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

More questions about 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'm a citizen but I am not eligible for a government funded place in a Diploma because I’m over 20 and I already hold a Diploma.  Is a Certificate IV enrolment an alternative option for me?

Because of the gradual introduction of new eligibility requirements, yes, you are still eligible for funding for a Certificate IV course or lower in 2009 under existing funding arrangements (this will change in the future when the Victorian Training Guarantee is fully implemented).

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. In the meantime, for 2009, you continue to be eligible for a government funded place under existing funding arrangements, subject to availability.

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.

More questions about fees for government funded places?

Can providers charge a different fee for the same course?

Yes. You'll notice that the hourly tuition fee rates for each course are set 'up to' a certain amount.  Providers can reduce the rate they charge, or offer a course to you at a cheaper tuition fee than another provider. One provider may also charge more for a student services fee or materials costs than another.

Can different students be charged a different amount for the same course?

Yes.  Fees are calculated individually, taking into account what you have already done in a year.  This means that a student who has already paid for some training in a year may pay a lot less than another student, who is enrolling in the same course and paying fees for the first time that year.

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.

What if I enrol in several courses?  What minimum and maximum applies then?

Training providers have detailed guidelines on how to calculate fees in this case.  When you take courses in the same category, the fees add up under the same category maximum.  If you take courses in a different category, you pay fees for that second course separately.  However, all fee calculation fits under the annual maximum, so no matter how many courses you do, there is a fee cap protecting you from having to pay too much in a year.

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More questions about concessions?

I hold a Totally and Permanently Incapacitated (TPI) Card. Am I or my dependents eligible for the concessions?

The Concession is restricted to holders of Commonwealth Health Care Cards, Pensioner Concession Cards and their dependants, and holders of a Veteran’s Gold Card. Indigenous students are also eligible for Concessions.

Centrelink has told me I am eligible for a Health Care Card but I can't get the actual card by the time I have to 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 enrolling.

If I become eligible for a Health Care Card half-way through my semester-length course, does this make a difference to what I should be paying now?

No. Your tuition fee must be paid and will not change. However, if you do more vocational training and further education within the calendar year you will not have to pay any tuition fee for it.

What happens if I have a Card 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 paid and will not change. However, if you then enrol in another course or for a second year of your current course, you should expect to pay the full tuition fee (up to the maximum set for that year).

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More questions about 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.

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More questions about 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.

I'm on fee maintenance. I have already paid $400 for my current course in 2009 but I want to commence a new course. What fees will I pay?

You will pay the new fees for the new course.  But the $400 tuition fees you have already paid will be counted in calculating the new fees payable.  This means that if the tuition fees for your new course are $600, but you have already paid $400 for your fee maintenance course, your tuition fee for the new course will be $200 in 2009.

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.