Information Sheet for Overseas Students Enrolled in Courses of the Australian College of Theology at the Presbyterian Theological College
Preamble
The Presbyterian Theological College (PTC) is a member college of the Australian College of Theology (ACTh). The Australian College of Theology is a national provider of state accredited higher education courses in theology. The College was established under the auspices of the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Australia in 1891. It is now an ecumenical consortium of some 2,000 students enrolled in 22 member colleges approved to teach the awards of the College on its behalf. These awards range from two-year diplomas, three-year undergraduate and coursework masters degrees to masters and doctoral research degrees. The College is the legal entity that offers the courses and is responsible all regulations relating to the courses of study that it owns. Its degrees are accredited by the higher education authorities in each mainland state. The College has a centrally devised and managed curriculum and a quality assurance process that is applied across the whole network of member colleges. The day-to-day educational system is managed by the Dean from the College office in Sydney . Three academic boards share this responsibility. The boards oversee policy, regulation, review of units, and course structure for research, coursework and diploma awards. The boards are comprised mostly of principals or senior faculty members of member colleges. A number of senior university academics also sit on the Research and Coursework Awards Boards to help ensure that the practice of the College (especially in the outcome of the consideration of research examiner's reports and general academic policy) remains in line with best practice in the university sector. The College is governed by a Council. Its members are drawn from the General Synod, college stakeholders, graduates and members of the public. The Australian College of Theology welcomes students from overseas to study at its member colleges which are authorised to accept international student enrolments.
In Victoria the Presbyterian Theological College is endorsed to enrol overseas students in ACTh courses.
The CRICOS provider number is 02809J.
The following ACTh courses are offered to overseas students at PTC:
COURSE |
COURSE CODE |
Associate Degree of Theology |
059686M |
Bachelor of Christian Studies |
O59672F |
Bachelor of Ministry |
059670G |
Bachelor of Ministry (Honours) |
059671G |
Bachelor of Theology |
059668B |
Bachelor of Theology (Honours) |
059669A |
Graduate Diploma of Divinity |
059677A |
Master of Divinity |
059679K |
Graduate Diploma of Christian Studies |
059678M |
Master of Arts (Theology) |
059680F |
Master of Theology |
059683C |
Doctor of Theology |
059685A |
1. Responsibilities of the ACTh and the Presbyterian Theological College:
1.1 The ACTh (as the legal entity for all courses and the Provider) and PTC as CRICOS provider ensures that no fees for a course from an overseas student, or an intending overseas student, are accepted if the ACTh has not given the student a copy of the following refund policy:
Refund Policy and Agreement for Overseas Students
This policy has been developed in accordance with Section 28(1) of the ESOS Act 2000.
A copy of this policy must be given to all intending and enrolling overseas students before any course fees are paid. This policy and agreement is available on the ACTh website.
Tuition fees for ACTh courses are subject to annual review and the annual tuition fee for a calendar year of study may change on 1 January each year. Thus, tuition fees for units studied will be at the rate applicable at the time of study. Overseas students are required to pay their tuition fees up-front in full (unless other arrangements have been agreed to in writing by the Registrar of the member college at which the student proposes to enrol). The amount of the fees at their sponsoring college will take account of any subsidy provided by the college.
Overseas students are obliged to enrol in a full-time load in their first semester of study and their initial fee payment required of them will be calculated on this basis. In subsequent semesters, overseas students continue to be obliged to enrol in a full-time load, unless in their final semester a less than full-time load is required to complete their course. Fees will be calculated for these subsequent semesters normally on the basis of a full-time load.
In the event that an offer of a place is withdrawn by the College on the grounds that the original offer was made on the basis of incomplete or incorrect information supplied by the student, the college reserves the right to withhold 10% of the tuition fees paid for the first semester and to refund the balance.
Refunds if the student defaults
A student may withdraw from a unit or course at any time in a semester during their course of study. However, students and colleges need to be aware of the consequences of such an action under the new government funding arrangements implemented in 2005. The ACTh Academic Administrator needs to have, in writing , on his or her desk before close of business (ie. 4.30pm) on the census day any notification of withdrawal. It is not sufficient that a student has mentioned their withdrawal from a unit in passing to their lecturer or has even given written notice to their sponsoring college before the census date. The ACTh, as the registered Provider, must have the notification in writing on or before the census date .
Fee for withdrawal from unit(s) on or before the Census Date
If an overseas student, who withdraws on or before the census date, has made any up-front payments to their sponsoring college and/or the ACTh, a refund must be made. A fee for withdrawals will be applied in the case of:
Semester-length units: after the first week of classes.
Intensive units: after 10% of the lectures in the unit have been presented.
Withdrawal fee for Semester-length units
A sliding scale applies on students who withdraw from a semester-length unit after enrolment but before the census date. If a student withdraws before the end of week one of lectures in the unit, no withdrawal fee will be applied. If a student withdraws after week one of lectures but before the census date the student is required to pay 10% of the scheduled tuition fee for that unit. For each additional week that passes up until the census date a further 10% of the tuition fee is payable, up to a maximum of 80% of the scheduled tuition fee for that unit. If any subsidy has been given to the student, this should be taken off the total tuition fee amount before the percentage rule is applied to calculate the withdrawal fee.
Withdrawal fee for Intensive units
A sliding scale applies to students who withdraw from an intensive unit after enrolment but before the census date. If a student withdraws before 10% of lectures have been presented, no withdrawal fee will be applied. If a student withdraws after 10% of lectures have been presented but before the census date the student is required to pay 10% of the scheduled tuition fee for that unit. For every additional 10% of lectures that passes up until the census date a further 10% of the tuition fee is payable, up to a maximum of 80% of the scheduled tuition fee for that unit. If any subsidy has been given to the student, this should be taken off the total tuition fee amount before the percentage rule is applied to calculate the withdrawal fee.
Fee for withdrawal from unit(s) after the Census Date
If an overseas student withdraws after the census date they are not entitled to any refund of tuition fees, unless exceptional circumstances warrant it, in which case they need to apply in writing to the Registrar of their sponsoring college for a refund detailing their circumstances. A pro- rata refund may be made to an overseas student in the event that the student is unable to complete his/her studies due to exceptional circumstances.
Refunds if the provider defaults
Refunds if the registered provider defaults cannot be covered by a written agreement between the provider and the student. Such situations are covered by the provisions of the ESOS Act 2000 and the ESOS Regulations 2001. Students are advised that the ACTh is a member of the Tuition Assurance Scheme of the Sydney College of Divinity. (A copy of this agreement can be found at Appendix Four.)
As an alternative to making a payment required by this Division, the registered provider (or former registered provider) may arrange for another course, or part of a course, to be provided to the student at the provider's expense.
Other information concerning the refund of tuition fees
The provider must pay the refund or respond to the request within four (4) weeks of receipt of the written claim from the student by the Registrar of the sponsoring college. Refunds will normally be made in the same currencies as the fees were originally paid and will be made in the student's home country except in documented exceptional circumstances.
The refund will normally be paid to the student. If the student wishes the refund to be paid to someone else (eg. in the event that the tuition fees were paid by another person), the student must provide a letter of authority signed by the student and the receiving party, including account details of the receiving party, enabling the College to pay the other party. The letter should be attached to the request for refund.
In circumstances where a student is approved to study at another institution in Australia , any refund must be paid directly to the new institution accepting the student. Refunds in the form of transfer of fees to another institution will be made subject to the student presenting evidence of acceptance into that institution.
A notice of withdrawal due to exceptional circumstances may be accepted as grounds for a total or partial refund of fees, subject to the provision of acceptable documentary evidence in support of the application for a refund. Exceptional circumstances may include:
• inability to obtain a student visa
• illness or disability
• failure to meet English language requirements for admission
• death of the student or a close family member (parent, sibling, spouse or child)
• political, civil or natural event which prevents full payment of fees.
This policy does not remove the right of the student to take further action under Australia 's consumer protection laws. Moreover, the dispute resolution procedures of the ACTh do not circumscribe the student's right to pursue other legal remedies.
1.2 The following information will be provided by member colleges approved to enrol overseas students to each overseas student prior to acceptance for enrolment in an ACTh approved course:
• a general description of the content of the course
• the qualification gained on completion
• the duration of the course
• the teaching methods used
• the assessment methods used in the course
• a general description of the facilities, equipment, and learning resources available to students
• an accurate description of the local environment in which the member college operates including location of the campus and indicative costs of living
• advice that any school-age dependents accompanying the student to Australia must pay fees whether enrolled in a government or non-government school
• details of any arrangements with other providers for recognition of the course or completed components of the course
• an itemised list of all fees payable to the provider
• information about the minimum level of English language proficiency, educational qualifications and work experience required for the student to be accepted for the course
• a copy of the Dispute Resolution Policy for International Students (which can also be accessed on the ACTh website)
1.3 The PTC will monitor the attendance records every fortnight for non-attendance. Procedures are in place for contacting and counselling students if a student has been absent for more than five consecutive days without approval, or is not consistently attending their course.
1.4 The PTC will contact the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) if any overseas student is breaching the terms if their visa relating to attendance or academic performance (see [d] and [e] below).
2. Responsibilities of overseas students on a student visa:
2.1 An overseas student must be enrolled in full-time study only. Full-time is defined as normally not less than 16 cps per semester, or 32 cps per year.
2.2 Students must be aware that any school-aged dependants accompanying them to Australia will be required to pay full fees if they are enrolled in either a government or non-government school.
2.3 Overseas students are not allowed to defer commencement of their studies, or suspend their studies, except on the grounds of illness, evidenced by a doctor's certificate, or other exceptional compassionate circumstances beyond the control of the student, for example, bereavement. If a student defers or suspends their studies on any other grounds, the PTC must report the student as not complying with visa conditions.
2.4 Overseas students must not be absent for more than five consecutive days without approval. This is given only in exceptional circumstances (refer also to [c] above).
2.5 Where an overseas student is required to take extra units to complete a course of study, and the remaining units do not constitute a full-time load, the student is not required to be enrolled in full-time study by the ACTh. This only applies to students who are required to repeat a unit of study. Students are not allowed to repeat any unit more than once.
2.6 Overseas students have a duty to advise the ACTh and PTC of any change in their contact details (i.e. Australian residential address and telephone number). If students do not keep their contact details up to date and the ACTh has to send a notice informing that student of their failure to satisfy course requirements, this may result in automatic student visa cancellation without the knowledge of the student. Such cancellation may not be revoked if it has occurred where the student has failed to keep the ACTh & PTC informed of their address.
2.7 Overseas students are responsible for arranging health insurance, and for maintaining the currency of that insurance each year. Details of the insurance policy should be provided to the sponsoring college at the time of application.
2.8 Before arranging a visa overseas students must ensure that they have the financial resources available to cover their tuition and other related study costs such as accommodation, health insurance, living expenses, childcare, etc
3. Regulations:
The information provided by overseas students to the provider (the Australian College of Theology) may be made available to Commonwealth and State agencies and the Fund Manager of the Educational Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Assurance Fund, pursuant to obligations under the ESOS Act 2000 and the National Code; and the provider is required, under section 19 of the ESOS Act 2000, to tell the Department about: (i) certain changes to the student's enrolment; and (ii) any breach by the student of a student visa condition relating to attendance or satisfactory academic performance.
Further information:
For detailed information on accommodation resources, the local environment of the campus, and other details of campus life, students should refer to the web page. The college also makes this information available in hard copy.
* The Handbook can be downloaded from this site click here
