Purpose

The purpose of this policy and procedure is to outline Future Education Group (FEG)’s approach to ensuring students are provided with credit for units of competency and/or modules where they are evidenced by:

• AQF certification documentation issued by another RTO of AQF authorised issuing organisation such as a university
• Authenticated VET transcripts issued by the Registrar.

Course credit may also be awarded for RPL. The process for RPL is included in TA1 Training and Assessment Policy & Procedure.

This complies with Clause 1.12 and 3.5 of the Standards and the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 Standard 2.

The recording of course credit is addressed in the Student Administration Policy & Procedures.

Definitions

AQF means Australian Qualifications Framework which can be accessed at http://www.aqf.edu.au/

Certification document means a Testamur, Statement of Attainment or Record of Results

Credit means recognition of the previous studies a student has completed for the purpose of reducing the units or modules required to be completed in their currently enrolled program

Course means any nationally recognised qualification, unit of competency, skill set or short course in which a student is enrolled with the RTO

A Confirmation of Enrolment letter (CoE) is a document, provided electronically, which is issued by the registered provider to intending overseas students and which must accompany their application for a student visa. It confirms the overseas student’s eligibility to enrol in the particular course of the registered provider.^[1]

Record of Results is a record of all the units and modules completed and their results that lead to an AQF qualification or VET Accredited Course being issued and is issued alongside an AQF qualification or Statement of Attainment

Registrar means the Student Identifiers Registrar

PRISMS means Provider Registration and International Students Management System

RPL means Recognition of Prior Learning

SRTOs means the Standards for RTOs 2015 – refer definition of ‘Standards’

Standards means the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 of the VET Quality Framework which can be accessed from www.asqa.gov.au

Statement of Attainment confirms that one or more nationally recognised units or modules has been achieved by an individual but is only used where there has been partial completion of a qualification or VET accredited course

Testamur is an official certification document that confirms that an AQF qualification has been awarded to an individual. This may be called an ‘award’, ‘qualification’ ‘parchment’, or ‘certificate’

Policy

1. Application for Credit

• All students will be offered the opportunity to apply for credit for previously completed studies. Students can apply for Credit by completing a Credit Application Form and providing relevant supporting documents, including certified copies of transcripts. This may include VET transcripts or extracts issued by the Student Identifiers Registrar.
• All evidence provided as part of an application for Credit will be authenticated by FEG by contacting the issuing organisation to confirm the details provided on the document are valid. In the case of transcripts issued by the USI Registrar, documents will be authenticated through the USI Registry System.
• FEG will not require any student to repeat any unit or module which they have already been assessed as Competent unless there is a license condition or regulatory requirement that requires this.

2. Assessing Credit

• Where a student provides authenticated evidence of units or modules issued by another RTO or authorised issuing organisation, FEG will provide Credit for that unit or module where it is a unit listed in the student’s course of enrolment with FEG.
• Where evidence has been provided of previous study being completed at another RTO, university or other authorised issuing organisation, but the unit or module is not listed in the student’s course of enrolment with FEG, an analysis as to the equivalence of the study completed with the units in the student’s enrolment with FEG will be undertaken.

3. Credit application outcomes

• Students will be advised of the outcome of their Credit application in writing and will be required to provide an acceptance of the credit awarded.
• Where there are significant Credits granted, this may result in a reduction of the Course fees, which will be advised at the same time.
• For international students:
  • Where Credit has been granted after the acceptance of a place in a course or on commencement of studies and will affect the duration of studies, this will be recorded in PRISMS and a new Confirmation of Enrolment Letter (CoE) created.
• The result of Credit Transfer will be recorded for any relevant units on the student management system. A record of acceptance of the credit must be kept for International Students for a minimum of two years.
• Students may appeal the decisions made about their Credit application by following the Complaints and Appeals Policy & Procedure.