Domestic Fee Payments and Refunds Procedure

Intent

The purpose of this procedure is to support the Student Fees, Payments and Refunds Policy by outlining the James Cook University’s (the University) management of Tuition fees and Student Contributions primarily for domestic students.

Scope

This procedure applies to:

• all domestic students studying at the University’s Australian campuses including JCU Brisbane, external students and JCU Online students; and
• international students studying postgraduate courses via JCU Online

This procedure does not apply to:

• domestic higher degree research students. Fee liability for this group of students is managed in accordance with the Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship Policy; or
• students studying at JCU Singapore

Definitions

Except where otherwise indicated in this procedure, the definitions used in this procedure are found in the Student Fee Payments and Refunds Policy or the Policy Glossary.

Domestic Fee-Paying Students - students who are Australian citizens, permanent humanitarian visa holders, New Zealand citizens and permanent residents who do not occupy a Commonwealth Supported place and subject to Tuition Fees.

Final Notice - Notification to students who have been identified as not having paid or made arrangements to pay their subject fees by the census date.

Notice of Cancellation - Notification to students whose enrolment will be cancelled due to non-payment of subject fees.

Procedure

1. Fee Liability

1.1 Student Contribution or Tuition fees for award and non-award coursework students are charged based on the credit point value of the subject at the time the student enrols in a subject.

2. Payment of subject fees

2.1 To identify amounts payable for each study period, students must access their Fee Statements electronically through eStudent once enrolled in subject/s.

2.2 Students must by the Payment Due Date:

2.2.1 make any upfront payments using the payment options listed in their Fee Statement; and/or

2.2.2 ensure they are eligible to defer any fees not covered by an upfront payment via a HELP Loan; or

2.2.3 Provide a Certificate of Application for a Tax File Number (while waiting for a Tax File Number) to validate their eligibility to defer via a HELP loan.

2.3 Students who have approval to access HELP will incur a HELP debt with the ATO for any subjects where the enrolment is current after Census Date and have not made a full up-front payment of their Student Contribution or Tuition Fee by the Census Date.

2.4 A student who makes a false statement concerning the residency requirements to be eligible to defer payment through HELP may have their enrolment cancelled.

3. Non-Payment of Fees

3.1 The Student Finance and Scholarships Team will, four (4) University working days after the Payment Due Date of each Study Period, identify all students who have not met their Payment obligations by the Payment Due Date and send a Final Notice to the student’s JCU email account.

3.2 The Student Finance and Scholarships Team will, after the Census Date of each Study Period, identify all students who have not met their Payment obligations under clause 2.1 and send to the student’s JCU email account a Notice of Cancellation and also advise the student in accordance with the Student Fees and Refund Policy that the student is now a debtor and any penalties which may apply.

3.3 If within 21 days from the date of the Notice of Cancellation all fees are paid, a Commonwealth Supported or Domestic Fee Paying student can request, by emailing studentfinance@jcu.edu.au to continue their enrolment as a domestic tuition fee paying student.

3.4 Students whose enrolment in a subject is reinstated after the Census Date are not eligible to access HELP to defer payment of the tuition fee for study period noted in the Notice of Cancellation.

4. Refunds for withdrawals prior to Census

4.1 For calculating any refund where a student decides not to continue with their studies, the date of withdrawal is either:

4.1.1 the date the student withdraws through eStudent; or

4.1.2 the date the University receives the student’s notice in writing of their intention to withdraw.

4.2 To request a refund of any payments where the withdrawal from the subject was before Census Date the student must complete all sections of the online Application for Refund of Overpayment or Credit Balance form

4.3 The Student Finance and Scholarships Team will confirm the subject’s withdrawal date occurred before the Census Date and if so issue the refund.

4.4 If no request is made the amount will remain as a credit balance on the student’s account for future study periods.

4.5 All refunds will be made in Australian dollars and following clearance of the original payment.

5. Refunds for withdrawals after Census

5.1 A student may request a refund or remission of HELP debt only if special circumstances apply.

5.2 Applications for refunds or remissions based on special circumstances must be undertaken in accordance with the Special Circumstances Policy and Withdrawal without Financial and Academic Penalty Procedure.

6. Refund of credit balance

6.1 A student may apply for refund of credit balance by submitting an Application for Refund of Overpayment or Credit Balance form.

6.2 A Student Finance Officer will process the application as soon as practicable and advise the student after the refund application has been processed and finalised.

Related policy instruments

Student Fee Payments and Refunds Policy

Student Services and Amenities Fee Payments and Refunds Procedure

Academic Misconduct Procedure

Higher Education Support Act 2003

Higher Education Provider Guidelines 2012

Schedules/Appendices

Schedule A: Student Payment and Fee Reversal Allocation

Administration

NOTE:  Printed copies of this procedure are uncontrolled, and currency can only be assured at the time of printing.

Approval Details

Revision History