Newly Launched Scheme by the Australian Government helps you protect your tuition fees

Introduction
Students from abroad who come to study in Australia are protected by the Tuition Protection Service (TPS) initiated by the country’s government. The main motive of this protection is to make sure that the students fully reap the benefits from the tuition fees paid to the university or in case of failure to provide proper tuition, at least get a refund.
What happens when a registered provider, an international student, or an intended international student defaults as outlined in the legislation? It creates an all-encompassing single Tuition Protection Service (TPS) to offer flexible and expedited student placement and refund arrangements in the event that a defaulting provider fails to fulfil its refund duties under the Education Service for Overseas Student (ESOS) Act.
Through an online information service, students will be actively involved in choosing from possibilities for appropriate placement. A student may be qualified for a reimbursement of their unused tuition costs from the TPS Director if they are unable to find employment through the placement service offered by the TPS Director.

What really is TPS [Tuition Protection Scheme]?
The TPS can help you discover another provider that provides a comparable course. In the event that a suitable substitute is not available, the TPS will arrange for a tuition fee return.
When a provider goes out of business, the TPS notifies the impacted students and invites them to an information session so they may find out more about the support the TPS can provide. Your account for TPS Online, an online placement tool that will walk you through your study and refund options, will be created by the TPS.
Why do you require Tuition Protection Services?
Australia enjoys a strong reputation for providing high-quality education. However, there are situations when an educational institution will completely shut down, fail to begin a course that students have signed up for, or discontinue offering it midway through. A default occurs when you close, fail to begin, or quit a course in the middle of it. The TPS might be able to assist the student if their educational provider defaults.
Students can claim support from Australian government under TPS
Even if they are closing, your education provider has an obligation to assist you. Your college/university needs to either make arrangements for you to complete your studies with a different provider or reimburse you for any unused tuition payments that you paid directly to your provider. You can request a refund if you are dissatisfied with the substitute courses your provider has recommended.
Save this Checklist that you need to apply for TPS
If your provider will shortly terminate or discontinue your course, you should speak with them personally and ask for copies of:

  • Your transcript of grades
  • Any bills or receipts for completed units, competencies, modules, or assessments that are listed in your contractual agreement that you signed with your provider.
  • Completed tests, projects, and internships; course format (lists of units of competency in your course and when they were being taught)
  • Any further records or emails that demonstrate the components of the course you were taking and have finished?

These records will assist you and the TPS in locating a different provider or obtaining a refund.

Choose the alternate option to continue further studies at another college/university under TPS
You can continue your education by choosing from a list of potential alternative providers that the TPS will give you. To request an offer of placement, you must get in touch with your desired replacement provider. You should go over the following with prospective substitute providers:

  • your present path of study
  • the portions of the course for which you will obtain credit and those that will require payment (including additional costs, if any)
  • how

  • it is delivered (on-campus, online, or blended delivery)
  • the course’s criteria and prerequisites

the anticipated time period for finishing your education with the substitute provider.
You must receive course credit from a replacement source for any previously completed coursework or demonstrated skills. Your substitute course’s academic and cost criteria may be more stringent than those of your original course. You might have to fulfil those standards if that’s the case.
How to issue your refund on tuition fees under TPS
In order to determine the number of tuition payments to be refunded you should have:

  • the legal contract you signed with your service provider the invoices/receipts for tuition fee payments, the bank statements showing the payment of tuition fees, and any other pertinent correspondence identifying the number of fees paid.
  • any communication between your agent and the provider that is pertinent. Please be advised that agent costs may have been included in your tuition.

In the end…
The fees you pay to the provider that is specifically related to the delivery of a course of study are known as tuition fees. Typically, other fees you may have paid to the provider, such as materials fees, Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), or lodging costs, are not included in tuition fees.
The TPS would give you an estimate of your claim to a refund of any unspent fees for your confirmation based on the records available in PRISMS or from the supplier.
They would expect you to supply them with substantial documentation of the fees paid by you for your current course of study if the provider does not have accurate fee records accessible or if you disagree with the systems-generated estimate provided by the TPS.

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