Appeals

External Student Appeals Service – Complaints (for Australian students)

If you are an Australian (Australian citizen or permanent resident) student wishing to lodge a complaint against a provider, please click here to download and complete the complaints form.

This is a service for ACPET members only.

External Student Appeals Service – External Review (for overseas students)

Overseas Students wishing to lodge an external appeal should contact Overseas Student Ombudsman.

For contact details and information on how to make a complaint, please click on the link below http://www.oso.gov.au/making-a-complaint/.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for overseas students/providers and other information about the Overseas Students Ombudsman are available at http://www.oso.gov.au/frequently-asked-questions/.

Education Providers

The legislation establishing the Overseas Students Ombudsman passed on 21 March 2011 and came into effect on 9 April 2011.

The Overseas Students Ombudsman is now operating and able to take external appeals for overseas students studying in Australia. Their website can be found at http://www.oso.gov.au/private-education-providers/

The Overseas Students Ombudsman will provide the external complaints and appeals mechanism available to all private registered education providers (except South Australia) and current, or intending, overseas students under Standard 8 of the National Code.

In South Australia, the Office of the Training Advocate already provides a no cost, independent appeals process for overseas students and will continue to do so, with the Overseas Students Ombudsman referring complaints originating in South Australia to the Office of the Training Advocate.

The Overseas Students Ombudsman's service will be free of charge to both providers and students.

Members registered with ACPET's External Student Appeals Service for international students have previously received communication regarding transition arrangements. Current reviews will be completed. Any new requests will be directed to the Overseas Students Ombudsman.

Members should now review relevant policies, letters, documentation and website content related to appeal mechanisms to incorporate the above changes. Suggested wording from the Overseas Students Ombudsman's website for letters to students is as follows:

If you wish to lodge an external appeal or complain about this decision, you can contact the Overseas Students Ombudsman. The Overseas Students Ombudsman offers a free and independent service for overseas students who have a complaint or want to lodge an external appeal about a decision made by their private education or training provider. See the Overseas Students Ombudsman website www.oso.gov.au or phone 1300 362 072 for more information.