Australian Student Tuition Assurance Scheme (ASTAS)

ASTAS ensures that any Australian student displaced from a course, due to a member's inability to continue the course, is relocated efficiently and with minimal disruption to a comparable course with another member or approved provider. 

The scheme provides members with a low-cost solution to fee protection legislation and is a significant marketing tool in attracting prospective students.

It satisfies the requirements of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 and all tuition assurance requirements of State and Territory accrediting bodies.

Eligible members:

• must be a member of ACPET
• must deliver approved programs leading to an accredited award
• must not have been refused coverage, or had specific courses refused coverage, in the Scheme or a similar Scheme
• must comply with AQF Standards, as applicable.

Eligible students:

• citizen or permanent resident of Australia
• enrolled in approved programs leading to an accredited award
• tuition fees paid in advance for a period of ten weeks or more.

Displacements covered:

• a course not commencing on the agreed starting date
• a course ceasing to be provided after it has started
• the full course not being delivered because a sanction has been imposed on the provider.

Newly allocated providers:

• will charge no additional tuition fee for the portion of the previous course (for which full payment has been made) are entitled to charge their normal tuition fee for any portion of a course not previously paid for by the student to the original provider.

If no member offers a comparable course:

• ACPET will undertake the necessary financial and administrative arrangements to commission or obtain access to an appropriate course Additional financial provisions will be required to enable ACPET to cover courses not offered by other providers.

Student responsibilities:

• meeting any relocation expenses
• the purchase of any texts or materials required by the new provider.

Fees

ASTAS scheme fees are based on the annual gross turnover realised from tuition fees from Australian students in the last financial year.

Apply

• ACPET information kit
• Application form

Prior to applying for ASTAS all members should review the By-laws under which ACPET operates and regulates the ASTAS, and the Code of Ethics  required of ACPET members.

ASTAS management