Temporary Residents Admissions fee waiver procedure

Audience

Temporary resident visa holders who wish to enrol or have enrolled their school-aged dependants in a Queensland state school and who are experiencing significant financial hardship and Department of Education International staff (DEi staff).

Purpose

This procedure outlines the steps followed by temporary resident visa holders and DEi staff to:

• apply for a fee waiver of school tuition fees for a school-aged dependant of a temporary resident visa holder enrolled in a Queensland state school; or
• assess and approve applications for a fee waiver of school tuition fees for a school-aged dependant of a temporary resident visa holder.

Overview

The Temporary Residents Admissions (TRA) policy outlines the Department of Education (DoE) requirements for providing access to the Queensland state education system to temporary residents who hold dependant, bridging and visitor visas. DEi ensure these requirements are met in accordance with TRA procedure.

Temporary resident visa holders who are experiencing financial hardship in accordance with the DoE Debt management procedure may negotiate a payment plan. The payment plan assessment considers the temporary resident visa holder’s financial capacity to repay tuition fees for school-aged dependants to DEi within a reasonable period of time.

Temporary resident visa holders who are experiencing significant financial hardship may be considered for a full or partial fee waiver. Fee waivers are applied to specific fees and are generally only granted for no more than four (4) consecutive terms of schooling at a time. Fee waivers may be approved either with or without a payment plan.

Fee waivers for temporary resident visa holders are approved by the Director-General or delegate (section 51 (6) of the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 (Qld)) on the basis of:

• significant financial hardship due to exceptional circumstances; or
• other circumstances at the absolute discretion of the Director-General or delegate.

The Guideline for assessing temporary resident admission fee waiver applications is used to inform the decision making process.

If a temporary resident visa holder is dissatisfied about the decision made by DEi the customer may lodge a complaint in accordance with department’s Customer Complaints Management Framework.

Responsibilities

Temporary resident visa holders

• ensure the school-aged dependant is enrolled as per the TRA procedure
• contact DEI to discuss financial circumstances and eligibility for a payment plan or fee waiver
• if advised by DEi, complete the TRA payment plan request form in accordance with the Debt Management procedure
• if advised by DEi that fee waiver criteria are met, complete and submit the fee waiver application form and associated documentation such as the fee waiver agreement
• notify DEi staff when you have a change in visa status or financial circumstance.

DEi staff

• determine if the applicant meets the criteria for financial hardship or significant financial hardship
• provide the fee waiver application form to applicants experiencing significant financial hardship
• refer applicants experiencing financial hardship to the TRA payment plan fact sheet
• process and assess fee waiver applications against Guideline for assessing temporary resident admission fee waiver applications
• review financial arrangements if the temporary visa holder notifies of change in visa status or financial circumstance.

Director-General (or delegate)

• determine if the applicant is eligible for a fee waiver in accordance with criteria outlined in the Guideline for assessing temporary resident admission fee waiver applications
• advise the temporary resident visa holder of the decision in writing, outlining the reasons for the decision and any conditions relating to the decision.

Process

Image 1 – Process flowchart

1. Apply

Temporary resident visa holder

• contact DEi to discuss financial or other circumstances that may quality for a fee waiver
• discuss options and criteria for a payment plan and/or a fee waiver
• at the direction of the DEi contact:
  • follow the payment plan request process as outlined in the Debt management procedure, and/or
  • request a fee waiver application form
• email the fee waiver application form to FeeWaivers@qed.qld.gov.au ensuring:
  • all details are completed on the application form
  • all required documentation identified in the checklist is submitted, as incomplete applications will delay processing.

DEi staff

• confirm the school-aged dependant has successfully enrolled in Queensland state school as outlined in the TRA procedure
• determine if the temporary resident visa holder is experiencing financial hardship and discuss options and process for a payment plan in accordance with the DoE Debt management procedure
• determine if the temporary resident visa holder is experiencing significant financial hardship or other circumstances as outlined in the Guideline for assessing temporary resident admission fee waiver applications
• determine eligibility for a fee waiver as per the Department of Education International schedule of visa subclasses and enrolment conditions
• provide the fee waiver application form to the applicant
• acknowledge receipt of the completed application form and documentation
• request further information if necessary (such as incomplete application details).

2. Assess

DEi staff

• assess prospective fee waiver application to ensure that the Temporary resident visa holder has: 
  • met the criteria in the Guideline for assessing temporary resident admission fee waiver applications
  • met the documentation requirements as outlined in the fee waiver application form
• request further information if necessary to enable the assessment to be finalised
• prepare and send a recommendation in the DoE records management system to the Director-General’s delegated officer including:
  • all supporting evidence attached with the fee waiver application form    
  • details of previous or current financial arrangements with DEi (if applicable).

Director-General or delegated officer

• when requested, review evidence provided by DEi staff and decide if the application and supporting evidence meets the requirements to approve a fee waiver.

3. Decide

Director-General or delegated officer

• decide if the applicant meets the requirements as outlined in the Guideline for assessing temporary resident admission fee waiver applications 
• prepare the decision letter outlining where the applicant did not, or did not meet the criteria for significant financial hardship as well as any conditions relating to the decision 
• notify DEi staff via the DoE records management system of the outcome for actioning.

DEi staff

• issue the Approved fee waiver letter to the applicant via email attaching the fee waiver agreement; or
• issue the Application for a fee waiver declined letter to the applicant  via email and notify that the applicant has the right to lodge a complaint in accordance with department’s Customer Complaints Management Framework
  • initiate debt collection of outstanding fees owed as per the Debt management procedure (if required); or
  • provide the applicant with a payment plan agreement if the fee waiver assessment determined the criteria for financial hardship had been met
• update student records in DEi records management systems with the decision including finalisation of approval and updated invoice details if required
• issue receipts where payments are made by the temporary visa holder.

Temporary resident visa holder

• complete and authorise approval of the fee waiver agreement and email to FeeWaivers@qed.qld.gov.au
• complete and authorise and email the payment plan agreement and email to FeeWaivers@qed.qld.gov.au, if required
• ensure payments are made as agreed, if required
• pay outstanding fees as requested by DEi staff, if required.

4. Monitor

DEi staff

• monitor payment of outstanding invoices, fee waiver agreements and payment plan agreements in place
• initiate and complete a review by obtaining updated financial documentation as indicated in the fee waiver agreement or payment plan agreement
• initiate Debt management procedure, if required
• notify the visa holder of the fee waiver and / payment agreement expiry date and need to re-apply if still required
• if the temporary resident visa holder provides notification of changes to visa status and/or financial circumstance, review financial arrangements in accordance with any enrolment or invoicing changes as required.

Temporary resident visa holder

• notify DEi staff of any changes to visa status and/or financial circumstance
• apply for additional fee waiver agreements if required
• provide updated financial documentation as indicated in the fee waiver agreement or payment plan agreement Or when requested by DEi staff
• pay any outstanding invoices, if required.

Definitions

Legislation

• Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 (Qld)
• Education (General Provisions) Regulation 2006 (Qld)

Delegations/Authorisations

• The Director-General may delegate authority to charge fees and/or waive fees charged by the Department of Education (DoE) under the Director-General’s delegations under the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 (Qld).

Other resources

• Fee exemption policy
• Debt management procedure
• User charging procedure
• Temporary residents admissions
• Department of Education International schedule of visa subclasses and enrolment conditions
• TRA application for authority to enrol form

Superseded versions

Previous seven years shown. Minor version updates not included.

2.0 Fee waiver for dependent students of temporary visa holders