Refund Policy and Procedure

Refund Policy and Procedure – Page 1

Refund Policy and Procedure

This policy and procedure explain the process for establishing and collecting fees and charges from students, protection processes for fees collected whilst the student is enrolled at DIT Pty Ltd and refund arrangements available to students.

Applicants must agree to the terms and conditions of enrolment as provided within the Written Agreement and pay the required fees upon signing the agreement prior to training commencing. Failure to pay tuition fee is a breach of the Written Agreement and may be subject to their enrolment being cancelled.

Student tuition fees collected prior to their course commencing will be held in a separate holding account and not transferred to the general account until the course commences.

The balance of the holding account at any time will represent:

  1. Tuition and materials fees collected from applicants who have signed an agreement but not yet commenced; and
  2. Tuition fees collected from students who have commenced their course but have yet to commence one or more study periods.

Tuition fees do not cover excursion activities. Students will be required to pay excursion costs in addition to tuition fees. Students must pay fees as agreed to in the enrolment contract.

All applicants who have paid a deposit are entitled to a 3-day cooling off period, with a full refund of the initial deposit.

Procedure – Notification and Collection of Fees

Please note: Under ESOS legislation, DIT Pty Ltd will not collect in excess of 50% of the total tuition payable prior to commencement of the course. While DIT Pty Ltd cannot require students to pay more than 50% up front, it can accept more than 50% of tuition fees before a course starts if the student, or the person responsible for paying the fees, chooses to pay more.

* Tuition fee is inclusive of non-refundable application fee of AUD 250.00.

Procedure – Payment of Fees

  • Fees are to be paid by cash, direct bank deposit or credit card.
  • DIT Pty Ltd accepts VISA, MasterCard and AMEX credit cards only.
  • A credit card surcharge applies: VISA & MasterCard – 2.5%, AMEX – 3.5%.
  • Failure to pay tuition costs is a breach of the student’s agreement and may be subject to enrolment cancellation.

The Administration Manager provides the CEO with monthly reports of outstanding tuition fees. The Administration Manager contacts students (or requests the agent to make contact if the student has not commenced their course) and ascertains the reason for the outstanding debt.

The Administration Manager may:

  1. Provide additional time for the student to pay where a student is experiencing hardship; or
  2. Cancel the student’s enrolment if the fees are not paid within two weeks of signing the agreement.

Other Course Fees that may be incurred (Non-tuition)

Fee TypeAmount
RPL (Non-refundable)$250 per unit (subject)
Re-enrolment Fee$200
Administration FeeAdministration fee is calculated as 5% of the amount paid or $500 whichever is the lesser
Credit TransferNo charge
Re-assessment Fees$50.00 per class hour
Re-issue of a testamur (Certificate) or Statement of Attainment$150 per certificate or statement of attainment or Record of Results
Any fees paid by credit card will incur a credit card surchargeVISA and MasterCard – 2.5%
AMEX – 3.5%
Any fees not paid by the due date will incur a late payment fee, based on the amount overdue prorated over the period of time overdue.18% of outstanding fees
Bank Charges on processing refund payments such as Telegraphic Transfer or draft fees will be deducted from any refund.Maximum Bank fee of $40
Credit TransferNil
Replacement of Student ID$10.00
Change of Course$100.00
Academic Document Re-issue$50.00

Re-enrolment fee is charged in the case where student enrolment is cancelled because of student’s actions. In case academic progress is not maintained by student and he/she need to extend his/her COE to complete the qualification, re-enrolment fee is charged in addition with re-assessment fees for the units to be completed.

Re-assessment fee is charged when student is failed in any unit after 3 or more consecutive attempts. The Re-assessment fee charges are also subjected to CEO’s discretion.

Information on any excursion fees (if applicable), will provided to students during the course by their Trainer/Assessor. Excursion fees are based upon shared costs of transport and any an individual’s entry/admittance fees. Students are required to arrange their own meals during excursion unless covered by entry/admittance fees. Excursion fees are paid to student administration prior to the date of the excursion. Failure to pay excursion fees by the due date will result in the student forfeiting their reserved place on the excursion.

RPL Assessment fees and the fee to re-issue of a testamur (Certificate) or Statement of Attainment are paid on application.

Administration Fee

The Administration Fee is associated with withdrawal of enrolment prior to course commencement. Administration fee is calculated as 5% of the amount paid or $500 whichever is the lesser. The fee is deducted from the total tuition paid and the unused tuition fees for any future terms will be refunded.

Fee Protection

The following fee collection measures will be implemented:

  • International students must pay the fees for the first study period’s tuition plus material fees prior to the course commencing.
  • All fees are to be deposited directly into DIT Pty Ltd holding account. All tuition fees are to remain in this account until the student has commenced study with DIT Pty Ltd.
  • On course commencement, DIT Pty Ltd will transfer enrolment fees from the holding account to the general account.
  • All remaining enrolment fees paid prior to the commencement of each study period is paid directly into the general account.

Refund Policy Conditions and Processes

Refund of the fees will only be granted in accordance with the refund policy set out below.

Any student willing to apply for a refund must submit a completed Refund Application Form to Student Administration. The application form can be accessed by:

  • Contacting Student Administration
  • Accessing DIT Pty Ltd’s website

All refund applications are to be assessed by the Administration Manager and applications processed within twenty (20) working days of the application and evidence of documentation received.

The student will need to supply in writing the nominated method of reimbursement. Refunds are accompanied by a statement outlining the total refunded amount.

Please note:

  1. Refund applications after course commencement are only in relation to Tuition Fees only. Tuition fees and material fees are specified in the Enrolment Acceptance Agreement.
  2. DIT Pty Ltd is not able to provide any refunds for fees paid to third parties such as Health Insurance or fees paid directly to an education agent.
  3. Where the student breaches DIT Pty Ltd Policies and Procedures no refund is payable.
  4. Students cannot apply for a refund where there is default on payment of tuition and material fees.
  5. Payment of a refund application cancels a student’s enrolment.

Full Refunds

DIT Pty Ltd will make a refund of course fees paid in the following circumstances:

1. Visa refused before commencement date

In the event that a student’s initial visa (prior to landing in Australia) is not granted, a full refund of fees received by the institute will be issued to the student less the Application Fee and the Administration Fee. Administration fee is calculated as 5% of the amount paid or $500 whichever is the lesser.

Please note: Without proof of refusal from the Department of Home Affairs, NO refund will be granted.

2. DIT Pty Ltd does not commence or ceases delivery of a course

DIT Pty Ltd reserves the right to cancel or postpone any courses prior to their scheduled commencement dates, should it be necessary.

If DIT Pty Ltd does not commence a course on the due date, a full refund of tuition fees paid will be made within ten (10) working days of the specified starting date in accordance with the refund provisions of the ESOS Act. Fees may be transferred to an alternative enrolment where the student agrees.

Where DIT Pty Ltd is unable to complete the course due to unforeseen circumstances, any unused tuition fees are to be refunded to the student.

Where there is an instance of provider default in the above circumstances, DIT Pty Ltd may arrange for another course, or part of a course, to be provided to students at no (extra) cost to the student as an alternative to refunding course money. Where the student agrees to this arrangement, DIT Pty Ltd will not be liable to refund the money owed for the original enrolment.

Tuition Protection Service

In such case of provider default, student tuition fee is protected under TPS (Tuition Protection Service). The Tuition Protection Service is an initiative of the Australian Government to assist international students whose education providers are unable to fully deliver their course of study.

For more information on TPS for international students, please visit: https://tps.gov.au/

Partial Refund

1. Student withdraws more than 60 days before course commencement date or within cooling off period

If written notice of withdrawal is received more than 60 days prior to the initial course commencement, 75% of the initial pre-paid tuition fee is refundable, less the Application Fee and the Administration Fee. Administration fee is calculated as 5% of the amount paid or $500 whichever is the lesser. Note the CEO may waive the Administration Fee for withdrawals within the 3-day cooling off period.

2. Student withdraws less than 60 days but more than 28 days before course commencement date

If written notice of withdrawal is received less than 60 days but more than 28 days prior to the initial course commencement, only course material fee is refundable.

No Fee Refund

3. Student withdraws less than 28 days before course commencement date

If written notice of withdrawal is received less than 28 days prior to the initial course commencement, there will be no refund.

DIT Pty Ltd will not refund any RPL application fees should the student be deemed as unsuccessful in RPL. Note that the student may lodge an appeal on RPL decision at little or no cost – refer to the complaints and appeal policy.

Additional Refund Conditions

Non-tuition-based fees such as materials and/or equipment provided after course commencement will not be refunded under any circumstances.

In the event that a student cancels their enrolment and requests a refund after the course commencement date, there will only be refund on unused tuition fees for future study period/s. Overseas students withdrawing from a course of study will be reported to the Department of Home Affairs.

A student who withdraws from their studies after the commencement of their course is required to pay the balance of their tuition fee for the current study period before the date of cancellation of their COE.

In the event that the student seeks and is granted approval by DIT Pty Ltd to transfer to another provider prior to completion of six-month study of the principal course, there will only be refund on unused tuition fees for future study period/s.

In the event that the student’s enrolment is cancelled because of misconduct of student with DIT Pty Ltd Student Code of Conduct Policy or breach of student visa conditions, there is no refund of any monies paid.

In the event that a student’s extension of visa is not granted, there will only be refund on unused tuition fees for future study period/s. Students are advised not to enrol or re-enrol if they are uncertain if their visa will be extended.

In the event that a student abandons their course without formally cancelling their enrolment, there will not be any refund. The student will be invoiced for tuition fees before the date of cancellation of their COE.

In an event where visa is cancelled due to any action of the student, there is no refund.

Extenuating Circumstances

Students may have extenuating circumstances that prevent them from attending scheduled course dates that may include, but are not limited to, illness, family or personal matters, or other reasons that are out of the ordinary circumstances.

Where evidence can be successfully provided to support the student’s circumstances, course fees may either be transferred to the next available course where applicable, or a refund of unused course fees will be issued. This decision rests with the CEO and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Refund Procedure

All applications for refund must be made in writing using the Refund Application Form and must be submitted to the Administration Manager for approval.

The refunds will be processed to the nominated account within 20 working days from the date of application. The amount of refund will be calculated in accordance with the summary of refunds.

It is the student’s responsibility to provide correct account details. DIT Pty Ltd will not authorise the transfer of fees to any other student’s account.

Refunds for students will be completed in the same method by which the fees were originally paid.

Payment of Refund

All refunds for which a student is eligible will be forwarded to the person who paid the fees in his or her home country, unless the student is transferring to another institution in Australia (subject to visa conditions), in which case any refund may be remitted to that institution.

Written authorisation from that person or entity is required before refunds can be made payable to any other party. Students should submit this authorisation with their written request for refund.

All student refunds are made in Australian dollars or the foreign currency equivalent at the time and will be net of any handling fee charged by local representatives used by the student. Bank charges on processing refund payments such as Telegraphic Transfer or draft fees to a maximum of $40 will be deducted from any refund.

DIT Pty Ltd will provide the student with a statement detailing the calculation of the refund.

Appealing Refund Decisions

All students have the right to appeal a refund decision made by DIT Pty Ltd (refer to the Complaints and Appeals Policy and Procedure).

Summary of Refunds

Outline of Default Refund Arrangements
(Application Fee is non-refundable under all circumstances)
Refund Outcome
Initial visa refused prior to course commencement (with Department of Home Affairs Refusal Letter)Full refund less Administration Fee
DIT Pty Ltd is unable to provide the course for which the original enrolment and payment has been madeFull refund of the initial pre-paid fees
Withdrawal prior to agreed start date: notify the Institute more than 60 days prior to course commencement date or within cooling off period75% refund of the initial pre-paid fees less Administration Fee
Withdrawal prior to agreed start date: notify the Institute less than 60 days and greater than 28 days prior to course commencement dateOnly course material and/or equipment fee is refundable
Withdrawal prior to agreed start date: notify the Institute less than 28 days prior to course commencement dateNo refund
Visa refused after course commencement (with Department of Home Affairs Refusal Letter)Refund of unused tuition fees for future study period/s
Withdrawal after course commencement (with confirmed extenuating circumstances)Refund of unused tuition fees for future study period/s
DIT Pty Ltd is unable to continuously provide the commenced course for which the payment has been madeRefund of unused tuition fees for future study period/s
Withdrawal after course commencement without extenuating circumstances or cancellation of course due to student defaultNo refund
Abandonment of course / failure to return after scheduled breakNo refund

Additional Conditions

Overseas students withdrawing from a course of study will be reported to the Department of Home Affairs, as required by law.

Student’s extension of visa is not granted – no refund. If entire fees are paid, refund of unused tuition fees less fees for ongoing term and administration fee.

Visa is cancelled due to any action of student – no refund.

RPL assessment – no refund.

***** Administration fee is calculated as 5% of the amount paid or $500 whichever is the lesser *****

Late Payment of Fees

Students are required to pay their tuition fees and any outstanding charges on the due date specified. If the student fails to make the payment by the due date, the following will occur:

  1. Payment reminder will be sent to the student within 7 calendar days after the due date.
  2. After 7 days, if the student fails to make payment or obtain a payment plan, a first warning letter will be issued. The student will have a further 7 calendar days to make the payment. If the student is on a payment plan, the student must pay the whole study period’s outstanding balance. A late payment fee of 18% of the total amount owing may be levied.
  3. A final warning letter will be sent where fees are overdue for more than 28 calendar days. If payment is not received within 7 calendar days of the final warning, the Institute will refer the student’s case to the Institute’s debt collection agency.
  4. The final warning letter will also inform the student of the intention to report to the Department of Home Affairs based on non-payment of fees, which may result in cancellation of enrolment and student visa.
  5. The student will have 20 working days to make an appeal. Refer to the Complaints and Appeals Policy.
  6. The CEO may grant an extension and/or waive late fees where extenuating circumstances are provided.
  7. If a fee extension request is not approved, student information will be sent to a debt collection agency. This includes:
    • Student name and contact details
    • Total outstanding fees owed
    • Notice that legal action may be taken and all legal matters will be dealt with under the jurisdiction of Victoria

Students wishing to resume study will be required to re-enrol, provided that all outstanding fees have been paid in full.

Where a student continues to have an outstanding fee, the following restrictions may apply:

  • Loss of access to enrolment records, examination results and academic transcripts
  • Inability to graduate until the outstanding debt is cleared

Maintaining Records of Refunds

Where a student application for refund is submitted, all records of the refund application and associated actions are maintained in the student file. This includes remittance advice and correspondence relating to the refund.

Information provided may be disclosed to authorised State and Commonwealth agencies including the Tuition Protection Service.

Privacy Policy

Personal information collected may be disclosed in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988, Data Provision Requirements 2012, and to NCVER for regulatory, statistical, and research purposes.