Student information sheet: new information for students at Global College (updated - 1 July 2008)
Current Situation at Global College
The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) has been advised by the administrators of Global College, Deloittes Touche Tohmatsu, that Global College has ceased operating as of 30 June 2008. Global College will no longer offer courses to overseas students.
DEEWR has activated the tuition assurance scheme arrangements for ELICOS and school sector students.
For students who were studying at Global College on 30 June 2008, we have forwarded your details to the Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET). The ACPET Tuition Assurance Scheme (TAS) will seek to place you in a suitable alternative course with another education provider.
ELICOS and school sector students of Global College can expect to be contacted by the ACPET TAS administrators shortly.
For ACPET TAS questions email student.email@acpet.edu.au
Information for VET students?
With Global College unable to refund students, the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) activated the next two layers of protections for VET students:
- For VET students (in courses other than hairdressing) who were enrolled in Global College on 23 January 2008, and have not enrolled elsewhere in the meantime, we have passed your details to the Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET).
- For VET students of hairdressing who were enrolled in Global College on 23 January 2008, and have not enrolled elsewhere in the meantime, your details have been passed to the Assurance Fund for assistance. The Assurance Fund will be in contact with these students soon.
- For VET students who left Global College before or after 23 January 2008, and / or those who are at Approved or Visa granted status (whether you are still overseas or in Australia) we have passed your details direct to the Assurance Fund for assistance. If you are one of these students and have not been contacted by the Assurance fund please email Kate Gottaas
All students should have now been contacted by either the ACPET TAS or the Assurance Fund concerning your entitlements.
What is ACPET doing for VET students?
ACPET have made offers of a place in an alternative course to a large number of VET sector students of Global College affected by the cancellation of their course. This has given many students an option to continue their studies with an alternative provider.
Students who have received an offer of a place in an alternative course but have not yet responded should make contact with ACPET
IMPORTANT: There are still some students who were offered a place in an alternative course by ACPET but have not responded to the offer.
- If you have received an offer of a place, but have already enrolled with another provider, or
- If you have received an offer of a place but do not wish to accept the offer:
You must contact ACPETand advise that you do not wish to accept the placement.
Once you have advised ACPET that you do not intend to accept the offer, your details will be forwarded to the ESOS Assurance Fund. The Assurance Fund will assess your case to determine whether you are entitled to further assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
- I have been offered a place in an alternative course by ACPET or the Assurance Fund. If I do not accept the offer, will I get a refund of the money I paid to Global College?
It is important that students understand that the primary intention of the Consumer Protection Framework is to provide you with an opportunity to continue your studies in a suitable alternative course. In the first instance, onshore students will generally be offered a place in an alternative course. This offer will allow students to continue their course at no extra expense to the student.
If you formally decline an offer, the ESOS Assurance Fund will assess your entitlement to further assistance. This means that the Assurance Fund will consider whether the original offer made to you was a suitable offer. For those students who decline an offer, the Assurance Fund will contact you to advise of next steps in determining whether you are entitled to further assistance.
If the Fund Manager determines that the offer made to you was not a suitable alternative course, the Assurance Fund may seek to promptly arrange placement in another course. In some circumstances, the Assurance Fund may refund money the student paid to Global College.
However, if it is determined that the offer made to a student was a suitable offer, and the student does not wish to accept the offer, the student may not be entitled to further assistance or a refund of course fees.
For more information about this process, please email Kate Gottaas
- I was issued with a certificate from Global College after 23 January. Is this certificate valid?
We have recently been advised that certificates issued by Global College after the default date may not meet the requirements of the Australian Quality Training Framework.
Students who received a certificate after 23 January may not necessarily have been issued with a valid qualification. These students may need to enrol with another provider to complete their studies and be issued with a valid qualification.
Students in this position may be entitled to assistance under the Australian Government’s Consumer Protection Framework.
What should students do?
Send an email to Anna Perreproviding the following:
- your full name, date of birth and Global College student number; and
- a clear description of your situation, including the date when you completed your classes and the date when your certificate was issued to you.
DEEWR will investigate your claim to decide whether you need further assistance to complete your studies and receive a valid qualification. We will then contact you to explain the next steps.
- I finished my course and passed all my subjects before the default day but Global College didn’t give me my certificate. How can I get this certificate?
We are aware that there may be some students who completed their course before the default date but have not yet been issued with a certificate.
Unfortunately, DEEWR is not authorised to issue qualifications or certificates to students.
While some records exist that could indicate what a student has studied and completed, we have been advised by ACPET that this may not be sufficient for another Registered Training Organisation to award you a qualification.
If you have enrolled with a new provider, the new provider may want to test you to assess your level of skills. We recommend that you agree to be tested. This will enable your new provider to recognise prior learning (where you are able to demonstrate competencies) or to offer you the best possible program of study suited to your current level. If you do not agree with your new provider’s assessment of your skill level, you may wish to access the internal complaints and appeals process with that new provider.
Students who are required to retrain in any areas that they have previously completed (and paid for) at Global College should not have to pay for the extra training. If your new provider asks that you pay more money for studies that you have already done at Global College, you should:
Send an email to Anna Perreand provide the following information:
- your full name, date of birth and Global College student number; and
- a clear description of your situation; including the date you finished your studies at Global College.
DEEWR will investigate your claim to decide whether you need further assistance to pay for any training which you already paid for at Global College. We will then contact you to explain the next steps.
If you have not yet enrolled with a new provider and your visa will expire soon, it is extremely important that you visit your local immigration office to discuss your situation with an immigration officer. For more information about visa issues, you may wish to call 131 881.
- I completed a certificate III and/or a certificate IV at Global College but did not receive the certificate. How can I demonstrate to a new provider that I have completed the subjects so that the new provider can recognise prior learning?
Unfortunately, DEEWR is not authorised to issue qualifications or certificates to students.
In order for your new provider to consider recognising prior learning and to offer you the best possible program of study suited to your current level, your new provider may need to test your skill level. We recommend that you agree to be tested. Should your new provider ask you to retrain in any areas that you have previously completed and paid for at Global College, you should not have to pay for the extra tuition.
If you believe that your new provider is asking you to pay for any parts of your course which you have already completed at Global College, please contact Anna Perre
For students who have been placed at Meridian International College
- I can not get my academic transcripts from Global College. Will this jeopardise my new placement at Meridian College?
We have been assured by ACPET that students who have been offered a place at Meridian College will be provided a Confirmation of Enrolment even if they are unable to provide up to date academic transcripts.
For those students who do not possess an up to date transcript, we have been advised by ACPET that Meridian will access your former records from Global College to provide an indication as to your level, and may also use testing to assess your current skill level. We recommend that you agree to be tested if required. This will enable Meridian College to ensure that you are provided with the best possible program of study suited to your current level. You should not be required to pay for any extra study that you have already completed and paid for at Global College.
If you do not believe that your records have been fairly considered, you may wish to access the appeals and complaints processes of Meridian College.
- I am a hairdressing student; my new provider has indicated that I may have to do some extra units (‘gap’ training) because the course is different to the course I studied at Global College? Will I have to pay for the ‘gap’ training?
We understand that hairdressing students may need to move into a different training package as the previous course studied at Global College is no longer offered in New South Wales. This may involve some extra gap training.
Students in this situation have been referred to the Assurance Fund to ensure that these students can continue their studies with no extra costs.
- I am a hairdressing student; my new provider has tested my skill level and now I have been told that I may have to repeat studies that I had already completed. Will I have to pay for this study?
We wish to assure these students that they will not be made liable to pay to repeat studies that they have completed and paid for at Global College.
Students in this situation have been referred to the Assurance Fund to ensure that these students can continue their studies with no extra costs.
- I enrolled myself in another course after the default date but before the offer of an alternative course was made by ACPET? Do I have to accept the ACPET offer?
No. If you already have a CoE with another provider, you do not have to accept the ACPET offer. However, if you are in this situation you must contact ACPETand formally decline ACPET’s offer. Your details can then be forwarded to the ESOS Assurance Fund who will assess your claim for further assistance.
- I cancelled my course before 23 January 2008. Am I entitled to a full refund of my course fees?
If you cancelled your course before 23 January 2008, this is considered a ‘student default’ and you may not be entitled to a full refund of your course fees but you may be entitled to some refund from Global College under your individual written agreement with Global College. In the case where the administrator is unable to provide a refund in line with the written agreement, your claim will be referred to the Assurance Fund by DEEWR.
If you are in this situation or have queries about whether you have any entitlement to a refund, please contact us via the ESOS Mailbox
Information for offshore students
DEEWR understands that there are students offshore who are enrolled in courses at Global College who have paid some course money, but may not yet have commenced study. In this situation, you are entitled to access consumer protection arrangements. These students are being referred to the Assurance Fund, who will either offer you a place in an alternative course or arrange for your fees to be refunded.
If you are an enrolled student who is offshore and have not yet commenced study at Global College, or you have not commenced study at Global College because your visa application was refused (but you have not received any refund of course money that you have paid to Global) please fill out this form for offshore students (22kb PDF). DEEWR will forward your information to the Assurance Fund.
For more Information
Last Modified: Thursday, 12 June 2008