| Q. |
When did the Australian School of Business and Technology close? |
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On 5 September 2008, AtoZed International Pty Ltd, trading as the Australian School of Business and Technology (ASBT) ceased operating.
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| Q. |
Will I be enrolled with another education provider? |
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Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, the administrator of ASBT and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) have asked the Tuition Assurance Scheme (TAS) of the Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET) to offer each student a place in a suitable alternative course with another provider. You should not have to pay any extra money to this provider if you paid money in advance to ASBT.
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| Q. |
What’s the government’s role in this? |
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DEEWR will work with Deloitte and ACPET to make sure students are offered places, depending on each student’s circumstance – according to the provisions of the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000.
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| Q. |
I haven’t heard from the ACPET TAS, what should I do? |
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DEEWR has sent each student’s details to ACPET and the ACPET TAS is working to find you a suitable alternative course with another provider. Students who have not been contacted directly by the TAS should email student.support@acpet.edu.au as soon as possible for advice.
ACPET have sent letters to some students already offering placement in an alternative course. Other offers will be sent in the near future.
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| Q. |
Can I enrol in a new school or college? |
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Yes. However, the ACPET TAS will try to offer each student a place in a suitable alternative course with another provider. Under the TAS arrangements you should not be required to pay any additional amount to undertake a portion of the new provider’s course for which you have already paid money in advance to ASBT. You must advise ACPET if you have made arrangements to enrol at a different provider.
You must keep all official records of your academic progress and official receipts for all fees you have paid to ASBT. These might be useful later to establish your entitlements.
If you do approach another new school or college, remember that you will be entering into a new written agreement. Carefully read and understand what you are agreeing to if you enrol with a new college as the conditions of this Written Agreement will almost certainly be different to the one you signed with ASBT.
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| Q. |
I enrolled myself in another course with another school or college before the ACPET TAS offered me another course. Do I have to accept the offer made by the TAS? |
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No. Students will be offered a place in a suitable alternative course by ACPET TAS. Under these arrangements you should not be required to pay any additional amount to undertake a part of the alternative course for which you have already paid money to ASBT. If you have a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) with another school or college you do not have to accept the ACPET offer.
However, if you are in this situation you must contact ACPET at student.support@acpet.edu.au and formally decline ACPET’s offer. This will enable DEEWR to assess what further assistance, if any, you may be entitled to.
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| Q. |
I have paid course money to ASBT, but my visa application was refused. What can I do next? |
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DEEWR understands that there are students offshore who are enrolled in courses at ASBT who have paid some course money, but were not successful in obtaining a visa. In this situation, you may be entitled to access consumer protection arrangements. These students are being referred to the ESOS Assurance Fund, who will assess your entitlement to a refund from the ESOS Assurance Fund.
If you are an enrolled student who is offshore and have not commenced study at ASBT because your visa application was refused (but you have not received any refund of course money that you have paid to ASBT), DEEWR will forward your information to the Assurance Fund.
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| Q. |
Why were some enrolments cancelled on different dates? |
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On 28 August 2008, the NSW Vocational Education and Training Accreditation Board cancelled its approval of ASBT International Pty Ltd to deliver the ICA99 and FNB99 qualifications to overseas students. Enrolments in these courses were cancelled on that date. These courses are:
| Diploma of Accounting |
044480D |
| Advanced Diploma of Accounting |
044483A |
| Diploma of Information Technology (Business Analysis) |
036395A |
| Diploma of Information Technology (Multimedia Integration) |
044496G |
| Certificate IV in Information Technology (Systems Analysis and Design) |
044529C |
| Certificate III in Information Technology (Software Applications) |
044531J |
ASBT's delivery of education in all remaining courses ceased on 5 September 2008. These courses are:
| Certificate III in Business Administration |
044485K |
| Certificate IV in Business Management |
044490B |
| Diploma of Business Management |
044493K |
| Diploma of Business (Marketing) |
044494J |
| Advanced Diploma of Business Management |
044495G |
| General English (Elementary to Upper Intermediate) |
054714G | |
| Q. |
What will happen with my visa? |
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The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) appreciates that students are not responsible for the college closing. If you were actively engaged in studies and over 18 when ASBT closed, you have three months from the date your course was deregistered (or cancelled) to enrol in an alternative course. You must do this if you want to continue studying in Australia. If you cannot demonstrate a new enrolment within three months you must contact DIAC as soon as possible to discuss your visa options.
However, if your visa is set to expire within three months and you want to stay studying in Australia, you need to lodge an application for a new visa before your current visa expires. A list of immigration offices is at: http://www.immi.gov.au/contacts/australia/index.htm  .
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| Q. |
What if I have to stay longer in Australia to complete my qualification – will my student visa be extended? |
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Please check your student visa’s expiry date. If you require further time to complete your new course in Australia you must apply for a further student visa before your visa expires.
You can either check your visa label for your visa expiry date or use the Department of Immigration and Citizenship’s Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) service at http://www.immi.gov.au/e_visa/vevo.htm .
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