Special Circumstances
Students who have experienced severe and extenuating circumstances affecting their study and decision to withdraw may apply for extra consideration for a refund of tuition fees and/or cancellation of their HELP Loan outside of the usual refund timeframes.
Special Circumstances - Senior Secondary & Certificate I-IV Level Courses:
Students not eligible for a refund of tuition fees paid who have experienced severe extenuating circumstances affecting their study and decision to withdraw, may apply to the Registrar in writing prior to 1 December in the calendar year of study, for extra consideration regarding their course exit/withdrawal, and a partial or full refund of fees. Students must provide details of the extenuating circumstances experienced and its impact on their study, along with documentary evidence to support this. Refunds are not guaranteed.
Special Circumstances - VET Diploma and higher level VET courses:
Students withdrawing from a VET Diploma or Higher level VET course or unit after census date and who have experienced severe extenuating circumstances affecting their study and ability to complete unit/s, may apply for a refund of tuition fees in affected units and/or HELP debt reversal in affected units. Special circumstances are those that are:
- beyond the student’s control; and
- do not make their full impact on the student until on or after the census day for a course, or the part of a course (unit); and
- make it impracticable for the student to complete the requirements for the course, or the part of the course (unit), during the student’s enrolment in the course, or the part of the course (unit).
- The test is cumulative and all three of these above criteria must be met per unit for which a refund under special circumstances is being applied, along with providing adequate documentary evidence to support the application.
Applications for refunds under special circumstances must be made within 12 months after the census day for the course, or the part of the course (unit), concerned, or within that period as extended by Box Hill Institute, via completion and submission of the Application for Refund of Paid Tuition Fees and/or Re-Credit of /VET Student Loan Balance in Extenuating Circumstances form along with documentary evidence.
Students with HELP Loans should refer to the Institute’s Commonwealth Entitlements Review of Decisions Policy and Re-crediting of HELP Balance and Review of Decisions Procedure.
Refunds and/or HELP Loan cancellations are not available for passed units.
Special Circumstances - Higher Education courses:
Students withdrawing from a Higher Education unit of study (unit) after census date and who have experienced severe extenuating circumstances affecting their study and ability to complete unit/s, may apply for a refund of tuition fees in affected units and/or HELP debt reversal in affected units. Special circumstances are those that are:
- beyond the student’s control; and
- do not make their full impact on the student until on or after the census date for the unit of study; and
- make it impracticable for the student to complete the requirements for the unit during the period during which the student undertook, or was to undertake, the unit.
- The test is cumulative and all three of these above criteria must be met per unit for which a refund under special circumstances is being applied, along with providing adequate documentary evidence to support the application.
Applications for refunds under special circumstances must be made within 12 months of the date the unit withdrawal took effect, or, 12 months after the end of the period during which the student undertook, or was to undertake, the unit. Applications must be made via completion and submission of the Application for Refund of Paid Tuition Fees and/or Re-Credit of FEE-HELP Balance in Special Circumstances (Degree Courses Only) form along with documentary evidence.
Students with HELP Loans should refer to the Institute’s Re-crediting of HELP Balance and Review of Decisions Procedure.
Refunds and/or HELP Loan cancellations are not available for passed units.
Other Circumstances
Under Section 70 of the VET Student Loans Act 2016, the Secretary of the department administering VET Student Loans within the Commonwealth Department of Education, Skills and Employment, may re-credit a student’s HELP balance in accordance with this Division if Box Hill Institute, is unable to act under this Division or is being wound up or has been dissolved, or, Box Hill Institute has failed to act under this Division and the Secretary is satisfied that the failure is unreasonable.
Under Section 71 of the VET Student Loans Act 2016, students with a VET Student Loan may apply directly to the Secretary of the department administering VET Student Loans within the Commonwealth Department of Education, Skills and Employment, for a re-credit of their HELP balance where they believe that Box Hill Institute, or a person acting on Box Hill Institute’s behalf, engaged in unacceptable conduct in relation to the student’s application for the VET student loan, or, they believe that Box Hill Institute has failed to comply with the VET Student Loans Act 2016, or an instrument under the VET Student Loans Act 2016 and the failure has adversely affected the student. Students should refer to Box Hill Institute’s Commonwealth Entitlements review of Decisions Policy and Re-crediting of HELP Balance and Review of Decisions Procedure. Applications must be made within 5 years after the unit census date.