Students can find out more about Fee-Help by asking for the FEE-HELP booklet
that is available from GTB.
Alternatively,
students could download the
FEE-HELP
Information Booklet 2008
(PDF) from the
Commonwealth Government Website:
http://www.goingtouni.gov.au/
FEE-HELP DECISIONS & REVIEW OF
FEE-HELP DECISIONS
FEE-HELP is available to eligible students studying for the Graduate Certificate of
Gestalt Therapy and Method or the Master of Gestalt Therapy at Gestalt Therapy
Brisbane. To apply for FEE-HELP students will need to complete a Request for
FEE-HELP Assistance Form, available from Gestalt Therapy Brisbane.
Who is eligible for FEE-HELP?
Eligibility for
FEE-HELP is defined by the Higher Education Support Act.
Students
ARE eligible for a FEE-HELP loan if they are:
-
An Australian Citizen; or
-
The holder of a permanent humanitarian visa who
will be resident in Australia for the duration of the unit; or,
-
The holder of a permanent visa enrolled in a
bridging course for overseas-trained professionals who will be resident in
Australia for the duration of the course.
And they are planning to study one of the following programmes at Gestalt
Therapy Brisbane:
You can find out more about
FEE-HELP by visiting the website:
www.goingtouni.gov.au
Refer to
Procedures for
Selection & Termination of Students
FEE-HELP
REVIEW AND APPEALS PROCEDURE
This
document describes Gestalt Therapy Brisbane’s processes and procedures for
handling the re-credit of a FEE-HELP balance, and the review of associated
decisions. It covers:
-
Informal enquiries from students concerning
FEE-HELP;
-
Formal requests from students for the re-credit
of FEE-HELP balance; and
-
Formal review of decisions associated with the
re-credit of FEE-HELP balance.
These
processes and procedures are intended to complement GTB’s Grievance Policy and
Procedures.
The
processes and procedures described in this document are consistent with
obligations prescribed in the following legislation and guidelines:
Information
The Administrative Assistant,
Gestalt Therapy Brisbane can assist students to understand their FEE-HELP debt
and provide them with a copy of GTB’s FEE-HELP Policy and Procedure.
Students can
apply for a re-credit of a FEE-HELP balance if they withdraw from their studies
after the census date or they have not completed the requirements of the unit
and special circumstances apply, that are:
-
Beyond their control;
-
Do not make their full impact on them until on,
or after, the census date; and,
-
Make it impracticable for them to complete the
requirements for the unit.
Where a
request to re-credit a student's FEE-HELP balance is granted, a student's
FEE-HELP debt is removed in respect of the applicable subjects studied.
Gestalt Therapy Brisbane will consider these applications and agree to such
request if it is satisfied that there were special circumstances in the
student's case.
Gestalt Therapy Brisbane will refund to the Commonwealth the amount of FEE-HELP
paid to the Institute on behalf of the student, if the student's request is
successful. The Institute will notify the Department of Education, Employment
and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) through the HELP Variations File.
GTB‘s
Administrative Assistant can assist students in understanding their FEE-HELP
debt.
GTB’s
procedures are published in the Student handbook so that students have up to
date information publicly available to them in regard to these procedures.
Initial Request for a re-credit of Fee Help
Students may request a re-credit
of a FEE-HELP balance by writing to the Chair, Gestalt Educational Processes
Committee (GEP), 847 Logan Road, Holland Park, 4121. Students need to request
this re-credit within 12 months from withdrawal from the unit of study or within
12 months from the end of the period of study for student who have not
successfully completed the unit of study. The application should be in writing
and the application should contain:
-
The student’s name and current address;
-
The
subject/s, semester and year to which the student is applying for a
possible re-credit of FEE-HELP; and,
-
The special
circumstances with documentation as to why the student considers that he/she
eligible to receive a re-crediting of FEE-HELP. Documentation could include,
but is not limited to, a medical certificate or statement from a counsellor,
employer or independent member of the community which details when the
student’s medical condition or personal circumstances began and how it has
affected the student’s ability to study.
A student
can apply to Gestalt Therapy Brisbane to have his or her FEE-HELP balance
re-credited if he/she withdraws from his or her studies after the census date
and/or the student has not completed the requirements for the unit of study. The
student must apply in writing, within 12 months from withdrawal from the unit of
study or within 12 months from the end of the period of study for students who
have not successfully completed the unit of study.
Gestalt Therapy Brisbane has the discretion to waive the 12 months time limit
for the re-crediting of a FEE-HELP balance if satisfied that the application
could not have been made within the time limit. Gestalt Therapy Brisbane’s
Chair, Gestalt Educational Processes Committee (GEP) will consider the student's
application within 10 working days. Applicants will be notified of the decision
within a further 10 working days.
Notice in
writing giving reasons for the decision and informing students of their rights
A student will receive written notice of the decision and reasons for the
decision. The student will be informed of how to submit a valid request for a
review of this decision and who to contact to answer further questions. If the
decision is made to re-credit the FEE-HELP debt the student will be informed of
the amount of the debt to be reduced and who to contact to answer further
questions.
Review
Procedure:
This
procedure deals with requests for a review of a decision made by Gestalt Therapy
Brisbane not to re-credit a FEE-HELP balance.
The review officer at Gestalt Therapy Brisbane is the Managing Director of Gestalt
Therapy Brisbane responsible for FEE-HELP, Dr Greer White. Where a student is
not satisfied with the decision made by Gestalt Therapy Brisbane he or she may
apply for a review of the decision. Reviewable decisions include:
-
Refusal to re-credit some or all of a student's
student learning entitlement for a unit of study; and,
-
Refusal to re-credit a student's FEE-HELP
balance.
If a student
is not satisfied with the outcome of his/her request for a re-credit of his/her
FEE-HELP balance, he/she may appeal in writing to Dr Greer White, Managing Director,
Gestalt Therapy Brisbane, 847 Logan Road, Holland Park, 4121 within 45 days
from the day he/she first receives notice of the outcome. The appeal needs to
include:
-
The student’s name and current address;
-
The
subject/s, semester and year to which the student is applying for a Review
of the decision not to re-credit a FEE-HELP balance; and,
-
The
specific reasons for seeking the review.
Dr
Greer White, Managing Director , Gestalt Therapy Brisbane will acknowledge receipt of an
application for review of a reviewable decision in
writing and inform the applicant that he/she
will be advised in writing of a decision within 45 days and if the student is
not advised within 45 days of the decision that has been made this lack of
communication is confirmation that the original decision is upheld. The written
notice of receipt of the decision will inform the student of his/her right to
appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) and will provide contact
details for the nearest AAT and the approximate costs of making an application.
Communication of results of appeals procedure
Once a
decision has been made about a student’s application for review of the decision
a Notice of Decision letter will be sent. This letter will include the reasons
for the decision regarding a re-credit of the FEE-HELP balance. If the decision
is made to re-credit the FEE-HELP debt the student will be informed of the
amount of the debt to be reduced and who to contact to answer further questions.
The written Notice of the
Decision will inform the student of his/her right to appeal to the
Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) and will provide contact details for the
nearest AAT and the approximate costs of making an application.
Privacy Statement
All personal information
collected by Gestalt Therapy Brisbane is protected under the Privacy Act 1988
(Commonwealth of Australia). Any and all information will be treated with the
utmost care, being kept strictly confidential within the confines of the
training programme. It will not be sold, re-used, rented, loaned or otherwise
disclosed to a third part, except where prior written permission is obtained
from the individual who supplied the information and to whom the information
refers.
This procedure is published in the Student Handbook
and the Gestalt Therapy Brisbane Policy and Procedure Handbook. Furthermore, it
will be sent to applicants on receipt of their application.
This procedure is communicated to academic staff and
support staff through the Gestalt Therapy Brisbane Staff Handbook. The Managing Director
Dr Greer White is responsible for the training of all staff in
the application of the procedure.
These Procedures for the Review of FEE-HELP have
been agreed to and ratified by the Directors of Gestalt Therapy Brisbane on 13
October, 2008.
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