FEES FOR AWARD PROGRAMS AND COURSES POLICY

Overview

Overview

Commonwealth legislation requires the University to:

* charge tuition fees for domestic students who are not Commonwealth supported, or are not exempt students, or who are enrolled in a higher degree by research and have been awarded a scholarship for that study on the basis of merit following a competitive application process;

* charge tuition fees for international students undertaking studies in the University's on-shore award programs (with the exception of students who are studying at the University of Adelaide as part of a formal exchange program), or who are enrolled in a higher degree by research and have been awarded a scholarship for that study on the basis of merit following a competitive application process, and inform international students of course-related fees, including the potential for fees to change;

* determine Student Contribution amounts that apply to students enrolled in Commonwealth Supported coursework programs;

* advise HDR students enrolled in a Research Training Program (RTP) place of the annual value of their fee offset scholarship and

* ensure that it does not charge fees, except those of a kind that are incidental to studies, to students in Commonwealth Supported Student Places.

To ensure a breadth of postgraduate program offerings beyond those supported by the Commonwealth, the University charges tuition fees for many of these programs.

This policy describes the principles, processes and authorities for setting and charging tuition fees, incidental fees and other tuition fees at the University of Adelaide.

Scope and Application

This policy applies to all award programs and courses offered by the University and all students enrolled in those programs and courses.

Principles

1. Determining Student Contribution amounts for Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP)

a) Units of funding for CSP, which provide the basis for both Student Contributions and Commonwealth contributions, are to be determined in accord with broad, narrow and detailed Fields of Education (FOE) as specified in the Program Development and Approval Process under the Coursework Academic Programs Policy.

b) For each CSP course, one or more Student Contribution Amounts for a place is to be determined. This amount is to be nil if it is an enabling course.

c) Student Contribution Amounts are not to exceed the maximum student contribution amount for the funding cluster, or part of a funding cluster, in which the course is classified.

d) Student Contribution Amounts will be set at the maximum rate permitted by Commonwealth legislation, but may be reviewed and changed by the Vice-Chancellor and President, on the advice of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Vice-President (Academic), from time to time.

e) Student Contribution Amounts will be set by academic program, with an indicative fee published for each program. Actual Student Contribution Amounts will be determined on the basis of the number of courses in which a student is enrolled, the unit value of those courses, and the funding band under which the courses fall.

f) Indicative Student Contribution Amounts will be published for all programs on or before the earliest enrolment date for those units, enabling students to access information about the fees they may incur before they enrol.

g) Exempt Students will not be charged Student Contribution Amounts or Tuition Tees if considered exempt students for courses:

i. Consisting wholly of Work Experience in Industry and where the provider is not providing support to a student's learning and performance;

ii. In which the provider has awarded an exemption scholarship for that course;

iii. In which the student is in an RTP place.

h) Student Contribution Amounts or tuition fees for Work Experience in Industry units will only be charged if the student receives support for learning and performance from the University or persons engaged by the University and all of the following are performed by staff of the University or persons engaged by the University:

i. Interaction between the supervisor and the student, which may include site visits;

ii. Organisation of student placements;

iii. Ongoing monitoring of student work and progress;

iv. Assessment of student learning and performance during the placement.

2. Setting Tuition Fees for Fee-Paying Places

a) All Tuition Fees, tuition fee increases and any additional fees which may be charged to a student, must be approved annually by the Vice-Chancellor and President, following endorsement by the University Planning and Budgeting Committee.

b) Domestic Tuition Fees will be set according to commercial and strategic considerations but will not be lower than the Student Contribution Amounts that are, or would be, payable by Commonwealth supported students for the equivalent program or course, and not higher than international student tuition fees for the equivalent program or course.

c) For any given year, Domestic Tuition Fees for HDR Programs will be set at the rate of the Commonwealth's RTP fee offset scholarship.

d) All Tuition Fees will be set by program, with the following exceptions:

i. For domestic students enrolling in a single course but not a program (non-award and fee-paying cross institutional students), a fee per program is set for each faculty:

ii. For international students undertaking a Study Abroad Program, there is a single set fee per program payable to the University, not their home institution;

iii. For international students undertaking an Academic English Pathway Program, there is an enrolment fee and a set fee per week payable for the number of weekly sessions undertaken.

e) International Tuition Fees for on-shore award programs will be set according to commercial and strategic considerations but must, at a minimum, be sufficient to cover the full cost of providing the program to an international student, as specified in the Higher Education Provider guidelines.

f) International Tuition Fees for off-shore coursework programs and Foundation Studies programs will be set in accord with processes agreed with partner institutions.

g) International students will be advised of the total indicative Tuition Fees for the duration of their program in their CoE. The actual and indicative annual increases used to calculate the total indicative Tuition Fee must be approved annually by the Vice-Chancellor and President, following endorsement by the University Planning and Budgeting Committee and be specified on the CoE.

h) Tuition Fees will be published for all programs on or before the earliest enrolment date for those units, enabling students to access information about the fees they may incur before they enrol.

[See Fee-setting Guidelines for more information on fee-setting principles]

3. Fee Payment and Continuing Student Tuition Fees

a) Tuition Fees will be charged by teaching period on a pro rata basis according to the student's enrolled load.

b) Domestic students who undertake a Study Abroad Program are not covered under HESA and will be required to pay the relevant fees of their host institution.

c) International postgraduate research students who undertake most or all of their research away from the University (for 'writing up outside') will be charged 50% of their relevant Tuition Fee for the duration of their period away.

d) Fees for Continuing students will be increased as follows:

i. For domestic students: annually to the approved Commencing Student rate for that year providing the increase is not greater than 16%;

ii. For international students: annually to the approved Commencing Student rate for that year providing the increase does not exceed a previously set upper limit specified in a student's CoE prior to 2017. The latter restriction is not be taken into account if the student does not complete during the normal duration of their program.

e) International students, who obtain permanent residency after commencing their program may be transferred to a CSP subject to clause 3.f.

f) International students will not be offered a CSP and will be required to continue to pay an approved domestic Tuition Fee (equivalent to the approved international tuition fee), subject to the limits specified in clause 3.d.ii, if enrolled in a competitive entry undergraduate program, including, but not limited to:

i. Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery

ii. Bachelor of Dental Surgery

iii. Bachelor of Nursing

iv. Bachelor of Science (Veterinary Bioscience)

v. Bachelor of Laws

4. Incidental Fees

a) Incidental fees will be applied consistently to domestic and international students and will only be charged:

i. for a good or service that is not essential to the course; or

ii. for an alternative form, or alternative forms, of access to a good or service that is an essential component of the course, but is otherwise made readily available at no additional fee by the University; or

iii. for an essential good or service that the student has the choice of acquiring from a supplier other than the University and is for:

1.) equipment or items which become the physical property of the student and are not consumed during the course; or

2.) food, transport and accommodation costs associated with the provision of field trips that form part of the course; or

iv. when it is a fine or a penalty provided it is imposed principally as a disincentive and not in order to raise revenue or cover administrative costs.

b) Incidental fees are not to be charged for goods or services provided as a reasonable adjustment pursuant to the Reasonable Adjustments to Learning, Teaching and Assessment for Students with a Disability Policy.

c) Any incidental fee for course materials that includes a reproduction of copyright work (except where the copyright is owned by the University) are to reflect production costs only and are not to include a commercial mark-up.

d) Incidental fees will be reviewed annually and approved by the Vice-Chancellor and President following endorsement by the University Planning and Budgeting Committee before they are charged to students.

[See Incidental fees Guidelines for more information.]

5. Student Services and Amenities Fee

a) Students enrolled in a program on a full-time or part-time basis will be charged a Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) up to the maximum Commonwealth Government rate for the year in which the student is studying. This rate may be reviewed and changed by the Vice-Chancellor and President, on the advice of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Vice-President (Academic), from time to time.

b) A domestic student who defers the SSAF under SA-HELP is taken to have paid the SSAF fee.

c) The SSAF imposed for an enrolment period is payable by the relevant SSAF payment date set for the enrolment period.

d) A change of enrolment that takes effect after the census date will not reduce the fee that the student must pay.

e) Changes of enrolment before the census date may change the total SSAF payable and may result in either an increased fee or refund in accordance with the SSAF fee for full time or part time study.

f) The SSAF is non-refundable after the SSAF payment date.

g) The following students will not be charged the SSAF:

i. International students who commenced their program prior to 2013;

ii. Higher Degree by Research students;

iii. Non-award students;

iv. Students studying cross-institutionally at the University;

v. Students enrolled in an offshore program;

vi. Students enrolled in a program that is offered exclusively in an online or distance education mode of delivery. In the event students are enrolled in an on-campus program, and any or all of the individual courses are offered and/or studied externally, the SSAF will remain payable;

vii. International students undertaking a formal exchange program at the University.

Procedures and guidelines

* Procedures

* Fee Setting Guidelines

* Incidental Fee Guidelines

Authorities

Key

Authority Category

Authority

Delegation Holder

Limits

Academic

Student Fees and Loans

Approve fees for all University award programs and courses

Vice-Chancellor and President

On advice of the University Planning and Budgeting Committee

Academic

Student Fees and Loans

Waive a fee charge for an individual coursework student, in exceptional circumstances

Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Vice-President (Academic)

On advice of the relevant Executive Dean

Academic

Student Fees and Loans

Waive a fee charge for an individual higher degree by research student, in exceptional circumstances

Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Vice-President (Research)

On advice of the Dean of Graduate Studies

Academic

Student Fees and Loans

Approve Fee-setting guidelines

University Planning and Budgeting Committee

Academic

Student Fees and Loans

Approve fees for goods and services which are incidental to studies and permitted under the Fees for Award Programs and Courses Policy

Vice-Chancellor and President

On advice of the University Planning and Budgeting Committee

Academic

Student Fees and Loans

Approve changes to the SSAF

Vice-Chancellor and President

On advice of the University Planning and Budgeting Committee

Academic

Student Fees and Loans

Approve exemptions from the Student Services Amenities Fee

Executive Director Division of the DVC&VP(A)

Definitions

Academic English Pathway Program means one of two pathways available for students that have not met the minimum English language entry requirements of their award program.

Census Date refers to the last day a student can withdraw from a course(s) without incurring liability for student contributions or tuition fees.

Commencing Student means a student who enrols in their first year of study in a program.

Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) the Commonwealth Government provides the University of Adelaide with a specified number of student places, providing the University with a financial contribution towards the costs of study. Each student holding a CSP must then pay the remainder of their study costs as part of their student contribution.

Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) is an official document issued to international students to confirm the student's enrolment at the University.

Continuing Student means all students who are enrolled and are not Commencing Students.

Fee Offset Scholarship refers to the value of the funding provided by the Commonwealth to the University, in lieu of payment of tuition fees by HDR students enrolled in an RTP place.

Fee Paying Place means a place in a program of study offered to a domestic student who is not offered a Commonwealth-supported place or to an international student. Students in Fee-Paying Places pay full tuition fees.

Foundation Studies Program means a program delivered by a partner institution to provide international students with a specially developed preparation for degree studies in Australia.

HDR means Higher Degree by Research.

HESA means the Higher Education Support Act 2003 and attached Guidelines.

Incidental Fees means a fee other than Student Contribution Amounts or a Tuition Fee that is charged for a good or service related to a student's study.

Research Training Program (RTP) is the program under which the Commonwealth provides block grants to support HDR students. Students can be offered RTP scholarships for one or more of the following:

* Tuition fees offset

* Stipend for general living costs

* Ancillary research allowance

RTP scholarships are available to domestic and overseas students enrolled in an accredited HDR course. Maximum time limits apply.

SA-HELP is a loan scheme that assists eligible students to pay for all or part of their student services and amenities fee.

Student Contribution Amounts means the amount in fees that domestic Commonwealth-supported students pay towards the cost of their courses.

Study Abroad Program allows international students to study at The University Adelaide
for one or two semesters where the home university does not have an exchange agreement with us, or does not have places available.

Tuition Fees means a fee charged to cover the cost of teaching and related services, student administration and capital facilities relating to courses.

Work Experience in Industry means work that is done as a part of, or in connection with a course of study in which student learning and performance is not directed by the provider, and the purpose of which is to obtain work experience relevant to the course of study.

Other definitions are as contained in the University Glossary of Terms.

Date uploaded 1 August 2017


This document is a component of Fees for Award Programs and Courses Policy

Policy Control Information

RMO File No. 2020/2487
Policy custodian Chief Operating Officer
Responsible policy officer Chief Data and Analytics Officer
Endorsed by Vice-Chancellors Executive
Approved by Vice-Chancellor and President
Related Policies Fees for Award Programs and Courses Procedures

Fee Setting Guidelines

Incidental Fee Guidelines

FOE Classification Guidelines

Related legislation Higher Education Support Act 2003 (Cth)

Higher Education Provider Guidelines 2012

Higher Education Administrative Information for Providers

Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (Cth)

The National Code of Practice for Registration Authorities and Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2007, Part D, Standard 2.,1

Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)

Copyright Act 1968 (Cth)

Superceded Policies Fees for Award Programs and Courses Policy, v. 28 November 2011.
Effective from 21 September 2022
Review Date 20 September 2025
Contact for queries about the policy Chief Data and Analytics Officer, Planning and Analytics, ext. 36300

Please refer to the Policy Directory for the latest version.