Refunds

Refund Application Form

 

1.Fee for Service Enrolments

    • 1.1 For enrolments cancelled more than 21 days before program or course commencement:
      • 1.1.1 If a client cancels enrolment in a program or course 21 days or more before commencement, Aurora Training Institute (ATI) will refund the course fees and charges paid by/for the client for a program or course, less our administration fee of $300.00. ATI will also cancel any remaining payments, after processing our administration fee of $300.00, that have been scheduled in respect of the enrolment.
    • 1.2 For enrolments cancelled 21 days or less prior to course commencement or any time after course commencement:
      • 1.2.1 If a client cancels enrolment in a program or course 21 days or less, prior to course commencement, ATI will not refund any fees and charges paid by or for the client.
      • 1.2.2 If a client cancels enrolment in a program or course any time after course commencement, ATI will not refund any fees and charges paid by or for the client.
      • 1.2.3 Fees and charges paid by employers on behalf of clients are non-refundable.
  1. Skills Assure Supplier Framework Refund Policy
    • 2.1 Provision, under Career START / BOOST , is made for refunds as follows:
      • 2.1.1 ATI will allow full refunds for Co-contribution fees where training has not commenced at the time of enrolment cancellation.
      • 2.1.2 ATI will allow proportionate refunds where a student withdraws from a Unit of competency/Module;
      • 2.1.3 ATI will allow refunds to employers/industry for any additional charges paid beyond the Co-contribution fee and the Government subsidy.
      • 2.1.4 ATI shall not refund, return, or provide cash payments (including ‘referral fees’ or other bonuses) to any fee payer, including third parties.
    • 2.2 Any changes to the units of competency in a training plan will cause the co-contribution fees to be recalculated and any adjustments required must be made to either party.
    • 2.3 All refund requests should be submitted by students in writing using our Refund Application Form
  2. VET Student Loans Policy
    • 3.1 Students, who are eligible for VET Student Loans, do not incur a financial liability for a unit until  after the Census Date. Refunds for withdrawal from a specified unit of study will be determined
      as follows:

      • Prior to Census Date:
        • a) Full repayment of any up front tuition fees paid for a unit of study that the student is no longer enrolled in at the end of the Census Date
        • b) The student will not incur a VET Student Loans debt
      • After the Census Date:
        • a) No refund is applicable; and/or
        • b) The student will incur a vet student loans debt
    • 3.2 Re-crediting – reviewing units:
      • 3.2.1 A student who has requested loan scheme assistance incurs a debt for each unit immediately after the census date for that unit. If a student withdraws from a unit after the census date, or does not successfully complete the unit, due to special circumstances, he or she may apply to ATI for a re-credit of their FEE-HELP balance and remission of their VET Student Loans debt in relation to the unit.
      • 3.2.2 The student may apply for a remission or re-credit if they believe that special circumstances apply. The ‘FEE-HELP balance’ includes both VET Student Loans and FEE-HELP debts.
      • 3.2.3 The student must apply in writing to the VET Student Loans Administrator to have his or her FEE-HELP balance re-credited within 12 months of the withdrawal date for a unit or, if the student has not withdrawn, within 12 months of the end of the period in which the unit was to be undertaken.
      • 3.2.4 The aforementioned 12 month period for application may be waived at the discretion of the Chief Executive Officer for ATI should it be determined not possible to apply within the 12 month period.
      • 3.2.5 The VET Student Loans Administrator will review all applications for re-credit within five (5) working days of receipt of application.
      • 3.2.6 ATI’s Administrator must be satisfied that “special circumstances” do apply and if so, the student’s FEE-HELP balance will be re-credited within twenty eight (28) days of receipt of the application. Special circumstances may include:
        • a) Issues beyond the student’s control; and
        • b) Circumstances did not make their full impact on the student until on, or after the census data; and
        • c) Circumstances were such that it was impracticable for the student to complete the requirements for the unit in the period during which the student undertook, or was to undertake, the unit.
      • 3.2.7 For circumstances to be beyond a student’s control, the situation should be that which a reasonable person would consider is not due to the student’s action or inaction, either direct or indirect, and for which the student is not responsible. The situation must be unusual, uncommon or abnormal to be considered special
        circumstances.
      • 3.2.8 Where ATI’s Administrator makes a decision not to re-credit a student’s FEE-HELP balance that decision may be subject to review.
      • 3.2.9 A student has the right to apply for a review of the decision to not re-credit or remit their loan scheme debt. The application must:
        • a) Be made within 28 days of receipt of the original decision
        • b) Include the date of the original decision
        • c) State fully the reasons for applying for the review
        • d) Include any additional relevant evidence.
      • 3.2.10 ATI has appointed a Review Officer to ensure fair and equitable decisions are made in regards to reviews.

The Review Officer is:
Mr. Stuart Love
Chief Executive Officer
ATI
P.O. Box 2849 Burleigh QLD 4220

      • 3.2.11 Upon receipt of any requests for review of the decision not to re-credit a student’s FEE-HELP balance, the student shall receive acknowledgment of the request in writing from the VET Student Loans Administrator. This acknowledgment will inform the student that if they have not been advised of a decision within forty five (45) days of receiving the request for review, the Review Officer has taken to have confirmed the original decision.
      • 3.2.12 The Review Officer shall:
        • a) Seek all relevant information from the person who made the original decision;
        • b) Review the case within three (3) weeks and advise the student of the decision in writing giving the reasons for the reviewer’s decision.
        • c) Advise the student of their right to apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) for a review and provide details of the closest ART and the approximate costs of lodging an appeal.
      • 3.2.13 The Secretary of the department representing the Commonwealth of Australia which has the responsibility for administering the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (the department) or the Secretary’s delegate will be the respondent for cases that are brought before the ART. Upon the Department’s receipt of notification from the ART, the Department will notify ATI that an appeal has been lodged. Upon receipt of this notification from the Department, the Review Officer will provide the Department with copies of all the documents they hold that are relevant to the appeal within five (5) business days.

ART Registry details

National phone number: 1800 228 333

ART website: www.art.gov.au

On-line application for a review is available on the ART website: https://www.aat.gov.au/apply-for-a-review/other-decisions/how-to-apply

E-mail: reviews@art.gov.au

When you apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) for review of decisions there may be an application fee payable. The ART website provides information on the fees applicable and when they apply.

Your application will not proceed until the fee that has been determined has been paid.

The ART may dismiss your application if you do not pay the application fee within six weeks of lodging your application.

If you have paid a full application fee and the application is resolved in your favour, most of it will be refunded. There is no refund if you paid the reduced application fee or if your application was dealt with in the Small Taxation Claims Tribunal.

      • 3.2.14 The student may apply to the Secretary for the student’s FEE-HELP balance to be recredited under section 71 of the Act if:
        • a) The provider, or a person acting on the provider’s behalf, engaged in unacceptable conduct in relation to the student’s application for the VET student loan; or
        • b) The provider has failed to comply with the Act or an instrument under the Act and the failure has adversely affected the student.
      • 3.2.15 Applications for re-crediting under section 71 of the Act must be made within 5 years after the census day for the course, or the part of the course concerned, or within that period as extended by the Secretary. There is no charge for reconsideration or review of decisions, other than review by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
      • 3.2.16 The Secretary may re-credit a student’s FEE-HELP balance in relation to special circumstances if a course provider:
        • a) Is unable to act or is being wound up or has been dissolved; or
        • b) Has failed to act and the Secretary is satisfied that the failure is unreasonable.
  1. Short Course Refund Policy
    • 4.1 Short courses are non-refundable
  1. Course Reschedule/Cancellation
    • 5.1  If a course is rescheduled/cancelled by ATI prior to program or course commencement, then participants will be rescheduled to the next available course date. No monies will be refundedby ATI for any expenses the participant has or may incur as a result of the reschedule.
  1. Publication
    • 6.1 ATI’s refund policy and procedures is made available and published by way of: