The government has announced legislative and other changes to deal with rogue training providers and better protect students.
The new measures will intent to:
- stop providers from offering incentives to students, like cash and laptops, to get them to sign up to courses that they don't need
- stop marketing agents and brokers 'freelancing' to sign up as many students as possible, without being covered by any regulator
- give students more information that helps them understand that VET FEE-HELP loans are real debts that impact their credit rating and have to be repaid
- make it impossible for providers to levy all fees in a single transaction, giving students more opportunity to consider their options before VET FEE-HELP debts can be incurred
- protect vulnerable students by requiring providers to properly assess students before enrolment
The government has produced the fact sheet VET FEE-HELP to help students make informed choices about undertaking VET courses of study.