Procedure: Student refunds

Purpose

This procedure covers the process for administering refunds of tuition fees and tuition fee deposits.

Procedure

Refund Application

1. Requests for a refund of tuition fees or a tuition fee deposit are submitted on the relevant form.
2. Refund requests are accepted after, or at the same time, as the request that creates an overpayment of tuition fees or the tuition fee deposit by the student.
3. Refund request are processed within 4 weeks (28 calendar days), unless one of the following apply:

• Delays in a program withdrawal or leave being approved;
• An appeals process is not yet finalised; or
• Incorrect or incomplete information is provided on the refund application form.

4. The Student Administration & Records Office notify students of the outcome of the refund application request.
5. The University is not liable for any financial loss incurred by students where:

• payments are refunded in the same currency in which they were originally made;
• the student provides incorrect bank account details to the University; and/or

• the student’s nominated bank does not accept the foreign currency specified by the student.

International Students: New Students

6. New international students are:

1. overseas students as defined in the Higher Education Support Act 2003; and
2. enrolled at the ANU for the first time in a given career; and
3. who are in their first semester or session of a program.

7. New international students who pay all or part of their tuition fee are eligible for a refund of all or part of that fee based on the category they fall into below.

1. A full refund will be paid:

2. In the following circumstances, a fee is retained by the University. The amount of the administrative fee is reviewed annually and published at http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/costs-fees/fee-refunds:

8. Where the University withdraws an offer of a place on the basis of incomplete or incorrect information provided by the student, the student is refunded the program fees paid less the administrative fee amount.

International students postponing the start of their enrolment in a program

9. In the following circumstances, an administrative fee is retained by the University:

1. New international students who request to postpone the start of their enrolment in a program to a later session at least four weeks prior to the program start date are entitled to a refund of the program fees paid, less a security equal to the administrative fee. This security is held on the student's account. If the student later cancels their offer they forfeit the amount as it covers the administrative fee.
2. International students who request to postpone the start of their enrolment in a program to a later session less than four weeks prior to the program start date, are entitled to a refund of the program fees paid, less a security equal to the administrative fee. This security is held on the student's account. If the student later cancels their offer they forfeit the amount as it covers the administrative fee.
3. International students who have postponed the start of their enrolment in a program to a later session after their tuition deposit has been refunded are required to repay the deposit less the amount that is kept by the University as security.

10. The amount of the administrative fee is reviewed annually and published at http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/costs-fees/fee-refunds.

International Students: Continuing Students

11. Continuing international students are:

1. Students who are defined as overseas students in the Higher Education Support Act 2003, and
2. have been enrolled in a previous session at ANU; and
3. are continuing this session in either the same program, or have transferred to a new program in the same career.

12. Continuing students who withdraw from course(s) before the relevant course census date(s), are eligible for a full refund of the tuition fees paid for the course(s).
13. Continuing international students who withdraw from course(s) after the relevant course census date(s) are not eligible for a refund unless a late withdrawal application is approved, in accordance with the Late withdrawal policy and procedure.

International students who obtain Permanent Resident status in Australia

14. Students granted permanent resident status in Australia pay either the student contribution in accordance with Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA), subject to eligibility and availability, or full domestic tuition fees (DTF).
15. Permanent resident status is recognised from the date proof of permanent resident status is provided to the university, not the date on which the application for permanent residency is made or granted.
16. Students who have already paid the tuition fees applicable to international students for the semester, a refund of these fees (less any agent fee applying to the University) will be paid where students have obtained permanent residence and provided evidence to the university by the census date for that semester; and either:

1. satisfied section 36-40 of the HESA Act: that is, have completed a Request for Commonwealth Support form on or before the course census date, or
2. have made arrangements with the University to pay fees as a domestic student.

17. Student who obtain permanent residence status after the census date in a semester are classified as international students for the purpose of tuition fees for the remainder of that semester and are liable to pay the tuition fees applicable to international students for that semester. From the following semester, the student is classified as a permanent resident and is liable to pay either the student contribution in accordance with HESA guidelines or full fees applying to domestic students.

International Students: Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)

18. On-shore international students contact Allianz Global Assistance directly to request a refund. Students eligible for a refund provide Allianz Global Assistance with student visa and flight details before leaving Australia at the end of a program of study.
19. Off-shore international students who are no longer attending the University request a refund of OSHC from the Student Administration & Records Office. ANU cancels the Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) and students are advised when this has occurred.
20. Sponsored international students who do not have OSHC paid by their sponsor contact Allianz Global Assistance directly to request for a refund.
21. Sponsored international students who have OSHC paid by their sponsor do not request a refund as Allianz Global Assistance liaises with the University to refund the premium to the sponsor.

Domestic Students

22. Students who voluntarily withdraw from a course before the course census date do not incur a tuition fee liability for the course from which they have withdrawn and are eligible for a full refund of tuition fees paid.
23. Students who withdraw from a course after the course census date incur a tuition fee liability for the course and are not entitled to a refund unless a late withdrawal application is approved, in accordance with the Late withdrawal policy and procedure.

Student Amenities Fee (SA-Fee)

24. Students who, prior to the census date of their course(s), voluntarily withdraw from their program, take program leave from a session of study or withdraw from all their courses in a session of study, are not liable for the SA-Fee for that session of study. Where the SA-Fee was paid upfront to the University the student is eligible for a refund of the amount paid for that session; or if the student opted to obtain a SA-HELP loan, they are no longer liable.
25. Students who, after the census date of their course(s), voluntarily withdraw from their program, or withdraw from all their courses in a session of study, remain liable for the SA-Fee in that session of study and are not be refunded their SA-Fee where paid upfront or remitted their SA-HELP debt where this has been deferred. Students remain liable for the SA-Fee whether or not they are approved for a late withdrawal and qualify for a refund or remission of some or all tuition fees.

Appeals

26. Students may lodge a written appeal against a refund decision, addressed to the Registrar, Division of Student Administration and Academic Services, outlining the grounds for appeal and addressing the reason(s) for the decision not to provide a refund.

1. Appeals are submitted to appeals@anu.edu.au within 20 working days of the notification of the outcome of the original request.

27. The Registrar considers the request and advises the student of the outcome in writing.
28. Students may lodge a written appeal against the decision of the Registrar, Division of Student Administration and Academic Services, to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor on procedural grounds only.
29. Procedural appeals are submitted to appeals@anu.edu.au within 20 working days of the notification of the decision of the Registrar, Division of Student Administration and Academic Services.
30. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor advises the student of the outcome of the procedural appeal in writing.