VET Student Guide 2009
Vocational Education and Training Student Guide 2009
Fees
- What fees do I need to pay?
- NT residents - Tuition fees for courses subsidised by the NT Government (Table 1)
- Applying for exemption from tuition fees
- Tuition fees exemption (Table 2)
- Remote area 2 (Table 3)
- Fees for domestic students NOT in an NT Government-subsidised place (full fees) (Table 4)
- Teaching periods (Table 5)
- When do I pay my fees?
- How do I pay my fees?
- What happens if I do not pay my fees?
- Refunds
- Fee-for-service fees
What fees do I need to pay?
Students undertaking vocational education and training (VET) courses at Charles Darwin University (CDU) usually are charged a fee. The amount depends on the student’s details and what is being studied. Domestic and international students pay different fees. A person enrolling for study is considered a domestic student if they are:
- Australian citizens, or
- Permanent Australian residents, or
- New Zealand citizens who have lived in Australia permanently for a minimum of six months immediately before undertaking a VET course.
Domestic students living in the Northern Territory are eligible to apply for enrolment in NT Government-subsidised places. Students enrolling in NT Government-subsidised places may be charged tuition fees. Domestic students who are not Northern Territory residents and are starting a course in 2009 are not eligible for NT Government-subsidised places and are charged full fees.
Some courses and places for VET study are not subsidised by the NT Government. Domestic students enrolling for study in these courses will be charged full fees regardless of residency.
International students are not domestic students. International students are charged fees at different rates to domestic students, and are not normally eligible for NT Government-subsidised places.
NT residents - Tuition fees for courses subsidised by the NT Government (Table 1)
| Courses subsidised by the NT Government | $2.00 per nominal hour |
| Enrolled secondary school students (this includes secondary school students who are not Australian citizens or permanent residents) | Exempt |
| Flexible Response Funded and Community Response Funded students | Exempt |
| Students who at the time of enrolment receive an eligible Commonwealth benefit (see table 2) | Exempt |
| Remote Area 2 students (see table 3) | Exempt |
| Students who at the time of enrolment are prisoners | Exempt |
| Permanent residents with refugee or humanitarian status | Exempt |
Applying for exemption from tuition fees
A certified copy of your current Centrelink or Veterans' Affairs card must support your application for fee exemption. If the card displays the code 'LI' you must supply a copy of a letter from Centrelink verifying that you receive a Centrelink benefit (e.g. payment letter). Permanent residents with refugee or humanitarian status must supply a certified copy of their visa or passport with their application.
Note: If your Application for Exemption from VET Tuition Fees form is not submitted at the same time as your 2009 VET Enrolment form, the exemption will apply from the start of the teaching period in which the Application for Exemption from VET Tuition Fees form is submitted.
Tuition fees exemption (Table 2)
At the time of enrolment, students receiving any of the following benefits from the Australian Government may be exempted from VET tuition fees in NT Government-subsidised courses (evidence at the time of enrolment is required):
- Additional Family Payment
- Age Pension
- Carer’s Pension
- CDEP/Work for the Dole
- Disability Support Pension
- Mature Age Allowance
- Newstart
- Parenting Payment Single
- Partner/Parenting Allowance
- Rural Adjustment Scheme
- Sickness Allowance
- Special Benefit
- Veteran Affairs Service Pension (Age and Invalid)
- Widows Pension
- Youth Allowance
At the time of enrolment, students who hold either of the following permanent resident visas may be exempted from VET tuition fees in Government-subsidised courses (evidence at the time of enrolment is required):
- Permanent Resident Visa (Humanitarian status)
- Permanent Resident Visa (Refugee)
Secondary school students
At the time of enrolment, secondary school students will receive tuition fee exemption by providing details of their secondary school on the enrolment form by indicating that their results are to be reported to their secondary school.
Remote area 2 (Table 3)
If you are living in the Northern Territory and your course is conducted in the NT more than 50km away from the towns listed below, you may seek an exemption from tuition fees as a remote area 2 student:
- Alice Springs
- Batchelor
- Darwin
- Jabiru
- Katherine
- Nhulunbuy
- Palmerston
- Tennant Creek
Fees for domestic students NOT in an NT Government-subsidised place (full fees) (Table 4)
Domestic students may enrol in VET courses that are not subsidised by the NT Government. Enrolment in these courses will attract full fees, and fee exemption is not considered. This occurs typically in the following instances:
- The VET course is not subsidised by the NT Government
- Student demand has exceeded the number of subsidised places so only non-subsidised places may be available; or
- The student is not an NT resident.
Full-fee rate by industry group
| Industry group | Full-fee rate | |
| 1 | Arts, Entertainment, Sports and Recreation |
$9.45 |
| 2 | Automotive | $12.60 |
| 3 | Building and Construction | $12.60 |
| 4 | Community Services, Health and Education | $9.45 |
| 5 | Finance, Banking and Insurance |
$8.40 |
| 6 | Food Processing | $14.70 |
| 7 | Textiles, Clothing, Footwear and Furnishings | $9.45 |
| 9 | Engineering and Mining | $11.55 |
| 10 | Primary Industry | $8.93 |
| 12 | Sales and Personal Services | $10.50 |
| 13 | Tourism and Hospitality | $8.40 |
| 14 | Transport and Storage | $9.45 |
| 15 | Utilities | $9.45 |
| 16 | Business and Clerical | $7.35 |
| 17 | Computing | $8.40 |
| 18 | Science, Technology and Other | $8.40 |
| 19 | General Education and Training | $9.45 |
| 21 | Exceptions - Cookery | $10.50 |
Note: Some courses do not fit under the industry groups listed. The full fee rate for such courses is charged a Miscellaneous course fee at $12 per nominal hour per unit.
RPL fees
For NT Government-subsidised courses, the RPL fee will be identical to the VET tuition fee. For domestic students in nonsubsidised courses, the RPL fee will be based on a full cost recovery basis, with a minimum set fee of $5 per nominal hour. The maximum fee payable will be equal to the full fee rate for the specific industry group to which the course belongs (see Table 4). For international students, the cost of RPL is covered by the international fee for the particular course.
International students
International students enrolling in VET courses are charged course-dependent fees.
Course fees are listed on the university’s International website.
Teaching periods (Table 5)
| 1 | 1 January - 31 March | 3 | 1 July - 31 September |
| 2 | 1 April - 30 June | 4 | 1 October - 31 December |
When do I pay my fees?
All fees are payable 14 days from the invoice date on your Enrolment and Fees Advice - Invoice. The Enrolment and Fees Advice - Invoice serves as an invoice for the purpose of fees owing. For example, on enrolment, you will have 14 days to pay from the date of the invoice. If you fail to pay, a final notice will be issued on day 15. If you change your enrolment, you will have 14 days to pay from the date of the invoice reflecting the change. If you fail to pay, a final notice will be issued on day 15. If you are enrolled in the first teaching period (regardless of changes to the first teaching period units) and if you have not paid, a final notice will be issued on 14 April 2009 (14 days after the end of the teaching period).
For any questions, please contact your customer services officer.
How do I pay my fees?
Your Enrolment and Fees Advice - Invoice is notification of fees owing, together with confirmation of your enrolment. Normally, the university does not issue any other invoice unless specifically requested by a third party/sponsor. Details of how payment can be made are printed on the reverse of the Enrolment and Fees Advice - Invoice.
For any questions, please contact your customer services officer.
Methods of payment
Fees can be paid in various ways, depending on the type of enrolment undertaken. Payments can be made by:
- Online: Online payment can be made at https://payonline.cdu.edu.au/
- BPay: A BPay number and customer reference number are printed on the Enrolment and Fees Advice - Invoice. You may use the telephone or the internet to contact your financial institution.
- Payments in person: Cash, cheque, money order or credit card are accepted at the cashier’s office located on the ground floor of Orange 1, Casuarina campus, the Administration Office on Palmerston campus and Grevillea building on Alice Springs campus. EFTPOS facilities are available at Casuarina, Palmerston, Alice Springs, Katherine and Nhulunbuy campuses and regional centres.
- Cheque and money order payments by mail should be directed to the cashier and should be accompanied by a copy of the appropriate Enrolment and Fees Advice - Invoice. You should include a contact number where you can be reached during business hours. Do not send cash through the post.
- Instalment payments can be made where financial difficulty is encountered and an Instalment Agreement Plan has been arranged – there are some restrictions and/or conditions. Fees must be more than $100 to enter into an Instalment Agreement Plan.
The Enrolment and Fees Advice - Invoice serves as an invoice for the purpose of notification of fees owing. An Enrolment and Fees Advice - Invoice will be sent to you after your enrolment has been processed, unless otherwise specified. The Enrolment and Fees Advice - Invoice should be checked thoroughly for accuracy. If you posted your completed enrolment form to the university and have not received your Enrolment and Fees Advice - Invoice within four weeks of posting, or if you have any queries regarding your Enrolment and Fees Advice - Invoice, contact your team customer service officer for assistance. It is the student’s responsibility to advise the university in writing of any change of address. Non-receipt of an invoice due to relocation does not reduce a student’s responsibility for fees owing.
Regional locations:
Jabiru, Katherine, Katherine campus - (Rural Studies) and Tennant Creek: Payment can be made at these CDU centres, but most centres do not have credit card facilities available. Students can make payments by contacting the university cashier by phone or using BPay.
Nhulunbuy
Payment can be made at this campus and credit card facilities are available. Cashier hours are: 8.30am - 4pm, Monday to Friday.
Payment by instalment
CDU has available an Instalment Agreement Plan for students who wish to pay their fees over a specified period.
- The Instalment Agreement Plan is available to students with a total semester/half-yearly debt of $100 or more.
- Students will, in the first instance, contact the Information Centre at either Casuarina or Alice Springs campus, or any CDU centre to enter into a formal agreement.
- A delegated university officer will need to confirm that the student meets the agreement criteria and to determine the specifics of the contract, i.e. amounts to pay and dates of payments.
- Once the agreement has been completed and signed, a copy of the Agreement will be forwarded to Finance and Asset Services which will monitor the student’s payments.
- Payments can be made either fortnightly or monthly (four payments only on agreement), as long as the student’s study period is longer than four weeks.
- Students must make an up-front payment (the first instalment) on signing the contract, which will be a minimum of 25 per cent of the total fee due.
- The date of payment for the last instalment will be on or before the student’s last class date.
- Under the terms of the agreement, should a change of enrolment occur after the agreement has been signed and which affects the amount of debt payable, an adjustment to the final instalment will be made.
- The agreement is a legally binding contract, which begins when the student signs the agreement and makes the first payment.
- Students who have entered into this agreement will not receive reminder/final notices, unless they fail to meet the terms of the agreement.
- Students who fail to pay an instalment by the agreed due date will receive a notice giving them seven days to pay the instalment amount or the full amount of the debt will become due and payable and will be placed with the university’s debt collection agency.
- Finance and Asset Services staff will be responsible for monitoring the student’s payment and any further action, if necessary.
- Instalment Plan Agreement forms are available at all campuses and centres.
- Students cannot enter into an Instalment Plan Agreement after debt collection action has begun. If debt collection has started, instalment agreements are to be organised through the finance section of the university.
CentrePay deductions
CentrePay deductions are an option for those students who receive Centrelink benefits and whose fees are $100 or more and are utilising the Instalment Plan Agreement.
Cashier details
A university cashier is located at any Information Centre or CDU centre. This is where you pay your fees and any other money you owe the university.
Cashier hours:
| Casuarina campus (ground floor Orange 1) | |
| Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: | 8:30am - 4pm |
| Wednesday: | 8:30am - 6pm |
| Friday: | 8.30am - 3pm |
| Alice Springs campus (Grevillea building) | |
| Monday to Friday: | 8.30am - 4pm |
| Palmerston campus (1st floor building A) | |
| Monday to Friday: | 8.30am - 3.30pm |
What happens if I do not pay my fees?
Upon receipt of an Enrolment and Fees Advice - Invoice you should immediately check the accuracy of the information contained in this document and read the instructions on the reverse side. Penalties apply for non-payment of fees by the due date.
The relevant sections of Charles Darwin University Fees and Charges By-laws for non-payment of fees are set out below.
Charles Darwin University Fees and Charges By-Laws 5(1)
5(1) Where there is an unpaid liability in respect of a student, the Vice-Chancellor may, by notice in writing to the student, do one or more of the following:
(a) Withhold an examination or assessment result of the student.
(b) Cancel the enrolment of the student in a course, unit or module.
(c) Suspend or prevent the student from attending a specified teaching or research activity of the university.
(d) Suspend or prevent the student from using a specified university facility, including a residential facility.
(e) Prevent the student from enrolling in a course, unit or module.
(f) Withhold from the student a degree or other award relating to a course of the university.
(g) Prevent the student from participating in a particular activity of any description to which the unpaid liability relates.
Debt collection costs
The penalty for non-payment of fees is:
- The costs of debt collection in relation to the non-payment of fees will be charged to and are payable by the student
- For 2009 the debt collection fee is $30 plus any legal costs incurred.
Refunds
If you withdraw from units you have attended, you will not be refunded the whole amount, except where the need for a refund was caused by an action of the university. If you consider you have a case for the whole refund you should contact the university in writing (attention: Director VET).
Refunds of amounts that total less than $30 will be paid in cash if no further study is being undertaken. If further study is being undertaken, no payment shall be made but a credit will be carried forward.
Refunds are not automatic. All students must apply for a refund. An application for a refund can be made by completing a GEN107 Request for Student Refund form or indicating a refund is requested on a VET102 Change of Enrolment/Complete Cancellation form or in writing, and must be submitted to the cashier.
Your application will be considered and, subject to approval, Finance and Asset Services will process the refund and either post a cheque to you or a third party who has paid your fees. It is essential, therefore, that you advise the university of your current postal address.
For any questions, please contact your customer services officer.
Fee-for-service fees
There are courses where the clients advise the university they wish to have one unit or more delivered in a particular way and at a time and location of their choice. These clients are also enrolled in at least one unit that is attached to a particular course.
Both the university and the clients agree on a certain price to deliver the program. The cost of the delivery of training can vary greatly as it is driven mainly by staffing costs, materials, and delivery costs such as travel to and from the point of proposed delivery.
Clients withdrawing from these courses will not receive a refund once they have participated. A refund may apply if the student’s request for withdrawal is submitted within 14 days of the start of the unit and the student has not participated. Where students attend a short course payment of fees are requested before the start of the course.
For any questions, please contact your customer services officer.