International Student Policy

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to outline processes relating to the admission, enrolment and transfer of international students at Alphacrucis University College (AC).

Scope

This policy applies to AC international students, as well as employees and third parties involved in the management of international students.

Policy

DEFINITIONS 

Attendance - The National Code defines scheduled course contact hours as: “The hours for which students enrolled in the course are scheduled to attend class, course related information sessions, supervised study sessions, mandatory and supervised work-based training and examinations.” Course contact hours and attendance requirements are communicated to students via the Learning Management System in individual unit or subject outlines. 

Compelling and compassionate circumstances are situations beyond a student's control that significantly impact their wellbeing or course progress.  These include but are not limited to: 

• Serious illness or injury to the student or a close family member, supported by medical certificates. 
• Bereavement of close family members (parents, grandparents, children).  
• Family Emergencies requiring unexpected and urgent travel or caregiving responsibilities.  
• Major political upheaval or natural disaster in a student’s home country  
• Traumatic experiences: Involvement in or witnessing an accident or crime, or a crime committed against the student or their family.  
• Genuine delays to visas impacting their ability to commence their course on their starting day.   
• Situations where a student's safety or wellbeing is threatened. 
• Sudden and significant financial difficulties that impact a student's ability to continue studying.  

CRICOS means the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students 

Distance learning - The National Code defines distance learning as “off-campus learning that does not require a student to physically attend regularly”. 

ESOS Act means Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000. 

Fulltime Study – a standard study load is four units or subjects per teaching period. A fulltime study load is 75% or more of a standard fulltime study load, which is generally 3 units or subjects or more per teaching period.  

International student: is defined as an Overseas student per the ESOS Act (see below) 

International Student Officer (ISO): An ISO is an AC staff member who has sound knowledge of the ESOS Act and The National Code, and has PRISMS access to issue and cancel Confirmation of Enrolments (CoE). 

National Code means the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018. 

Offshore student: An offshore student is a student that who is studying at an overseas location and not at an Australian campus or at an Australian address. 

Online learning – The National Code defines online learning as “primarily through digital means and does not require the student to attend scheduled classes or maintain contact hours”.  

Overseas student:  An overseas student is not an Australian or New Zealand citizen an Australian permanent resident or holder of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa.  An overseas student is defined as a person who holds an Australian student visa, whether they are within or outside of Australia. 

PRISMS  means the Provider Registration and International Student Management System 

 

POLICY 

AC adheres to the requirements of the ESOS Act and The National Code. Only international students who are 18 years old or above may apply for admission into an AC course of study. 

CONFIRMATION OF ENROLMENT 

International onshore students require a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) certificate to apply for a student visa. This CoE is issued by an AC International Student Officer (ISO) only after all requirements (including Academic Entry requirements and Genuine Student (GS) requirements) have been satisfied, and the student has paid, as a minimum, the amount payable upfront as specified in the student’s letter of offer. 

Deferral of course commencement 

Students seeking to defer commencement of their studies should refer to the Admissions Policy for guidance.  

 

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT TRANSFERS 

Under the National Code, a registered provider is restricted from enrolling an international student transferring from another provider before the student has completed six months of their principal course. The exception to this occurs when the student has been granted a release by their current provider. The provider must also specify the circumstances in which they will approve a transfer and provide release in PRISMS to their current international students. 

 

Request for Transfer from AC to another provider 

International onshore students who have not completed the first six months of their principal course must request a transfer to another provider in accordance with the procedures outlined below. AC will assess each request for transfer in line with the stipulations included in this policy and the outcome will be recorded in PRISMS.  Successful applications will meet the Circumstances in which Transfers will be Granted, as outlined below, and will include a valid enrolment offer from the receiving provider. 

If approved, the release will be issued at no cost to the student, and the student will be advised of the need to contact the Department of Home Affairs to seek advice on whether a new student visa is required. 

Where a transfer or release is refused, the student is provided with written reasons for refusing the request and informed of their right to appeal the decision through the AC appeals processes within 20 working days. AC will not finalise the refusal to release status in PRISMS until the appeal finds in favour of AC, or the student has chosen not to access the appeals process. 

International students enrolled at AC who complete the first six calendar months of their principal course are free to transfer to another provider and do not require approval of release. 

The first six months of the principal course is calculated as six calendar months from the date of commencement of the principal course. The principal course is usually the final course of study a student will undertake with the provider. For example, if they are taking a package course (i.e. Diploma + Bachelor) the principal course is the Bachelor course.  Students unsure of which course is their principal course should contact the International Student Officer (ISO). 

 

Circumstances in which transfers will be granted 

A request from an international onshore student to transfer to another provider is assessed by an AC International Student Officer (ISO) and will be approved by the Registrar. AC will only approve transfer requests where: 

• the student’s fees are up to date 
• the transfer is in the student's best interests, including but not limited to:  
• The student is unable to achieve satisfactory course progress even after engaging with AC’s intervention strategies  
• The student can provide evidence that his or her reasonable expectations about the current course are not being met; 
• the course has not been delivered as per the written agreement; 
• there is evidence that the student was misled by the registered provider or education or migration agent regarding the provider and its course and the course is therefore unsuitable to their needs and/or study objectives; 
• there are other compassionate or compelling reasons for the transfer: 
• an appeal (internal or external) on another matter results in a decision or recommendation to release the overseas student; 
• the overseas student will be reported because they are unable to achieve satisfactory course progress at the level they are studying, even after engaging with AC’s intervention strategy. 

 

Circumstances in which transfers will be refused 

• the transfer may jeopardise the student’s progression through a package of courses 
• the student has recently started studying the course and the full range of support services are yet to be provided or offered to the student (it is good practice to revisit the issue within a timeframe negotiated with the student) 
• The student owes fees 
• The student refuses to engage in the intervention strategy 

 

Requests for transfer to AC from another provider 

Under the National Code, AC is restricted from enrolling a transferring international onshore student before the student has completed six months of his or her principal course, except where: 

1. the original registered provider has ceased to be registered or the course in which the student is enrolled has ceased to be registered; 
2. the original registered provider has provided release, and recorded the date of effect and reason for release in PRISMS; 
3. the original registered provider has had a sanction imposed on its registration by the Australian Government or state or territory government that prevents the student from continuing his or her principal course, or; 
4. any government sponsored student considers the change to be in the student’s best interest and has provided written support for that change. 

 

Responsible for implementation

Registrar; Chair, Quality Assurance Committee

Key stakeholders

All staff and international students

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Procedures

International Student Procedures

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