Rights and responsibilities

It’s important that all students know their rights and responsibilities, and what to expect when studying at TAFE NSW.

TAFE NSW provides you with the opportunity to study, learn, and develop skills in a safe and supportive environment.

By signing your enrolment form or enrolling online, you agree to follow TAFE NSW policies and procedures. This also confirms that all the information you have provided is true, complete, and correct.

TAFE NSW policies and procedures are available on the TAFE NSW website, in TAFE NSW libraries, and at your campus. When you commence your studies, you will be provided with information and procedures relating to exams, course assessments, and results.

You may be penalised if you disrupt your class or harass students, teachers, or any TAFE NSW staff member. Penalties may also apply if you damage property, cheat in exams, or behave in ways that are not accepted by TAFE NSW.

You have the right to appeal certain penalties. Following an appeal, your penalty may be reduced, removed, or increased. For more information, refer to the ‘Penalties for breaches of student conduct’ section on this page.

As a student, you have the right to:

• Be treated fairly and with respect by teachers, staff, and fellow students
• Learn in an environment free from discrimination and harassment   
• Participate in and pursue your educational goals in a supportive and stimulating learning environment   
• Access counselling services   
• Have your TAFE NSW records and personal information stored securely and confidentially   
• Receive information about your course, assessment requirements and procedures, health and safety requirements, and available support services   
• Receive timely and professional feedback on your progress   
• Modify your learning plan in consultation with staff if your circumstances change   
• Present Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and credit transfer applications at the start of, or during, your studies   
• Request a review of your results   
• Request a review of other decisions affecting your progress, including appealing a breach of student conduct   
• Discontinue your studies through the appropriate process   
• Lodge a complaint or suggestion for improvement without fear of victimisation or retribution

As a student, it is your responsibility to:

• Treat all staff, students, and the public with respect, fairness, and courtesy   
• Pay all student fees and charges by the due dates. Failure to do so may result in suspension or cancellation of your enrolment, referral of your debt to a collection agency, and withholding of your award and/or results
• Be punctual and attend classes regularly   
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress to complete your course within the nominated duration   
• Contribute equally to group assessments that receive a group mark   
• Return or renew library books by the due date   
• Take reasonable steps to prevent the introduction of viruses to TAFE NSW computers   
• Wear enclosed, flat-soled, non-slip footwear. Thongs and bare feet are not permitted for safety reasons   
• Use protective equipment where required and follow all workplace health and safety (WHS) instructions   
• Immediately report any WHS or environmental concerns to your teacher or TAFE NSW customer service staff   
• Provide true, accurate, and complete information to TAFE NSW   
• Behave in a responsible and ethical manner
 

For international students, the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) framework protects your rights.

As an International student, there are further responsibilities to:

• satisfy your student visa conditions
• maintain your Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the period of your stay
• meet the terms of the written agreement with TAFE NSW
• inform TAFE NSW if you change your address
• maintain satisfactory course progress
• comply with TAFE NSW’s attendance policy
• if you are under 18, maintain your approved accommodation, support and general welfare arrangements.

TAFE NSW has the responsibility to:

• support you in learning, studying and developing skills in a safe and healthy learning environment
• safeguard the welfare of children, young people and other vulnerable people who may come into contact with our students. This may happen during workplace components of a course, visits to industry and in simulated workplace settings
• do our best to help you complete your course
• advise you of changes to fees, course delivery, timetables and locations, and of any alternative arrangements available to you
• make changes to course delivery, timetables and locations in the best interests of all our students or if the advantages of the changes outweigh any inconveniences (avoiding changes to the running of a course or its time, date, fees or location)
• ask students to sign a declaration about any history of violent or abusive behaviour or dealing with vulnerable people and offer the services of a TAFE NSW Counsellor, should a student request it when making this declaration
• maintain and be compliant with the Standards for Registered Training Organisation (RTOs) 2015, and the requirements of the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 and the requirements of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA)
• be compliant with relevant Commonwealth and State legislation, regulations and contractual obligations.

TAFE NSW reserves the right to:

• withdraw and/or cancel the delivery of a course
• offer you a new/alternate course if the course has been updated in line with national industry standards
• where there is non-payment of student fees:
  • prevent you from attending classes or accessing online learning materials
  • withhold any academic documents for completed units or qualifications
  • cancel your enrolment
• offer and run a course at a location or delivery pattern other than that advertised
• alter the fees, times or dates for the whole or any part of a course
• not guarantee that you’ll be able to complete your course at the location where you first enrolled, at the times or on the days you were first offered
• withdraw your enrolment where you are unable to demonstrate academic competency through coursework, work placement or practical work tasks
• refuse more than one attempt at a course qualification or assessment event within a Unit of Competency (UoC).

TAFE NSW is not liable for any loss, expense, or inconvenience such changes may cause.

By enrolling in any course or program with TAFE NSW I acknowledge and agree to the following:

• All information provided with this enrolment is true, accurate, complete and not misleading in any way. I will provide evidence when requested to support my declarations. I will promptly inform TAFE NSW of any changes. If any of that information is incorrect, incomplete, false or misleading, including not disclosing a history of violent behaviour, TAFE NSW may cancel this enrolment.

• I have read the section titled ‘Management of Risk of Harm to Students and Staff’. I also acknowledge that it is a condition of my enrolment to advise a TAFE Counsellor or my Head Teacher if I have a history of violent behaviour.

• I have been informed of, accessed or been provided with sufficient information to understand all the requirements and applicable terms and conditions of my enrolment, including student rights and responsibilities, the fees associated with my course and the refund policy.

• I agree to pay all the student fees associated with my enrolment by the due date(s), otherwise, TAFE NSW may suspend or cancel this enrolment. They may also refer the outstanding debt to a debt collection agency and will withhold my award/results for any completed course until all outstanding amounts are paid.

• I am liable for all outstanding amounts, whether another person (e.g. my employer, sponsor, parent or guardian or any other organisation or entity) has agreed to pay them on my behalf.

• I have been made aware of any third-party arrangements related to this enrolment.

• I do not have a concurrent enrolment into the same qualification and/or the same units of competency for the same or other qualifications.

• I understand that to support a Credit Transfer application, I provide consent for TAFE NSW to request verification of my Academic Record with the issuing provider to ensure the achievement of competency and currency of the training.

• I understand that TAFE NSW will verify the authenticity of a TAFE NSW-issued Academic Record when requested by another provider following the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs).

• I will comply with all applicable TAFE NSW policies, procedures, rules and lawful instructions relating to my enrolment, including student conduct and disciplinary policy.

• I consent and authorise TAFE NSW and Services Australia (Centrelink) to release information on the status of my Centrelink Entitlement. This is solely to confirm and validate my eligibility for fee exemption or fee concession on enrolment into NSW Government-subsidised training and/or identified TAFE NSW courses.

• I understand and agree that under the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Data Provision Requirements) Instrument 2020, TAFE NSW is required to collect personal information (information or an opinion about me), collected from me (or my parent or guardian) such as my name, Unique Student Identifier (USI), date of birth, contact details, training outcomes and performance or sensitive personal information (including my ethnicity or health information) and other enrolment and training activity-related information (together ‘Personal Information’) and disclose that Personal Information to the National Centre for Vocational education Research Ltd (NCVER).

• My personal information (including the personal information contained on my enrolment form and my training activity data) may be used or disclosed by TAFE NSW for statistical, regulatory and research purposes. TAFE NSW may disclose my personal information for these purposes including:

  • School: If I am a secondary student undertaking VET, including school-based apprenticeship or traineeship.

  • Employer: If I am an apprentice/trainee.

  • Commonwealth and State or Territory government departments and authorised agencies, including the Department of Education and the NCVER

  • Organisations (including the Department) conducting student surveys and research.

  • Personal Information disclosed to NCVER may be used or disclosed for the following purposes.

  • Issuing a VET Statement of attainment or VET Qualification and populating Authenticated VET Transcripts

  • Facilitating statistics and research relating to education, including surveys.

  • Understanding how the VET market operates, for policy, workforce planning and consumer information.

  • Administering VET, including program administration, regulation, monitoring and evaluation.

• I may receive an NCVER student survey which may be administered by an NCVER employee, agent or third-party contractor. I may opt out of the survey at any time of being contacted.

• NCVER will collect, hold, use and disclose my personal information following the Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth), the VET Data Policy and all NCVER policies and protocols (including those published on NCVER’s website).

• The Department may disclose my personal information to other Australian government agencies, including those located in States and Territories outside New South Wales.

• The above government agencies may use my personal information for any purpose relating to the exercise of their government functions, including but not limited to the evaluation and assessment of my training, the determination of my eligibility to receive subsidised training, or for any fee exemptions or concessions. My personal information may also be disclosed to other third parties if required by law.

• I consent to TAFE NSW collecting, storing, using and disclosing my personal information in the manner outlined above and following TAFE NSW’s Privacy Statement, including disclosing my personal information to other Government departments and agencies or as permitted by law, including the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 and the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002.

• I also acknowledge and agree that the Department may contact me by telephone, email or post, during or after I have ceased subsidised training with TAFE NSW, to evaluate and assess my subsidised training.

If under 18 years of age at the time of giving consent, then the consent of your guardian is required.

Information collected by TAFE NSW during your enrolment and attendance will be used for student record administration, identification, communication, state and national reporting, program monitoring, evaluation and surveys. Your information will be held and disposed of securely when no longer needed.

Information may be disclosed when required by law and to government departments and agencies, including for example to Services Australia (Centrelink), the Department of Veterans Affairs, the NSW Department of Education, the Department of Home Affairs, Transport for NSW, the Australian Skills Quality Authority, the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency, the Universities Admissions Centre, NSW Education Standards Authority and the National Centre for Vocational Education Research.

To meet the requirements of Registered Training Organisations under the Apprenticeships and Traineeships Act 2001, apprentice and trainee information is provided to employers, Australian Apprenticeship Centres and Training Services NSW (or the relevant State Training Authority).

While providing the information requested on enrolment is not required by law, it is a requirement of TAFE NSW. Your enrolment will not be accepted if it is not provided.

You may update your personal details by contacting us on 131 601 or via TAFE NSW customer service centre or by using the TAFE NSW Student Hub.

TAFE NSW is committed to protecting your privacy by following all applicable privacy laws. All personal information TAFE NSW collects in connection with your enrolment is managed in accordance with TAFE NSW Privacy Policy or on request.

If you have any questions, contact your teacher, speak with a TAFE NSW counsellor or call 131 601.