The Australian Institute of Public Safety is an independently funded education provider and receives no government funding. Therefore full tuition fees must be paid for courses studied at the Institute. All tertiary courses offered by the Australian Institute of Public Safety are Youth Allowance/Austudy/FEE-HELP approved.

TUITION FEES

The Institute offers eligible students the option of paying their tuition fees either directly to the Institute (up-front), or via FEE-HELP.

FEE-HELP is the equivalent of CSP (formerly HECS) for students undertaking full-fee paying courses at Universities, TAFEs and private providers. It is an interest-free loan from the Commonwealth Government that assists eligible students to pay their tuition fees.

Eligibility- to be eligible to receive FEE-HELP, students need to be an Australian citizen or the holder of a permanent humanitarian visa and studying in an accredited course at an Institution that has been approved to offer FEE-HELP. Students may be full or part-time.

Students will pay no tuition fees during their course; your FEE-HELP debt will be repaid to the Government via the taxation system once you begin to earn $41,595 per annum (2008/2009 figure).

FEE-HELP loans incur an interest free loan fee of 20% of the total tuition cost; this is also repaid through the Australian Taxation Office. Students only need apply for FEE-HELP once, and they pay no tuition fees during the course.

For more information about FEE-HELP, efer to the Government’s website at www.goingtouni.gov.au



AIPS TUITION FEE PAYMENT OPTIONS

1. Payment directly to the Institute
Fees are paid per enrolled subject prior to the commencement of each trimester.

2. FEE-HELP
The FEE-HELP Application form must be submitted at enrolment or re-enrolment. Students may elect to pay some fees directly to the Institute and some through FEE-HELP.

Tuition Fees - 2009
Tuition fees are calculated per enrolled subject, known as a “unit of study”.
In 2009 tuition fees will cost $840 per unit of study.
Please note that the SEP unit is offered totally free of tuition fees.

The total fees for 2009 for a full-time student studying a degree program and undertaking 12 units during the year and paying fees directly to the Institute will therefore be $10,080, divided into three payments of $3360.
Factoring in CPI increases, tuition fees for a course begun in 2009 and completed in 2010 will cost approximately $20,460.


For those students electing to pay their tuition fees with a FEE-HELP loan, a 20% loan fee applies. Factoring in CPI increases, a course begun in 2009 and completed in 2010 will incur a FEE-HELP debt of approximately $20,460 plus the loan fee of approximately $4092 = $24,552.
For a comparison of payment options (direct payments, a FEE-HELP loan and a bank loan) and total amounts payable for the degree, click here.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Fees are subject to annual CPI increases, and other increases as determined by annual review.


Method of Payment and Fee Payment Dates 2009

Direct Fee Payments
Students who elect to pay their tuition fees directly to the Institute must pay prior to the commencement of each trimester.

Trimester One Payment – The first payment for the year is due at enrolment, which takes place in late January.

The money is paid to and receipted by enrolment staff. This payment can be by cheque or money order, cash, credit card or electronic payments will be also be accepted at enrolment.

Trimester Two Payment - due on the first day of second trimester- this will be in late May.

This payment must be paid at Reception, 400 Queen Street. These payments may be by cheque and money order, cash, credit card or EFT.

Trimester Three Payment - due on the first day of third trimester - this will be in September.

This payment must be paid at Reception, 400 Queen Street. These payments may be by cheque and money order, cash, credit card or EFT.

Payment dates are provided in the Student Diary, in notices handed out at enrolment and on the website. Invoices will be issued as a courtesy, but it is the responsibility of students to know their fee payment dates and arrange their finances accordingly. Late reminder letters are also not sent.

Students who elect to pay fees directly to the Institute must make all required payments in full by the due dates. Individual payment plans will not be entered into. Students who are encountering difficulties meeting payment commitments are advised to change to a FEE-HELP loan.

Unfinancial Students
Students paying fees directly to the Institute are reminded that penalties apply for late payment of fees and charges. At enrolment, student cards are issued, concession forms stamped etc, only after tuition fees have been paid in full.

If tuition fees are not paid by the specified dates, a late fee of $100 will be levied. If fees remain unpaid after one week past the due date, your enrolment will be automatically cancelled. Cancellation means that your enrolment will lapse and you will not be able to continue in the course. If your enrolment has been cancelled for non-payment of fees and you wish to be reinstated to your course, you are required to apply for reinstatement to the Registrar. A reinstatement fee of $100 will apply and must be included with the reinstatement request.

A student who has outstanding library fines in full is also deemed unfinancial. An unfinancial student will not be permitted to access the Institute website or online system, attend classes, have work assessed, sit for examinations, receive a statement of their academic results, have a statement of results made available to any outside body, re-enrol, or defer. If a student has been deemed unfinancial in these situations and any of the above penalties applied, a receipt showing that the outstanding amount has been paid in full must be produced at Student Administration. The student’s financial status will be restored within two working days of production of the receipt.

Students who apply to defer, withdraw from the course or take Leave of Absence must still pay any outstanding fees.

International Students
International students must enrol on a full-time basis and pay upfront per teaching period in advance directly to the Institute. Please refer to the International students section of the website for more information in regard to fees and fee refunds.

FEE-HELP Applications and Debts
Students who apply for FEE-HELP must submit their FEE-HELP application form to the Institute at enrolment. Only one FEE-HELP application need be submitted for the entire course.

Each enrolled unit of study paid for through FEE-HELP is recorded by the Commonwealth Government as a FEE-HELP debt. The debt to be repaid is calculated and the 20% loan fee added as each unit of study is enrolled in. For example, for each unit of study which costs $840 in tuition fees in 2009, a $168 loan fee is added, so the FEE-HELP debt which is incurred for each unit is $1008. This debt is not activated by the Australian Taxation Office until immediately after the census dates. The debt must be repaid once the student begins to earn $41,595 or over per annum (2008/9 figure – this is subject to change).

A student may go from direct fee payments to FEE-HELP and vice versa as they progress through the course, as long as FEE-HELP is applied for by the census date in any trimester. Students may also pay part of the tuition fee for any unit of study up-front to the Institute and request FEE-HELP assistance for the remainder. Census dates in 2009 for the degree programs are 27 February, 19 June and 9 October. FEE-HELP cannot be applied for after these dates.


Other Costs
Students are expected to purchase all prescribed textbooks and reading kits. The cost per teaching period is generally approximately $300.
Students are also required to pay for printing and photocopying, replacement of Student Cards, Transcripts of Results and Diaries, and some Institute functions such as the annual Ball and Graduation ceremony.

Withdrawing, deferring or taking Leave of Absence may incur a financial penalty.

Repeating Subjects
Any unit of study for which a student is re-enrolled because it has been failed, or constitutes a Late Withdrawal or a Dit Not Sit, must be paid for up-front or added to the FEE-HELP debt in order to be repeated.

Double Weighted Subjects
Subjects which are double weighted such as the subject Research, are worth 25 credit points and cost the equivalent of two trimester long subjects ie: $1680.


What do you need to bring to enrolment/how much do you need to pay?
Students paying fees directly to the Institute will need to pay tuition fees for the units of study enrolled in during trimester one. For example, if you are a full-time student studying 4 units in first trimester, your fees for the trimester will be $3360 (4 x $840) Total to pay at enrolment = $3360
This must be paid by cash,money order or EFT or cheque, payable to the Australian Institute of Public Safety.

Students applying for a FEE-HELP loan must submit their completed Request for FEE-HELP Assistance form at enrolment.

Total to pay at enrolment = $0

Fee Refunds
Students are entitled, in certain circumstances, to receive a full or partial refund of fees paid, if they withdraw from one or more subjects, withdraw from the course, defer or take Leave of Absence, as long as timely formal notice is received. In the case of fees paid directly to the Institute, the refund will be actually paid to the student. In the case of FEE-HELP loans, this means that no FEE-HELP debt is incurred. Throughout this section, “refund” also refers to the removal of a FEE-HELP debt.

Withdrawing and suspending studies will incur administrative charges, as outlined below.

• Fee Refunds will be processed when the course or subject has been formally withdrawn from or otherwise discontinued or suspended by completing the relevant form, having this approved.

If a student withdraws from a course after the teaching period commences but on or before the Census Date of that trimester, any fees paid up-front will be refunded, less an administrative fee of $100 per enrolled unit of study.

If a FEE-HELP loan has been applied for, no FEE-HELP debt will be incurred. A withdrawal charge of $100 per enrolled unit of study is payable to the Institute at the time the Withdrawal Form is submitted. If the administrative charge is not paid, the FEE-HELP debt for the enrolled units of study will be incurred.

AFTER THE CENSUS DATE
If a student withdraws from the course after the Census Date of any teaching period, no refund of the relevant teaching period's fees will be paid to students who have paid up-front fees, and a FEE-HELP debt will be incurred by students with a FEE-HELP loan (refer below for the exception to this rule).

Withdrawing From One or More Units

PRIOR TO CENSUS DATE
If a student does not withdraw from the entire course, but withdraws from one or more subjects prior to the Census Date of the relevant teaching period, a refund of fees paid up-front, less a $100 administration charge, applies for each unit of study.

If a FEE-HELP loan has been applied for, no FEE-HELP debt will be incurred for the units withdrawn from. A withdrawal charge of $100 for each unit withdrawn from is payable to the Institute at the time the Withdrawal form is submitted. If the withdrawal charge is not paid, the FEE-HELP debt for the enrolled units of study will be incurred.

AFTER CENSUS DATE
If a student withdraws from one or more subjects after the Census Date of any teaching period, no refund of the relevant units fees will be paid to students who have paid up-front fees, and a FEE-HELP debt will be incurred by students with a FEE-HELP loan (refer below for the exception to this rule).

Deferment and Leave of Absence
The same refund policies apply to students deferring from the course and taking Leave of Absence as to students withdrawing from the course. Please note, however, that students may only defer up until the census date in any teaching period.

Refunds after Census Dates
Special Circumstances Exception
Students who take Leave of Absence or withdraw from an enrolled unit or the course after the Census Date in any teaching period will incur a FEE-HELP debt for those units and/or are not entitled to any fee refund, unless special circumstances apply, in which case the Institute will remove the FEE-HELP debt for the enrolled subjects and/or refund the fees paid upfront.

If granted, withdrawal charge of $100 per unit of study withdrawn from is payable. This will either be deducted from the refund payment for students paying up-front fees or charged at the time the decision is made for student with FEE-HELP loans.

Special Circumstances (as outlined in the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (Cth)) must be circumstances that are:
1. Beyond the student’s control; AND
2. Do not make their full impact on the student until on or after the census date for the unit of study in question; AND
3. Make it impracticable for the student to complete the requirements for the unit of study during the period which the student undertook the unit.

Each application will be considered on its merits, but must satisfy all three of the above criteria. Please note that only in exceptional circumstances would a student’s FEE-HELP balance be re-credited or a refund issued in this way.

An application to have a FEE-HELP balance re-credited or a refund paid must be:
• Made only when the student believes that Special Circumstances apply;
• Made in writing on the prescribed form and submitted to the Registrar;
• Received within 12 months of the withdrawing from the subject or course or taking Leave of Absence;
• Accompanied by independent supporting documentary evidence which substantiates the claims.

The applicant will be notified in writing of the Registrar’s decision within 45 days of receipt of the application. If granted, the student’s FEE-HELP balance will be re-credited or a refund issued for the subjects withdrawn from.

In the event that the applicant is not satisfied with the decision of the Registrar, they may seek review of the decision by applying in writing to the General Manager. This application for a review must:
• Be received by the General Manager within 28 days of receiving notice of the original decision; and
• State the reasons why they are applying for a review.

The General Manager will review the decision and inform the applicant in writing of the decision and the reasons for the decision within 45 days of receipt of the request for a review.

If an applicant is not satisfied by the decision of the reviewer, they have the right to apply to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for a review of the decision.

For a complete version of the Fee Refund Policy, refer to the Policies page of this website.

Tuition and Course Assurance
The Australian Institute of Public Safety is obliged, under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (Cth) to provide tuition assurance.
This is to ensure that, should the Institute cease to be able to provide a course of study, any student enrolled in that course of study at the Institute will be able to:
(i) enrol in a similar course with another higher education provider and receive full recognition by that other provider for any successfully completed units of study undertaken as part of the course of study with the Institute; and
(ii) either receive a payment equivalent to any of the student's contribution or tuition fee that has been paid for a unit of study in that course with the Institute that the person has not completed because the Institute ceased to be able to provide the course or have the unused portion of funds paid for such incomplete units of study transferred (with the student’s agreement) to the to the new provider with whom they enrol.

In order to meet this obligation, the Institute retains membership of a Tuition Assurance Scheme, the Australian Student Tuition Assurance Scheme (ASTAS), approved by the Commonwealth Minister of Education. This scheme is operated by the Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET). ACPET is a national body which represents the interests of private education providers. For more detailed information about ACPET and this tuition assurance scheme, please refer to the ACPET website at www.acpet.edu.au. The Australian Institute of Public Safety has Type C membership of the ASTAS. Type C coverage applies to providers with Higher Education Provider Status under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (Cth).

Course assurance for recognition of successfully completed units of study
The ASTAS undertakes that, should the Institute cease to be able to provide a course of study, it will arrange for students in that course of study to be able to enrol in a similar course offered by another higher education provider, with full credit for the units of study completed and leading to the same or a comparable qualification, except where the course of study contains components of such a specialised nature that full credit transfer cannot be arranged; in this case the TAS undertakes to arrange an alternative course of study with as much credit as possible for the units of study completed.

Contribution or Tuition Fee Repayment
In the event that the Australian Institute of Public Safety ceases to be able to provide a course of study, the TAS guarantees to either refund the student contribution or tuition fee for any incomplete units of study or that the funds paid for such incomplete units of study would be transferred (with the student’s agreement) to the to the new provider with whom they enrol.

Please note that in the event that the tuition assurance arrangements were needed, the new tertiary education provider may have a different student contribution or tuition fee for the course of study, so that the amount a student might be required to pay may vary.

Please note also that students are not obliged to enrol in the course in which they are offered enrolment under the course assurance arrangement, but if they enrol with a different provider there is no obligation on that provider to offer full credit transfer for the units of study completed.