Fees-free info sheet: Withdrawals (providerbased tertiary education)

Transcription

1 Fees-free info sheet: Withdrawals (providerbased tertiary education) This document outlines how withdrawals work within the 2018 fees-free policy settings, including what happens to a learner s fees-free entitlement if they withdraw from a course or programme. Existing withdrawal and refund conditions remain the same under the fees-free policy Your existing withdrawal and refund policies should be applied to all learners, regardless of whether they are receiving fees-free support or not. The Education Act 1989 sets some basic parameters for withdrawals and refunds. Protection of student fees is set out in sections 234C to 235D. Learners who withdraw and consume no EFTS or fees-free support do not need to be included in your Fees Free All Enrolments and Costs report Their record should be excluded from future Fees Free All Enrolments and Costs reports. Learners who completely withdraw will not be considered fees-free active If a learner completely withdraws from study and has consumed no EFTS or fees-free support in 2018 they will not be considered fees-free active. This means, if the learner enrols in subsequent tertiary study, they will be assessed for eligibility at the new course start date. 1 If they choose to study in 2019 (or later years), the fees-free eligibility and consumption settings at that time will apply. Learners who withdraw and consume EFTS and/or fees-free support need to be included in your Fees Free All Enrolments and Costs report All applicable fields need to be completed for the learner, including: National Student Number 1 The course start date should be the same date specified in your Single Data Return (SDR). The date is the officially notified beginning date of instruction and/or structured supervision associated with each student s course(s) at a tertiary education organisation. Fees-free info sheet: Withdrawals, July

2 Fees Free Qualification Code Course Code Course Start Date Course End Date Student Course Withdrawal Date Course EFTS Factor Source of Funding Course Tuition Fees (GST Excl $) GST Charged on Course Tuition Fees, and other fees if applicable. If the learner withdraws before your organisation s withdrawal date and you retain a fee, enter this dollar amount in the Course Tuition Fees (GST Excl $) and GST Charged on Course Tuition Fees columns. You should enter 0 for the other fee columns. The Student Course Withdrawal Date is the date the learner withdrew from the course or programme (see Appendix for definition of withdrawal). Please note, we rely on the information you provide us for withdrawal dates. We may use this information for auditing purposes. If the learner withdraws within 10% or one calendar month of the start date of the course (whichever is earlier), the Source of Funding code must be 31. This includes learners who have withdrawn in the free withdrawal period if you are retaining any fees relating to this course. If the learner withdraws after 10% or one calendar month of the start date of the course (whichever is earlier), the Source of Funding code must be the standard Source of Funding code as entered in your SDR, e.g. 01. The learner will only be eligible to receive fees-free support if they are returned using a fees-free valid Source of Funding code. If a learner withdraws due to exceptional circumstances and/or is entitled to receive a partial or full fee refund: you need to apply your existing withdrawal policy. What to record in your Fees Free All Enrolments and Costs report will depend on whether or not the learner has consumed EFTS and/or fees-free support. For example, if a learner: enrols in a course withdraws after the withdrawal date due to exceptional circumstances, and is entitled to a full fee refund and has used no EFTS the learner s details should be excluded from future Fees Free All Enrolments and Costs reports. The course they withdrew from will not be counted for consumption purposes or affect their fees-free entitlement. Alternatively, if a learner: enrols in a course withdraws after the withdrawal date due to exceptional circumstances, and is not entitled to a fee refund or only receives a partial fee refund and/or consumes EFTS the learner s details must be recorded in your Fees Free All Enrolments and Costs report. Fees-free info sheet: Withdrawals, July

3 The learner will be considered fees-free active. Their ongoing fees-free entitlement in 2018 (and future years) will depend on the amount of their fees-free entitlement they have used, i.e. how many credits/efts they have undertaken and how much fees-free support they have consumed. What to record and advise You need to What to record in your Fees Free All Enrolments and Costs report If a learner withdraws before your organisation s withdrawal date and you fully refund them and they consume no EFTS Exclude the learner from future Fees Free All Enrolments and Costs reports. Nothing the learner s details should not be included. If a learner withdraws after your organisation s withdrawal date and you retain any fee and/or they consume EFTS Include the learner s details in relevant Fees Free All Enrolments and Costs report(s). All applicable fields need to be completed for the learner, including: National Student Number Fees Free Qualification Code Course Code Course Start Date Course End Date Student Course Withdrawal Date Course EFTS Factor Source of Funding Course Tuition Fees (GST Excl $), and GST Charged on Course Tuition Fees, and other fees if applicable. You should advise the learner that Any course or programme they withdrew from will not: be counted for consumption purposes, or affect their fees-free entitlement. Enter the Source of Funding code as 31 if the withdrawal date is within 10% or one calendar month of the start date of the course (whichever is earlier). If the withdrawal date is after 10% or one calendar month of the start date of the course (whichever is earlier), enter the standard Source of Funding code e.g., 01. Their ongoing fees-free entitlement in 2018 (and future years) will depend on the amount of their fees-free entitlement they have used, i.e. how many credits/efts they have undertaken and how much fees-free support (dollars) they have consumed. In 2018, learners can use up to $12,000 (including GST) of fees-free support. Learners who don t use a full one EFTS in 2018 can carry forward their remaining fees-free entitlement (assuming they have used less than $12,000 including GST of fees-free support). Fees-free info sheet: Withdrawals, July

4 Please see Appendix for relevant definitions and conditions. If you have any questions, please contact the Sector Helpdesk at or Fees-free info sheet: Withdrawals, July

5 Appendix: Definitions and conditions Withdrawal A withdrawal is when a student ceases to participate in a course, programme or training scheme (regardless of whether they have been refunded any fees), either: by providing notice to your organisation that they wish to withdraw participation, or as a result of non-attendance or non-participation for any reason. Ministry of Education and Tertiary Education Commission. (2018) Single Data Return Manual. Retrieved from ver-1.0.pdf. Withdrawal date for tertiary education institutions a) You may set a withdrawal date, being the specified period during which a student can withdraw and receive a full refund of fees and course costs, provided that date is not earlier than the withdrawal date in paragraph (b). b) If you do not set a withdrawal date, the withdrawal date will be the date on which 10% or one month of the course for which a student is enrolled has passed, whichever is the smaller. Student Achievement Component (SAC) level 3 and above funding conditions Retrieved from Withdrawal date for private training establishments a) If a student is enrolled for all or part of a programme or training scheme that is of more than three months duration, the withdrawal date and refund period entitlements are set out in sections 234C to 235D of the Education Act. b) If the duration of a programme or training scheme for which a student is enrolled is of three months or less duration, you must set a withdrawal date up to and including which a student is entitled to withdraw and receive a full refund of fees and course costs. The withdrawal date must be no earlier than the date at which 10% of the programme or training scheme for which a student is enrolled has passed. Student Achievement Component (SAC) level 3 and above funding conditions Retrieved from Fees-free info sheet: Withdrawals, July