrolment
The Users Guide for Standards for RTO’s 2015 – Chapter 2 – focuses on the student’s enrolment experience with their registered training organisation (RTO), the second phase of the student’s journey.
Under the Standards for Registered Training Organisations 2015 (the Standards) relevant to the enrolment phase of the student journey, RTOs are responsible for:
- informing and protecting students (clauses 5.1 to 5.3)
- protecting pre-paid fees by students (clause 7.3)
- providing credit for prior studies (clause 3.5).
This policy and procedure relates to clause 5.3 and 7.3.
Clauses 5.1 to 5.3—Informing and protecting students
Clause 5.3
Where the RTO collects fees from the individual learner, either directly or through a third party, the RTO provides or directs the learner to information prior to enrolment or the commencement of training and assessment, whichever comes first, specifying:
- all relevant fee information including:
i) fees that must be paid to the RTO
ii) payment terms and conditions including deposits and refunds. - the learner’s rights as a consumer, including but not limited to any statutory cooling- off period, if one applies c) the learner’s right to obtain a refund for services not provided by the RTO in the event the:
i) arrangement is terminated early
ii) the RTO fails to provide the agreed services.
What this Standard means for our RTO
Our RTO must provide clear information to prospective learners to enable them to decide if our RTO and course is suitable for them, taking into account their existing skills and knowledge and any specific needs. Prior to enrolment or commencement of training or assessment activities (in this context, assessment includes the collection or analysis of evidence for recognition of prior learning activities), you must provide clear information to learners about the following:
Fee information
Clause 5.3
• If your RTO requires individual students to pay fees (this requirement does not apply if you contract with a company to deliver training to their employees, paid for by that company), provide fee information prior to enrolment or commencement of training/assessment (whichever is earliest) about:
o all fees payable to your RTO, clearly describing all costs involved with the course
o how and when fees must be paid
o how to request a refund
o the conditions under which a refund would be provided.
• If you enrol a student under any loan or delayed payment arrangement (including a VET Student Loans arrangement), you must clearly state the terms of the arrangement, including:
o any debt that may be incurred
o when repayment is required and under what conditions
o any associated fees, indexation or interest.
Funding entitlements
• If learners may be accessing any government funding entitlement that may reduce their ability to access such funding in the future (such as arrangements that limit funding to one qualification for a person), provide this information prior to enrolment.
Consumer rights
• Inform prospective learners about their rights as a consumer, in accordance with state/territory laws.
• If state or territory laws where the course is being offered require a cooling-off period, you must provide information about this.
Clause 7.3—Protecting pre-paid fees by students
Where the RTO requires, either directly or through a third party, a prospective or current learner to prepay fees in excess of a total of $1500 (being the threshold prepaid fee amount), the RTO must meet the requirements set out in the Requirements for Fee Protection in Schedule 6.
Emergency First Aid Pty Ltd does not have any courses in excess of $1500 fees.
What clause 7.3 means for your RTO
‘Prepaid fees’ (sometimes referred to as ‘fees collected in advance’) means fees that are collected before the relevant services have been provided. These include payments made at any time before, during or after the student enrols. Any payment received before a service is delivered is unearned revenue and is a liability that must be paid back, either through service delivery or as a refund. Unless a university or government-administered, if an RTO or an agent operating on its behalf collects more than $1500 in prepaid fees from a prospective or current student any prepaid fees over $1500 must be covered by at least one of the measures available in Schedule 6.
The requirement to protect prepaid fees by students includes all students whether resident in Australia or overseas.
The requirements that apply to prepaid fees include all fees that a student is required to pay, including enrolment fees, tuition fees, materials fees and any other fee component that is a mandatory payment for the course.
RTOs are only required to protect prepaid fees from individual students and prospective students where the student or their representative pays the fees through direct enrolment. These requirements do not apply, for example, where an employer engages an RTO to provide training and/or assessment to members of its staff through a negotiated commercial transaction.
Agreement to Course Fees and Charges
1.1 Students and persons seeking to enrol in a course with Emergency First Aid Pty Ltd are advised of all fees and charges associated with a course, including course fees, administration fees, materials fees and any other charges on the relevant Course Outline, the Student Information Handbook and Emergency First Aid’s website.
1.2 The information provided to each prospective student and/or client will include:
• The total amount of all fees including course fees, administration fees, materials fees and any other charges.
• Payment terms, including timing and amount of fees to be paid,any non-refundable deposit, administration fees and any fees and charges for additional services.
• This Fees, Refunds & Protection of Course Fees Policy and Procedure.
1.3 All students will be required to sign a Terms and Conditions at the time of enrolment which outlines the total course fees, payment terms and schedule of payments applicable to their course. The Terms and Conditions are designed to provide clear and concise information to the student about applicable fees and charges, provide options for payment as well as outline the terms and conditions of the enrolment.
What do Student Fees cover?
1.4 Unless otherwise specified, course fees include the cost of all compulsory training and assessment materials. Any optional textbooks and materials that may be recommended but not required for completion of the course, are not included in course fees and will be an additional cost should the student wish to purchase such materials.
1.5 All course fees include up to three (3) attempts at assessment per unit. Where an additional assessment is required in order to achieve competency, EFA reserves the right to charge the student, an additional re-assessment fee in accordance with the fee table provided on the relevant Written Agreement located on the enrolment form.
1.6 If an original certificate or Statement of Attainment is requested, Emergency First Aid will charge a fee of $10.00. Alternatively; students can log into their portal and access their Certificates at anytime with no additional charge.
Course Fee Refunds
The assessment of refund applications shall be granted as indicated below:
Withdrawal prior to agreed start date
Withdrawal after the agreed start date
(Refer Withdrawal after course commencement)
Course withdrawn by RTO.
The RTO is unable to provide the course for which the original enrolment and payment has been made.
Full refund if at least 72 hours notice is given
50% refund if notice is given less than 72 hours before practical date.
.
Full refund.
Full refund.
.
Extenuating circumstances
Students may have extenuating circumstances that prevent them from attending scheduled course dates. These circumstances may include (but are not limited to):
• Illness
• Family or personal matters
• Other extraordinary reasons
Where evidence can be successfully provided to support the Student’s circumstances, course fees may either be transferred to the next available course where applicable, or a refund of unused course fees will be issued. This decision of assessing the extenuating circumstances will be assessed on a case by case situation.
Please note: where the Student breaches the RTO Policies and Procedures no refund is payable.
Confirmation of Booking
Payment in full is required prior to course commencement to secure a place with all EFA Courses. This includes any switch fees that may be applied to multiple transfer participants (see Terms and Conditions 4: “Switching to another course after Enrolment” below).
Course Terms and Conditions
The following terms and conditions apply to the delivery of Training by Emergency First Aid:
- Application
Where relevant, these Course Terms and Conditions must be read in conjunction with any applicable Training Agreement, and Emergency First Aid’s Payment Terms and Conditions located on enrolment form. - Fees and refunds
1. Unless a Training Agreement applies, students must pay all course fees in full prior to the commencement of the course, to secure a place in a course with Emergency First Aid.
2. Refunds will only be considered where the request meets the Terms and Conditions and a completed refund request form is submitted. - Bookings
General Public
1. Emergency First Aid will give preference to students who book and pay in full online or via phone and by credit card.
2. Students who select EFT, cheque or money order as the payment method for course fees may be placed on a waiting list until payment has been processed and received as clear funds.
3. Student placements in courses are allocated in accordance with the order in which payments are received in full.
4. Emergency First Aid will endeavour to place students in their chosen course, but Emergency First Aid accepts no liability for any loss, cost, damage or inconvenience which may directly or indirectly result from a student being unable to be placed in their chosen course.
5. Emergency First Aid reserves the right to cancel an enrolment if not paid for in full within 48 hours of the booking being made.
6. Emergency First Aid may issue an invoice when a group booking is made and requires payment in full prior to course commencement date (unless otherwise specified).
7. Where Emergency First Aid has provided course fees details/quotation based on a number of students given by a group organiser, Emergency First Aid’s invoice will be based on that number of students, with the invoice being payable after course commencement upon Emergency First Aid receiving the confirmed numbers from the attendance list.
8. The group organiser must notify Emergency First Aid prior to course commencement of the number of students or any changes to the number of students. Emergency First Aid will charge a minimum capped fee for ten (10) students or less.
9. If the group organiser advises Emergency First Aid prior to course commencement date that there will be fewer students than registered, Emergency First Aid will attempt to place the non-attendees in a public course closest to the location of the group course, however, if the minimum numbers of course attendees do not exceed ten (10) then the minimum capped fee will be applied.
10. The group organiser will ensure all students have registered, enrolled and completed the online component before the training day using the link sent by EFA. - Withdrawal
1. It is regrettable that no refund will be made for withdrawal requests received less than 72 hours prior to practical session day.
2. Refunds will be issued within 10 business days of receiving a written Application for Refund request. Bookings paid by credit card will be refunded to the same credit card, as payments by PayPal. All other refunds will be paid by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) into your nominated bank account and will be issued to the name of the person nominated in the Refund Payment details section of the Application for Refund form.
3. Emergency First Aid will not refund any course fees:
1. if a refund request is not received within the time set out in clause 4.1 and 4.2
2. if the student commences the course whether it’s online or face to face; unless for reasons specified in clause 8.3.1
3. if have previously switched from a previous session date into another
- Course switch
1. Emergency First Aid will transfer your booking to another date at no cost when advised at least 72 hours prior to your scheduled practical day.
2. A transfer fee of 25% will apply to transfer your booking if notice is given less than 72 hours prior to scheduled practical day.
3. Please be aware that you are unable to switch your booking on the day of the course or the weekend of the scheduled course. This will be considered as a DNA (Did Not Attend) refer to 6 Non attendance
4. Certificates or Statements of Attainment will not be issued until all course fees and transfer fees are paid in full.
5. Refund requests will not be approved following a switch. - Non-attendance
General
1. Students who fail to attend their scheduled course will be deemed a “Did not Attend” and will not be assessed or be entitled to a refund
2. If DNA makes contact with Emergency First Aid and requests a new booking date, then a 50% fee will be charged
3. Should this be required a second time, the student will be charged a full fee - Non-completion
1. If a student is deemed Not Yet Competent during a practical component:
1. Emergency First Aid will transfer the student into a different scheduling of the same course (no fee will apply); but
2. Emergency First Aid will retain 50% of the course fee if the student cannot be transferred and refund the balance.
3. If a student does not complete the practical session, Emergency First Aid will attempt to transfer the student into a different date of the same course.
2. If the student is transferred and is unable to attend the alternate scheduled practical component, Emergency First Aid will not refund any part of the course fee.
3. All Online and Workbook courses must be completed within 3 months of enrolment date. Failure to complete course within this timeframe may incur additional costs, which reflect the price structure at that time. A will be withdrawn. - Cancellations
1. Emergency First Aid will endeavour not to cancel public courses.
2. However, Emergency First Aid reserves the right to cancel courses or change course dates if necessary.
3. If Emergency First Aid cancels a course:
1. Emergency First Aid will refund (in full) those students who request a refund, within 10 business days of the scheduled course commencement or
2. Emergency First Aid will permit students to transfer to another schedule of the same course without charge. - Correspondence
All correspondence in relation to course transfers and refunds should be emailed to [email protected] or alternatively attend Emergency First Aid’s Head Office
Suite 60, 8-34 Gladstone Park Drive, Gladstone Park Victoria 3043 - Fees Paid in Advance:
Students fee’s paid in advance of the course will be held in a holding account until course commencement to ensure refunds are completed as per Policy 3.1. - Appealing Refund decisions
• All students have the right to appeal a refund decision made by the RTO. Student wishing to access the Complaints and Appeals Procedure from the RTO should contact Student Services Department.
• This policy and the availability of complaints and appeals processes does not remove your right to take action under Australia’s consumer protection laws.
• The RTO’s dispute resolution processes do not remove the student’s right to pursue other legal remedies where they feel necessary.