Commonwealth of Australia

 
Higher Education Support Act 2003
 
 
 
 
VET FEE-HELP GUIDELINES

 
 
 
 
I, Julia Eileen Gillard, Minister for Education, pursuant to subclause 99(1) of Schedule 1A of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (‘the Act’), make the attached VET FEE-HELP Guidelines, which provide for matters under Part 2 of Schedule 1A of the Act.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dated this …………22……………… day of …………May……………… 2008.
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
JULIA GILLARD
Minister for Education
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
 
 
Higher Education Support Act 2003
 
 
VET FEE-HELP GUIDELINES
 
 
 
 
 
(i)           CITATION
 
These Guidelines may be cited as the ‘VET FEE-HELP Guidelines’.
 
 
(ii)          AUTHORITY
 
These Guidelines are made under subclause 99(1) of Schedule 1A of the Higher Education Support Act 2003.
 
 
(iii)         DATE OF EFFECT
 
These Guidelines shall come into effect on the day after registration on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments (“the Date of Effect”).
 
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
 
Higher Education Support Act 2003
 
 
VET FEE-HELP GUIDELINES
 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
CHAPTER 1         INTERPRETATION  3
CHAPTER 2         ENTITLEMENT TO VET FEE-HELP ASSISTANCE  4
CHAPTER 3         VET CREDIT TRANSFER ARRANGEMENTS  5
 
 

CHAPTER 1     INTERPRETATION
 
1.1.1     Unless the contrary intention appears, the terms within these Guidelines have the same meaning as in the Higher Education Support Act 2003.
 
1.1.5     Terms in these Guidelines that are in italics have the meanings given in paragraph 1.1.10 of these Guidelines.
 
1.1.10   In these Guidelines, unless the contrary intention appears:
 
Act means the Higher Education Support Act 2003.
 
Department means the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
 
Group Manager means the person holding, occupying or performing the duties of the position of Group Manager, or an equivalent position, in the Department responsible for the administration of VET FEE-HELP.
 
Guidelines means these VET FEE-HELP Guidelines.
 
full fee-paying student has the meaning given in paragraph 2.5.1.
 
 
 
CHAPTER 2     ENTITLEMENT TO VET FEE-HELP ASSISTANCE
 
2.1         PURPOSE
 
2.1.1      This chapter sets out the other requirements relating to a student’s entitlement to VET FEE-HELP assistance for the purpose of subclause 43(i) of Schedule 1A of the Act.
 
2.5         MEANING OF FULL FEE-PAYING STUDENT
 
2.5.1      A full fee-paying student is a student enrolled in a VET course of study for which the VET provider does not receive any funding from a State, Territory or the Commonwealth in relation to the student’s enrolment in that VET course of study.
 
2.10       OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR ENTITLEMENT TO VET FEE-HELP ASSISTANCE
 
2.10.1    A student is only entitled to VET FEE-HELP assistance for a VET unit of study if the student is a full fee-paying student.
 
CHAPTER 3     VET CREDIT TRANSFER ARRANGEMENTS
 
3.1         PURPOSE
 
3.1.1      This chapter sets out the requirements relating to VET credit transfer arrangements for the purposes of paragraph 45(1)(a) of Schedule 1A of the Act.
 
3.5         REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO VET CREDIT TRANSFER ARRANGEMENTS
 
3.5.1      The requirements for VET credit transfer arrangements are:
 
a)      if a VET course of study leads to an award of VET diploma or VET advanced diploma, the VET provider must have in place at least one VET credit transfer arrangement for that course;
 
b)      if a VET course of study leads to an award of VET graduate diploma or VET graduate certificate, the VET provider does not need to have in place a VET credit transfer arrangement for that course; and
 
c)      the VET credit transfer arrangement must be approved by the Group Manager.
 
3.5.5      A VET credit transfer arrangement must provide a guaranteed level of credit for the award of VET diploma or VET advanced diploma towards a higher education award of Bachelor degree.  The Group Manager will use the following credit levels as a guide when approving the VET credit transfer arrangement:
 
a)             50% credit for a VET advanced diploma when linked to a 3 year Bachelor degree;
 
b)             37.5% credit for an VET advanced diploma when linked to a 4 year Bachelor degree;
 
c)             33% credit for a VET diploma when linked to a 3 year Bachelor degree; or
 
d)             25% credit for a VET diploma when linked to a 4 year Bachelor degree.
 
3.5.10    A VET credit transfer arrangement must contain the following:
 
a)      a written document endorsed by the VET provider and the higher education provider and approved by the Group Manager which sets out for each VET course of study that leads to a VET diploma or VET advanced diploma:
 
i)       the higher education provider and the higher education award to which the VET credit transfer arrangement relates;
 
ii)       the amount of credit towards the higher education award that is guaranteed under the VET credit transfer arrangement; and
 
iii)      the expiry date, if any, of the VET credit transfer arrangement.
 
3.5.15    A VET provider must seek approval from the Group Manager before it varies a VET credit transfer arrangement.
 
3.5.20    A VET provider must:
 
a)      publish and make publicly available details of approved VET credit transfer arrangements; and
 
b)      provide the Group Manager with a copy of all proposed VET credit transfer arrangements for approval; and
 
c)      provide the Group Manager with a copy of all proposed variations to VET credit transfer arrangements for approval; and
 
d)      publish and make publicly available details of any approved variations to VET credit transfer arrangements.
 
3.10       ARRANGEMENTS IF A VET CREDIT TRANSFER ARRANGEMENT EXPIRES
 
3.10.1    In the event that a VET credit transfer arrangement expires for a VET course of study and there are students who are, or would be, entitled to VET FEE-HELP assistance under clause 43 of Schedule 1A of the Act enrolled in that VET course of study, then the requirements relating to VET credit transfer arrangements for the purposes of paragraph 45(1)(a) of Schedule 1A of the Act are taken to have been satisfied for those students only.
 
3.10.5     In addition, in the event that a VET credit transfer arrangement has expired and there are students who are, or would be, entitled to VET FEE-HELP assistance under clause 43 of Schedule 1A of the Act enrolled in the VET course of study to which the expired VET credit transfer arrangement relates, the VET provider must:
 
a)      immediately notify the Group Manager that the VET credit transfer arrangement has expired;
 
b)      immediately notify the students who are, or would be, entitled to VET FEE-HELP assistance under clause 43 of Schedule 1A of the Act enrolled in the VET course of study that the VET credit transfer arrangement has expired; and
 
c)      attempt to negotiate another VET credit transfer arrangement with a higher education provider for the VET course of study.