Policies

Student Review Procedures for Re-Crediting a FEE-HELP Balance

The Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors Pty Ltd as trustee for AIPC Trust (“the College”) will conduct this procedure in compliance with the Higher Education Support Act 2003 and Higher Education Provider Guidelines.

For the purposes of this procedure a student is a person other than an international student [1] who is enrolled in a higher education course with the College.

The College will:

• set a census date for each unit of study (subject) that is no earlier than 20% of the way through the unit of study;
• ensure that all students are informed upon enrolment of the census date for each unit of study in the manner and by the date prescribed in the Higher Education Provider Guidelines;
• ensure that all students are informed of the review procedures for the re-crediting of a FEE-HELP balance.

Special Circumstances

If a student withdraws from a unit of study after the census date for that unit of study, or has been unable to successfully complete a unit of study, and believes this was due to special circumstances then the student may apply to have their FEE-HELP balance re-credited for the affected units of study.

The College will re-credit the student’s FEE-HELP balance if it is satisfied that special circumstances apply that:

• are beyond the student’s control; and
• did not make their full impact on the student until on or after the census date for the unit(s) of study in question; and
• make it impracticable for the student to complete the requirements for the unit(s) of study in question.

The College will be satisfied that a student’s circumstances are beyond the student’s control if a situation occurs that a reasonable person would consider is not due to the person’s action or inaction, either direct or indirect, and for which the student is not responsible. The situation must be unusual, uncommon or abnormal.

Each application will be examined and determined on its merits by considering a student’s claim together with independent supporting documentation substantiating the claim.

Initial applications for the re-crediting of a student’s FEE-HELP balance are to be made, in writing, to the Senior Student Support Officer and sent to:

College of Leadership and Business
Locked Bag 15
Fortitude Valley QLD 4006

The procedure for the re-crediting of a FEE-HELP balance is as follows:

1. When a student withdraws from a unit of study, the College shall confirm the withdrawal by giving notice to the student in writing stating the date at which the withdrawal has taken effect;
2. When a student fails to meet the requirements of a unit of study, the College shall confirm the failure by giving notice to the student in writing of the final result for that unit of study after results have been properly approved;
3. In the circumstance of withdrawing from a unit, the student must apply in writing to the Senior Student Support Officer within 12 months from the date specified in the notice as the day of withdrawal;
4. In the circumstance of not meeting the requirements of a unit of study, the student must apply in writing within 12 months after the period during which the student was enrolled in the unit;
5. The College may exercise its discretion to waive the 12-month timeframe if, in its opinion, it was not possible for the application to be made before the end of the 12-month period;
6. The Senior Student Support Officer will consider the application and will agree to such requests if they are satisfied that there were special circumstances in the student’s case;
7. If the application is successful, the College will re-credit the student’s FEE-HELP balance with an amount equal to the amounts of FEE-HELP assistance that the student has received for the affected unit(s) of study and the student’s FEE-HELP debt for those units of study will be removed;
8. The Senior Student Support Officer shall advise the student of the outcome of the application within 28 days stating the reasons for the decision;
9. The Senior Student Support Officer shall also advise the student of their rights for a review of the decision if they are not satisfied with its outcome and that a request for such a review must be lodged within 28 days from the day of receipt of the decision or such longer period as the Student Support Officer allows.

Review of a decision

If a student is not satisfied with the decision made by the Senior Student Support Officer in relation to re-crediting their FEE-HELP balance they may request a review of the decision. The review shall be carried out by the Review Officer, who is the Chief Executive Officer and is senior to the original decision maker.

Any such request is to be submitted to the Review Officer in writing and:

1. must be lodged within 28 days of receiving notice of the original decision, unless the Review Officer allows a longer period; and
2. must specify the reasons for making the request and include any supporting documentation; and
3. Sent to:
   
   College of Leadership and Business
   Locked Bag 15
   Fortitude Valley QLD 4006

The Review Officer shall acknowledge receipt of an application for a review of the refusal to re-credit a FEE-HELP balance in writing and inform the applicant that if the Review Officer has not advised the applicant of a decision within 45 days of having received the application for review, the Review Officer is taken to have confirmed the original decision. This notice shall also advise the applicant that they have the right to apply to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal within 28 days for a review of that decision and will provide the contact details of the closest Administrative Appeals Tribunal Registry and the approximate costs of lodging an appeal.

The Review Officer shall:

1. seek all relevant information from the person who made the original decision;
2. review the case within 3 weeks and advise the student of the decision in writing giving the reasons for the reviewer’s decision.

The Review Officer may:

1. confirm the decision;
2. vary the decision; or
3. set the decision aside and substitute a new decision;

The Review Officer will give written notice of the decision setting out the reasons for the decision. The applicant shall also be advised in the decision of the right to apply to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal within 28 days of receiving the written advice of a decision for a review of that decision and be provided with the contact details of the closest Administrative Appeals Tribunal Registry and the approximate costs of lodging an appeal as follows:

Administrative Appeals Tribunal
Level 4, Harry Gibbs Building
Commonwealth Law Courts
119 North Quay
Brisbane QLD 4000
Telephone (07) 3361 3000

Where a student is unsatisfied with the reviewed decision they may apply to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal within 28 days for consideration of the College’s decision to refuse to re-credit their FEE-HELP balance. The student may supply additional information to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal which they did not previously supply to the College either in the original application or the request for review.

The Secretary of the Department of Education (DoE) or the Secretary’s delegate, will be the respondent for cases that are brought before the AAT. Upon the DoE’s receipt of a notification from the AAT, the DoE will notify the College that an appeal has been lodged. Upon receipt of this notification from the DoE, the Review Officer will provide the DoE with copies of all the documents they hold that are relevant to the appeal within five (5) business days.

Grievance Handling and Resolution Policy and Procedure

The Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors Pty Ltd as trustee for AIPC Trust (“the College”) is committed to developing and maintaining an effective, timely, fair and equitable grievance handling system which is easily accessible.

The College aims to:

• Develop a culture that views grievances as an opportunity to improve the organisation and how it works;
• Set in place a grievance handling system that is client focussed and helps the College to prevent grievances from recurring;
• Ensure that any grievances are resolved promptly, objectively and with sensitivity and in complete confidentiality;
• Ensure that the views of each complainant and respondent are respected and that any party to a grievance is not discriminated against nor victimised;
• Ensure that there is a consistent response to grievances.

A grievance can be defined as a person’s expression of dissatisfaction with any aspect of the College’s services and activities.

A grievance may be an expression of dissatisfaction with:

• The enrolment, induction/orientation process;
• The quality of education provided;
• Academic matters including student progress, assessment, curriculum and awards in a course of study;
• Handling of personal information and access to personal records;
• The way someone has been treated.

This Grievance Handling and Resolution Policy and Procedure is designed to ensure that the College responds effectively to individual cases of dissatisfaction. All grievances are responded to respectfully and confidentially. At any time during the process, the student is able to seek independent professional advice and/or have another person or third party communicate or advocate on their behalf. Permission from the student that another person or third party is communicating or acting on their behalf is required in writing (signed letter posted, emailed or faxed).

Policy coverage

In relation to non-academic grievances, the term "complainant" applies to both current students of the College and persons seeking to enrol with the College.

These grievance procedures will be made available to complainants regardless of the location of the campus at which the grievance has arisen, the mode in which they study or their place of residence.

Before an issue becomes a formal grievance

The College strives to deal with grievances as soon as they emerge in order to avoid further disruption or the need for a formal complaint.

In the first instance, if a complainant has a grievance about any aspect of service provided, they are encouraged to speak immediately and in the first instance with the Senior Student Support Officer or an Academic staff member to resolve the issue. Please note that it is not mandatory for complainants to raise a grievance informally.

Procedure

This procedure can be utilised by complainants to submit a grievance of an academic or non-academic nature. Grievances of an academic nature include issues related to student progress, assessment, curriculum and awards in a course of study. Grievances of a non-academic nature cover all other matters including grievances in relation to personal information that the College holds in relation to an individual.

During all stages of this procedure the College will take all steps to ensure that:

• the complainant and any respondent will not be victimised or discriminated against;
• the complainant has an opportunity to formally present their case and each party to a grievance may be accompanied and assisted by a support person at any relevant meetings;
• a full explanation in writing for decisions and actions taken as part of the process will be provided if so requested by the complainant or a respondent;

• where the internal or external grievance handling or appeal process results in a decision that supports the complainant, the College will immediately implement any decision and/or corrective and preventative action required and advise the complainant of the outcome;
• there is no cost to the complainant to utilise stage one or stage two of this grievance procedure. If an external appeal is lodged under stage three, mediator charges will be shared by the complainant and the College.

Appeals against an assessment result:

The College provides an avenue for students to appeal the awarding of subject and assessment results. Students are able to appeal against their results within 28 days from issue of the result.

The appeal should be forwarded in writing with a copy of the completed assessment/s including the Lecturer’s assessment comments to:

Program Leader
AIPC/COLAB Head Office
Locked Bag 15
Fortitude Valley QLD 4006

Upon receipt, the Program Leader will review the result and notify the student in writing of the outcome, including reasons for the decision, within 14 days of receipt of the appeal.

If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the Program Leader then they may appeal the decision as described in Stage 2 below.

All other grievances

The following procedure can be utilised by complainants to submit a grievance of an academic or non-academic nature. Grievances of an academic nature include matters related to student progress, assessment, curriculum and awards in a course of study. Grievances of a non-academic nature include all other matters. Students who wish to appeal an assessment result should use the procedure outlined above in lieu of Stage One below.

Stage One – Formal Grievance:

Formal grievances must be submitted in writing to the Operations Manager.

The address to send this correspondence is:

Operations Manager
AIPC/COLAB College Head Office
Locked Bag 15
Fortitude Valley QLD 4006

Receipt of the grievance will be acknowledged in writing within 7 days. The grievance handling process will commence within ten working days of the receipt of the formal grievance and all reasonable measures will be taken to finalise the process as soon as practicable.

The Operations Manager, or their nominee (who must be independent of the grievance), will then assess the grievance, determine the outcome and provide a written report to the complainant on their decision within 28 days.

The complainant will be advised of their right to access Stage Two of this procedure if they are not satisfied with the outcome of Stage One.

Stage Two - Appeal:

If a complainant is dissatisfied with the outcome of Stage One (or their appeal against an assessment result) they may lodge an appeal in writing with the Chief Executive Officer.

The appeal should be forwarded to:

Chief Executive Officer
c/- AIPC/COLAB Head Office
Locked Bag 15
Fortitude Valley QLD 4006

The complaint’s appeal will be determined by the Chief Executive Officer which will conduct all necessary consultations with the complainant and other relevant persons and make a determination of the appeal. The complainant will be advised in writing the outcome of their appeal, including the reasons for the decision within 28 days of lodgement of the appeal.

The complainant will be advised of their right to progress to Stage Three of the grievance procedure if they consider the matter unresolved.

Stage Three – External Review:

If the complainant is not satisfied with the outcome of Stage Two they may lodge an external appeal to Resolution Institute, an association offering dispute resolution services, within 20 working days of receiving notice of the outcome of their appeal.

Contact Details for Resolution Institute:

Resolution Institute Head Office
Level 1, 13-15 Bridge Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Ph: 1800 651 650
Fax: (02) 9251 3366
Email: infoaus@resolution.institute
Website: www.resolution.institute

Complainants who wish to lodge an external appeal can contact Resolution Institute and request details of a suitable Mediator. Resolution Institute have a free referral service to a Mediator and the Mediator will charge a fee for the first four hours of their services, with an hourly rate applying thereafter. 50% of the fee will be borne by the College and 50% by the student.

The College agrees to participate in good faith in the mediation process and be bound by the external Mediator’s recommendations. The Chief Executive Officer will ensure that any recommendations made are implemented within 30 days of receipt of the report from the external Mediator.

If the complaint still remains unresolved after the external dispute resolution process, the complainant may decide to refer the matter to an external agency such as the Anti-Discrimination Commission, Office of Fair Trading or other bodies as appropriate.

Record keeping & confidentiality

Records of all grievances handled under this procedure and their outcomes shall be maintained for a period of at least five years to allow all parties to the grievance appropriate access to these records, upon written request to the Chief Executive Officer. These records will be maintained at AIPC/COLAB Head Office, 47 Baxter Street, Fortitude Valley, Qld, 4006.

All records relating to complaints will be treated as confidential and will be covered by the College’s Privacy and Personal Information Policy .

Additional information

Nothing in this Grievance Handling and Resolution Policy and Procedure limits the rights of students or persons seeking to enrol with the College to take action under Australia's Consumer Protection laws. The procedures set out in this document do not replace or modify procedures or any other responsibilities which may arise under other higher education provider policies or under statute or any other law. Also, these dispute resolution procedures do not circumscribe an individual's rights to pursue other legal remedies.

Approval and training

This Policy and Procedure was agreed to and ratified by the Board of Directors of Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors Pty Ltd as trustee for AIPC Trust on 3 June 2014. The CEO ensures this Policy and Procedure is included in the Student Handbook and is available for all students on the College’s website at www.colab.edu.au .

For the purposes of communicating to and training staff, this Policy and Procedure is included in the Policies and Procedures Manual, Staff Handbook and is covered during the staff induction process (facilitated by the CEO).

Selection of Students

Policy

The Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors Pty Ltd as trustee for AIPC Trust (“the College”) upholds the principle that all students and applicants seeking to enrol are treated fairly and equitably. To ensure this the College has open, fair, clear and transparent procedures that are based on clearly defined entry criteria for making decisions about the selection of students. Students will be selected on merit based on the published criteria. The College will ensure that throughout the process of selection and enrolment, applicants are treated courteously and expeditiously.

Enrolment and selection information is included in the Course Prospectus provided to prospective students prior to applying for enrolment and on the College’s website so students are aware of the process both before and during enrolment.

Relationship to the Higher Education Support Act 2003

In accordance with the Higher Education Support Act 2003 the College will have open, fair and transparent procedures that are based on merit for making decisions about:

1. the selection, from among persons who seek to enrol with the College in a unit of study who are, or would be, entitled to FEE-HELP assistance; and
2. the treatment of students who are, or would be, entitled to FEE-HELP assistance undertaking a unit study.

The above undertakings do not prevent the College taking into account, in making decisions about the selection and treatment of students, educational disadvantages that a particular student has experienced.

The opportunities and benefits of Commonwealth assistance will be made equally available to all eligible students upon enrolment.

Procedure

There are two stages to the entry process into the Higher Education programs. They are:

1. Submit a Course Application Form and necessary supporting documentation.
2. Determination of application by the Program Leader - Business.

Application for Course Enrolment and Entry Requirements

To enrol into the Bachelor of Business, applicants are required to submit their enrolment via the College of Leadership and Business website www.colab.edu.au , along with any supporting documentation that is required for entry to the course.

Course Application Forms are to be received at least four weeks prior to the commencement of the course. This allows ample opportunity for assessment of the prospective student’s application and provision of the necessary materials for the student to commence their first semester of studies. Successful applicants will be advised at least two weeks prior to their first semester of study of the acceptance of their application.

Standard Admission Requirements:

Applicants are required to have either:

1. A Diploma level qualification (any field of study), or
2. Completed Year 12 with at least a sound achievement in English and one Mathematics subject.

Applicants are to supply a certified copy of the qualification or high school certification with their Course Application Form .

For those applicants who do not meet the standard admission requirements above, the following special entry requirements will apply:

1. Completion of a year-long tertiary studies preparation program (e.g. TAFE Certificate IV in Adult Tertiary Preparation), or
2. Completion of at least 12 months of tertiary studies with a GPA of at least 4.0 (on a 7.0 point scale), or
3. Consideration of results from the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) – the prospective student must have achieved a STAT overall score of 160 or better, or 155 or better in the verbal sub score. (Please note that STAT results are not acceptable for current Year 12 students), or

All certified copies of Completion Certificates, Academic Transcripts and STAT results are to be supplied by the applicant. Please note that if applicants are seeking entry through partial completion of other tertiary studies, they are eligible for entry if their GPA is equal to or higher than 4.0 (on a 7.0 point scale). Applicants being considered on the basis of the STAT results will be eligible for admission if their STAT overall score is 160 or better, or 155 or better in the verbal sub score.

All applicants seeking entry via special admission procedures are encouraged to also supply any of the following additional documents in support of their application:

• CV or resume
• Letters confirming employment positions, responsibilities and accountabilities including durations from employers/workplace supervisors
• For applicants identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, letter confirming Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander status under the common seal of an incorporated community organisation.
• Details of any training or development courses completed
• Proof of membership or affiliation with professional organisations, associations or community engagement.
• Referee reports (personal or professional) outlining the applicant’s ability to adequately manage the demands of tertiary study
• A brief statement from the applicant indicating their reasons for seeking entry to the course and undertaking tertiary study.

Graduate Certificate in Business

Applicants are required to have:

1. A Bachelor’s Degree (AQF Level 7) in any field and at least two years relevant management, supervisory or technical experience, or
2. An Advanced Diploma or Associate Degree (AQF Level 6) and at least three years relevant management, supervisory or technical experience, or
3. At least five years relevant technical or professional experience with at least three years management or supervisory experience.

All applicants are to supply the following documentation to support their application for entry:

• Curriculum vitae including work history, management/supervisory/technical/professional experience, duties and responsibilities for each role, and start and end dates of employment.
• Written references/statements of service from employers and/or line managers/supervisors confirming roles held, responsibilities and duties, and dates and length of employment.
• Personal competency essay (300 words) which addresses the applicant’s experience in general management skills including: Planning, Team Management or Supervision, Implementation, and Monitoring, Review and Improvement.

Master of Business Administration

Applicants are required to have:

1. A Bachelor’s Degree (AQF Level 7) in any field and at least four years relevant management or supervisory experience, or
2. A Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma or Bachelor (Honours) qualification (AQF Level 8) in any field, and at least three years relevant management or supervisory experience.

All applicants are to supply the following documentation to support their application for entry:

• Curriculum vitae including work history, management/supervisory/technical/professional experience, duties and responsibilities for each role, and start and end dates of employment.
• Written references/statements of service from employers and/or line managers/supervisors confirming roles held, responsibilities and duties, and dates and length of employment.
• Personal competency essay (300 words) which addresses the applicant’s experience in general management skills including: Planning, Team Management or Supervision, Implementation, and Monitoring, Review and Improvement.

Upon receipt, the Senior Student Support Officer screens the application for its completion and correctness. Applications that do not contain all necessary supporting documentation, including the essay, will not be processed until all documentation is supplied. 

All information about the applicant (application information, Personal Competency Essay, Referee Letter) is then passed to the Program Leader – Business who is the approving authority for an applicant’s entry to the course.

The application and selection process will enable applicants to be rated on the following:

1. Satisfying minimum educational level for entry to the course,

The application is rated by the Program Leader – Business who then determines if the applicant will be offered a place in the course.

In the event that student numbers have been exceeded for the course, the applications of those applicants who have met all selection criteria but not been offered a place will be held on file for consideration at the next intake. Applicants in this situation will be advised in writing of this outcome.

Once accepted, the new student will be advised in writing of their offer of a place in the course. This written notification will be sent with a Course Enrolment Pack .

Statement of Tuition Assurance

Under the provisions of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA) and the associated Higher Education Provider Guidelines the Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors Pty Ltd as trustee for AIPC Trust (“the College”) is required to provide a tuition assurance arrangement for persons, other than international students[2], who are enrolled in higher education courses it offers.  This requirement is to protect students in the event that the College ceases to provide a course of study in which a student is enrolled.

The meaning of ‘ceasing to provide a course of study’ is set out in the HEP Guidelines which can be found at: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2012L02136. 

In the event that the College ceases to provide a course of study in which a student is enrolled the student is entitled to a choice of:

1. an offer of a place in a similar course of study with a Second Provider without any requirement to pay the Second Provider any student contribution or tuition fee for any replacement units.  This is known as the “Course Assurance Option”;

or

2. a refund of his or her up-front payments for any unit of study that the student commences but does not complete because the College ceases to provide the course of study of which the unit forms part.  This is known as the “Student Contribution / Tuition Fee Repayment Option”.

The College has met the tuition assurance requirements of the HESA through the Australian Government’s Tuition Protection Service (TPS) for students utilising FEE-HELP to pay their tuition fees, and the provision of a Bank Guarantee for students paying their own tuition fees.

Activation of Tuition Assurance Arrangements

If the College ceases to provide a higher education course of study, each student enrolled in the course of study will be sent a  Written Tuition Assurance Offer (“the Offer”) advising the student of the options available under the tuition assurance requirements.  The Offer will include directions that the student must follow in order to notify of the choice they have made for each affected unit.  This Offer is provided within twenty business days after notification by the College to the TPS or ITECA.

A student may choose either:

The Course Assurance Option

Under the course assurance option, a student will be offered a place in a similar course of study. If the student accepts this option the necessary arrangements are made to ensure a student is able to enrol with the Second Provider in a similar course of study.  This offered course will lead to the same or a comparable qualification without any requirement on the part of the student to pay the Second Provider any student contribution or tuition fee for any replacement units (that is, units that the student had commenced but not completed because the course ceased to be offered).  A student will receive full credit from the Second Provider for any units of study successfully completed at the College.

The Second Provider nominated may have different contribution amounts or tuition fees to the amounts or fees the student would have paid for units of study which were part of the course of study that the College ceased to provide.

A student is not obliged to enrol in a course of study with a Second Provider under the Course Assurance Option.  However, if they enrol with any other provider there is no obligation on that provider to offer full credit transfer for the units of study completed with the College or to offer any replacement units free of charge.

OR

The Student Contribution/Tuition Fee Repayment Option

Under the Student Contribution/Tuition Fee Repayment Option, the TPS or the College (through the Bank Guarantee) undertakes to refund the student’s HELP debt, or pay the student the total of any up-front payments already paid by the student, for any units of study that the student has commenced but not completed because the College has ceased to provide the course of study.

Students selecting this option who have applied for FEE-HELP assistance will have their FEE-HELP balance re-credited for uncompleted units.

Applying for Recognition of Prior Learning

Students are able to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) or Credit Transfer to receive credit for one or more subjects** of the Bachelor of Business (up to a maximum of 8 subjects). This enhances student progression through the course and provides recognition for students entering the course with relevant prior studies and work experience. Students granted RPL or credit are not disadvantaged in achieving the expected learning outcomes of the course, and the integrity of the qualification must be maintained.

The College’s approach to granting of credit in recognition of prior learning complies with the best practice principles outlined in the AQF Qualifications Pathways Policy (Australian Qualifications Framework Handbook, January 2013) and ensures pathways are available into and between qualifications. Applications for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) or Credit Transfer are:

• Assessed according to evidence-base and in a clear, equitable, accessible and transparent manner.
• Applied consistently and fairly with decisions subject to appeal and review.
• Recognise prior learning where it is relevant and current.
• Decided in a timely manner with decisions being academically defensible, taking into account the learning outcomes, and the student’s chance of success in the course.
• Formally documented for students with reasons provided for not granting credit.

In assessing applications for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Transfer:

• Entry requirements for the course are still required to be met, and an offer of credit does not guarantee admission to a specific course.
• Applications for Recognition of Prior Learning are determined by the Program Leader – Business in accord with the framework of this policy.
• Regardless of the credit granted, the requirements of the course must be fulfilled and cannot be automatically transferred to another course.
• Decisions made on Recognition of Prior Learning for the Bachelor of Business are reviewed by the Chief Executive Officer.

The onus is on the applicant to provide appropriate evidence to demonstrate the relevant skills, knowledge and understanding in subjects where credit is being sought.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL recognises that students, due to relevant life and work experiences, may already possess the requisite skills and knowledge for subject/s in the Bachelor course. Students who have been working within a business environment for a number of years are able to apply for recognition of this prior learning or experience. Exemption can be applied for one or more course subjects** (up to a maximum of 8 subjects).

Assessing credit from prior experience takes into account the authenticity, currency, quality, relevance, transferability and comparability of the experience to the requirements of the subject for which credit is being applied.

Credit Transfer

Credit Transfer refers to obtaining credit towards another course on the basis of having completed previous study of an equivalent subject or unit. Students who have completed similar units to those included in the Bachelor of Business are welcome to apply for Credit Transfer. Students who have completed or partially completed another business course are particularly encouraged to apply for Credit Transfer. 

Credit will not normally be granted for formal study completed more than 10 years prior to application unless there is evidence of continued relevance of this study for the course towards which credit is sought. Credit is granted where there is substantial overlap with the content and/or learning outcomes of the subject for which credit is being applied. 

When assessing credit based on prior study, consideration is given to the objectives of the course, methods of delivery and assessment, admission requirements, course durations, the breadth and depth of the course material, practical training requirements, and experience requirements.

**Students can only obtain credit for a total maximum of 8 subjects inclusive of whether this credit has been obtained via RPL or credit transfer.

Students Articulating from COLAB and Estrada College Diplomas

Students progressing into the Bachelor of Business from the COLAB or Estrada College Diplomas of Business (BSB50215)/Business Administration (BSB50415) /Leadership & Management (BSB51915)/Human Resources Management (BSB50615)/Project Management (BSB51415) will automatically receive credit for the following subjects:

CORE102 Communication Skills: Professional Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
BUS104 Introduction to Human Resource Management
MGT301 Project Management

In addition, students progressing into the Bachelor of Business from the COLAB or Estrada College Diplomas in Leadership & Management (BSB51915)/Human Resources Management (BSB50615)/Project Management (BSB51415) will automatically receive credit for the following additional subject:

HRM203 Work, Health and Safety

The student’s record will be automatically updated and a confirmation letter sent to the student. Students are not required to formally apply through the RPL process.

Applying for RPL or Credit Transfer

Students are able to apply for RPL or Credit Transfer by sending in the RPL/Credit Transfer Application Form and all necessary supporting documentation as detailed on the Application Form to:

RPL/Credit Transfer Applications
COLAB
Locked Bag 15, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006

Students can apply for credit transfer at any time after acceptance into the Bachelor of Business and prior to enrolling into the subject/s for which credit is sought.

The RPL/Credit Transfer Application Form can be obtained by calling AIPC on 1800 334 348 or emailing support@colab.edu.au .

Submitting your Application

Simply complete the Application Form and collate your supporting documentation and send to the address above. Your application will be assessed by the Program Leader – Business within 28 days of receipt and you will be notified in writing of the outcome of the application. Reasoning is provided where credit is not granted. 

The student’s Academic Transcript received at the end of the semester will show the credit that has been awarded to date during your studies.

The following documentation will need to be submitted:

1. For applications based on previous study, a certified copy of the student’s Academic Transcript will need to be submitted along with subject/unit documentation that includes the aims and objectives of the subject/unit, syllabus outline, contact hours, texts and assessment information.

1. For applications based on previous experience, letters of support from current/previous employers will need to be included. Letters should include duties performed, length of tenure, position and contact details of the writer.

Applications that do not include all supporting documentation will be returned for resubmission. Supplied documentation that is photocopied will need to be certified as a copy of the original by an acceptable certifier (Justice of the Peace, Commissioner of Declaration).

How much does applying for credit cost?

There is no fee for applying for RPL or credit. Students are not required to pay the subject fee for each subject in which credit is granted. 

Appeals of Decisions

Students are able to appeal decisions made on the granting of credit. The grounds for appeal are that the decision is inconsistent with this policy. Please refer to the ‘Appeals against an assessment result’ section of the Grievance Handling and Resolution Policy and Procedure . After appeal, students who remain dissatisfied with the outcome of their appeal against a decision regarding the award of credit may refer to the Grievance Handling and Resolution Policy and Procedure.

[1] As defined by the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000

[2] As defined by the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000