Fee Establishment Policy

PURPOSE

This document sets out the ACN policy and procedures for the: fee setting and collection of fees for all courses and fee types at ACN.

SCOPE

This Policy applies to all students studying with ACN conducting courses on behalf of La Trobe University. This Fees policy is effective from date of issue, and applies to all fees, all students, all subject units and courses at ACN.

Government Regulation and Legislation

La Trobe University (LTU) is the registered provider in New South Wales as registered by the Department of Education and Training NSW (DET).  As LTU is the registered provider, LTU sets prices as required by the Commonwealth Higher Education Services Act (HESA) 2003.

Domestic students’ degree fees are constrained in law by HESA and La Trobe advises ACN of the pricing required for domestic students.  ACN does not have an independent policy on pricing for domestic students.

Contractual Obligations of ACN to La Trobe

In regard to other fee types (i.e. Foundation, Diploma and International fees (all courses)), ACN operates within the requirements of the Licence Agreement with La Trobe University.  Fees at ACN may not be any less than the fee set and charged by La Trobe University Bundoora campus as opposed to regional campuses.

The refund of fees is outlined in the Refund Policy.

Term of Fee

An academic year starts with the March semester and concludes with the November semester.  An academic year at ACN is the semesters March, July and November.

The fee rate at the time a student commences is valid during that academic year only.  Students prior to 2007 are on a specific cohort rate and this remains fixed until graduation for pre 2007 students at the rate of their commencement.

GENERAL POLICY: ALL FEES, ALL STUDENTS

GST

• All fees are quoted in Australian Dollars, are inclusive of GST if applicable.

Changes to Fee Levels (2007+ students only)

• All fees are reviewed annually and are subject to change without notice. Fees are indexed annually and students entering in a given academic year will be required to pay the fees for that academic year.
• The domestic fees will be indexed annually in line with an index applied by the Australian Federal Government to Contribution rates plus an amount set by La Trobe University. The CPI makes up part of this index but would not be limited to CPI.
• International fees will be indexed separately to domestic degree fees;
• Foundation and Diploma fees are set separate to degree fees and may have different indexation levels;
• All fees are set and published annually by 1 October for the following year March intake.
• Prices set and published are the prices to be included in offers issued by all staff at ACN commencing immediately the date of publication (generally accepted not later 1 October).
• Dates and fees will be advised to be correct at time of publication and may be changed without notice.

Application of Fee Changes

• The following disclaimer is to be used on Prospectus 2007+  and is Policy for ACN from 2007:
  

1. All tuition fees listed are in Australian dollars and for commencing students for the 2007 academic year only.
2. Please note that La Trobe University reserves the right to adjust annual tuition fees for continuing students.
3. The University undertakes that any tuition fee increase will not exceed 7% per ammi, amd will be applied on 1 January each year and are payable before each semester.
4. I am aware that the initial rate I pay will apply for the academic year of enrolment but may be subject to change in subsequent years in accordance with the rate set by the University and/or ACN.
5. I am aware that the rate I pay per semester will be that rate which is published by 1 October of each year for the following academic year and ACN reserves the right to require payment at the publish rate, not the rate in any Offer Letter.
6. I acknowledge that all fees, changes and accounts will be payable in advance and that I will not be permitted to commence or continue my course at the beginning of any semester until all outstanding fees, charges or accounts are paid.
7. I am aware that I will be charged the full amount for repeating units and that no La Trobe University qualification can be issued to me if I have an outstanding debt owing to ACN.

• All students from March 2007+ will pay the fee published for the academic semester in which they are enrolled / are enrolling regardless of the fee level at the date of their commencement.  Pre 2007 students on cohort pricing are exempt from this as defined below.  Refer to REFERENCE R1:- ADM2.4 Fees Establishment Cohort Table to 2007.
  
  1. Students will be invoiced for each semester at the current rates published applicable for that semester.
  2. In the event of a conflict between the fees to be paid in an academic year and an Offer Letter, then the fees published for the semester takes precedence.  If the fee is not yet published, then the fee shown on the Offer letter will be used. 
• Repeat subjects will be charged on a per subject basis at the published rate for that semester.
• Students from 2006 and after are required to pay the discipline cluster fee for business, accounting and law subjects as advised by LTU; refer REFERENCE R1:- ADM2.4 Fees Establishment Cohort Table to 2007
• The Registrar of the Faculty of Law and Management will advise the Managing Director of ACN of the changes prior to 1 October;
• Students are formally advised by ACN of Fees:

• In writing, during the November semester of each year for the following academic year’s fees;
• Via a disclaimer on the Fees and Dates section of the Prospectus for prospective students;
• Through their signed acknowledgement on the Application Form;
• On their Offer Letter
• In the Offer Letter and Acceptance Booklet
• Under Policies at www.latrobe.edu.au/acn

Students enrolling prior to 2007 have a cohort price which remains as shown in REFERENCE R1:- ADM2.4 Fees Establishment Cohort Table to 2007.

VARIATIONS TO THE POLICY FOR PRE 2007 STUDENTS/ COHORT PRICING

Students enrolling prior to 2007 have a cohort price1 which means as shown in PREFERENCE R1: -ADM2.4 Fees Establishment Cohort Table 2007.

FEES FOR 2007 +

Refer also to REFERENCE R1:- ADM2.4 Fees Establishment Cohort Table to 2007

The following table outlines fees for ACN courses and programs per semester (assumes full load of 4 subjects) or fee per subject.  These fees apply to enrolments for March 2007, July 2007 and November 2007.

The 2007 domestic undergraduate fees are by discipline cluster so that any law units will be charged as a percentage of the total law cluster fee, commerce units at the commerce cluster fee and administration/management/economics/businessat the cluster fee for those areas.  This full advice on La Trobe setting of undergraduate fees is contained at www.latrobe.edu.au/acadserv/fees/fees_2006.php#ug_fees

1: Cohort pricing in MAZE confirmedt reflect this table on 070207 by Manager, Admissions

Full details on ancillary fees and charges are shown in the Prospectus available at www.latrobe.edu.au/acn

REFERENCES:

• Disclaimer