Learners

Details of the fees and charges

Government funding.

SWTS is contracted by the Victorian and Commonwealth Government for their Skills First Funding Program. Eligible students can study under the Skills first funding program. Eligible students are required to complete a Skills First Program – Evidence of Eligibility and Student Declaration form at the time of their enrolment.

SWTS do not charge any course fees for their funded programs. However, students are required to pay an Admin fee and material cost before commencement of their training and the Victorian Government then paying the remainder fees as the course progresses.

To check your eligibility to Skills First funded program, please contact the training office on 9748 9233.

Government funding concession.

Students who hold a Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card, or Veteran’s Gold Card are required to pay 20% of the government funded fee.

Please see the Fees, Charges and Refunds Policy below for more information.

Full fee payment.

Initially student is required to pay an Admin fee and the material fees at the time of the enrolment. This will never exceed $1000 accordance with AQTF –Essential Conditions and Standards for Continual Registration Condition 5 Financial Management.  Student will be given a payment plan option to pay the remainder of the fees and is able to pay their fees in instalment payments during an agreed period during their study. Individual incremental payments will never exceed $1500 in accordance with AQTF –Essential Conditions and standards for continual registration Condition 5.

Fees and charges are any costs payable to SWTS by students relating to their training, assessment and certification in a course.

Fees and charges are any costs payable to SWTS by students relating to their training, assessment, and certification in a course.

1. To enrol in a program with South West Training Services, an administration fee is applied. Please refer to the current statement of fees for more details.
2. Prior to the commencement of the course, the student is required to pay the Student Admin fee and either:

(a) paid their initial admin fee in full, or

(b) arrange their payment plan with SWTS administration.

3. The minimum initial fee includes an Admin fee (refer to the current statement of fees)
4. Payment plans can only be approved by the RTO Director. Payment plan options do not apply for Short Courses. If a student falls behind in their payment plan and significant collection effort by SWTS is required, the student misses their right to access further payment plan arrangements.
5. SWTS reserves the right to vary fees prior to commencement of a course. When this occurs, all effected students will be notified and given the option of withdrawing from the program. A refund of course fees paid will be provided.
6. The Admin fee is non-refundable.
7. If SWTS is unable to begin a course for which a student is enrolled, all fees paid, including the Admin fee will be fully refunded. Should for any reason, SWTS be unable to continue to run a course that has commenced, all course fees will be refunded, less the Admin fee and any materials fee paid.
8. If a student has paid for course fees and cancels their course (in writing) seven or more days prior to the proposed course commencement date, a full refund of course fees will be given.
9. If a student cancels their course (in writing) within seven days of the commencement of the course, a refund of 50% of the course fees paid will be refunded.
10. No refund is usually given after a student has commenced a course. Any student may, when providing written notice of withdrawal from a course, request consideration of a refund they believe is warranted by the circumstances pertaining to their withdrawal. Such requests will be referred to the Director for decision.
11. At the discretion of the Director, students may defer or transfer course fees between courses. A second deposit, negotiated with the Student Administrator, must be paid in order to continue any payment plan for the re-commenced course.
12. RPL/RCC assessment costs are borne by students and are non-refundable. Quotes will be offered in advance. RPL fees will not exceed the actual cost of assessment.
13. The Terms and Conditions are also outlined in the Enrolment form and signed by each student on enrolment. This form will be explained to each student by SWTS administration.
14. Prior to enrolment, each student is provided with an itemised list of all applicable fees and charges, including payment terms. Government funded students are also provided with a breakdown of their tuition fee per scheduled hour.
15. Fees will not be requested more than six (6) weeks prior to a course commencement date.
16. SWTS does not accept payments of more than $1000 per student prior to the commencement of any course.

If students are experiencing financial difficulties, they are to speak with the Student Administrator as soon as possible. If students are experiencing hardship, they can renegotiate a payment plan and sign a new payment plan document. Failure to keep to this may mean suspension from the course with all fees still owing.

If students fall behind by more than one month in respect of course fees, they will be prevented from attending class until the outstanding fees are paid. If course fees are in arrears prior to the commencement of field placement, students will be prevented from attending the field placement until fee arrangements are up to date.

Requests to withdraw from a course must be made in writing. If a student fails to attend a course but had not withdrawn in writing prior to the course commencement date, a refund is not available, and the student will be charged the entire applicable course fee. SWTS may terminate a class position if it is felt a student has missed too much of a course and course fees still apply. Students will only be able to enrol in another SWTS course if all outstanding fees have been paid in full. Subsequent course fees are payable and subject to all standard policies as above.

Should SWTS cancel any course, participants are entitled to a full refund or transfer of funds to a future course.

Initially student is required to pay an admin fee and material fee. The balance must be paid prior to the completion of classes. The Student administrator will prepare a monthly schedule for payments. Students will then sign a payment plan agreement form, detailing each required payment due dates.

It is the responsibility of students to ensure they are up to date with their fees. If students fall behind in their payment plans, they will be contacted by SWTS finance team. If students consistently fall behind and are constantly paying make up fees, the SWTS may cancel the payment plan option and require payment of outstanding fees in full.

Failure to pay following the cancellation of a payment plan will result in the student being prevented from attending training.  There will be no further learning resources, trainer access, assessment or placement opportunities will be provided until the student settles the outstanding course fees.

In extreme cases, students with outstanding payments will receive a letter formally requesting payment by a specified date. Failure to comply may then result in referral to an external debt collection firm.

SWTS has a contract with the Victorian and Commonwealth Government which provides funding for eligible students. As part of the enrolment process, each applicant will be assessed for funding eligibility.

Those students deemed eligible will be required to pay an Admin fees, leaving the government to fund the remainder as the course progresses. Unless exceptional circumstances apply, the student’s portion must be paid prior to course commencement. Regardless of government funding, all students must pay the non-refundable Admin fee to be able to commence studies at SWTS. The Admin fee is non-refundable.

In extreme cases, students with outstanding payments will receive a letter formally requesting payment by a specified date. Failure to comply may then result in referral to an external debt collection firm.

Short Courses must be paid in full prior to attendance as payment plan options do not apply for short courses.

Refunds will not be provided for short courses not attended unless exceptional circumstances apply. In this case, refunds may be arranged at the discretion of the Student Administrator.

Certificate Reprint fee

No fee is charged for the student’s initial certificate. Student’s requiring a second copy of their certificate will be charged $25 for each additional copy or reprint.

Study Mode or Class Change

You need to fill in a study mode change request form to change your study mode. If you are enrolled in online study and want to change to classroom mode, a fee of $80 will be charged. If you are enrolled in classroom mode and want to change to online study will incur a fee of $80.

Study Extension

Students are unable to complete a qualification within the expected duration of the course may request for an extension. At SWTS we ensure to provide all our students adequate support to complete their study within the allocated time frame. Please see the following table for the course completion time.

To apply for a study extension, students must fill in a study extension request form and forward the request to the office. The request then will be assessed and will be approved by the SWTS manager. Please note that the maximum extension time is up to 6 months only. No further extension will be provided unless there is an exceptional circumstance (ex. serious illness or pregnancy). Students study progress will be reviewed after 6 months and ineffective progress will result in withdrawal from the course.

An additional payment of $300 will be applied for extending the course duration.

Placement T-Shirt (optional)

It is recommended that the student wear a SWTS T-Shirt for their placements. This can be purchased for a cost of $27 at the time of their practical placement commences.

The following criteria apply:

To be eligible for Skills First subsidised training, an individual must be:

• • An Australian citizen, a holder of a permanent visa or a New Zealand citizen (the ‘citizenship /permanent residence’ eligibility criterion);
  • Physically present in the State of Victoria at all times at which they are undertaking the training and assessment.

‘2 AQF qualifications in a year’ limits.

In a calendar year, a student (regardless of their age) may only commence a maximum of two. As at 1 January in the year their training will commence.

The ‘2 at a time’ limit.

A student (regardless of their age) may only commence a maximum of two Skills First subsidised programs at any one time.

An individual is not eligible for government subsidised training if the individual is:

• • A student enrolled in a school.
  • A prisoner within the meaning of the Corrections Act 1986 who is held at any one of the following custodial settings as outlines in the Service Agreement.
  • A person who is detained under the Mental Health Act 1986; or the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act 1997 or the Sentencing Act 1991 at the Thomas Embling Hospital.
  • A person who is detained (other than on weekend detention) under the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 or the Sentencing Act 1991 or who is held on remand in one of the following youth justice facilities as outlined in the Service Agreement.

Exemptions may be granted by the Commission only for individuals who do not meet the eligibility requirements.

1. Asylum seekers and victims of human trafficking initiative

Individuals referred to training under the Asylum Seekers and Victims of Human Trafficking Initiative must meet all Skills First eligibility criteria except the citizenship/residency requirements

2. Workers in a transition program

Individuals referred to training under the Workers in Transition Program must meet all Victorian Training Guarantee eligibility criteria except the ‘upskilling’ requirement.

Individuals referred to training under the Workers in Transition Program must present to SWTS a Workers in Transition Program Eligibility Letter from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (the Department) and a copy of the separation certificate from their previous employer.

Enrolment for eligible students is under the Victoria Training Guarantee and may impact access to further government-subsidised training.

An individual is not eligible for government subsidised training if the individual is:

• • A student enrolled in a school.
  • A prisoner within the meaning of the Corrections Act 1986 who is held at any one of the following custodial settings as outlines in the Service Agreement.
  • A person who is detained under the Mental Health Act 1986; or the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act 1997 or the Sentencing Act 1991 at the Thomas Embling Hospital.
  • A person who is detained (other than on weekend detention) under the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 or the Sentencing Act 1991 or who is held on remand in one of the following youth justice facilities as outlined in the Service Agreement.

Exemptions may be granted by the Commission only for individuals who do not meet the eligibility requirements.