More Questions
Use the information provided below if you have any more questions about:
- eligibility for government funded places
- fees for government funded places
- concessions
- recognition of prior learning (RPL) fees
- fee maintenance
- relocation
Eligibility for government funded places
How do I know where my qualifications fit compared to other courses?
Go to Qualifications for a general guide. Your provider will be able to assess how your qualifications compare with the course you are interested in.
I have completed the VCE (or VCAL Intermediate or Senior). Where do these qualifications fit in, for working out eligibility?
They count as equivalent to a Certificate II level qualification.
I am an Australian citizen and I have completed a Bachelor Degree from an Australian university. Am I eligible for a government funded training place in a Diploma at TAFE?
If you were already 20 or over on 1 January, you would not be eligible for a funded place in a Diploma or higher vocational course, unless you are specifically granted an exemption by the provider.
Can I enrol in more than one course at a time and access government funding for both?
Yes, as long as you meet the eligibility requirements in each case, there is no set limit on your access to government funded places.
I am a Permanent Resident and I have completed a TAFE Diploma. However, I need to undertake further English to gain the job I am after. Am I eligible for a government funded place?
Yes. Even when the new eligibility requirements are fully implemented, eligibility for English language learning courses will remain open, regardless of what other qualifications you hold.
I am returning to study after a break in a Diploma course. Will the new eligibility rules affect me?
This will be decided by the provider. Generally, if you took a break by arrangement the provider can re-enrol you to continue your course under the same conditions as when you first enrolled. However, if you simply withdrew from your course without any arrangement the provider may regard you as a new enrolment.
I want to apply for government funded Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for a training course. Do the same eligibility rules apply?
Yes. The Government funds RPL for a training course in the same way as training is funded, so you need to meet the eligibility requirements to access it. Otherwise, you will pay for RPL on a fee for service basis.
Fees for government funded places
Can providers charge a different fee for the same course?
Yes. You'll notice that the hourly student tuition fee rates for each course are set 'up to' a certain maximum amount. Generally you should expect to pay a fee equivalent to the maximum hourly fee per scheduled contact hour, but providers can reduce the rate they charge. Some providers may also charge more for components such as a student services and amenities fee or materials costs. For more information see Fees for Government Subsidised Training.
Can different students be charged a different amount for the same course?
Yes. Fees are calculated individually, taking into account factors such as when a person commenced their course, what other study they are undertaking, whether they have completed any previous training, and whether they are eligible for a concession, fee waiver or fee exemption.
What if I am studying one continuing course and one new course in 2012?
If you are enrolled in both a continuing and a commencing course in 2012, the annual maximum cap on tuition fees applies only to enrolments in courses commenced prior to 2012 (other than in the Apprenticeships category). Similarly, the tuition fees for the new course commencement will not be counted towards the overall annual maximum cap applying to the original continuing course.
My course is going to be completed online. Does that mean I should pay a lower tuition fee, because I am receiving less tuition?
No, the provider will calculate your fees on the basis of the hours scheduled for that course. The value of the training and the qualification are the same, even though you are studying by a different method.
Concessions
I hold a Totally and Permanently Incapacitated (TPI) Card. Am I or my dependants eligible for the concessions?
Fee concessions are restricted to holders of Commonwealth Health Care Cards, Pensioner Concession Cards and their dependants, and holders of a Veteran’s Gold Card. Holders of a TPI Card are not eligible for a concession.
Centrelink has told me I am eligible for a Health Care Card but I can't get the actual card by the time I enrol. What happens?
Your provider will have a process in place to cover this situation. You should obtain a letter from Centrelink confirming your eligibility and application for the Card, and then discuss the situation with the provider before enrolment.
If I become eligible for a concession half-way through my semester-length course, does this make a difference to what I should be paying now? Will fees I have already paid be adjusted?
No. Your tuition fee must be calculated at the start of your course/start of each year and will not be retrospectively adjusted if your circumstances change.
What happens if I have a concession when I start the course but become ineligible for it half-way through the year? Do I have to pay the rest of the fees?
Your tuition fee has been calculated at the start of your course/start of each year and will not change. However, if you enrol in another course during the same year or in a subsequent year of your current course, you should expect to pay the full tuition fee.
Recognition of prior learning (RPL) fees
If I apply for RPL for 400 hours worth of RPL and I pay the RPL fee, but am only granted 300 hours of RPL, does my RPL fee get reduced?
The provider has set the RPL assessment fee and the service has been provided. The provider is not obliged to adjust a fee if you do not succeed in your RPL application.
If a person enrols only for the purpose of being granted RPL and is not going to undertake any tuition, should they pay a tuition fee, as well as any RPL fee they have already paid?
No. Tuition fees should only be paid by people who are going to receive tuition.
I have applied for an RPL assessment and the fee quoted is higher than what I would have to pay to do the course. Is that allowed?
Yes, as long as the fee does not exceed the provider's costs. The RPL fee may be high because of the time and expertise needed to conduct the RPL assessment and determine the outcome. The process may involve one-to-one interviews, site visits and consideration of your individual evidence by a qualified assessor. The RPL pathway can lead to the early award of a qualification without having to put in the time and effort of doing unnecessary additional study, so you may decide that the additional cost is worth it.
Fee maintenance
I'm on fee maintenance but I need to stop studying for a while, for family reasons. Can I take a break and then come back to study at the same fee rate?
Only if your provider authorises the absence. Otherwise when you return you will have to pay the new fees. In these circumstances, discuss the situation with the provider before taking a break.
Does being on fee maintenance stop me having access to VET FEE-HELP?
If VET FEE-HELP is available for the course you are doing, you may be able to access a loan. Your provider will give you information on access to the loan scheme.
Relocation
If my training provider closes, how will Skills Victoria assist me to find a new training provider?
When a training provider closes, you will be invited to a student meeting to provide you with information and a form to complete.
During this meeting, we will explain how Skills Victoria can assist you. You will need to complete a Relocation Request Form which will tell us if you want assistance from Skills Victoria in relocating you to a new training provider. You will need to write on this form your current contact details so Skills Victoria can keep you updated with news of your relocation.
Skills Victoria then calls on training providers that provide training under The Victorian Training Guarantee in the same courses in the same geographical area and asks them to place as many students as they can from the closed training provider. Student placements are negotiated with the training provider and Skills Victoria.
How will I know when I have been relocated?
If you have completed a Relocation Request Form (RRF) requesting relocation assistance from Skills Victoria, you will receive a Letter of Offer and Acceptance/Rejection of Offer Form. This will be sent via email and post and will provide you with the details of your new training provider and a date to meet with this training provider to discuss your studies.
Once you have attended a meeting with the new training provider, you should send back the Acceptance/Rejection Form to Skills Victoria via email, fax or post.
We will always do our best to offer you a place that is convenient and meets your needs. We would appreciate your feedback if you decide to decline an offer. Where you face exceptional circumstances, we will endeavour to find you an alternative option if the first option is not possible.
What do I need to take with me to the meeting at a new training provider?
Please ensure you take with you the following:
- all academic statements and/or transcripts that you may have from the closed training provider, and
- evidence of enrolment at the closed training provider.
What is a ‘suitable alternative course’?
Skills Victoria aims to relocate you into the same course as the course you were enrolled in at the closed training provider. We look for the same:
- qualification and course
- duration
- location (where possible) – please be aware you may need to be flexible with travel expectations.
Can I find a training provider and enrol myself?
Yes. However, it is important to note that not all training providers deliver training under The Victorian Training Guarantee. Should you wish to find your own alternative provider and continue training under The Victorian Training Guarantee, Skills Victoria can provide you with advice on which providers are contracted to deliver an equivalent government funded course.
Note: It is recommended that you wait for Skills Victoria’s relocation Letter of Offer.