Learner Fees, Refund and Cancellation Policy & Procedures

Purpose

Pacific Business College’s (PBC) has a Learner Fees, Refund and Cancellation Policy & Procedures to ensure learners and paying stakeholders have clear and transparent information regarding the engagement of PBC’s services.

All learners will be made aware of this Policy before they commit to payment.

PBC’s standards of excellence mean all financial dealings will be treated fairly and reasonably and in compliance with regulatory bodies.

Responsible Parties

PBC’s CEO is responsible for ensuring the proper implementation of the Student Fees, Refund and Cancellation Policy.

As part of the application process, students will receive notification of the Policy to ensure they are aware of their rights and PBC’s obligations to the financial processes.

The CEO will manage any formal objections to decisions made regarding refunds and cancellations. Learners will be advised to submit their objections through the Appeals, Complaints and Grievance Form, which will then be subject to the process set out in the Complaints and Appeals Policy.

The CEO  will administer all refunds as part of its role in managing student fees.

Fees Policy

PBC charges fees for participating in its training programs.

PBC’s fee paying structure is a point of difference, wherein learners pay per subject, rather than per course, to increase their control over finances including how much is prepaid.

This pay-per-subject structure allows learners to pay according to their budgetary requirements, with options to:

  • Pay per unit; or
  • Prepay their entire course

This pay-per-subject policy allows students to have better budgetary control.

Payment Terms and Conditions

Subjects will need to be paid for before undertaking the subject, using one of the following methods:

  1. Prepay (upfront payment)
  2. Payment plan

Preferred methods of payment will be recorded at the time of application and stored within the learner’s records.

Prepaid payments refer to all monies paid before a subject has begun, to allow for formal registration and participation in that subject. Prepaid monies go towards paying off a learner’s course.  If PBC discontinues a course, all prepaid money will be returned to students under the Refund Policy outlined below.

There are no current deposit requirements for our courses.

VET-FEE help is not available to students of the PBC.

Timeframes for payment

Before the prospective student is accepted by PBC into the program, a Statement of Fees will be sent to each student, including information about this Fees, Refund and Cancellation Policy. The prospective student will be required to pay her/his fees before the subject begins.

The prospective student will have a two-week grace period, after which they will be contacted by the Support Officer to talk through payment plans suitable to their circumstances, and their financial and other difficulties that may be impacting on their payments.

Cancellation of the learner’s participation in the subject will only occur after PBC’s Support Officer has identified that the student will not be able to pay fees.

Refunds and Cancellation Policy

Where fees are paid in advance, accounting practices will ensure payment records are recorded appropriately against the learner’s details.

Should a learner apply to withdraw from a course, they will be required to notify PBC two weeks before the course commences, to get a full refund of payments.  Should the learner withdraw from the course after it has begun, the learner will receive a refund of 50% of prepaid fees, transferred before participating in no more than 50% of their training sessions.  This means students who are further along in their course will receive a partial disbursement of fees.

The following reasons will incur a full refund for learners, regardless of where they have progressed to in the course:

  • PBC discontinues the course; or
  • The learner becomes terminally ill or severely injured (medical documentation is required).

If PBC’s RTO license is rebuked, or PBC’s service discontinues for other reasons, then all students will be refunded on a pro-rata basis and all prospective students who have not yet commenced training will receive a full refund.

In the case that refunds are not possible, deferrals can be discussed with the Trainer or Support Officer.

Refund Process

Learners can apply for a refund by emailing us.

The email must clearly state:

  • the name, number, and contact details of the learner;
  • the learner’s course;
  • the subjects requiring refund
  • the reasons for requesting the refund.

Applicants will receive a  response from the Support Officer to offer advice and options to stay enrolled, if applicable, within ten business days. The Support Officer will then reply to the email regarding the refund decision, and next steps for the applicant including an appeals process that can be accessed by submitting an Appeals, Complaints and Grievance Form (see Appeals, Complaints and Grievance Policy).

Refunds will only be disbursed when any hardcopy materials have been received by the Head Office. When the materials have been received, the applicant will receive notification as well as approval of the refund.

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