1996 Swinburne Higher Education Handbook

Students studying under the industry based learning
(cooperative) format are considered to be full-time students.
They qualify for the special rate only in those years which
include work experience. These are:
Applied Science degree 2nd and 3rd years
Graphic Design degree 3rd year
Civil, Electrical and Electronic,
Manufacturing and Mechanical
Engineering degrees 3rd and 4th years
Late re-enrolment fee
A late enrolment/payment fee may be applied in the
following situations: -
(i) Students who do not complete re-enrolment details by
the date specified by the Division, e.g. failure to return
forms required to facilitate confirmation of enrolment,
will incur a $50 late enrolment/payment fee.
(ii) Students who do not pay enrolment fees by the due date
nominated by the Division as shown on the liability
statement will incur a $50 late enrolment/payment fee.
Note: Afier the Higher Education Division census date the
above fee would be in addition to individual subject penalty
fees listed under Amendments to Enrolment.
Additional fees
A part-time student who adds any subject to those for which he
or she was enrolled and thereby increases the course load
involved in his or her course to more than seventy-five per cent
of the full-time course load, will be required to pay the
difference between the part-time and the full-time general
service fee.
Refund of fees
A student who withdraws from a course may receive a
refund of fees, if notice of withdrawal is lodged at the
Divisional Office before 31 March 1996 for semester one
and 31 August - 1996 for semester two.
No refunds of fees will be made where a student withdraws
from study after 31 March 1996 for semester one and 31
August 1996 for semester two.
Higher Education Contribution
Scheme (HECS)
The Higher Education Contribution Scheme (sometimes
referred to as the graduate tax) came into effect on 1 January
1989.
Unless exempt from the provisions of the scheme, all
students enrolled in the Higher Education Sector have to
make a contribution to the cost of their studies. In 1995 the
annual charge was $2400 for a full-time student (or $1204 for
each full-time semester).
Part-time students pay a contribution in proportion to their
full-time load.
HECS Payment Options
The HECS legislation is under review at the moment.
Students have the option of:
(i) Paying the contribution on an 'Upfront' basis (i.e. in a
lump sum payment attracting a 25% discount), or,
(ii) Paying the contribution on an 'Upfront' basis and
authorising the 'Safety Net for Upfront' option
(Swinbume will automatically convert the student status to
the 'Deferred' Option should the lump sum payment not
be received by census date), or,
(iii) Paying the contribution on a 'Deferred' basis through the
taxation system, or,
(iv) Making one partial payment 'Upfront' (minimum $100)
and having the balance collected via the taxation system.
Partial payments will not attract a discount. If permission is
given to . make . more than one partial payment a handling
fee may be charged.
Tax File Numbers
All students selecting the 'Upfront' with the 'Safety Net' (ii)
or the 'Deferred' (iii) option must provide their Tax File
Number to the University at the time of their enrolment.
Students who do not have a Tax File Number must apply to
the Australian Tax Office before enrolment and submit their
Tax File Number to the University BEFORE the census
date. Failure to provide the University with a Tax File
Number may result in cancellation of enrolment.
Change of HECS Payment Option
Students have an oiportunity of changing their option by
completing a new Payment Options form before the census
date for each Semester. If a new form, notifying a change of
option, is not received by the HECS Officer, the student's
HECS status remains unchanged and carries over into the
following semester.
Census dates
First semester 1996 31 March 1996
Second semester 1996 31 August 1996
Late HECS Payment Fee
(i) Students who enrol after the University's HECS
payment date will incur a $100 late HECS payment fee
(in addition to the $50 late enrolment/payment fee).
(ii) Students who pay HECS fees after the University's
HECS payment date will incur a $100 late HECS
payment fee. The $100 late HECS payment fee will
apply to students who change their HECS payment
option from Deferred to Upfront after the due date.
HECS Exempt categories
Students exempt from the Scheme include:
those who have paid fees to the University for a
postgraduate course in accordance with Commonwealth
widelines; "
those enrolled in a non-award course;
those fully sponsored under a foreign aid program;
full-fee paying overseas students;
students otherwise subject to Overseas Student Charge
arrangements;