VET FEE-HELP 2010

Agenda

• Scene setting– Background– Significance of reforms– Overview of training process– What has happened until now– VET FEE-HELP resources

• Higher Education Support Act (2003)• Working with DEEWR• VET FEE-HELP (recap)

– Courses and Students eligibility– Student payments

• VET FEE-HELP Operational requirements– Request for VFH assistance– Allocation of CHESSN– Issuing Commonwealth Assistance Notices– Withdrawals and repayments

• VET FEE-HELP Publishing requirements• VET FEE-HELP Data reporting requirements• VET FEE-HELP Compliance requirements • VET FEE-HELP Payments to providers• Privacy requirements• VITS and HEIMS

Scene setting

Background

• 2007 Federal Budget

• Extending FEE-HELP arrangements

• Amendments to the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA)

Policy Objectives

• VET FEE-HELP is an income contingent loan scheme for the VET sector

• Assist eligible students to pay for all/part of tuition fees for certain VET courses of study

• Extension of FEE-HELP• Underlying principle – removes major financial

barrier to entry to studies

What has happened till now• VET Provider eligibility• On-line application process• Financial Viability Assessment• 3 Phase Assessment process• Approval notification• Received funds for IT upgrades• VET Provider Information pack

– Website details– VFH Product order form– HEPCAT access form

• Disallowance period (can offer VFH assistance during this period)• Input VET tuition fee schedule into VITS (link or file)• Input payment estimates into VITS• NOW VET FEE-HELP training

Overview of training process

• Delivered to a small group of reps from approved VET providers

• Cascade training

• Learning activities

• Do not hesitate to raise any questions

Contact detailsKellie McInnes

(02) 6240 7152

Kellie.mcinnes@deewr.gov.au

VET FEE-HELP referral line

13 38 73

Technical issues:

Vetfeehelpdesk@deewr.gov.au

General enquiries:

Vetfeehelp@deewr.gov.au

VET FEE-HELP resources

• HESA (Schedule 1A)• VET Provider Handbook• VET Provider Guidelines• VET Administration Guidelines• VET FEE-HELP Guidelines• Participant Workbook• Student Information Handbook• VET FEE-HELP fact sheets

Training outcomes

• Outline student support policies and providers obligations under HESA;

• Use the Guidelines relevant to VET FEE-HELP to resolve queries

– VET Provider Guidelines

– VET FEE-HELP Guidelines

– VET Administration Guidelines

• Redeliver VET FEE-HELP training to other staff

• Know where to go for help

Higher Education Support Act (2003)

What is HESA?• An Act does not function alone – ‘Guidelines’ or ‘Regulations’ are

normally made under an Act to assist affected bodies ‘give effect’ to the legislation

• Relevant VET FEE-HELP Guidelines under HESA include • The VET Provider Guidelines• The VET FEE-HELP Guidelines• The VET Administration Guidelines

• Guidelines will often explain how to meet a requirement specified in an Act*

• An Act is usually amended to reflect a change in policy

Why is HESA so important?• HESA sets out the details of Australian Government

funding and its associated legislative requirements• HESA specifies the reporting and compliance

requirements that providers are now obliged to follow• To put simply, the eligibility of a VET provider to offer

VET FEE-HELP is directly linked to their compliance with requirements of HESA

Working with DEEWR

Working with DEEWR

• Who we are• What we do• Who you will work with

• Higher Skills Branch• VET FEE-HELP Assessment and Stakeholder Management• VET FEE-HELP Payment, Analysis and IT• VET FEE-HELP Financial Viability and Monitoring• VET FEE-HELP Legislation and Policy

• The Higher Education Business Operations team (known as HEIMS)• HEPCAT

• The Funding and Student Support Branch (If you are also a HEP administering FEE-HELP)• Fees Unit

Who we are

• The Department of Education, Employment & Workplace Relations• Ministers – Julia Gillard, Kate Ellis

• Secretary – Lisa Paul; Deputy Secretary – Colin Walters (A/g until June 10)• Tertiary Skills and Productivity Group Manager – Jennifer Taylor• Higher Skills Branch – Hilary Riggs (Acting)

• VET FEE-HELP Assessment and Stakeholder Management – Belinda Catelli

• VET FEE-HELP Payment, Analysis and IT – Adam Wenck (acting)• VET FEE-HELP Financial Viability and Monitoring – Tony Mitchener• VET FEE-HELP Legislation and Policy – Sarah Thew

• Higher Education Business Operations – Maureen Wood • Funding and Student Support Branch – Susan Bennett

VET FEE-HELP recap

VET FEE-HELP

• Courses and Students

• Student Payments

Courses and Students – VET FEE-HELP Liability

• VET FEE-HELP liability occurs on a unit of study basis, not on a course basis

• Students DO NOT incur a VET FEE-HELP liability until after the census date

Courses and Students – VET Course of Study

• Diploma*• Advanced Diploma*• Graduate Certificate• Graduate Diploma

*with an approved VET credit transfer arrangement (CTA) to a Bachelor degree with a higher education provider.

Courses and Students – VET Unit of Study

• Units (subject, modules, structured training) undertaken as part of a VET course of study

• Provider sets and charges a VET tuition fee.

• Meets the course requirements for VET FEE-HELP and student is enrolled as a full-fee-paying student

• Have credit transfer arrangements in place for Diploma and Advanced Diploma courses

Courses and Students – Full fee-paying student

• A student enrolled in a VET course of study for which the provider DOES NOT receive any funding from a State, Territory or the Commonwealth in relation to the student’s enrolment in that course

Courses and Students – Student Eligibility Requirements

• Full fee-paying student• Meet the citizenship or residency requirements• Have a FEE-HELP balance greater than zero• Be enrolled in a unit that meets the course requirements• Be enrolled in the unit on or before the census date for the unit and remain

so enrolled at the end of the census date• Meet the Tax File Number (TFN) requirements• Have completed, signed and given to an appropriate officer of the provider a

Request for VET FEE-HELP assistance form on or before the census date

Courses and Students – Citizenship or Residency requirements

• An Australian citizen; or

• The holder of a permanent humanitarian visa who will be resident in Australia for the duration of the unit

Courses and Students – Census date

• Closing date for a student to apply for VET FEE-HELP

• A provider must set a census date for each unit of study it provides

• Census date can be no earlier than 20% of the way through a unit.

Courses and Students - Determining Eligibility

• It is YOUR responsibility

• A provider should collect sufficient information from student to be satisfied of student eligibility

• A provider must comply with privacy requirements

• Where provider incorrectly determines student eligibility – provider required to repay

Courses and Students – VET Restricted access arrangements

• An agreement between a provider and employer/industry body

• Enrolments to course is limited or restricted to employees of the employer/industry body

• Provider must produce evidence of arrangement and details to DEEWR if required

Courses and Students – VET Third party arrangements

• Provider has arrangement with another organisation for the delivery of some or all of a course – The provider is to grant the VET award, the relationship is to be one of

principal and agent. • Students undertaking such a course are enrolled with the provider.

• The provider is the principal and must carry full responsibility for all aspects of delivery.

• The provider is required to comply with all the VET FEE-HELP requirements in HESA.

Student payments – VET fee

requirements

• Determining VET tuition fees

• Schedules of VET tuition fees

• Fees related to units, courses or matters or things for which fees may be charged

Student payments - VET Tuition fees

• Providers must determine a tuition fee(s) for each unit of study– No max or min limit

• Fee for course CANNOT > sum of the unit tuition fees

• May charge other fees, in certain circumstances. The policy intent is:

• Students generally must be able to complete the requirements of their course without the imposition of other fees

Student payments - Determining VET Tuition fees

• Only tuition fees payable through VET FEE-HELP• Should cover all essential requirements of the course• Can have more than one tuition fee per unit as appropriate

– different fee CANNOT be based on • Manner of payment (up-front Vs VET FEE-HELP assistance)• Timing of payment (prepaying, paying for course compared to units)

• The VET tuition fees determined must be published – with sufficient information

Student payments - VET fees• Includes:

– Tuition fees, examination or other fee payable to a provider by a student– Any fee payable to the provider in respect of the granting of a VET award at Diploma,

Advanced Diploma, Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma level

• Does NOT include:– An organisation of students (unions or guilds)– The provision to students of amenities or services that are not of an academic nature

(student amenities fees)– Residential accommodation– Special admissions tests– Fees that are incidental to study

Refund policies

• A provider is required to refund a student any tuition fees the student has paid for a unit if they are no longer enrolled in that unit at the end of the census date.

Student payments – FEE-HELP Limit and Balance

• 2010• $85,062 (VET students)• $106, 328 for students in courses leading to registration as a

medical practitioner, dentist or veterinarian

• Indexed annually

Student payments – VET FEE-HELP debt

• A student incurs a VET FEE-HELP debt for the amount of VET FEE-HELP assistance loaned to them by the Commonwealth to pay for part or all of their tuition fees for each unit at the end of the census date

• The Commonwealth pays this amount directly to the provider on the students’ behalf

VET FEE-HELP loan fee• A loan fee of 20% applies to all VET FEE-HELP debts incurred at

the end of the census date • The loan fee applies to all

VET FEE-HELP debts irrespective of the VET course, fails or withdraws from the unit after the census date.

• The amount of the VET FEE-HELP debt is the amount of the loan (the VET FEE-HELP assistance provided) plus 20% (VET FEE-HELP loan fee) and is incurred by the student immediately after the census date for the unit

• The 20% loan fee is not included in a person’s FEE‑HELP balance.

VET FEE-HELP Operational

requirements

VFH Operational requirements – Census date recap

• A student must be enrolled in the unit on or before the census date for the unit and must remain enrolled in the unit at the end of the census date

• A census date can be set no earlier than 20% of the way through a unit

VFH Operational requirements – TFN requirements

A student meets the TFN req for VFH if:• the student notifies his or her TFN to an appropriate officer

of the provider and the provider is satisfied that the number is a valid TFN; or

• the student provides a Certificate of Application for a TFN; and

• this information is provided on or before the end of the census date for the unit

VFH Operational requirements – Request for VFH assistance

• Students request VET FEE‑HELP assistance by completing, signing and submitting a Request for FEE‑HELP assistance form to the appropriate officer at their provider on or before the census date for the unit

• The paper form that DEEWR provides is the approved form. Where a provider allows for the electronic submission of a Request for VET FEE-HELP assistance form, it must follow the approved form format. A provider will be required to submit on E-CAF file if an electronic Request for VET FEE-HELP assistance form is used by the provider.

VFH Operational requirements – Distribution of the Request for VFH assistance form

• Original– All forms that contain the student’s TFN must be sent to the Tax Office

by 1 June (for forms completed for the first half year) and 1 December (for forms completed in the second half year).

– The forms containing a TFN must be sent to the Tax Office regardless of whether the student has incurred a VET FEE-HELP debt.

– Forms that do not include the student’s TFN must be retained by the provider.

• Copies– The provider should retain the first copy and give the second copy to the

student.

VFH Operational requirements – Retention of the Request for VFH assistance form

• The form is a Commonwealth record and is subject to the Archives Act 1983.

• A provider must retain a copy of forms that do not include the student’s TFN on behalf of the Commonwealth for a minimum period of 7 years after the student has completed his or her course of study.

• A provider should retain a copy of all forms for its own records for at least the duration of the student’s course, or in accordance with state or territory legislation.

• If a student cancels his or her Request for VET FEE‑HELP assistance form, the provider must still retain a copy of the form.

VFH Operational requirements – Cancellation and validity of the Request for VFH assistance form

• A Request for VET FEE‑HELP assistance form is valid for the duration of the person’s enrolment in the course of study.

• Students accessing VFH assistance are not required to cancel their form if they subsequently choose to pay their tuition fees up-front.

• Students may choose to cancel their request at any time in writing on or before the census date for the unit of study. Students can subsequently reactivate their Request for VET FEE‑HELP assistance form by submitting a request to their provider in writing.

• A provider should determine its own mechanisms for recording written cancellations and reactivations of the form.

VFH Operational requirements – completion of a new form or multiple forms

• Enrolment in a new VET course of study

• Enrolment in more than one VET course of study

• Enrolment at more than one provider (VET or HEP)

VFH Operational requirements – Allocation of CHESSNs

• The Commonwealth Higher Education Student Support Number is a unique identifier for Commonwealth assistance.

• Students must be allocated a CHESSN if seeking VFH assistance.

• DEEWR allocates CHESSNs to all students who request VET FEE‑HELP assistance through a provider or apply for a place through a tertiary admission centre.

• This will enable the monitoring of students’ use of Commonwealth assistance.

VFH Operational requirements – Calculating the amount of VFH assistance

• A student can borrow up to the amount of the tuition fee for the unit being charged by their provider, so long as this amount does not result in the student exceeding their FEE‑HELP balance

• Students have the option of paying part of their tuition fee for the unit up-front to their provider on or before the census date and obtaining VET FEE‑HELP assistance for the remainder

• The amount of VET FEE‑HELP assistance for a unit of study is the difference between the tuition fee for the unit and the sum of any up-front payments the student has made on or before the census date

• Providers report the amount of a student’s VET FEE‑HELP assistance through the HEPCAT System and the Commonwealth will pay the VET FEE‑HELP assistance amount to the provider

VFH Operational requirements – Commonwealth Assistance Notice

• Providers are required to issue each student who has requested VET FEE-HELP assistance with a CAN

• The CAN must be sent to all students who have requested VET FEE-HELP assistance after each census date

• A provider may issue separate CANs for units of study with different census dates

• Cannot issue a CAN for Higher Ed and VET courses

VFH Operational requirements – Commonwealth Assistance Notice (2)

• A CAN must contain the title ‘Commonwealth Assistance Notice’ and include the following information:

– the person’s name;– the name of the VET provider;– the person’s student identification number as issued by the VET provider;– the person’s Commonwealth Higher Education Student Support Number (CHESSN);– the course(s) of study in which the person is enrolled with the provider for which a tuition fee(s) is recorded at the census date(s) contained in the CAN;– the total amount of up-front payment;– the total amount of VET FEE-HELP assistance;– the total amount of the VET FEE-HELP loan fee; and– the total amount of VET FEE-HELP debt

• For each VET unit of study, the notice must include the following information, as applicable, to each person’s enrolment:

– the VET unit of study identification code;– the census date;– the VET tuition fee amount;– the amount of up-front VET payment;– the amount of VET FEE-HELP assistance;– the amount of the VET FEE-HELP loan fee; and– the amount of VET FEE-HELP debt

VFH Operational requirements – Commonwealth Assistance Notice (3)

A CAN must have the following statements prominently displayed:A CAN must have the following statements prominently displayed:

• ““It is your responsibility to ensure that you have sufficient FEE-HELP balance to cover the VET FEE-HELP amounts indicated in It is your responsibility to ensure that you have sufficient FEE-HELP balance to cover the VET FEE-HELP amounts indicated in this notice. You are eligible for the amounts of VET FEE-HELP assistance contained in this notice only if you have sufficient FEE-this notice. You are eligible for the amounts of VET FEE-HELP assistance contained in this notice only if you have sufficient FEE-HELP balance to cover those amounts.”HELP balance to cover those amounts.”

andand• ““The information regarding Commonwealth assistance contained in this notice is correct only insofar as you have correctly The information regarding Commonwealth assistance contained in this notice is correct only insofar as you have correctly

advised this VET provider of your entitlement to that assistance under the advised this VET provider of your entitlement to that assistance under the Higher Education Support Act 2003Higher Education Support Act 2003.”.” [VET [VET Administration Guidelines 2.10.20]Administration Guidelines 2.10.20]

• A CAN must include information on the person’s right to request the correction of information contained in the CAN.A CAN must include information on the person’s right to request the correction of information contained in the CAN.

• A CAN must be given within 28 days of the earliest census date indicated in the CAN A CAN must be given within 28 days of the earliest census date indicated in the CAN

• A provider may issue the CAN electronically.A provider may issue the CAN electronically.

VFH Operational requirements – Incorrect CAN

• Provider identifies information is incorrect – must issue a new CAN to the student with the correct information

• Student believes that the information on the CAN is incorrect, the student may, within 14 days of dispatch of the CAN (or longer if the provider allows), ask in writing for the CAN to be corrected. This request may be made electronically as long as the provider complies with chapter 4 of the VET Administration Guidelines.

• A provider should consider the request as soon as possible, and notify the student, in writing, of its decision. If the provider finds that the information on the original CAN was incorrect, or has ceased to be correct, the provider must issue a new CAN to the student with the correct information. The provider must also correct its records and data sent to DEEWR accordingly.

VFH Operational requirements – Withdrawals on or before the census date

• Will not incur a VET FEE-HELP debt.

• Students do not incur a liability for a unit of study until after the census date.

• A provider may set an ‘administrative date’ earlier than the census date by which students are required to pay their tuition fees or lodge a Request for VET FEE-HELP assistance form.

• A provider may also impose a fine or penalty on students who undertake actions after the administrative and withdrawal dates

• A provider must treat all of its students and those seeking to enrol with the provider fairly

• It is a provider’s responsibility to ensure that the information it gives to DEEWR is accurate and that students who have formally withdrawn from a unit or course on or before the census date do not incur a VET FEE‑HELP debt for those studies.

VFH Operational requirements – Withdrawals after the census date

• Students who have requested VET FEE-HELP assistance who withdraw from a VET unit of study or course of study after the census date will incur a VET FEE‑HELP debt for any unpaid tuition fees (up to their FEE‑HELP balance).

• Students may apply to their provider to have their FEE‑HELP balance re-credited (and thus their VET FEE‑HELP debt remitted) in special circumstances

VFH Operational requirements – Cancellations of units of study after the

census date

• If a unit becomes unavailable after the census date, wherever possible, the provider should attempt to make suitable arrangements for the affected students to complete the unit or a comparable unit.

VET FEE-HELP Publishing requirements

VET FEE-HELP Publishing requirements

• A number of arrangements and procedures must be published and made publicly available.

• The Provider to decide on the method.• Methods may include:

• As part of a printed handbook• Any other method determined by the provider which will bring

the information to the attention of students and prospective students

• VET providers MUST publish their Schedule of VET tuition fees on their website

VFH Publishing requirements – Schedule of VET tuition fees

• A provider must determine a schedule of VET tuition fees for all units of study that it provides or proposes to provide.

• The schedule must contain enough information to enable a person to work out the tuition fee for each unit that the provider provides or proposes to provide

• Where more than one tuition fee has been determined for a unit, the schedule must contain sufficient information to enable a person to work out which tuition fee applies to them

VFH Publishing requirements – Schedule of VET tuition fees – publication requirements

• A provider must publish its schedule of VET tuition fees for the units it provides or proposes to provide by:– 1 April for units with a census date in the same

year between 1 July and 31 December; and– 1 October for units with a census date in the

subsequent year between 1 January and 30 June of that year

VFH Publishing requirements – Access to schedule of VET tuition fees

• A provider must ensure its schedule of VET tuition fees is available to all students and persons seeking to enrol with the provider on request and at no charge

• Students enrolled or eligible to be enrolled in units that are offered under restricted access arrangements must be provided with the tuition fee information for the relevant unit on request and at no charge

VFH Publishing requirements – Giving the schedule to the Minister

• A provider must give the schedule of VET tuition fees to the Minister by the publication deadlines for tuition fees, (except under restricted access arrangements). That is, by:

– 1 April for units with a census date in the same year between 1 July and 31 December; and

– 1 October for units with a census date in the subsequent year between 1 January and 30 June of that year.

• A provider must give the schedule to the Minister by:– posting the schedule on the provider’s website (if applicable); and– submitting the schedule or a URL link to the schedule via the provider’s VITS

account. (Course schedule menu)

VFH Publishing requirements – VET Unit of study information

• While not a requirement of HESA to provide the Minister with a schedule of census dates, it is usual to include the census date information with the tuition fee information for a unit in a schedule of VET tuition fees and provide this information to the Minister.

• Once a provider has published its schedule of VET tuition fees it can vary the information only in accordance with the requirements in the VET Provider Guidelines or the VET Administration Guidelines (for census dates) or with Ministerial approval

VFH publishing requirements – Variations to published information

Varying published unit of study information• Without ministerial approval:

– Due to changed circumstances or administrative error AND– More than 2 months before start of unit or last day to withdraw without penalty

OR– Less than 2 months with NO disadvantage to students– Five days notice to DEEWR

• With ministerial approval:– Less than 2 months before start of unit or last day to withdraw without penalty

AND– Will disadvantage students

VET FEE-HELP Data Reporting requirements

VFH Data Reporting requirements – Reporting requirements

• A provider must give to the Minister such statistical and other information that the Minister, by notice in writing, requires and in the form approved by the Minister

• A provider must inform the Minister, in writing, of any event that may significantly affect the provider’s capacity to meet the VET quality and accountability requirements

VFH Data reporting requirements –

E-CAF File • A provider that enables students to complete

and submit the Request for VET FEE‑HELP assistance form electronically will need to submit an Electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form File (E-CAF File) to DEEWR.

VFH Data reporting requirements – Data

reporting dates • Providers will need to submit the above data files to DEEWR four times a

year by the following dates:– 31 March (for units of study with census dates occurring in September-

December of previous year);– 31 May (for units of study with census dates occurring in January-

March);– 31 August (for units of study with census dates occurring in April-June);

and– 31 October (for units of study with census dates occurring in July-

August). [Ministerial determination under HESA Schedule 1A cl24]

VFH Data reporting requirements –

EFTSL • EFTSL is an equivalent full-time student load. It is a measure of the

study load, for a year, of a student undertaking a course of study on a full-time basis.

• For VET FEE-HELP data reporting purposes, a provider will need to determine and provide DEEWR with the EFTSL value for each unit of study (within a course of study) as part of the Student Load File.

• EFTSL is also used to determine VET FEE-HELP payments

VFH Data reporting requirements –

Variations • Variations to a student’s VET FEE-HELP debt amounts that occur after the census

date due to:– special circumstances– the student’s provision of an invalid TFN; or– administrative error

• must be reported in the Revisions File and in the Revised Student Load File, both of which must be sent to DEEWR.

• Changes in a student’s enrolment due to cancellation of units of study after the census date (see 5.23) should not be reported to DEEWR. The provider should report to DEEWR as per the provider’s enrolment records as at the census date.

VET FEE-HELP Compliance

requirements

Higher Education Support Act 2003

• VET Provider Guidelines• VET Administration Guidelines• VET FEE-HELP Guidelines• Ministerial determinations

• Draft VET Provider Handbook• Student Handbook

Quality and Accountability Requirements

• Financial viability requirements• Quality requirements• Fairness requirements• Compliance requirements• Fee requirements

Financial Viability

A VET provider:• (a) must be financially viable; and• (b) must be likely to remain financially viable.• (c) must provide to the Minister financial information

within six months after the end of its financial period (calendar/financial year).

• [ HESA Schedule 1A cl 14-15]

VET Quality Requirements

• A VET provider must operate, and continue to operate, at an appropriate level of quality for a VET provider.

• The Minister must not determine that a VET provider meets an appropriate level of quality for a VET provider unless the Minister is satisfied that the provider meets the requirements set out in the Australian Quality Training Framework.

• [HESA Schedule 1A cl 17]

VET Fairness Requirements• Equal benefits and opportunities• Student grievance and review• Tuition assurance• Appointing review officers• Review officers not reviewing own decisions• Procedures relating to personal information• [HESA Schedule 1A cl 18 to 23]

VET Compliance Requirements

• VET provider to provide statement of general information

• Notice of events that affect provider’s ability to comply with VET quality and accountability requirements

• Compliance assurance – provider• [HESA Schedule 1A cl 24-26]

VET Fee Requirements

Determining tuition fees for all students• Requirements in the VET Provider Guidelines• Schedules of VET tuition fees – general

requirements; restricted access; and variations.• [HESA Schedule 1A cl 27-28]

Compliance Calendar• Monitoring of VET providers is ongoing• Specific dates for certain requirements:

– Monthly payments – 15th of each month– Annual financial statements 30 June or 31 December – Additional financial reporting requirements in Deeds of Undertaking– Submission of estimates; schedules, data– NTIS RTO registration expiry date– VTAS expiry date

• Self-assessment checklist to assist providers

Summary of Compliance• DEEWR conducts ongoing monitoring of VET

providers on VET quality and accountability including the following:• Deed of undertaking requirements• Principal purpose and RTO status• Schedule of VET Tuition Fees• Census dates• Financial viability

Summary of Compliance continued

• Integrity checks where changes to key personnel• Student complaints• Fair treatment• Grievance procedures• Review procedures• VET Tuition Assurance• Information Privacy Policy

Summary of Compliance continued

• Website references to VET FEE-HELP including adherence to marketing requirements

• Data requirements• Incidental fees and refund policies• Credit transfer arrangements• Notice of events under clause 25

VET FEE-HELP– ongoing compliance requirements

• Report any of the following to vetfeehelp@deewr.gov.au

– Changes in legal entity (structure, corporate restructure)– Changes in personnel (Directors, CEO)– Variations to payments– Changes to any procedures (Reviews etc)– Changes to Fees/Charges

VET FEE-HELP Privacy requirements

VET FEE-HELP Privacy requirements

• A provider must comply with the information privacy principles (IPPs), set out in section 14 of the Privacy Act 1988, when it handles personal information obtained for the purposes of VET FEE-HELP assistance and the repayment of loans under HESA.

VET FEE-HELP payments to

providers

VET FEE-HELP payments to providers – Advance payments

• HESA provides that the Secretary, or the Secretary’s delegate, may determine that an advance payment be made to a provider on account of the amount of VET FEE-HELP assistance expected to be accessed by the provider’s students

• The Secretary’s Delegate determines the amount of an advances based on the Department’s assessment of a provider’s estimate. Estimates are submitted on an annual basis in October for the following calendar year. In estimating the level of VET FEE-HELP assistance, VET providers need to estimate the:

• number of eligible students that will enrol;• level of equivalent full-time student load that will be undertaken by those students;• proportion of VET tuition fees that will be deferred to VET FEE-HELP; and• weighted annual average course cost for the estimate year

• VET providers enter their estimates of VET FEE-HELP loans using VITS. End of year reconciliations follow the verification of HEIMS student data as detailed in the following table.

Payment cycleOctober Providers submit VET FEE-HELP estimates for the following year.

When an RTO is initially approved as a VET provider it should provide an estimate in VITS as soon as possible after approval

November/December VET FEE-HELP estimates for the following year are assessed by DEEWR. Based on these assessments, the Delegate determines the amount of advances and advises providers in writing.

January – December VET FEE-HELP advances are paid in monthly instalments

May VET providers are required to verify their previous years student data

June The amount of the previous years advance is reconciled against the provider’s verified data. An additional payment or a recovery is made to account for variations.

September Review of amount of VET FEE-HELP advances paid for the current year based on first half data

VET FEE-HELP payments to providers – payment cycle

• DEEWR has developed a Microsoft excel tool designed to assist providers in completing their estimates, the Estimates Calculator takes providers through a step by step process to assist in the development of estimates and estimate revisions. All new VET providers are encouraged to use the Estimates Calculator for their first estimate submission.

• Details on how to enter estimates can be found in the:• VET FEE-HELP Information Technology (VITS) Guide on the VITS user

login page;• VET FEE-HELP Payment Estimates Information Document (provided with

the information pack upon approval); and• The Estimates Calculator Excel workbook found at http://www.deewr.gov.au

/Skills /Programs/VetFeeHelp/ApprovedVET Providers/Pages/Home.aspx

VET FEE-HELP payments to providers – Variations

• VET providers are expected to ensure after each major census date, that VET FEE-HELP advance payments are closely aligned to student liabilities.

• At this time the providers will be in a better position to assess whether the level of the current advance is appropriate.

• If you believe that the level of VET FEE-HELP advance payments is significantly different to that expected, please inform the VET FEE-HELP Payment, Analysis and IT Section via vetfeehelp@deewr.gov.au to request a variation.

VET FEE-HELP payments to providers – Actioning a Variation

• To action a variation, a signed letter from the Chief Executive Officer should be sent to DEEWR (see Appendix A of VET provider Handbook for contact details) detailing the reasons for the request.

• If the variation is made, a provider’s remaining payments will be adjusted and a lump sum amount paid (where the yearly estimate is increased) or recovered (where the yearly estimate is decreased), depending on the variation from the existing payment schedule.

• DEEWR will generally be able to make variations to VET FEE-HELP advance payments by the next scheduled payment date following receipt of a letter of request.

VET FEE-HELP payments to providers – recovery of overpayments

• How a recovery for an overpayment is made will depend on the size of the overpayment and the monthly payment amounts that a provider receives.

• The recovery will occur as part of the monthly payment system where the

overpayment can be recovered from the provider’s next one or two monthly payments.

• If the size of the overpayment is larger than what can be recovered within two monthly advance payments, a provider will be sent a debt notice in which the overpayment is required to be repaid within 30 days.

VET FEE-HELP payments to providers – Further Information

Further Information on submitting estimates can be found in:

• The Information Pack sent to approved VET Providers;• The VET Provider Handbook; and• The VET FEE-HELP IT System (VITS) Electronic Information

Guide.

VITS and HEIMS

What is VITS?• The VET FEE-HELP IT System (VITS) is an

application developed for VET FEE-HELP. VITS encompasses the VET provider application system, CHESSN allocation, course approval for VET FEE-HELP, provider payments and data management of VET FEE-HELP. The application is published as a secure website at https://vetfeehelp.deewr.gov.au.

What is HEIMS• The Higher Education Information

Management System (HEIMS) is the data management system developed for higher education data reporting.

CHESSN Web Services

• To allocate multiple CHESSNs

• Approved VET providers only contact vetfeehelpdesk@DEEWR.gov.au for test URL

Going to Uni web page• The Going to Uni website provides information about the Australian higher

education system, including detailed information on HEPs and Commonwealth assistance available to higher education students. It is part of HEIMS.

• The Going to Uni website does not include information on VET providers or VET FEE-HELP assistance. This information is located on the DEEWR website under www.deewr.gov.au/vet/vetfeehelp with links to it from the Going to Uni website.

• Students who have been allocated a CHESSN are able to access information on their use of VET FEE-HELP assistance (and other Commonwealth assistance) through myUniAssist, which is part of the Going to Uni website. Students can access their information on the website using their CHESSN and other identifying information.

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