VET Student Loans
Withdrawal Policy

Student Review Requirements & Re-Crediting a Student Loan Balance

Definitions

Student: Refers to students, who are Australian citizens or permanent humanitarian visa holders who will be resident in Australia for the duration of their VET Units of study, and who access a VET Student Loan for payment of their tuition fees in respect of the VET unit of study in which they are enrolled.

Census Date: A published date, set by the provider, no earlier than 20% of the way through a VET Unit of Study.

Tuition Fees: Fees paid for a VET Unit of Study that is approved for a VET Student Loan and applies to students who are, or would be entitled to a VET Student Loan.

Unit or VET Unit of Study: A VET unit of study approved for a VET Student Loan that a student may undertake with Media Makeup, for which the student may access a VET Student Loan pay for all or part of their tuition fees.

The Department: The Department of Education and Training.

Withdrawal from a Unit of Study 

Students must notify the Student Liaison officer in writing on or prior to the census date of their request to withdrawal from a Unit of Study to not incur a debt on there VET Student Loan for the relevant period. Providing that notification of the intend to withdraw has happened prior to census date of a Unit of Study no further financial or administrative barries are required to finalise the withdrawal. 

Email is preferred or postal is acceptable but postal must be received on or prior to the census date to be eligible for a refund.fSend notification of withdrawal to:

Student Liaison Officer
Media Makeup
Po Box 3090
Rundle Mall
SA 5000

Or email info@mediamakeup.com.au

Media Makeup will not further enrol a student in Approved Course part or full program without written permission of the student. 
If a student wishes to re enrol in a program to complete the qualification at a later time, the student must provide a written consent and re enrol to part or full program again to re activate the VET Student Loan.

Media Makeup will provide details of the remaining unit of study or relevant part of the program and units of competency and issue new cenuse date information detailed in a new letter of offer.

Incurring a VET Student Loan Debt

A Student who is, or would be, eligible for a VET Student Loan and has requested a VET Student Loan, who withdraws from a Unit on or before the census date will not incur a VET Student Loan debt for the tuition fees for that Unit.

Students who have requested a VET Student Loan who remain enrolled after the published census date will incur a VET Student Loan debt. A Student who withdraws from a Unit after the published census date for that Unit will incur a VET Student Loan debt for that Unit.

Re-crediting a VET Student Loan Balance

Students who withdraw from a Unit after the published census date, or fail to complete a Unit, may apply to have their VET Student Loan balance re-credited with respect to the Unit if they believe special circumstances.

A Student may apply to the Secretary for the Students HELP balance to be Re-Credited if the following circumstances apply;

If Media Makeup, or a person acting on its behalf engaged in unacceptable conduct in relation to the student;s application for the VET Student Loan; or 

If Media Makeup has failed to comply with the Act or an instrument under the Act and the failure has adversely affected the student.

 

Special Circumstances

If a Student withdraws from a Unit after the published census date for that Unit, or has been unable to successfully complete a Unit, and believes this was due to special circumstances, the student may apply to have their VET Student Loan balance re-credited for the affected unit/s.

Media Makeup will re-credit the Student’s VET Student Loan Balance if it is satisfied that Special Circumstances apply where:

  • These circumstances are beyond their control, and
  • These circumstances did not make their full impact on the student until on, or after the census date; and
  • These circumstances were such that it was impracticable for the Student to complete the requirements for the the course, or the part of the course, during the student’s enrolment in the course or the part of the course.

For circumstances to be beyond a Student’s control, the situation should be that which a reasonable person would consider is not due to the Student’s action or inaction, either direct or indirect, and for which the Student is not responsible. The situation must be unusual, uncommon or abnormal to be considered special circumstances.

Special circumstances do not include:

  • Lack of knowledge or understanding of requirements for a VET Student Loan; or
  • A Student’s incapacity to repay a VET Student Loan (repayments are income contingent and the Student can apply to the Australian Taxation Office for a deferral of a compulsory repayment in certain circumstances).

A student has up to 5 years after the census day of the course , or part of the course, or the part of the course concerned, or within that period as extended by the Secretary to apply for the Re-Credit. 

The Secretary may re credit a student’s HELP Balance in relation to special circumstances if Media Makeup:

  • is unable to act or is being wound up or has been dissolved; or 
  • has failed to act and the Secretary is satisfied that the failure is unreasonable 

 

 

Re-credit of a Student’s VET Student Loan balance – The process

Each application for re-credit of a student’s VET Student balance will be considered on its merits together with all supporting documentation substantiating the special circumstances claim.

The Student Liaison Officer is the designated VET Student Loan officer of Media Makeup. The above officer is responsible for the assessment of a student’s request for a re-credit of their VET Student Loan balance due to special circumstances and for the initial decision regarding the request.

1. A Student must apply in writing to the Student Liaison Officer,

Media Makeup PO BOX 3090 Rundle Mall SA 5000 and phone: 08 8223 3233 within 12 months of the withdrawal date, or if the Student has not withdrawn, within 12 months of the specified completion date of the Unit. Media Makeup has the discretion to waive this requirement if it is satisfied that it was not possible for the application to be made within the 12 month period. Relevant supporting documentation will be required to substantiate the claim.

2. The application for re-crediting a VET Student Loan balance must include details of the:

  • Unit(s) for which a Student is seeking to have a VET Student Loan balance re-credited and
  • Special circumstances as referred to above, including supporting documentation.

3. Media Makeup will consider each application within 10 working days of receipt of the application. It will consider each request to re-credit a VET Student Loan balance in accordance with the requirements of Schedule 1A to the Act. Applicants will be notified in writing of the decision within 10 working days.

During the process of re crediting Media Makeup will act in a manner that is not to discriminate or act in way that may victimised the student in any way. The process is to be followed by all parties in a respectful and polite manner at all times.

 

Review of Decision

4. Where Media Makeup makes a decision NOT to re-credit a student’s VET Student Loan balance that decision may be subject to review.

5. If a Student is not satisfied with the decision made by Media Makeup, the Student apply, within 28 days of the receipt of the original decision, for a review of the decision. The application for review must:

  • Be made within 28 days of receipt of the original decision
  • Include the date of the original decision
  • State fully the reasons for applying for the review
  • Include any additional relevant evidence

6. Applications should be made in writing to the CEO, Media Makeup PO BOX 3090 Rundle Mall SA 5000 as the designated Review Officer of any decisions relating to a request for re-crediting of a VET Student Loan- balance.

Note: The Review Officer is senior to the designated VET Student Loan- officer responsible for the original decision and was not involved in making the original decision to be reviewed.

7. The Review Officer will:

  • Acknowledge receipt of the application for review of a decision in writing within 10 working days; and
  • Inform the Student that if the Review Officer has not advised them of a decision within 45 days of receipt of the application for review, it is taken that the Review Officer has confirmed the original decision.

8. The Review Officer will then:

  • Review the information from the original decision and then assess any new evidence provided by the Student
  • Provide written notice to the Student of the decision, setting out the reasonsfor the decision
  • Inform the Student of their right to apply to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal if they disagree with the Review Decision, and timelines involved (see below).

 

During the process of seeking a review Media Makeup will act in a manner which is with out malice not to discriminate or act in way that may victimised the student in any way. The process is to be followed by all parties in a respectful and polite manner at all times.

Reconsideration by the Administration Appeals Tribunal

At the time of the original decision, and at the time of the subsequent Review Decision, the Student will be notified of their review rights and responsibilities. The relevant officer will inform a Student in writing of their right to appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) if they are not satisfied with the outcome and the contact details of the closest AAT office and the approximate costs of lodging an appeal. The Application must be lodged at the AAT within 28 days of receiving written notice of the Review Decision. This time limitation can be extended in limited circumstances by order of the AAT.

AAT Details and Approximate Costs

Administrative Appeals Tribunal Details:

Adelaide Registry
Level 2, 1 King William Street
Adelaide SA 5000

Postal Address:
Po Box 9955, Adelaide SA 5001

Phone: 08 81288099

Approximate cost of lodging an appeal with the AAT: $884 with a concession of $100 off for eligible applicants.

(Source: h3p://www.aat.gov.au/FormsAndFees/Fees.htm)

Note: Full details of the application process and fees payable are available on the AAT Registry’s website: www.aat.gov.au. Fees are subject to change – refer to the AAT website for up-to-date fee information. Applications cannot proceed until the fee has been paid or waived. Applications for fee waiver must be made to the AAT. Refer to the AAT website for more details.

The Secretary of the Department, or the Secretary’s delegate, will be the respondent for cases that are brought before the AAT. Upon the Department’s receipt of a notification from the AAT, the Department will notify Media Makeup that an appeal has been lodged. Upon receipt of this notification from the Department, the Review Officer will provide the Department with copies of all the documents that are relevant to the appeal within ten (10) business days.