ASQA approves TAFE Directors’ tuition assurance scheme

The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) has approved a tuition assurance scheme (TAS) operated by TAFE Directors Australia (TDA) as suitable for the protection of fees prepaid by vocational education and training (VET) students.

ASQA Chief Commissioner Chris Robinson said registered training organisations (RTOs) must protect fees that are prepaid by students in excess of a total of $1,500.

TDA is the peak national body incorporated to represent the 58 government-owned Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes and university TAFE divisions, and the Australia-Pacific Technical College (APTC). TDA also has other (non-TAFE) members able to participate in their TAS.

“The national Standards for RTOs specify the acceptable options available for ensuring the protection of prepaid student fees,” Mr Robinson said.

“TAFE Directors Australia applied to ASQA seeking approval for its TAS and, following an extensive assessment, ASQA has determined that TDA’s scheme provides the necessary protection of prepaid student fees and approved its recognition under the national Standards for RTOs.”

The protections for pre-paid fees included in the national Standards exist to ensure students receive the training for which they have paid. Under the TDA TAS, if a member RTO is unable to provide the training for which it has received payment, the student will be placed with a suitable alternative training provider or receive a refund of fees for training not provided.

More information about TDA’s tuition assurance scheme is available from www.tda.edu.au.