Census dates
How long does a unit of study need to be and how do I set the census date?
It is up to a provider to decide the length of each VET unit of study, which will then determine the minimum time for setting the census date for the unit. A unit of study can only have one census date. In the case of a full-year unit of study spanning different teaching periods, the unit would have only one census date and not separate dates for each teaching period (semester, term, etc.).
A provider may have common census dates for units as long as the 20 per cent requirement is complied with for each unit.
Because a unit must have only one census date, where a unit is offered at different times, it will constitute a separate unit for the purposes of VET FEE-HELP.
Can a provider set common census dates for units?
Yes. A provider may have common census dates for units as long as the 20 per cent rule is complied with for each unit. However, if a unit has separate census dates, this unit is taken to be a number of different units.
Units of study and Equivalent Full Time Student Load (EFTSL)
How does a VET provider determine units of study for their courses?
It is up to the VET provider to determine how it divides up a course of study into units of study. It may decide that a particular course will consist of only one unit of study or it may consist of a number of units of study.
In deciding how to structure a course into units of study, potential VET providers should be aware that for VET FEE-HELP, students do not incur a liability (a VET FEE-HELP debt) for a unit of study until after the census date for that unit. This applies to all students whether they pay their tuition fees up-front or seek VET FEE-HELP assistance.
How do providers determine EFTSL values for VET units of study?
It is a VET FEE-HELP requirement that a VET provider determines the EFTSL value for units of study it offers when reporting data to DEEWR. If the unit can form part of more than one course of study, the provider can determine different EFTSL values for the unit for each course of study.
Study load for a unit of study is expressed as a proportion of the standard study load for one full-time year of the course of study of which the unit forms part of. This is determined by a provider.
Aggregated EFTSL values for units of study undertaken by a full-time student doing a standard study load for one year of a course of study would normally add to 1.0
Standard annual study load for a course of study is a sequence of units of study which a student would undertake full-time in a full year at a pace which would enable the student to complete the course in a standard timeframe as determined by the provider. This can mean that two identical courses comprising the same units undertaken at two different providers can have different annual standard full-time study loads and therefore, different EFTSL values for the units of study.
Schedules
How do I give the schedule to the Minister?
In accordance with paragraph 28(2)(a) and 28 (2)(b) of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA), a VET provider must give a schedule to the Minister by the publication deadlines (as listed above), except for tuition fees for VET units of study that are offered under restricted access arrangements.
A VET provider must give the schedule to the Minister by:
- posting the schedule on the VET provider’s website
- by attaching the schedule to, or entering a URL (uniform resource locator) link to the schedule (if posted on the VET provider’s website) in the VET FEE-HELP IT System (under the VET provider’s user account). For the VITS post approval guide, visit Useful Publications.
Where a VET provider submits a link to its website it must maintain a printable record of the published schedule that applied at a particular time including enough information to respond to student queries or provide the information to DEEWR upon request.
If the schedule is not provided by way of a URL link, it must be in a form that allows it to be printed. It must not contain links or references to information not contained within that schedule document.
For reference, copies of the HESA determinations are available from the Useful Publications page.
Do VET providers have to include in their Schedules those VET units of study for which they do not intend to charge a VET tuition fee?
No. VET providers must not determine a VET unit of study for the purposes of inclusion in their schedule, where they do not intend to determine a VET tuition fee. The purpose of a schedule of VET tuition fees is to inform students of the VET tuition fees (and potential VET FEE-HELP debt amounts) for which they will be liable if they undertake certain VET units of study with a VET provider. If a VET provider does not intend to charge students a tuition fee, then a VET unit of study should not be determined for the purposes of the provider’s schedule.
How do I change the information in the schedule?
Information regarding variations to the Schedule of VET Tuition Fees and Census Dates can be found in the Useful Publications page.
Credit Transfer and additional course approval
If I am already an approved VET provider, do I need to have Credit Transfer Arrangements in place for my other diploma and advance diploma courses?
Yes. For each VET diploma and advanced diploma course you intend to offer using VET FEE-HELP assistance must have in place at least one approved Credit Transfer Arrangement. Any VET diploma and advanced diploma courses you offer that do not have an approved Credit Transfer Arrangement in place will not be eligible for VET FEE-HELP assistance*.
Credit transfer arrangements are not required for VET graduate certificate and graduate diploma courses.
*Bodies corporate with registration in a Reform State or Territory or with the National Audit and Registration Agency (NARA) and offering a diploma or advanced diploma in a Reform State or Territory, will not have to meet the requirement to have a Credit Transfer Arrangement in place in order to be approved as a VET provider. Refer to Information for Approved VET Providers in Victoria page for more information.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
Can VET Providers charge a fee for RPL?
VET providers cannot charge an incidental fee for RPL. If a VET provider chooses to charge a fee for RPL, it must be on the basis that the RPL is or forms a part of a VET unit of study. By determining a separate VET tuition fee for RPL, providers allow students to defer the cost of RPL through VET FEE HELP assistance. This is consistent with the policy intent of the Higher Education Loan Program that includes VET FEE-HELP, which helps to remove some of the financial barriers to further education.
Best practice for the management of RPL involves the determination of a separate VET unit of study (as part of a specific VET course of study), which may involve a combination of RPL assessment and tuition.
Do I have to include RPL VET units of study on my schedule of VET tuition fees?
Yes if you have RPL units of study. All VET units of study that a VET provider provides or proposes to provide must be included on the VET provider’s schedule of VET tuition fees (‘the schedule’). Students should be able to identify an RPL VET unit of study from the unit of study name, which must be included in the schedule.
What information needs to be reported in relation to RPL?
Reporting requirements for enrolments in RPL VET units of study are the same as the requirements for enrolments in any other VET unit of study. A Ministerial Notice issued on 26 November 2009 sets out the requirements for the VET FEE-HELP Data Collection for 2010. To view the reporting requirements for the VET FEE-HELP data collection, visit HEIMSHELP. Information on credit transfer and RPL provided to a student towards the total requirements of the course should be reported to DEEWR under data elements in the range of 560 to 566. Definitions and coding notes for these elements are published at the above link.
There is currently no requirement to report the total amount of EFTSL granted as RPL separately from the total amount of EFTSL granted as credit transfer. The sum total of EFTSL granted as RPL and/or credit transfer should be reported as a single amount under Element 560.
What EFTSL value should be reported for an RPL VET unit of study?
EFTSL is the 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.
The EFTSL value (Element 339) for a VET unit of study (Element 354) should be consistent for all students enrolled in the same of VET course of study (Element 533) in the same reporting period year.
The EFTSL value for an RPL VET unit of study should reflect the amount of time/effort required from the student and should be proportional to non-RPL units. For example, if an RPL unit involves a week’s worth of assessment for the student compared with 8 weeks of tuition and assessment for a standard unit then the RPL unit should have an EFTSL value that is 1/8 of the EFTSL assigned to the standard unit.
In some cases, the amount of time/effort required to undertake an RPL VET unit of study may vary from student to student. In these situations, VET providers should decide on a single EFTSL value which is the average amount of time/effort required to undertake the unit.
Ongoing Financial Viability
VET providers must meet the ongoing financial viability requirements, including any written undertakings requested by the Minister. A VET provider must provide the Minister with annual audited financial statements along with a range of additional information.
The requirements for this annual submission are set out in the VET FEE-HELP Financial Viability Instructions – for Approved VET Providers.