PURPOSE

This policy outlines Global Leadership Institute’s (GLI) student admission principles and processes.

SCOPE

All courses

PRINCIPLES

GLI aims to ensure that students are appropriately prepared for their chosen course by:

• considering applicants regardless of gender, race, national origin, marital status, or disability;
• ensuring GLI is compliant under all relevant state and federal legislation, including the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 (National Code) and Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (ESOS Act);
• ensuring that international students satisfy Genuine Student requirement in accordance with Department of Home Affairs regulations;
• publishing on the GLI website clear and accurate information for accredited courses, including: admissions criteria; alternative pathways; applicant identification processes; tuition and other costs; and rights and obligations prior to application and payment of fees;
• considering applicants on educational, professional experience, or disadvantage grounds;
• ensuring admission decisions are fair, transparent, ethical, timely, and consistent across all delivery sites and modes through an online application form processed by the Admissions Team and approved by the Registrar;
• ensuring admission decisions are based on professional judgement of academic preparation, ability, and English language proficiency for successful student participation, progression, and completion of intended studies;
• ensuring applicants are properly identified, usually through sighting of original birth certificate or passport (or certified copies);
• ensuring original academic award documents (or certified copies) are sighted. It is a condition of application that the applicant must provide permission for GLI to verify with the issuing institution the academic qualifications and/or transcript(s) of academic record presented by the applicant;
• ensuring evidence of the necessary academic preparation and proficiency in English required;
• ensuring applicants are properly identified, usually through sighting of original birth certificate or passport (or certified copies);
• sighting original academic award documents (or certified copies) and, where relevant, curriculum vitae, character references, and/or employers’ testimonials;
• ensuring the relevant Program Director or delegated representative is satisfied that the applicant has appropriate professional experience if required;
• ensuring overseas qualifications are comparable to admissions criteria in the relevant course for the year of entry;
• facilitating credit or recognition of prior learning where relevant.

Applicants who provide false or misleading information on their application for admission, or who withhold information relevant to their application for admission to a course, may have their application for admission cancelled or, where an offer of admission has been made, have their offer of admission withdrawn.

DEFINITIONS

Attendance: The National Code defines scheduled course contact hours as: “The hours for which students enrolled in the course are scheduled to attend class, course related information sessions, supervised study sessions, mandatory and supervised work-based training and examinations.” Course contact hours and attendance requirements are communicated to students via GLI’s Learning Management System in individual unit outlines.

Online learning: The National Code defines online learning as “primarily through digital means and does not require the student to attend scheduled classes or maintain contact hours”.

Offshore student: An offshore student is a student that who is studying at an overseas location and not at an Australian campus or at an Australian address.

International student: a student who is not an Australian or New Zealand citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or holder of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa. An international student holds an Australian student visa, whether they are within or outside of Australia.

PRISMS: Provider Registration and International Student Management System.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

An applicant is qualified for admission to an GLI course if they:

• have access to computer and internet facilities to view the unit content, undertake research, and submit assessments. Applicants are advised before admission that computer and internet literacy and access are essential skills;
• satisfy all requirements as prescribed in the accredited course or satisfy the requirements for an alternative pathway and/or hold a qualification approved by the Program Director or delegated representative to be equivalent to the entrance requirements.
• pass the Admissions Interview (face-to-face or via video conferencing) required for international students and/or alternative entry applicants to ensure suitability for the specified course;
• comply with all GLI policies related to current and prospective students and comply with conditions placed on admission and enrolment;
• pay all relevant fees by the specified due date;
• for international students on a visa, comply with the conditions of their visa.

Applicants who do not meet minimum entry requirements for admission may be considered for admission to single units or participate in an entry-pathway program admission.

ALTERNATIVE ENTRY

Admission criteria may be reconsidered on educational disadvantage grounds if the applicant meets one or more of the following criteria:

• carer responsibilities;
• financial hardship;
• language and/or learning difficulties;
• disrupted schooling;
• regional or remote disadvantage;
• long-term medical condition/disability or ongoing effects of abuse;
• First Nations Peoples descent where the normal entry path has not been followed.

For alternative entry applicants based on educational disadvantage grounds there are several pathways, including:

• prior educational experience e.g. awards, certificates, and other evidence;
• evidence of a Special Tertiary Admissions Test for First Nations Peoples;
• provisional entry i.e. the student must successfully complete the first four core units.

PROFESSIONAL ENTRY

Applications based on professional entry must meet the requirements stipulated in the accredited course admission criteria. This is supported by a current curriculum vitae that summarises education and work history, a statement from at least one employer that describes the scope of professional experience, and a statement of 500 words that outlines the reasons for enrolling in the course. Professional entry applications are evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the relevant Program Director or delegated representative. An applicant in this category may be placed on provisional entry for the first semester.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR HIGHER DEGREE RESEARCH

The Higher Degree Research (HDR) Program Director evaluates all HDR applications, including the applicant’s academic qualifications, research preparedness, research proposal, and alignment with GLI’s research strengths. Admission is competitive and meeting the course admission criteria alone does not guarantee an offer. The Program Director considers the applicant’s merit as well as the availability of supervision and resources for the topic.

ADMISSIONS INTERVIEW

An Admissions Interview (face-to-face or via video conferencing) is required for all alternative pathway applications, as well as onshore and offshore international student applicants regardless of IELTS score or equivalent. This interview is between the Registrar, relevant Program Director (or delegate), and applicant. The interview is to ascertain the applicant’s suitability for the specified course.

STUDY LOAD AND ATTENDANCE

A normal full-time study load is four units, or 40 credit points, per semester (80 credit points per year). International students on student visas must maintain a full-time study load. Commencing international students should undertake four units in their first semester. The ESOS Act also stipulates that international students may complete up to one-third of their course via online learning.

Any variations to study load must be approved by the Program Director and adhere to the Change in Course or Unit Enrolment Policy.

AUDIT STUDENTS

• are not required to satisfy any entry requirements before enrolling;
• are not enrolled in an accredited course;
• are enrolled on the student management system by the Registrar;
• may enrol in more than one unit in any study period;
• do not complete assessment tasks;
• are not awarded credit points;
• receive an ‘AU’ notation on the student management system, which then appears on the student’s Record of Results distributed at the end of the study period;
• incur audit fees;
• do not have access to GLI’s library and information resources.

MICRO-CREDENTIALS

Micro-credential students:

• are required to satisfy entry requirements before enrolling;
• are not enrolled in an accredited course;
• are enrolled on the student management system by the Registrar;
• may enrol in more than one module in any study period;
• complete assessment tasks;
• are awarded credit points;
• receive verification of completion via metadata on digital certification such as a badge or other means;
• incur micro-credential fees;
• have access to GLI’s library and information resources.

PROCEDURES

ADMISSION PROCEDURE

Step One:

• applicant first submits the GLI Application Form for the course;
• processes for establishing applicant identification are published as part of the application process;
• applicant must provide permission for GLI to verify the academic qualifications and/or transcript(s) of academic record presented by the applicant with the issuing institution (except where GLI has issued qualification and/or transcript).

Step Two:

• The Registrar or delegated representative ensures mandatory sighting of original documents (or certified copies in some cases);
• for an overseas applicant the age will be checked against the applicant’s passport;
• for an onshore or offshore International Student applicant, the compulsory admissions interview is conducted and the results documented in the applicant’s record;
• admissions processes ensure satisfactory fulfilment of academic and other essential admissions requirements for the course as stipulated in the accreditation documents;
• if an applicant satisfactorily meets the above criteria and provides the relevant documents, they are sent a Conditional Offer.

Step Three:

• after meeting Conditional Offer requirements, an applicant is then offered an Unconditional Letter of Offer;
• to accept the offer, an applicant must complete and sign the Unconditional Letter of Offer, then return it together with payment for the fees due in advance (if required);
• on receipt of a written offer of admission to a course, an applicant must follow the instructions on the written offer and: accept or decline the offer;
• an applicant should refer to the Fee Refund Policy before signing an acceptance of offer.

Step Four:

• When a student has successfully met the admission requirements and signed the Unconditional Letter of Offer, the student is admitted;
• For international applicants, GLI will enrol the applicant on PRISMS, and issue a CoE letter, which is needed to apply for an Australian student visa.

The admission process is deemed completed when an applicant has accepted an offer of admission, signed a Student Agreement, and enrolled in units.

GLI reserves the right to withdraw an offer of admission or cancel the enrolment of an applicant where an offer is made in error or is made based on incomplete, inaccurate, fraudulent, or misleading information supplied by the applicant or certifying authority. In such cases, fees paid may be forfeited.

ADDITIONAL ADMISSION PROCEDURE FOR HIGHER DEGREE RESEARCH

1. Prospective inquiry: The applicant contacts a potential principal supervisor to discuss the proposed research area and assess its suitability.
2. Expression of Interest: In consultation with a potential principal supervisor, the applicant completes the Expression of Interest Form.
3. Submission of application: The applicant submits the GLI Application Form and Expression of Interest Form. International applicants also supply evidence of English proficiency and any additional information needed for visa compliance.
4. Application review: the HDR Program Director reviews the application and interviews the applicant. The HDR Program Director decides based on the suitability of the research, the applicant’s research capability, and availability of supervisors and resources. This may involve additional interviews or further correspondence with the applicant to clarify aspects of the proposed research. All decisions consider the applicant’s merit as well as the availability of supervision and resources for the project. Meeting the minimum admission criteria alone does not guarantee an offer. Admission is competitive and subject to the considerations noted in this policy.
5. Recommendation and decision: After review, the HDR Program Director or delegated representative makes a final decision on the application.
6. Provisional candidature: Upon enrolment, the candidate’s provisional candidature begins. A principal supervisor (and co-supervisor) is formally appointed if not already assigned at the time of offer.

REVIEWING OVERSEAS QUALIFICATIONS

Where necessary, GLI verifies the authenticity and Australian equivalence of overseas qualifications through Australian Education International (AEI) within the Department of Education. These are appraised under a twofold procedure:

1. Referral to AEI directories or officers for advice is the starting point for all applications for student admission that are predicated on overseas qualifications.
2. Where information or advice from AEI is either insufficient or unobtainable in relation to the relevant qualification(s), such applications are eligible for consideration under alternative pathways by the relevant Program Director.

ADMISSION REFUSAL

GLI may refuse admission, even if the applicant has met the entry requirements, if the applicant has:

• been deemed unlikely to cope academically;
• outstanding fees with the Institute;
• been excluded from another educational institute;
• displayed conduct (including criminal activity or ethical misconduct) that would provide reasonable grounds to exclude the applicant.

Applicants who have met the entry requirements, but have been excluded from any other educational institution, will need to demonstrate that circumstances have changed such that they are likely to succeed in the course. The Registrar will send a letter to the applicant advising the grounds for refusal of admission to Global Leadership Institute and advise of alternative pathway options.

APPEAL

If an applicant wishes to appeal the decision regarding their admission, they should refer to the Student Grievance and Appeals Policy.

DEFERRAL

All deferral requests must be based on compelling or compassionate grounds and will be assessed by GLI according to the Changes to Course or Unit Enrolment Policy. After that time, the offer may be withdrawn. International students shall be advised that deferral of their enrolment may affect their visa. Students must request a deferral of the commencement of their course prior to the course commencing by completing a Deferral of Studies Form.

International students should be aware that deferring, suspending, or cancelling enrolment on any grounds may affect their visa.

INTERNAL COURSE TRANSFER

For an internal transfer of course, a student must complete the Internal Course Transfer Form, including evidence of meeting the admission criteria for the course. If approved by the Registrar, a new Offer Letter is sent to the student. Once signed and returned by the student, the transfer is confirmed in writing by the Registrar. Any credit transfer will be assessed as per the Cross Credit and Recognition of Prior Learning Policy.

For international students (temporary entrants), the CoE certificate for the original course is cancelled and a new CoE certificate is issued by the Registrar once the student has returned a signed copy of the new Offer Letter and made any outstanding payments. Students are advised to contact the Department of Home Affairs to make any necessary changes to their student visa.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT INFORMATION

Applications for admission from international students must be in English. Students should ensure that academic transcripts and all other supporting documentation have been certified as true copies and translated into English by a qualified translator. International students will need to pay an application fee.

International students must maintain Overseas Student Health Cover for the student and any of their family dependents accompanying to Australia for the duration of their studies.

English Language Proficiency Assessment

International applicants must satisfy the Department of Home Affairs English language and other requirements for visa applications. An assessment of English Language Proficiency must be undertaken before an international student is accepted. Staff assessing English Language Proficiency must check submitted documentation to ascertain if an international student meets English language requirements in one or more of the following ways:

• English is their first language;
• English was their language of instruction in their secondary and/or previously completed tertiary studies;
• satisfactory level of performance was achieved in an English language unit at Year 12 or equivalent.