PURPOSE
This policy details when, how and in what amount Global Leadership Institute (GLI) will refund tuition and other fees.
PRINCIPLES
GLI’s principles regarding fee refunds includes:
- complying with all regulatory and legislative requirements;
- ensuring students understand when, how, and in what amount their fees will be refunded by GLI;
- ensuring that fair, equitable, and transparent policies are in place regarding payment of any monies to GLI.
DEFINITIONS
Census date is the date when a student’s enrolment is finalised. If a student withdraws after census date they must pay fees.
Domestic student means a student who is one of the following:
- Australian citizen (including Australian citizens with dual citizenship) or
- New Zealand citizen or
- permanent humanitarian visa holder or
- holder of a permanent visa other than a permanent humanitarian visa.
- Enrolment period means a semester or session where appropriate.
- Fees includes all fees, fines, and charges payable as specified in fee schedules.
International student means a student who is:
- studying in Australia for an Australian High Education Qualification at a register provider;
- who is not an Australian Citizen or Australian permanent citizen of a New Zealand Citizen; and
- may or will hold an Australian student visa whilst studying in Australia with an overseas student visa.
- Prospective student is generally a person who is thinking about lodging an application to study a particular course.
- Student Offer Letter is the offer of a place in a course to a successful applicant.
- Tuition Fee is the fee for enrolment in a course determined by GLI, and advised in the Letter of Offer, as being the tuition fees for the course (per semester).
- Unit is a discrete unit of study, where a combination of units makes up a course.
- Withdrawal is a formal procedure where a student decides to discontinue a course without the intention of returning or discontinues a unit with the intention of enrolling in it later.
NON-REFUNDABLE FEES AND CHARGES
This table lists those administrative and miscellaneous fees and charges that are non-refundable. These are charged separately to tuition fees. Amounts payable are available on GLI’s website.
Non-refundable fees and charges
- Domestic student enrolment (including articulation)
- International/overseas application
- RPL assessment per unit (when no application for admission has been received)
- Credit transfer per unit
- Credit transfer per unit after census date
- RPL assessment per unit after census date
- Late payment
- Student ID card or replacement
- Printing charges
- Interim unofficial transcript
- Official transcript replacement
- Testamur replacement
- Reinstatement of enrolment
- Late withdrawal
- Graduation gown hire
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITY
The President is responsible to ensure that the fee schedule is regularly reviewed and updated across all departments in the Institute.
The Registrar or delegated authority is responsible to ensure that accurate information is provided to students and on the marketing material.
Current and prospective students are responsible to ensure that they read and understand the fees and schedules provided during the time of enrolment.
Scope
All current and prospective students
Key Stakeholder
All current and prospective students
Proceedure
Students must pay any prescribed fees by the due date. Failure to do so may result in cancellation of enrolment.
Students of GLI who wish to withdraw from a unit or course must do so in writing using the ‘Course Withdrawal and Refund Form’ which is available from GLI staff or the GLI website. GLI has a non-refundable fee component which is reflected on its registration form at the time of enrolment and is clearly defined and identified in the student written agreement.
Where GLI deems a student is in default GLI will issue a written notice of intention to cancel the student’s enrolment. The notice will include reasons and will inform the student of their right to appeal.
PAYMENT OF REFUNDS BY GLI
In the event of a student withdrawing from a unit on or before the census date for that unit, GLI will refund 100% of tuition fees paid for that unit, within 28 days of the census date of the unit to which the withdrawal applies.
In the event of a student withdrawing from a unit after census date for that unit, no refund is applicable.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES
A refund may be granted to a student who makes changes to, or withdraws from a unit, after the census date provided evidence is supplied that the student had ceased attendance by the census date and was unable to notify GLI for reasons beyond his or her control.
An application for a refund after census date will only be considered where GLI is satisfied that the circumstances were:
- beyond the student’s control; and
- did not make their full impact on the student until on or after the census date; and
- such that it made it impracticable for the student to complete the units(s) requirements.
GLI will be satisfied that a student’s circumstances are beyond the student’s control if a situation occurs that a reasonable person would consider is not due to the person’s action or inaction, either direct or indirect, and for which the student is not responsible. The situation must be unusual, uncommon or abnormal.
Each application is examined and determined on its merits by considering a student’s claim together with independent supporting documentation substantiating the claim.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT REFUNDS
For international students, the non-refundable tuition fee component and application fee are non-refundable. An international student will receive a refund of tuition fees in full where:
- the student’s visa application is refused; or
- the student is unable to commence their course because of a serious and prolonged illness, disability, or death of an immediate family member; or
- the offer of a place is withdrawn by GLI; or
- the course which was applied for ceases to be offered by GLI.
An international student who defaults is not eligible to a refund of tuition or other fees. A student defaults when the student has:
- supplied fraudulent, forged or deliberately misleading information and/or documentation to GLI; or
- had their enrolment cancelled due to either academic or behavioural misconduct during the semester in which the misconduct occurred; or
- failed to notify their request for refund within 90 days of the end of the semester in which the tuition fee was applicable; or
- had their Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) cancelled due to non-commencement of studies, lack of academic progress, failure to attend the required classes or other reasons within the student’s control; or
- submitted the request for withdrawal from unit(s) after the census date.
When a student is enrolled in a package course and has not yet commenced their principal course, a refund will not be available on any deposit or advance payment of tuition fees for their principal course.
Refund Schedule
If the international student is eligible for a refund and withdraws prior to the commencement of a course, the following refund schedule applies if the request for withdrawal is received:
- 28 days or more before the commencement of the course, 90% of pre-paid tuition fees will be refunded;
- less than 28 days before the commencement of the course, 75% of pre-paid tuition fees will be refunded.
- An international student is eligible for a refund and withdraws after the commencement of a course, the following refund schedule applies if the request for withdrawal is received:
- prior to the census date of the course, 50% of pre-paid tuition fees will be refunded;
- after the census date of the course, 0% of pre-paid tuition fees will be refunded.
Package Courses
For a package course, the initial course may be offered by the business partner, but the principal course must be with GLI. International students taking package courses are required to pay the first semester’s fees for both the initial course and the principal course of their package.
For package courses the refund of fees for the principal course (which must be with GLI) will be governed by this refund policy.
Refund of Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
A student may apply for a refund of the paid but unexpired portion of their OSHC premium where the student:
- paid their OSHC premium but did not come to Australia;
- could not/did not extend their student visa;
- returned to their home country before the end of their approved stay for reasons beyond their control;
- has completed their studies at the GLI and are returning home; or
- has been granted Permanent Resident status in Australia.
Where monies for OSHC are held by GLI, the refund will be processed by GLI.
APPEALS PROCESS
Current and prospective student complaints in relation to refunds are processed according to the Student Grievance and Appeals Policy. There are no charges for this process. GLI’s appeals processes do not circumscribe the student’s right to pursue other legal options. Students may take further action under Australia’s Consumer Protection Law.