Procedure: Student Fee Collection and Debt Management

Purpose

To provide authoritative guidance on the management of student fee collection and outstanding student debt.

Procedure

Student Fee Collection

1. The following payment options are available for payment of student fees and charges invoiced via the Student Administration System (SAS):

1. Online payment through the Interactive Student Information System (ISIS) portal (credit card payments only);
2. BPAY; and
3. Western Union Business Solutions.

Other payment instructions provided on student offer letters are also valid.

2. The Enrolments and Fees Office is responsible for the reconciliation of student fees and banking transactions in SAS.
3. As part of the reconciliation process, the Enrolments and Fees Office reviews the payments that have been posted in SAS and compared amounts with the receipts that have been recorded in ES Financials.

Debt Management – International Students

4. Invoicing and management of international student debt complies with the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000. International Student Fees (ISF) are required to be paid by the invoice due date.
5. ISF students who do not pay by the due date are:

1. subject to having their account blocked;
2. charged a late fee; and
3. served with an intention to cancel enrolment notice.

6. Students are required to make payment within twenty (20) business days as stated in their email or their enrolment is cancelled.
7. Unless there has been correspondence with the student the Enrolments and Fees Office emails the College Administrator requesting further information about the student.
8. Except under extenuating circumstances, students who fail to pay within twenty (20) business days are issued a notice advising of enrolment cancellation. Outstanding fees are treated as debt which the student is liable for.
9. Where there is an extenuating circumstance, the responsible office enters into an agreement with the student.
10. Enrolments and Fees Office immediately advises the Academic Standards and Quality Office (ASQO) of the details of the students whose enrolments are cancelled.
11. ASQO then notifies the Department of Home Affairs of all international student enrolment cancellations within five (5) working days.
12. Students wishing to recommence in their program are required to pay all outstanding charges and notify Student Central. Student Central, in consultation with Enrolments and Fees Office, determines if students are able to be reinstated or if a new application is required through International Admissions.

Debt Management – Domestic Students

13. Debts related to HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP are automatically deferred for eligible students after the relevant census date and are not pursued by the University.
14. HELP eligible students are required to be aware of their available HELP balance and ensure they have enough funds available to defer the cost of their program. Students exceeding their available HELP balance are required to make upfront payments for the remaining charges.
15. HECS students who fail to undertake the following by the relevant census date will have their enrolment and Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) revoked:

1. pay their fees;
2. complete their HECS-HELP Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF);
3. provide their Unique Student Identifier (USI) or provider their Tax File Number (TFN).

16. To continue studying, students are required to reapply for the cancelled session as a non-Award student and pay full Domestic Tuition Fees (DTF) upfront. To regain their CSP, a new admission application is required and there is no guarantee a CSP will be offered.
17. DTF students who are not eligible to defer their fees to FEE-HELP and fail to pay fees by the census date are:

1. subject to having their account blocked;
2. charged a late fee; and
3. served with an intention to cancel enrolment notice.

Students are required to make payment within ten (10) business days as stated in their email or their enrolment is cancelled.

18. Before the enrolment of DTF students are cancelled, the Enrolments and Fees team emails the College Administrator requesting further information about the students.
19. Except under extenuating circumstances, students who fail to pay within ten (10) business days are issued a notice advising of enrolment cancellation. Outstanding fees are treated as debt which the student is liable for.
20. Where there is an extenuating circumstance, the responsible office enters into an agreement with the student.
21. Students wishing to recommence in their program are required to pay all outstanding charges and notify Student Central. Student Central, in consultation with Enrolments and Fees Office, determine if students are able to be reinstated or if a new application is required through Domestic Admissions.

Debt Management – Withholding of Services

22. Students with outstanding debts are blocked from their accounts which restricts access to services until all debts are settled. These services include but are not limited to the issue of transcripts, graduation and future enrolments.

Debt Write-Off

23. Once every calendar year the Enrolments and Fees Office reviews the aged debtor report for all outstanding fees for the previous years.
24. Recommendations for write-off are made by the Manager, Enrolments and Fees.
25. An authorised delegate approves all debt write offs in accordance with the schedule of financial delegations.
26. A debt write-off does not remove the financial liability from a student. A student with a previously written-off debt is required to contact Student Central to arrange payment of outstanding debt if they wish to undertake future studies with the University.
27. Students with an unpaid debt to the University have their account flagged indicating a delinquent debt.