Refund Policy
1. Definitions
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| College | Matic International College |
| ESOS Act 2000 | Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 |
| National Code 2018 | National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 |
| Commencement of Course | Course start date on the CoE, or the commencement date on the Letter of Offer where a CoE is not applicable. |
| CoE | Confirmation of Enrolment |
| Course Fee | Tuition fee and non-tuition fee (if applicable) |
| Non-Course Fee | Handling Fee, Credit Application Fee, Withdrawal Processing Fee, Certificate Re-issue Fee, Assessment Re-submission Fee, Placement Fee, Late Fee, Instalment Fee, OSHC Fee |
| Student | Onshore/offshore students whose course enrolments require CoEs |
| Offshore Student | An international student who does not hold a current Australian Visa or is not in Australia while applying |
| Onshore Student | An international student who holds a current Australian Visa and is in Australia while applying |
| Payment Period | A specific period within the CoE course, deemed to be 3 months. The last payment period may be less than 3 months. |
| Current Payment Period | The payment period in which the date of the withdrawal request received by the college falls. |
| Subsequent Payment Period | The payment period(s) after the Current Payment Period. |
Payment Period Example — 12-Month Course (01/07/2023 – 30/06/2024)
| Payment Period | Course Duration | Example Withdrawal Date |
|---|---|---|
| Period 1 | 01/07/2023 – 30/09/2023 | 15/08/2023 |
| Period 2 | 01/10/2023 – 31/12/2023 | 13/11/2023 |
| Period 3 | 01/01/2024 – 31/03/2024 | 05/01/2024 |
| Period 4 | 01/04/2024 – 30/06/2024 | 09/05/2024 |
2. General Notes
This policy applies to international students of the college in accordance with the ESOS Act 2000 and National Code 2018. Except as provided by law, a refund of course fees will only be granted in accordance with this Refund Policy.
Refund applications must be submitted in writing with supporting documents to info@matic.vic.edu.au.
Required Documents
- (a) Refund Application Form
- (b) Copy of bank receipt (e.g. Telegraphic Transfer) for initial payment
- (c) Copy of passport page (full name and signature)
- (d) Refusal Letter from the Department of Home Affairs (visa refusal only)
- (e) Acknowledgement letter of visa application withdrawal (visa withdrawal only)
- (f) Other supporting documentation as requested by the college (e.g. Declaration Letter, Withdrawal and Release Form)
3. Visa Refusal
3.1 — Visa Refusal Before Course Commencement
The student will be refunded the course fees paid after a deduction of the lesser of the following:
- 5% of the course fees received by the college before the default day, OR
- $500
3.2 — Visa Refusal Due to Fraudulent Documentation
3.3 — Visa Refusal After Course Commencement
Refund is calculated under Section 10(4) of the ESOS (Calculation of Refund) Instrument 2024:
| Formula | Calculation |
|---|---|
| Weekly Tuition Fee | (Total tuition fee ÷ calendar days in course) × 7 |
| Weeks in Default Period | Calendar days from default day to end of period ÷ 7 |
| Refund Amount | Weekly Tuition Fee × Weeks in Default Period |
4. Student Default
4.1 — When Does Student Default Occur?
- Student does not start the course on the commencement day without prior notification
- Student withdraws from the course (before or after commencement)
- Student fails to pay amounts owed to the college
- Student breaches a condition of their student visa
- Misconduct or misbehaviour by the student
- Abandonment of studies without formally cancelling enrolment
4.2 — Enrolment Terminated by College After Commencement
No refund for the current payment period. Course fees paid for subsequent payment period(s) will be refunded, less a $200 withdrawal processing fee.
4.3 — Student Withdraws Before Course Commencement
| When Request is Received | Refund |
|---|---|
| More than 4 weeks before commencement | 100% of all paid course fees, less $200 withdrawal processing fee |
| More than 2 weeks and up to 4 weeks before commencement | 80% of first payment period + 100% of subsequent payment periods, less $200 |
| 2 weeks or less before commencement | No refund for first payment period; 100% of subsequent payment periods, less $200 |
| Onshore student (no CoE) — 4 weeks or less before commencement | No refund; no withdrawal processing fee charged |
| Onshore student (no CoE) — more than 4 weeks before commencement | 40% of paid course fee refunded |
4.4 & 4.5 — Student Withdraws After Course Commencement
No refund for the current payment period. 100% of course fees paid for subsequent payment period(s) will be refunded, less a $200 withdrawal processing fee. The student is liable to pay the full course fee up to and including the current payment period.
Exception — Compassionate Grounds or Compelling Reasons
Accepted reasons include: serious illness (with medical certificate), family or personal tragedy, acts of God, acts of Government authorities. Acceptance is at the strict discretion of college management.
| Timing of Request | Refund |
|---|---|
| Before or on the commencement date | 100% of course fees paid |
| After commencement date | Total fees paid less proportioned amount for elapsed period (Weekly Tuition Fee × Weeks in Default Period) |
5. Provider Default
If the college is unable to deliver the course in full, the student will be offered a refund of unspent pre-paid course fees, calculated as per Section 8 of the ESOS (Calculation of Refund) Instrument 2024:
| Formula | Calculation |
|---|---|
| Weekly Tuition Fee | (Total tuition fee ÷ calendar days in course) × 7 |
| Weeks in Default Period | Calendar days from default day to end of period ÷ 7 |
| Refund Amount | Weekly Tuition Fee × Weeks in Default Period |
6. Remittance of Refunds
6.1 — Currency
- All refunds are in Australian dollars (AUD), subject to the exchange rate at time of refund.
- International refunds will be converted to the beneficiary's local currency (or USD if local currency unavailable).
- Bank fee of up to AUD $20 may be deducted for international transfers.
- The college is not responsible for additional charges by the recipient's foreign bank.
- If incorrect bank details are provided by the student, resulting charges will be deducted from the refund.
6.2 — Refunds to Payment Source
Refunds are generally made to the original payment source — including payments made under a scholarship, third-party contract, loan arrangement, by someone on behalf of the student, or via an authorised agent.
6.3 — Refunds to Another Account
- Payments by Australian credit card more than 12 months prior may be refunded to a student-specified bank account.
- If the originating account is closed (with documentary evidence), refund may go to a different account.
- Where payment was made via an authorised agent, the student may specify a different account in the refund request.
6.4 — Refund Processing Time
Refund requests will be processed within 28 calendar days of the Finance Team receiving completed and accurate documentation.
7. Feedback & Continuous Improvement
Students may provide feedback about this policy by contacting the student support officer via email or face-to-face at the college. The External Compliance Team monitors the refund process and conducts periodic audits. The CEO receives feedback and recommendations at least once every year, documented in the Continuous Improvement (CI) Register.
8 Continuous Improvement
The External Compliance Team will monitor the refund process to ensure strict adherence to the steps outlined in this policy. This monitoring function serves as a crucial component of maintaining transparency, consistency, and fairness throughout the refund process at the college.
The External Compliance Team will conduct periodic audits of the refund process to assess whether all steps outlined in the policy are being followed correctly and consistently. These audits will encompass a comprehensive review of the documentation, verification of compliance with established timelines, and examination of the decision-making process for approving refunds.
At least once every year, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) will receive feedback and recommendations from the External Compliance Team regarding improvements in the refund process and this policy. As per the college’s Continuous Improvement Policy and Procedure (Self-Assurance Framework), any feedback and recommendations will be documented in the Continuous Improvement (CI) Register. This will be used to resolve any issues identified in the Refund Policy, which will improve the college’s refund process. The details of the continuous improvement process are mentioned in the college’s Continuous Improvement Policy and Procedure (refer to the Continuous Improvement Policy and Procedure for further details). .