Fee Management and Refund Policy

PP32 – Fee Management and Refund Policy

1. Purpose

This policy ensures MIC provides transparent, fair, and consistent processes for charging and refunding student fees and complies with:

Compliance Requirements (Standards for RTOs 2025) – Clause 18 (Prepaid Fees); Outcome Standard 2.1 (Student Information)

National Code of Practice 2018 – Standard 3 (CRICOS students)

Australian Consumer Law (ACL) obligations for student protection

It also defines how fees are published, managed, protected, and refunded and how students are informed of their obligations.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all international and domestic students, their authorised payers, and MIC personnel involved in enrolment, admissions, marketing, finance, and administration.

3. Definitions

Term	Definition
Prepaid Fees	Fees paid in advance for services not yet delivered (training or assessment)
Tuition Assurance	A regulatory mechanism to protect student fees if MIC is unable to deliver the course
Threshold Prepaid Fee	The maximum amount ($1,500) an RTO may collect before requiring protection measures
Non-Tuition Fees	Charges not related to training delivery, e.g. enrolment, materials, reassessment, ID reissue
Cooling-Off Period	A 10-business-day period allowing cancellation of an unsolicited enrolment (ACL)

4. Legislative References

Compliance Requirements – Clause 18; Outcome Standard 2.1

National Code of Practice 2018 – Standard 3

National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011

Australian Consumer Law (Schedule 2, CCA 2010)

Data Provision Requirements

5. Policy Statement

MIC:

Provides clear and accurate information about fees, charges, refunds, and fee protection prior to enrolment

Ensures all fees (tuition and non-tuition) are disclosed in:

Letter of Offer

Student Handbook

Marketing brochures

Website

Collects no more than $1,500 in prepaid fees unless protected by:

(a) An unconditional bank guarantee

(b) A tuition assurance scheme, or

(c) Another approved fee protection method

Publishes and updates a full fee schedule, including:

Enrolment fees

Course fees

RPL, reassessment, reissue, withdrawal, and material costs

Issues receipts and written agreements to all students detailing fee obligations and refund terms

Applies the cooling-off period where enrolment occurred via unsolicited contact, as required under ACL

Issues refunds fairly and in line with:

Written agreement terms

Compassionate or compelling circumstances

Visa-related issues (before and after commencement)

Provider default (e.g. course cancellation, TPS trigger)

Processes refunds within 20 working days, and all decisions are recorded and communicated in writing

Retains all written agreements and fee records for two years after the student ceases to be enrolled

Prepaid Fee Protection Measures

a. Tuition Protection Service (TPS)

MIC is a current participant of the Tuition Protection Service (TPS).

If MIC cannot provide the course, TPS ensures the student:

Is offered an equivalent course at no additional cost, or

Receives a refund of unused tuition fees.

b. Separate Fee Account Monitoring

Prepaid funds are held in a separate designated account.

Monthly review by the CEO ensures the account holds enough to match all PRISMS-indicated prepaid balances.

c. Domestic Students – Prepaid Fee Limit

MIC does not maintain a separate fee protection measure (unconditional bank guarantee, tuition assurance scheme membership, or other measure approved by the National VET Regulator) for domestic students. Accordingly, in line with section 18 of the National VET Regulator (Compliance Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations and Fit and Proper Person Requirements) Instrument 2025, MIC does not collect or hold prepaid fees in excess of $1,500 from or on behalf of any domestic student in relation to the same course at any time.

Domestic payment plans are structured so that fees are invoiced progressively as training is delivered, and enrolment documentation for domestic students reflects this limit. The Principal Executive Officer monitors compliance with this limit as part of the monthly fee review.

6. Fee Schedule

Fee Type	Amount	Frequency/Conditions
Enrolment/Application Fee	$300	At enrolment – non-refundable
RPL Fee	$150 per unit	Non-refundable if SOA issued
Supplementary Assessment	$350	3 free attempts, then up to 3 supplementary attempts subject to a one-off supplementary fee
Unit Repeat	$1,500	Full unit retake
Certificate Reissue	$50	Upon request
Change of CoE	$100	On application
Late Payment Fee	$50	Weekly charge per invoice/Instalment
Airport Pickup	$350	Refundable if cancelled pre-arrival
Deferment Fee	$100	On application
Re-enrolment Fee	$400	After CoE cancellation
Debt Recovery Costs	Actual third-party costs	Charged only where a debt is referred for recovery under Section 9 (Debt Recovery) and the written agreement provides for cost recovery
Late Submission Marking Fee (post course end)	$350	One-off fee where assessment is submitted for marking after the course end date; payable before marking commences. Not charged where the delay was caused by MIC or verified compassionate or compelling circumstances. Any CoE change, where warranted, attracts the Change of CoE fee separately.

7. Refund Conditions (Summary)

Situation	Refund Entitlement
MIC cancels course (pre-start)	100% refund (incl. enrolment fee)
MIC unable to deliver full course	Refund of unused tuition fees
Visa refused before course commencement	100% tuition refund (excl. enrolment fee)
Visa refused after course commencement	Pro-rata refund per study period
Withdrawal ≥10 weeks before course commencement	Full tuition refund (less 5% or $500, whichever is less)
Withdrawal 4–10 weeks before course commencement	70% refund (excl. enrolment fee)
Withdrawal <4 weeks before course commencement	25% refund (excl. enrolment fee)
Withdrawal after course commencement	No refund
Misconduct or non-compliance	No refund
RPL assessed with SOA issued	No refund
Abandonment	No refund; outstanding fees invoiced

Deferral and re-application. Where a Confirmation of Enrolment has been deferred, the refund entitlement above is calculated from the initial CoE start date, not the deferred start date. Deferring a CoE does not reset the withdrawal timeframes in this table. The same applies where a student withdraws and subsequently re-applies for the same or a substantially similar course: the timeframes continue to run from the start date on the first CoE issued.

8. Late Payment and CoE Cancellation Process

Invoices are issued on the payment plan dates set out in the student's Letter of Offer / written agreement. Each invoice is due 7 calendar days after the date of issue. All day counts below are calendar days from the invoice due date.

Step	Action	Responsible Officer	Details / Notes
1	Monitor Payment Due Dates	Admin Officer	Check due dates for student tuition or scheduled instalment payments weekly.
2	Identify Late Payments	Admin Officer	Flag students who have not paid by the invoice due date.
3	Send 1st Reminder Notice	Admin Officer	3 calendar days after the due date: issue a reminder via email/SMS (attach invoice copy).
4	Send 2nd Warning Notice	RTO Manager/ Compliance Manager	5 calendar days after the due date: send a formal warning letter advising that a Notice of Intention to Report will be issued if payment is not received within 10 further calendar days (i.e. by day 15 after the due date). Notify the student of the risk to their CoE.
5	Offer Support Options	Student Support Officer	Contact student to check if support or payment plan is needed (keep records).
6	Final Notice (Intention to Report)	RTO Manager/ Compliance Manager	15 calendar days after the due date: if fees remain unpaid, send the written Notice of Intention to Report for Non-Payment. Give the student 28 calendar days (or 20 working days, whichever is longer) to appeal.
7	Wait for Appeal Period	RTO Manager/ Compliance Manager	Monitor for appeals within the appeal period. If the student appeals, handle under the complaints and appeals process.
8	No Appeal Received	RTO Manager/ Compliance Manager	If student does not respond or appeal, proceed to cancel CoE on PRISMS. Document all steps.
9	Report on PRISMS	RTO Manager/ Compliance Manager	Log into PRISMS and report student under non-payment of fees. Cancel CoE. Retain confirmation.
10	Update Internal Records	Admin Officer	Update SMS (Student Management System), finance system, and compliance registers with cancellation and notes.
11	Audit Readiness	RTO Manager/ Compliance Manager	Ensure all email logs, notices, PRISMS evidence, and forms are filed and ready for audit.

9. Debt Recovery

Where fees remain unpaid after the Late Payment and CoE Cancellation Process (Section 8) has been completed — including expiry of the appeal period or resolution of any appeal in MIC’s favour — MIC may take steps to recover the outstanding debt:

• Referral of a debt to a licensed debt collection agency, or commencement of legal recovery action, requires the prior written approval of the PEO.
• Before any referral, MIC issues a final written demand giving the student no fewer than 10 business days to pay the outstanding amount or enter an approved payment plan.
• No debt is referred for recovery while a complaint or appeal concerning the debt, the enrolment, or the underlying services is in progress under PP16 – Feedback, Complaint and Appeal Policy.
• Reasonable costs of recovery (collection agency and legal costs) may be added to the debt only where the student’s written agreement expressly provides for this, and only to the extent that they reflect costs actually incurred.
• All recovery activity must comply with the ACCC/ASIC Debt Collection Guideline for Collectors and Creditors, the Australian Consumer Law, and the Privacy Act 1988. Personal information disclosed to a collection agency is limited to what is necessary to recover the debt.
• Cancellation of a student’s enrolment or CoE does not extinguish a debt for services already delivered.
• AQF certification documentation continues to be withheld until all agreed fees have been paid, consistent with Clause 9 of the Compliance Requirements.

Debt recovery terms, including recoverable costs, must be disclosed in the Letter of Offer / written agreement before enrolment, and debt recovery must be listed as a purpose of disclosure in MIC’s Privacy Notice.

10. Cooling-Off Period

In line with Australian Consumer Law, students who enrol via unsolicited contact (e.g. telemarketing, door-to-door) are entitled to cancel their enrolment within 10 business days without penalty. During this time:

No services will be delivered

No fees will be collected

Written consent is required to waive this right

11. Refund Process

Step	Action	Responsible Person	Timeframe
1	Student reviews the refund conditions outlined in the Letter of Offer, Student Handbook, and Fee Management Policy.	Student	Prior to withdrawal
2	Student completes and submits a signed Refund Request Form with supporting documents (e.g. withdrawal form, visa refusal notice).	Student	As soon as withdrawal decision is made
3	Admin Officer logs the request in the Refund Register and sends an acknowledgement email.	Admin Officer	Within 2 business days
4	RTO Manager verifies eligibility by reviewing: - Enrolment status (SMS/PRISMS) - Payment records - Applicable refund rules - Supporting documentation	RTO Manager/ Compliance Manager	Within 5 business days
5	RTO Manager submits findings and recommendations to the CEO.	RTO Manager/ Compliance Manager	Immediately after assessment
6	CEO reviews and makes the final decision. If approved, authorises refund. If not, provides written reasons.	CEO	Within 3 business days of submission
7	Finance Officer processes refund to the original payer’s account and records it in the Refund Register.	Student support Officer	Within 5 business days of CEO approval
8	RTO Manager issues a formal written notification of the outcome (approved or denied) including reasons and appeal rights.	RTO Manager/ Compliance Manager	Within 20 business days from receipt of application
9	If denied, student may appeal under the Feedback, Complaint and Appeal Policy	Student / RTO Manager/ Compliance Manager	As needed
10	If MIC defaults on course delivery, the CEO coordinates with TPS to arrange full refund.	CEO	Within 14 days of default

12. Related Documents

Refund Request Form

Student Handbook

Written Agreement

Letter of Offer and Acceptance

Feedback, Complaint and Appeal Policy

Continuous Improvement Register

PP30 – Marketing and Advertising Policy

PP31 – Enrolment Policy

Payment warning letters

13. Flow chart

The complete MIC Policy and Procedure Manual is available on request from [email protected].