College Policy of Fees and Fee Collection

Fee and Fee Collection Policy

ACCM College is committed to administering its Fees and Fee Collection processes in a fair and equitable manner.

ACCM College will ensure that the rules of any government funded or subsidised program are met and that fees are clearly disclosed to students and clients.

In the application of these rules ACCM College will at all times offer reasonable allowed payment alternatives to ensure that students with financial disadvantage are given every reasonable opportunity to progress their education.

Our refund policy and processes will also ensure that individual students paying their course fees only pay for the services that they incur for the time that they are enrolled.

Fee and Invoicing Policy and Procedure Details

Charging Compulsory Fees

a) ACCM College will ensure that it charges all compulsory student or co-contribution fees as required under any government funded or subsidised program.

b) If an error is detected in fees charged, ACCM College will advise the student of the fee variation and if there is an amount payable, allow reasonable time to make this payment. ACCM College will also make a refund if the fee is lower.

c) If the fees for the program vary based on the subjects undertaken or for some other reason, ACCM College will invoice for fees based on the normal fee applicable. At the completion of the course a variation invoice or refund will be made.

Instalment Payments and Fees Payable

Instalment Payments and Fees Payable

Where the course fee / enrolment fee is paid in instalments (ie employers are often invoiced $500 at enrolment and the balance at 6 mos), and the student/trainee/employer cancels the course, the total amount owing upon cancellation will be based on the progress or time enrolled as outlined in the Refund Policy. This also applies to private students.

Where the amount paid up to the point of cancellation does not meet or exceed the calculated Fees Payable, an updated invoice will be provided to meet the minimum Payable Fee.

Applying Concession Fees and Fee Exemptions

a) ACCM College will ensure that it offers all compulsory student concessions and exemptions to fees as required under any government funded or subsidised program.

b) Students who do not subsequently meet the proof requirements for the concession or exemption within a reasonable period will be invoiced the standard amount or their enrolment cancelled if preferred.

Incidental Fees

a) Incidental Fees are any additional fees that may be incurred other than course fees. These include fees for additional services such as late payment charges, fees for additional subjects or dual qualifications.

b) No College courses require students to incur incidental fees as these services are optional.

c) Incidental Fees and current amounts are published on the Course Fees page.

Invoicing Terms of Payment

a) A deposit is required upon any enrolment application. It is referred to as an Administration Fee component of the Course Fees. This will be refundable if an enrolment application is not approved, but retained if the student or employer cancels thereafter.

b) Once a student is given access to ACCM College course materials the enrolment has been approved and the student (or employer) are liable for the course fees. The fees may be paid by invoice on 14 day terms or be paid by regular direct debit or other instalment, with a maximum upfront payment at any time by a student of $1500.

c) All invoices are issued on strict 14 day terms. Non-payment of invoices can result in the cancellation of the course.

d) Failure to meet any instalment makes the remaining fee amount, plus any costs incurred, fully due and payable upon demand, except as the Refund Policy applies.

Invoices Issued For All Fees Payable

a) Tax invoices are issued for all payments due to ACCM College.

b) All payments are deposited into the ACCM College bank account and accounts are reconciled to customer statements.

Receipts for Payments

a) When you enrol with ACCM College via our Online Enrolment System, and have paid an invoice by credit card you will receive a receipt to your nominated email address.

b) When you pay an Invoice via our Online Payment System, you will receive a receipt to your nominated email address.

c) Direct Debit instalments will show on your bank account or credit card statement. If you wish to receive receipts for Direct Debit Payment Payments please email accounts@accm.edu.au

d) If you wish to receive receipts for an invoice that was paid by Direct Deposit please email accounts@accm.edu.au

Limits on upfront payment for Individual Students

ACCM College does not accept single pre-payments that exceed $1500 in advance for our qualifications.

Students are encouraged to make use of our installment program that sees them progressing their payments over the course of their enrolment.

We understand this may inconvenience students who wish to pay the full amount for their qualification up front, however this system has been put in place to as a Consumer Protection initiative and as part of our registration/compliance obligations.

Traineeship Enrolment Fees

NSW Traineeship Fees

For Trainees registered under NSW Smart and Skilled, the fees are as specified in the NSW Skills List pricing schedule applicable at the date of enrolment for that qualification.

As at July 2023 the standard Enrolment Fee for New Entrant Trainees remains at $0, but check this information using the Fee Checker on the relevant course website page.

For a Traineeship not on the NSW Smart and Skilled funding list, or not within the College's funding allocation, fees will be as per the College published Employer Program price or as agreed with the client on a fee for service basis.

The fees cover the required minimum number of units to complete the qualification.

For Credit Transfers fees are reduced in accordance with Smart and Skilled rules (however where the fee is $0, Credit Transfers will not reduce the fee further).

Refer to the NSW Skills List found here.

Please ensure you visit our New South Wales Traineeship Page which explains all aspects of a Traineeship under the Smart and Skilled program here.

Updated August 2023

Queensland Traineeship Fees

Beginning 1 July 2025, ACCM College courses in Queensland are delivered on a Fee for Service basis for all new Traineeship enrolments commencing after 30 June 2025.

ACCM College will continue to support state-subsidised Queensland Trainees already enrolled under our Skills Assure Supplier - User Choice contract for the duration of their Traineeship (including possible extensions).

This applies to all Trainees who commenced their Queensland Traineeship prior to 30 June 2025 under an approved User Choice Contract with ACCM College.

Going forward, ACCM is still able to support new entrant and existing Trainees in Queensland, but on a fee for service basis, NOT under the Queensland government's Skills Assure Supplier subsidised program

To be clear, ACCM College is not able to access government subsidised training in Queenland for enrolments that commence after 30 June 2025.

There is no impact to our current Trainees, or their allocated funded under our User Choice contract extension.

Please ensure you visit our Queensland Traineeship Page which explains all aspects of aTraineeship under the Skills Assure program here.

Understanding Traineeships Fees in Queensland

ACCM fully understands the below information can be difficult to follow. If you have any questions regarding any of this information please reach out to us and we are more than willing to explain the below in detail.

The fee that had been displayed on the Course Page is a cumulative fee that shows the Student Contribution Fee and if required an Employer Fee (explained in detail below) as a displayed total.

Understanding the Student Contribution Fee

For all state-subsidised Traineeships in Queensland delivered under Skills Assure, a Student Contribution fee applies.

There may be an additional employer fee (explained below), however all Traineeship require the Student Contribution Fee, except as outlined in a further paragraph.

The Student Contribution Fee varies based on the exact Units of Competency selected for the Qualification to be completed as part of the Traineeship.

Each Unit of Competency is allocated a “nominal hours” fee (ie 20 hr, 25 hrs, etc) by the government that is tied to State-subsidised funding, and is not a factor in the length of time the Unit should take to achieve to complete. It is purely part of a funding determination process.

The QLD Student Contribution fee is currently $1.60 per nominal hour for all Units in the Qualification.

The fees quoted on each specific course page in the Fee Checker are a nominative fee (placeholder fee) which will vary based on the actual Units of Competency chosen as well as any reductions/exemptions outlined in this section.

To repeat, the nominative fee displayed is based on this preliminary Student Contribution Fee AND any potential employer fees.

In most cases, the Employer chooses to pay the Student Contribution Fee on behalf of the Trainee, but not always.

This decision is made between the Employer and the Trainee, and is not part of the RTO’s oversight.

Student Contribution Fee Reductions and Exemptions

Under the User Choice Policy, a Partial Exemption of the Student Contribution Fees applies for certain categories.

Per the QLD User Choice Policy found here:

2.6.2 Partial exemption - tuition fees

The SAS (ACCM College) must charge 40 per cent of the student contribution fee where the participant falls into one or more of the following exemption categories:

(a) The participant was or will be under 17 years of age at the end of February in the year in which the SAS provides training, and the participant is not at school and has not completed year 12.

(b) The participant holds a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card issued under Commonwealth law, or is the partner or a dependant of a person who holds a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, and is named on the card.

(c) The participant issues the SAS with an official form under Commonwealth law confirming that the participant, his or her partner or the person of whom the participant is a dependant, is entitled to concessions under a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card.

(d) The participant is an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person. Acceptable evidence is as stated on the Training Contract and AVETMISS VET Enrolment Form.

2.6.3 Full Exemption of Student Contribution Fee

The SAS may apply full exemption from the student contribution fee where the participant falls into one or more of the following exemption categories:

(a) Where payment of the student contribution fee would cause extreme financial hardship, then the SAS may waive these fees

The fee waiver process should be in place at the time of the participant’s enrolment.
For 2.6.3 (a) of this Fees and Charges section, the SAS must have a reasonable internal process to manage an appeal about the outcome of an application under financial hardship.

(b) Where the Queensland Government, as represented by the departmental officer responsible for the User Choice budget, advises in writing that fees are optional. On receipt of such advice, the SAS may choose not to collect the student contribution fee. In this circumstance, any decision by the SAS not to collect fees does not create a liability for the department. The SAS may not apply for reimbursement by the department of fee revenue foregone.

Refer to the User Choice Price List, as published on the department’s website, for information on where fee exemptions are applicable. The SAS must apply full exemption from the student contribution fee where the participant falls into one or more of the following exemption categories:

(a) where credit transfer/national recognition has been applied to a unit of competency/module

(b) the participant is a school-based apprentice or trainee

(c) the participant is undertaking a qualification as part of the Skilling Queenslanders for Work – Work Skills Traineeship program.

ACCM Required Employer Fee

In some cases, where state-subsidies do not fully cover training costs, an additional Employer Fee will apply, these are includes in the quoted cost as shown on the Fee Tracker.

This is allowable under the QLD User Choice Policy found here:

2.6.5 Additional charges

Employer/industry The SAS may seek additional charges from the employer/industry. Any additional charges must be negotiated up-front and disclosed to the employer/industry prior to the participant’s enrolment.

In cases where the Employer does not intend to pay for the Student Contribution Fee, please let ACCM College know and we will provide a detailed breakdown of costs to assist.

Refunding the Student Contribution or Employer Fee

Where the Trainee cancels their Traineeship (for any reason), the Student Contribution Fee and/Employer Fee will be refunded for all Units that have not commenced training. Where a Unit has commenced, a proportional refund will be returned. Completed/Competent Units contribution fees will not be returned.

There is no need to request a refund as these will be returned automatically as part of the cancellation process.

Unfunded or non-State Funded Traineeships

For a Traineeship not on the funding list, or not within ACCM's funding allocation, Traineeship fees will be as per the College's published Employer Program price or as agreed with the client on a fee for service basis.

For example, the TLI30321 Certificate III in Supply Chain is a funded Traineeship in Queensland, however it is not on ACCM's approved Traineeship list under User's Choice.

ACCM is still able to deliver this as a Traineeship, however as we will not receive any state-subsidy, the fee will be the same as a private or Employer Program price.

ACCM fully understands the aboveinformation can be difficult to follow. If you have any questions regarding any of this information please reach out to us and we are more than willing to explain the below in detail.

Western Australian Traineeship Fees

Course Fees are the published standard fees for Employer Programs, or as varied in a Client Services Agreement.

ACT Traineeship Fees

ACT traineeship fees vary by the course undertaken.

ACT subsidises most traineeship qualifications delivered by the College.

Each Course page has a Fee Checker that will allow the fee to be calculated.

The correct fee will also display for your enrolment category and course when you apply on-line to enrol.

Please ensure you visit our ACT Traineeship Page which explains all aspects of a Traineeship under the ACT User Choice program here.

Tasmanian Traineeship Fees

ACCM College has a limited Traineeship contract in Tasmania.

Each qualification requires a specific application to be delivered as a Traineeship.

Where a contract is available, the specific course pages quote the traineeship fees in the Fee Checker.

Course Fees for other traineeship qualifications are the published Employer Program standard fees, or as varied in a Client Services Agreement.

Victorian Traineeship Fees

Course Fees are the published standard fees for Employer Programs, or as varied in a Client Services Agreement.

South Australia Traineeship Fees

Course Fees are the published standard fees for Employer Programs, or as varied in a Client Services Agreement.

Northern Territory Traineeship Fees

Course Fees are the published standard fees for Employer Programs, or as varied in a Client Services Agreement.

Traineeship Fees Payable By Employer

Fees are invoiced to the employer unless an agreement is in place to directly invoice the trainee.

Queensland only

Queensland mandates a Student Contribution Fee as part of all Traineeship programs.

Where the employer wish to have the Trainee pay this fee, please ensure ACCM College is made aware of this requirement.

For more information on this Fee, please refer to the Queensland Accordion entry in this section.

Fee Collection Policy and Procedures

Recovery and Collections Action for Outstanding Fees and Costs

a) Payments that are outside the agreed payment terms will receive a reminder.

b) Payments past 21 days may be charged the Late Payment Fee. If this fee is not initially charged, it may be applied subsequently if agreed instalments or payment plans are not met.

c) Payments past 45 days will receive a final written reminder before they are considered for collections action.

d) ACCM College may undertake collections action itself or refer the outstanding invoices to an outside collections agency to action.

e) All costs associated with this collections action including document preparation, court filing costs, process serving costs, search costs and all other costs will be charged to the debtor and these amounts included in the collections action.

f) Failure of ACCM College to initiate collections action at any time does not prevent ACCM College commencing action at any subsequent time and without notice.

Negotiated Instalments

a) Students and clients who are unable to pay outstanding invoices due to financial difficulties will be offered a payment plan arrangement.

b) Where the instalment plan is maintained, all late payment fees and costs will be waived.

c) Evidence of the financial difficulties and an application for a payment plan may be requested.

Financial Hardship Application

a) Where permitted under a government funded or subsidised program ACCM College may waive all or some student fees based on proven financial hardship.

b) In this instance the student must complete the Financial Hardship Form and be assessed in accordance with ACCM College procedures.

c) ACT will allow a fee reduction to a concession fee where genuine hardship by a trainee is proven. Evidence must be provided for approval. [ACTSC p36]

d) Queensland will allow a exemption for Student Contribution Fees where genuine hardship by a trainee is proven. Evidence must be provided for approval. [QLDUC 2.6.3]

Review December 2022

Other Fee Policies and Procedures

Cease Training Not of Students Own Accord

ACCM College is required to have a policy in place in the event that it is no longer able to support a student's training course through closure, loss of government funding contracts, removal of qualifications on scope, or other reasons that force ACCM College to cease training that student.

If such an event were to arise ACCM College would calculate the percentage of the training incomplete and arrange a refund of that percentage of course fees.

ACCM College maintains strong financial reserves in Term Deposit Investments that ensure cashflow is well in excess of needs.

Withdrawal Without Penalty Rules for Jobs and Skills WA

ACCM College is not offering any qualifications under Jobs & Skills WA.

Due to on-going travel limitations and the impact on providing workplace support as a result of COVID restrictions, ACCM encourages the use of WA based Registered Training Organisations to meeting the training needs of WA students.

The following is offered as a courtesy only

a) Jobs & Skills WA student fees apply on a Unit of Competency basis. There may be one or more Units of Competency in a course subject.

b) For Jobs & Skills WA students, a Withdrawal Without Penalty / Census Date applies and is calculated at 20% of the duration for each subject. This means that the College Refund policy is varied for these students to the extent that they may have started a subject but if they have notified us of withdrawal in the first 20% of the time allowed for that subject, they are eligible for a refund of fees paid for that subject. [VFCP 6.8.2]

Updated Feb 2021, reviewed Dec2022

Fee Reduction Due to Credit Transfers

a) Where a student under a specific enrolment type and program is entitled to a reduction in fees due to RPL by credit transfer, the fee will be adjusted either at the commencement of course where the fees can be accurately calculated, or upon completion of the course or by adjusting future instalments if a payment plan applies.

The fee will also include any other adjustments that are necessary.

Transfer to Lower Level Qualification or Embedded Qualifications

a) Where a student withdraws from one qualification and the units completed make them eligible for a lower level qualification, ACCM College will issue the lower level Qualification Testamur at no additional cost.

No other refund of fees will otherwise apply.

Fees Not To Be Paid In Advance

a) ACCM College does not accept from a student more than $1000 prior to enrolment, nor do instalments at any time exceed $1500 in advance of services delivered.

Re-assessment Attempt Limits

a) ACCM College does not charge additional fees for re-assessment.

b) However, assessments failed over numerous occasions will trigger a discussion with the student to reassess the suitability of the course and/or subjects chosen.

c) ACCM College may refuse to continue training in a subject/qualification if an assessment submission remains not competent after three attempts and no methods likely to be successful to assist the student can be identified.

Transition to Newer Qualification Fee

Qualifications are regularly updated. The replaced qualification is called a superseded qualification and has a "transition date" by which all enrolled students must be completed, or be enrolled in the newer qualification (if offered by ACCM College).

The following Transition Fee applies to transitions to newer qualifications:

$500 Certificate II and III
$600 Certificate IV
$800 Diploma

This fee also applies where students request to be transitioned before the transition date, when they may (in the College's judgement) otherwise have completed the superseded qualification within the time frame.

ACCM College may waive the Transition Fee at its discretion and will waive the fee for students who were not given at least 6 months notice of the requirement to complete before the transition date.

Trainees are exempt from this fee.

NSW Smart and Skilled enrolments are exempt from this fee where the transition is approved by Smart and Skilled.

Students and trainees past their original course completion date may also be asked to pay the course Extension Fee for each extension period in addition.

Specific Funded Program Fee Procedures

NSW Smart and Skilled Fee Administration Policy

Under Smart and Skilled provider guidelines we must give each student access to the Smart and Skilled Fee Administration policy before or at the time of enrolment.

The most current Policy can be accessed at the above link.

For School Based Trainees in NSW refer to the Smart and Skilled School Based Traineeship Fee Administration Policy.

The most current Policy can be accessed at the above link.

Updated/verified Nov 2024

NSW Smart and Skilled Transferring Students

a) Students transferring to ACCM College will need to pay the Smart and Skilled Fee that will be adjusted to take into account any credit transfers from their previous provider.

The student must provide a JP certified copy of their Statement of Attainment.

b) If the student's transfer is due to the closure of their previous training provider or the termination of a contract, ACCM College will not charge a fee that exceeds the fee for which they were originally liable.

c) Along with providing a JP certified Statement of Attainment, the student must also provide their current Training Plan and the Statement of Fees issued by their previous provider (with evidence of payment).

d) ACCM College will contact Training Services NSW in these instances to calculate the fee and to agree on the fee to be paid by the Department to the College.

Fee and Fee Collection Policy and Procedures

Fee and Fee Collection Policy

Fee and Invoicing Policy and Procedure Details

Traineeship Enrolment Fees

Please ensure you visit our New South Wales Traineeship Page which explains all aspects of a Traineeship under the Smart and Skilled program here.

Beginning 1 July 2025, ACCM College courses in Queensland are delivered on a Fee for Service basis for all new Traineeship enrolments commencing after 30 June 2025.

Please ensure you visit our Queensland Traineeship Page which explains all aspects of aTraineeship under the Skills Assure program here.

Understanding Traineeships Fees in Queensland

Understanding the Student Contribution Fee

Student Contribution Fee Reductions and Exemptions

ACCM Required Employer Fee

Refunding the Student Contribution or Employer Fee

Unfunded or non-State Funded Traineeships

Please ensure you visit our ACT Traineeship Page which explains all aspects of a Traineeship under the ACT User Choice program here.

Fee Collection Policy and Procedures

Other Fee Policies and Procedures

Specific Funded Program Fee Procedures

Refunds