New Student Interview Policy - VET
To ensure that prior to enrolment or the commencement of training and assessment all prospective VET students are adequately advised of the services they are to receive, their rights and obligations, and the College’s responsibilities. The policy also affirms that when VET students require additional information they are clearly directed as to where to find the information.
The 2025 Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) include Outcomes Standard 2.1 and 2.2 requiring that, prior to commencement of services, prospective VET students are adequately informed about the services they are to receive, their rights and obligations, and the RTO’s responsibilities under these Standards.
Specifically, the Standard 2.1 VET students have access to clear and accurate information concerning the organisation, the relevant training product, and students are made aware of any changes that may affect them. This Standard requires the RTO to demonstrate:
a. all information provided to VET students by the organisation or any third parties is clear, accurate and current;
b. how it identifies the information VET students require prior to enrolment and how that information is communicated to VET students prior to their enrolment;
c. the following information is easily accessible by VET students:
i. the training product code and title, duration, modes of delivery, training delivery location, training commencement dates, scheduling, any requirements to commence or complete the training product including assessment requirements, whether any licencing or occupational licence requirements apply, and details of any third party arrangements that apply to the delivery of the training;
ii. the training support services and wellbeing support services that are available to the VET student, and how the student can access those services;
iii. all fees, costs and charges associated with the provision of the training product which VET students may incur, including payment terms and conditions, any applicable refund policies and the availability of any relevant government training entitlements and subsidies; and
iv. any obligations or liabilities which may be imposed on VET students to acquire any materials, equipment or IT, any costs and processes associated with withdrawing from training, any costs and processes associated with obtaining a Unique Student Identifier, and any requirements for VET students to undertake work placements;
d. the organisation provides all VET students with documentation prior to their enrolment or before any fees are required to be paid which sets out:
i. the training which the organisation or third parties will provide the VET student;
ii. all fees, costs and charges which the VET student will be required to pay; and
iii. any obligations or liabilities which may be imposed by the organisation or third parties on the VET student; and
e. That it informs VET students, as soon as practicable, of any changes to training products or the organisation’s operations that may affect VET students, including any changes relating to the transition of superseded, deleted, or expired training products.
Standard 2.2 VET students are advised, prior to enrolment, about the suitability of the training product for them, taking into account the student’s skills and competencies. The Standard requires the RTO to demonstrate:
a. taking into account the requirements of the training product – it has procedures in place to review, prior to enrolment, the skills and competencies of prospective VET students, including their language, literacy and numeracy proficiency and digital literacy; and
b. based on the outcome of the review – it provides advice to each prospective VET student about whether the training product is suitable for them.
This policy applies to all staff of the College who provide admission information and those who conduct new student interviews of prospective VET students.
The College shall not accept any prospective VET student into a course until a New Student Interview (NSI) has been conducted. The NSI is a one-to-one interview conducted either face-to-face or synchronous online.
The NSI shall detail for the course, unit(s), or training product the following:
- expected locations at which it will be provided;
- expected modes of delivery;
- name and contact details of any third party that will provide training and/or assessment;
- training support and wellbeing support services available to the learner and how such support services can be accessed;
- any work placement arrangements.
During the NSI the prospective VET student will be advised that the College's website includes information on the following:
- course codes, titles, AQF levels and time to complete;
- the structure of courses including core and elective units;
- assessment types and workload expectations;
- currency of VET training packages and units of competency;
- timetables or relevant learning schedules;
- course fees, payment terms and conditions and refund procedures;
- the availability of any relevant government training entitlements and subsidies;
- any necessary learning resources, equipment or IT, any costs and processes associated with withdrawing from training, any costs and processes associated with obtaining a Unique Student Identifier;
- complaints and appeals policies.
During the NSI the prospective VET student will be:
- advised of their responsibilities;
- advised of the obligations of the College and the training support and wellbeing support services they can expect;
- advised of fees that are payable to the College, any payment terms and conditions and any government financial assistance that may be available.
- provided with documentation prior to their enrolment or before any fees are required to be paid which sets out:
ii. all fees, costs and charges which the VET student will be required to pay; and
iii. any obligations or liabilities which may be imposed by the organisation or third parties on the VET student; and
- advised that, as soon as practicable, they will be informed of any changes to training products or the organisation’s operations that may affect VET students, including any changes relating to the transition of superseded, deleted, or expired training products.
The staff member conducting the NSI shall recommend the course, unit(s), or training product most appropriate to meeting the prospective VET student’s needs, taking into account the individual’s general background, vocational expectations, existing skills and competencies, and pre-training assessment including their language, literacy and numeracy proficiency and digital literacy.