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International Student Relocation FAQs



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Relocation

Q
A
When a college closes, ACPET will invite you to a student meeting to provide you with information and a form to complete. Representatives from the Department of Immigration & Citizenship (DIAC) and the Department of Education, Employment & Workplace Relocations (DEEWR) will also be invited and they will be able to provide you with additional information.
 
During this meeting, we will explain how ACPET can assist you. You will need to complete a Relocation Request Form which will tell us if you want ACPETs assistance in relocating you to a new college. You will need to write on this form your current contact details so ACPET can keep you updated with news of your relocation.
 
ACPET then calls on all its member colleges that offer the same courses in the same State and asks them to place as many students as they can from the closed college. Student placements are negotiated with the college and ACPET.
 
Q
A
If you have completed a Relocation Request Form (RRF) for ACPET, stating that you require assistance in placement you will receive a Letter of Offer and Acceptance/Rejection of Offer Form from ACPET. This will be sent via email and post and provides you with the details of your new college and a date to meet with this college to discuss your studies.
 
Once you have attended a meeting at the new college, you should send back the Acceptance/Rejection Form to ACPET via email, fax or post.
 
If you decline the offer you will need to note the reasons why on the form. In accordance with legislation, ACPET are obligated to offer students one place at a new college. There will be no other offers made to you by ACPET unless there are exceptional circumstances which you will need to prove to ACPET.
 
Q
A
Please ensure you take with you the following:
  • Your Passport
  • Old CoEs (Confirmation of Enrolment)
  • Any Evidence of English Language ability (i.e. IELTS or Certificate of English Levels)
  • Overseas Health Cover evidence
  • All academic statements and/or transcripts that you may have from the closed college
  • All Bank Statements /Receipts that show payment of fees to the closed college
 
Q
A
ACPET aims to relocate you into the same course as the course you were enrolled in at the closed college. We look for the same:
  • Qualification & Course
  • Cost
  • Duration
  • Location (where possible) – Please be aware you may need to be flexible with travel expectations.
 
Q
A
ACPET relocate students into Private Education Colleges and first investigate colleges who are Members of ACPET. Our Members who have International Students are obligated to follow the Overseas Students Tuition Assurance Scheme (OSTAS) and provide students affected by a closure, a credit-free tuition period if applicable (as negotiated by ACPET on your behalf). 
 
Under legislation TAFE is excluded from the TAS. This means they do not have to honour a credit-free tuition period.
 
If you enrol in TAFE, you will not receive a credit-free tuition period for any money you may have lost as a result of your college closing.
  
You may also be waiving your rights under the legislation to claim a refund from the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Assurance Fund.
 
Q
A
Not all colleges are ACPET Members. If you decide to enrol yourself in another college without ACPETs assistance, you will disadvantage yourself in the following ways:
  • ACPET cannot negotiate a credit-free tuition period for any money you may have lost as a result of your college closing.
  • You may be waiving your rights under the Legislation to claim a refund from the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Assurance Fund.
  • The new college is entitled to charge full fees as per a normal student enrolment which means you may pay for the same qualification twice.
 It is highly recommended that you wait for ACPETs relocation Letter of Offer.
 

 
 
 

Money 

Q
A
In the case of a college closure, if a student has prepaid tuition fees for tuition not given, the student will be given a credit-free tuition period at a new college under the Tuition Assurance Scheme.
 
For example, if you paid $500 for Term 3 and the college closes before you start Term 3, the new college will need to discount $500 from their Term 3 fees for you.
 
Q
A
If you have been placed by ACPET into a new college through the Tuition Assurance Scheme (TAS) process the new college will need to honour the payments made to the closed college (a credit-free tuition period) providing:
  1. You did not receive training for the payment made
  2. You have evidence of the payment (such as a bank statement /receipt)
 
Note: You will be required to pay fees to your new college once the credit-free tuition period is over.
 
Q
A
Yes. If you had not paid the closed college for training you DID receive you may still be asked to pay this amount to the administrators of the closed college.
 
Ensure you keep all receipts for payment so that you can provide evidence of what you have, and have not, paid to the closed college.
 
Q
A
Original bank statements, original receipts or original transfer statements are acceptable forms of evidence to show your new college.
 
If your Agent made the payment for you, ask them for the bank statement receipt or use the statement of your payment to the Agent as evidence.
 
Q
A
A refund through the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Assurance Fund is only applicable if (in this order):
  1. ACPET have made every attempt to find you a new placement and been unsuccessful
  2. ESOS have also attempted to find you a new placement and have been unsuccessful
  3. Your case is assessed by the Fund Manager and you may then be granted a refund
You will need to wait for ACPET to try to find a place for you before attempting to gain a refund through the ESOS fund.
 
Q
A
Unfortunately materials/equipment fees are not covered by the TAS so this money cannot be honoured by a new college.
 
Note: You may need to purchase materials again.

 

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Academic Results 

Q
A
An Academic Transcript/Record, Statement of Results or Certificate will aid your new college in placing you in the correct class and provide you with Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) if applicable.
 
If you do not have any of these documents you should also present copies of assignments to aid the RPL process.
 
Ensure you keep ALL Academic records from the closed college safe as these can never be reissued from the closed college.
 
Q
A
 ACPET try to get as many student records from a closed college as possible. If we can obtain your records these will be sent to the new college allocated. Any certificates/Statements that were printed at the time of the closure will be sent to you directly.

If we cannot find your record the new college may need to skills/challenge test you and/or complete a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process with you. This will be a one on one decision between you and your new college. You cannot be charged for RPL.

Ensure you keep copies of all assignments to aid the RPL process.

 
 
Q
A
ACPET is not a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and therefore cannot issue you with academic transcripts.
 
ACPET try to get as many student records from a closed college as possible. If we can obtain your records these will be sent to the home address you provide to us.
 
If you do not receive an academic transcript after the closure of your college you may need to contact your state accreditation and regulatory body.
 
  • NSW, Victoria, Western Australia – The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA)
 
 
 
 

 

Communication  

Q
A
ACPET must record all contact with students in written format so that it can be presented to the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIISRTE) if your case has to be escalated. This means we need all communication to be in writing – we accept emails, faxes and postal communication.
 
Having everything in writing is also of benefit to you as this enables you to have a record of all your communication with ACPET.
 
Keep checking your email and the ACPET website (www.acpet.edu.au) for updates regarding the relocation process.
 
Q
A
  • Shortly after the closure when you complete the Relocation Request form – you will need to send it back to ACPET
  • If your details change in the process of relocation – contact details must be updated
  • If you are intending to travel during the relocation process
  • If you no longer need ACPETs assistance (for example, you have enrolled yourself into a college)
  • When you have received a Letter of Offer from ACPET and wish to accept/decline the offer – you will need to send the Acceptance/Non-Acceptance Form back to ACPET
 
There is a dedicated email address created for each college closure so ensure you use the right closure email address for all communications with ACPET.

 

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Visa  

Q
A
  1. Make sure you check the date of your visa as soon as you hear of the college closure.
  2. Keep in close contact with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) – website: http://www.immi.gov.au/students/ Phone: 13 18 81 as the date of your visa expiration draws near. Ensure you keep your old CoE (from the closed college) and any correspondence from ACPET regarding a new college.
  3. Renew your visa before it expires.
 
Q
A
ACPET have 28 days to provide you with a new college. If your visa is due to expire before you have a new enrolment, please contact the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), phone 13 18 81.  Do not let your visa expire.
 
 
 

 

Glossary 

ARC
Accreditation and Registration Council (ACT)
ASTAS
Australian Student Tuition Assurance Scheme
DEEWR
Department of Education, Employment & Workplace Relations
DET
Department of Education & Training (QLD)
DET (NT)
Department of Education and Training (NT)
DFEEST
Department of Further Education, Employment, Science & Technology (SA)
DIAC
Department of Immigration and Citizenship
ESOS
Education Services for Overseas Students
OSTAS
Overseas Student Tuition Assurance Scheme
RRF
Relocation Request Form – to be completed by all students after a college closure
RTO
Registered Training Organisation
TAC
Training Accreditation Council (WA)
TAFE
Technical And Further Education
TAS
Tuition Assurance Scheme
TQA
Tasmanian Qualifications Authority  (Tas)
VETAB
Vocational Education & Training Accreditation Board (NSW)
VRQA
Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VIC)
  

 

 

Links 

 

General information on the ESOS Assurance Fund:

http://www.aei.gov.au/AEI/ESOS/Default.htm


Visa information for students - Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC):

http://www.immi.gov.au/students/


State regulatory bodies