Funded Courses
All individuals are eligible to access funding as long as certain eligibility criteria are met.
You are eligible for funding at Mayfield Education if:
- You are an Australian Citizenship/Permanent Resident;
- You are a holder of a Special Category Visa (sub class 444)
- You are under the age of 20 as of 1 January 2011; or
- You are over 20 years of age (as of 01/01/2011) and undertaking training in a qualification at a higher level than you have already achieved
- You are an Asylum Seeker or Victim of Human Trafficking and hold a referral form from either the: Asylum Seek Resource Centre or Australian Red Cross
Fees and Charges
Fees for government funded training at all levels must comply with the 2009 Ministerial Direction about Fees.
Fees are calculated on the basis of the hours of training to be undertaken within a calendar year. If a student is taking a course partly in one year and partly in another, the fee is calculated according to which year the hours are being undertaken in. The hours are the scheduled hours of training, based on the hours of the program enrolled in.
Cost is calculated on the number of hours in your chosen Certificate/Diploma. If the tuition fee surpasses a certain amount, a fee cap has been put in place by Skills Victoria.
If you are in receipt of a concession/pension card at the time of enrolment, a fee cap has been put in place by Skills Victoria.
If you commence and complete a course within the calendar year (January – December 2010), you will be invoiced in total at the commencement of your program.
However, if you enrol in a program that will run over into the next year (for example August 2010 – May 2011), you will be invoiced at the start of the program for hours to be completed in 2010 and you will also receive an invoice at the start of 2011 for hours to be completed in 2011(January – May 2011).
Other factors including credit exemption or RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) must also be taken into account.
For exact tuition costs, please contact Student Services on (03)9811 9008 or (03)9811 9005 or email Student Services
Identify the course category
The maximum hourly rate varies according to the category a course belongs in. The categories are:
- Skills Building – Certificate III or Certificate IV level qualifications (except Traineeships)
- Skills Deepening – Diploma and Advanced Diploma qualifications (except Traineeships)
- Traineeships – any level.
Identify the applicable minimum, hourly rate and maximum
Determination of Fee Concessions
The standard concession is available to students who hold a Commonwealth Health Care Card, a Personal Concession Card of a Veteran’s Gold Card. It also applies to people who are dependant partners or children of the card holder (excluding the Veterans card). Proof of eligilibity for exemption must be cited by Mayfield Education before a fee concession is applied.
Please note that in line with the 2009 Ministerial Direction about Fees, students undertaking training in a Diploma level or above course, are not eligible to access concession rates unless the Diploma is being undertaken as a traineeship.
Under the Indigenous Completions Initiative, all enrolments undertaken by Indigenous students attract only the minimum tuition fee that applies to that category. This applies to all courses, including Diploma and above.
Discretionary concessions
A provider may decide to grant a tuition fee concession on the grounds that payment of the normally applicable fee (whether concession or not) would cause a person extreme hardship. ‘Extreme hardship’ is not defined specifically, but the phrase indicates that the circumstances are exceptional. This type of concession may include a full exemption from tuition fees or other fees. Mayfield has a policy in place for making these decisions. Please refer to the 2011 Student Handbook.
Full exemption for prisoners and detainees
People who are prisoners, held on remand or required to undertake training as a result of a Court Order are not charged tuition fees. Not all prisoners are in custody. Residents in a Transition Centre may present for enrolment in person, and will be eligible for a full tuition fee exemption.
Fees for government funded recognition of prior learning (RPL)
Mayfield offers RPL as a commercial service, and charges for it on a fee for service basis, but that activity takes place outside the regulated fees framework.
RPL processes are entered into at the request of a student or with their consent. It is not acceptable for Mayfield to charge a fee for RPL instead of providing tuition, without this consent.
There is no set minimum fee for RPL so Mayfield does not have to charge any fee if they wish, however the fee that is charged must not be above cost. Please read the Mayfield Student Handbook for further information about RPL processes and fees.
Other Fees
Mayfield can charge a fee for services and amenities, but must be able to show that the revenue collected in this way has been used only to provide facilities, services or activities of direct benefit to the students.
Mayfield can charge a fee for equipment and materials that students will keep as their own – such as uniforms, tools, notes, but students must have the choice to purchase the equivalent equipment and materials from elsewhere. This fee must not exceed cost recovery.
Mayfield can charge a fee for goods and services that are provided in support of a student’s tuition. Examples might include a fee to cover the cost of an excursion or field trip or other additional activities that are normally offered on an optional basis. The fee must not exceed cost recovery, and should not be charged for activity that is a requirement for completion of the program, as the tuition fee and government funding are for that purpose.
Refunds
Refunds are applied under the rules of the Ministerial Direction for Fees 2009.
Withdrawal up to 4 weeks after commencement
If a student notifies Mayfield in writing that they are withdrawing from a course at any time up to 4 weeks after commencement, Mayfield can keep the minimum tuition fee but must refund any tuition fees above the minimum, and all other fees. If the withdrawal is from part of the enrolment, for example if a full-time student wishes to study part-time, the refund is applied just to the hours and materials, etc. that are no longer required.
If the course is cancelled at any time during a person’s enrolment, a full refund of tuition fees applies, along with an appropriate portion of any student services and amenities fees and other fees.
3. FUNDING FOR ORGANISATIONS
Organisations can apply for funding through the Skills for Growth referral scheme.
This program provides an organisation with an independent specialist who works with you and your staff to review staff skills, your business plan and identifies training opportunities for your employees.
The scheme is administered through Business Victoria who can be contacted on 13 22 15.
To be eligible, your organisation must employ between 1 and 199 employees, Victorian based and have been in operation for at least twelve months.
Further information can be accessed at the following websites:
Business Victoria website
Skills Victoria website
