Applying to offer VET FEE-HELP to your eligible students

The extension of the FEE-HELP loans scheme to the VET sector has been a long time in the making. Following extensive lobbying by ACPET, the Howard government in its final budget announced the extension of FEE-HELP to VET courses at diploma level and above. In 2008 the Rudd government enacted the necessary amendments to the Higher Education Support Act 2003 to allow for the approval of VET Providers in order for RTOs to offer VET FEE-HELP assistance to their eligible students.

The introduction of VET FEE-HELP has created a valuable marketing tool for RTOs delivering eligible courses and is a great benefit for their students. However, in order for eligible students to gain access to VET FEE-HELP an RTO must make an application to DEEWR to become a VET FEE-HELP Provider.

In order to become a VET FEE-HELP Provider an RTO is required to:

be a body corporate which carries on its business in Australia;
have as its principal purpose to provide education;
deliver at least one eligible VET course;
be financially viable;
provide appropriate tuition assurance for its students;
observe certain quality control & accountability requirements; and
supply data to the Commonwealth as required.

In order for a diploma or advanced diploma to be eligible for VET FEE-HELP support, the course must articulate into a higher education bachelor degree delivered by a HEP (RTOs registered in Victoria are exempt from this requirement).

Consult Ed is available to support RTOs prepare their applications to become a VET FEE-HELP Provider. We can assist you by:

providing an Evidence Gathering Tool outlining the documentation required to lodge an application to become a VET Provider;
advising the RTO regarding the requirements of the application process;
developing draft policies to comply with VET FEE-HELP requirements;
reviewing the RTO’s existing policies to determine compliance with published requirements;
facilitating the electronic lodgement of the application based on information provided by the RTO.

We have already assisted over 30 RTOs to gain approval, so if you are thinking of becoming a VET FEE-HELP Provider but would like some assistance with the application process, perhaps we can help you.

For a no obligation discussion please contact us.

Useful Links

VET FEE-HELP - DEEWR

ACPET Tuition Assurance Scheme (ASTAS)