Higher Education Provider Guidelines

The Higher Education Provider Guidelines set out:

• the tuition assurance requirements which a body corporate must fulfil to be approved by the Minister as a higher education provider under the Act and with which higher education providers other than Table A providers must comply in order to maintain their approval as higher education providers under the Act.

• the grievance procedures which a body corporate must be willing and able to meet in order to be approved as a higher education provider under the Act and with which higher education providers other than Table A providers must comply in order to maintain their approval as higher education providers under the Act.

• procedures to be followed by higher education providers’ review officers when reviewing reviewable decisions under Chapter 3 of the Act.

• the name of the quality auditing body which will undertake quality auditing of higher education providers.

• the periods under subsections 19-87(1), 19-90(1) and 19-95(1) of the Act.

• the date by which each higher education provider must publish the schedule of the student contribution amounts per place and tuition fees for all the units of study it provides or proposes to provide for a particular period under paragraph 19‑95(2)(b) of the Act. .

• the matters to which a higher education provider must not have regard under subsections 19‑87(2A) or 19‑90(3) of the Act when setting student contribution amounts or tuition fees. 

• the date before which and circumstances in which a student contribution amount or tuition fee may be varied.

• the requirements relating to publishing information on student cohorts made under the previous arrangements.

• the date before which and circumstances in which a higher education provider may revoke a saved determination made under the previous arrangements regarding student cohorts.

• the amounts to be paid and the person who is to pay the amounts in relation to:
   

  • re-crediting of a person’s Student Learning Entitlement where subsections 36‑20(2) and 36‑20(3) of the Act apply; and
  • units wholly consisting of work experience in industry where subsections 36‑22(2A) and 36‑22(2B) of the Act apply; and
  • re-crediting of a person’s FEE-HELP balance where subsections 110‑5(1A) and 110‑5(1B) of the Act apply.
     

• the obligations on higher education providers in their capacity as providers of course assurance to other higher education providers.

• the requirements for fees in respect of overseas students, including minimum indicative fees.

• criteria for determining whether a fee is an incidental fee which may be charged under the Act.

The Higher Education Provider Guidelines are effective from 23 March 2004.