Student Fee Policy

Contents

Summary, Objectives, Scope and Authority

Summary

This policy outlines Swinburne’s approach to the setting and charging of student fees.

Objectives

This policy ensures a framework for student fees that realises transparency, provides integrity and accountability, financial sustainability, regulatory compliance, and student responsibility and support.

Scope

This policy applies across the university.

Authority

This policy is made by the Vice-Chancellor under 25(1)(c) Governance and Administration Statute.

1. General Summary

1.1 The university’s management of student fees ensures the following principles:

1.1.1. Transparency: Clear, timely, and accessible information is provided about student fees to ensure that students and stakeholders are well informed when making decisions.

1.1.2. Regulatory Compliance: All fees are determined and administered in accordance with relevant Commonwealth and State legislation, including the Higher Education Support Act 2003 and the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 and associated regulations.

1.1.3. Financial Sustainability: Fees are established to support the financial viability of the University while delivering high-quality education and student support services.

1.1.4. Student Responsibility and Support: Students are required to meet their financial obligations, and the University will offer appropriate information and support mechanisms to assist students in doing so.

1.1.5. Integrity and Accountability: Fee setting, adjustments, and refunds will be handled with integrity, documented clearly, and subject to appropriate oversight and governance.

2. Fee Setting

2.1. General

2.1.1 Student fees are set in a timely manner to meet government publication requirements, to ensure adequate notice to current and prospective students, and to align with the University’s budget planning.

2.1.2 Student fees are informed by benchmarking, consulted with academic and recruitment leadership, endorsed by the Vice-Chancellor’s Advisory Group, and approved by the Vice-Chancellor.

2.1.3 Student fees are configured per unit or course and charged by census date. Fees vary depending on factors such as whether the student is domestic or international, the year of commencement, and the specific course of study. Some courses or units may be more expensive than others.

2.1.4 The setting of fees is by intake year and undertaken according to the following:

2.1.5 Higher Education Domestic Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) Student Contribution Amounts are set per enrolled unit (undergraduate and postgraduate);

2.1.6 Tuition Fees for Higher Education Domestic postgraduate full-fee students are set at the course level;

2.1.7 Tuition fees for International students are set at the course level; and

2.1.8 Tuition Fees for Vocational Education (VE) course fees are set at the course level, based on a fixed dollar amount per Scheduled Contact Hour (SCH).

2.1.9 For Commonwealth Supported Students, University Student Contribution Band Amounts are set within the maximum Student Contribution Band Amounts determined by the Australian government for each calendar year.

2.1.10 The domestic or international tuition fee for any course must not be lower than the maximum Student Contribution Amount payable by Commonwealth Supported students for that course.

2.1.11 Different students may pay different tuition fees for the same enrolment based on the aforementioned factors.

2.1.12 Annual fee increases for international students, and full fee domestic students, will not exceed 8%.

2.1.13 Variations to fees after enrolment opens for a course or unit require Director, Student Administration approval. Variations will only be made in exceptional circumstances in accordance with any applicable regulations under the Higher Education Administrative Information for Providers, including Ministerial approval in some cases. Variations are made only if there is no disadvantage to any students, for example only if the fee decreases, there is an extension of the applicable census date, or no students are enrolled.

2.1.14  Specific fees that an individual student pays are determined by student enrolment.  Detailed fee information is available from the Indicative Course Fees page. 

2.2.   Student Services and Amenities Fee

2.2.1 The University sets SSAF to cover non-academic amenities, facilities, and support services.

2.2.2 Relevant SSAF amounts are set within the maximum annual SSAF amount set by the Australian government for each academic year.

2.2.3 Different SSAF amounts, including pro-rata amounts and zero, may be set for students based on their enrolment status.

2.2.4 The University may provide an exemption from SSAF for defined courses or programs and will make a list of any exemptions publicly accessible. 

2.2.5 Domestic SSAF for Higher Education and VET students is a separate charge to Student Contribution Amounts and tuition fees.

2.2.6 Subject to Commonwealth requirements, Domestic SSAF for Higher Education students can be deferred through SA-HELP. Domestic SSAF for VET students is required to be paid upfront.

2.2.7 International SSAF is incorporated into tuition fees.

2.3. Other Non-tuition Fees

2.3.1 The University may set course or unit incidental fees for higher education as permitted under Section 17 of the Administrative Information for Providers (AIP)

2.3.2 The University may set material fees for Vocational Education and Training. Materials fees may be charged separately to cover consumables, resources, or equipment essential to a course of study. These fees must be cost-reflective, published in advance, and transparently itemised.

2.3.3 Concession rates (e.g., holders of a valid Health Care Card or concession card) are applied in line with the VET Funding Contract. Concession applies only to government-subsidised enrolments and to qualifications up to Certificate IV, unless otherwise determined by government policy.

2.3.4 VE students may enter into payment plans, consistent with the University’s credit management policies and the VET Funding Contract.

2.3.5 The University establishes administrative charges, including fees for transcripts, testamurs, and letters. The Director, Student Administration conducts an annual review of these fees and recommends changes for the approval of the relevant authority under the Student Administration Policy.

2.3.6 The University will annually publish on its website the dates and details regarding academic and financial penalties related to unit or course withdrawals.

3. Invoicing and Payment of Fees

3.1. General

3.1.1. Each semester or session, the total tuition fees for a student’s enrolments are summed, and students are invoiced for that amount. Students receive a Statement of Account through their student email and Student Online for each teaching period in which they are enrolled.

3.1.2. To accept their offer, international students are required to pay, before commencing their studies, a deposit equivalent to tuition fees for the first teaching period. The prior clause applies to international students for all subsequent teaching periods.

3.1.3. Changes in enrolment may result in adjustments to the tuition fees owed to the University.

3.1.4. The University may offer tuition fee discounts to specific student groups, including those covered by contractual agreements, international agreements, or scholarships approved by the Vice-Chancellor.

3.1.5. Students are responsible for paying all applicable fees by the due date. All fees owed by students must be paid in full by the Census Date for the corresponding teaching period.

3.1.6. Students remain responsible for fee payments even if third-party payment arrangements are in place. If the third party does not make full payment, the student is liable for any outstanding fees.

3.1.7. Students must promptly inform the University of any changes affecting their ability to pay fees or their fee liability category.

3.1.8. A student who withdraws by the census date is eligible for a full tuition fee refund, subject to any applicable administrative charges for student defaults and considering third-party sponsorships, payments, or loans, and in line with the University’s fee refund policy where applicable. 

3.1.9. Students are liable for fees for all courses and units in which they are enrolled at midnight on the census date.

3.1.10. Tuition fees, student contribution amounts, HECS-HELP, and FEE-HELP liabilities for enrolment after census date are waived only where covered by Post Census Remission of Debt provisions.

3.1.11. Payment due dates are reviewed each year as part of the establishment of the Academic Calendar.  Tuition Fees are due 10 business days after the commencement of the Teaching Period for Higher Education and Vocational Education Diplomas and above, and five working days before the commencement of the Teaching Period for Vocational Educate Certificate courses.

3.1.12. Fee refunds are processed in accordance with the relevant published documents. 

3.2. Payment of Fees for Students in Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP’s)

3.2.1. To be considered a Commonwealth supported student for a specific course, a person must have completed a request for Commonwealth assistance and paid the Student Contribution Amount (SCA) for that course by the census date.

3.2.2. A student who defers payment of the SCA under HECS-HELP by the census date is considered to have paid the SCA if a valid Tax File Number is provided.

3.2.3. The University is not permitted to waive tuition fees or student contribution amounts, nor to eliminate liability for HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP, unless the conditions outlined in the Post Census Remission of Debt provisions are met.

3.2.4. If the SCA for a course is not paid by the census date, the student may continue in the course only by paying the domestic student tuition fees set for that year.

3.3. Non-payment of fees

3.3.1. Enrolment is provisional until all fees are paid. Failure to pay fees by the due date may result in sanctions such as: 

3.3.1.1. Imposition of administrative charges;

3.3.1.2. Withholding of results;

3.3.1.3. Access restriction to university resources, facilities, and services;

3.3.1.4. Prevention of further enrolment;

3.3.1.5. Enrolment cancellation and program discontinuation;

3.3.1.6. Cancellation for non-payment of fees considered in any application for readmission; and/or

3.3.1.7. Graduation refusal.

3.3.2. For clarity; students who have a fee debt with the university will not be permitted to graduate. 

4. Refunds

4.1. Refunds of Fees

4.1.1. Students who are unable to complete unit(s) within the teaching period due to special circumstances that prevented them from completing the unit, may be eligible for a Post Census Remission of Debt (PCRD) to remit the financial and academic penalties for the applicable unit(s).

4.1.2. Post Census Remission of Debt (PCRD) applications are considered in accordance with special circumstances as defined by the Australian Government’s Higher Education Support Act (2003) and assessed via an independent process undertaken by Swinburne University of Technology. For more information visit the Australian Government website.

4.1.3. Students who are excluded or suspended under University rules, policies, or procedures after the census date for a study period are not entitled to a refund of fees or charges for that period.

4.2. Domestic Student Fee Refunds

4.2.1. Domestic continuing and commencing students who withdraw by the census date will be entitled to a full refund, subject to any applicable administrative charges and any third-party sponsorship or loan arrangements.

4.2.2. Students requesting a refund must complete the prescribed University application form and provide supporting documentation. The University will apply any fee overpayments to current and future liabilities, unless the student specifically requests a refund.

4.2.3. For any credit balance in a student’s account that has been inactive for over 12 months, the University will make a minimum of three attempts to contact the student for a refund. If unclaimed, these funds will be transferred to the State Revenue Office.

4.3. International Student Fee Refunds

4.3.1. Swinburne University's Refund Policy for International Students, provided at the time of offer, outlines the conditions under which tuition refunds may be granted. It applies to commencing, continuing, and former students, with exclusions for offshore and entirely online programs delivered by third-party providers.

4.3.2. Refunds may be granted due to student withdrawal, provider default, thesis submission, changes in visa status, or in compassionate or compelling circumstances 

4.3.3. For any credit balance in a student’s account that has been inactive for over 12 months, the University will make a minimum of three attempts to contact the student for a refund. If unclaimed, these funds will be transferred to the State Revenue Office.

4.4. Transfer and refunds for discontinuation of delivery of a course

4.4.1. The University supports students in the event that the university or a specific course can no longer continue. The university acts consistently with the following principles: 

4.4.1.1. Facilitating Transfers and Course Continuity: If Swinburne cannot continue offering a course or ceases operations, the University will either see out the teaching of the course or support students in transferring to another accredited provider.

4.4.1.2. Financial Safeguards: Swinburne maintains sufficient funds to cover potential refunds and transfer costs, to ensure financial protection for students affected by unforeseen circumstances.

5. Other

5.1. General

5.1.1 The Director, Student Administration may adjust tuition fees in cases not addressed by this Policy, in circumstances related to administrative adjustments (e.g. related to enrolment) and extensions for fee payment.

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