Learner Fees

This policy guides the setting, review, and management of fees in a controlled and timely fashion for learners/ākonga enrolling at Otago Polytechnic Limited.

Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) Funding Rules By Year

Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021

Education and Training Act 2020 and

Education and Training Amendment Act 2021

Learner/ākonga: Within this policy these terms are interchangeable.

Publishable Fee: The compulsory fees at programme of study level for use where a single fee amount is published on the Otago Polytechnic Limited website or in any advertisements, prospectus, brochures, and other publications. This fee is Goods and Services Tax (GST) inclusive and is the total fee which the learner/ākonga pays to Otago Polytechnic Limited. The Otago Polytechnic Limited Publishable Fee may include charges for such things as identification (ID) cards, Student Service levies.

Tuition Fee: Is the total amount of the fees that the learner/ākonga pays and may include but not limited to: Student Services and Student Health Levies (Refer to Appendix 2).

Additional Costs: Fee components which cover items which the learner/ākonga must purchase as a condition for enrolment.

Course Related Costs: Is the term used by StudyLink for all learner/ākonga costs directly related to study. These costs may include non-compulsory fees, as well as other costs which the learner incurs. These items may or may not be purchased from Otago Polytechnic Limited.

International Flat Tuition Fee: The purpose of the flat tuition fee is to give certainty in the marketplace, if $15,000 is quoted, the fee paid is exactly that. This fee is to include all of the components such as Student Services levy, and Agents fees. Any recognition of prior learning (RPL) fees will also be absorbed within the International Flat Tuition Fee.

1. All Otago Polytechnic Limited programmes of study and course/s have a fee attached to them payable by the learner/ākonga, or other funding entity.
2. Fees are a condition of enrolment into programmes of study and course/s unless the learner/ākonga is eligible for the New Zealand government ‘Fees Free’ scheme, refer to the government website for Fees Free eligibility status.
3. Fees for the following year will be set as early as possible in the preceding year. This will be dependent on the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) fees policy release.
4. Financial Services annually review the Schedule of Fee Components (all fee components included in the Learner Fee for the following year) and the Schedule of Nil Fee Programmes (domestic learner/ākonga programmes of study that have all fees waived) - refer to Definitions and Schedules (Appendix 1).
   • 4.1 Reviewed documents are then sent to the student body for consultation via OPSA.
5. Otago Polytechnic Limited Board approves fees from lists and recommendations supplied by Financial Services and the student body.
6. All fees are to be authorised in accordance with this policy prior to entry to the Student Management System (SMS) and prior to any form of publication or notification to learners/ākonga or others.
7. Fees are to be set at fair market rates, and in accordance with all TEC rules and policies.
8. All published fee information is to be GST inclusive.
9. For international learners/ākonga, programmes of study offered and promoted for enrolment must quote the full cost ‘Flat Tuition Fee’ for payment in advance by the learner/ākonga. 
   • 9.1 The International Flat Tuition Fees are published as annual, semester or term fees according to the length of the programme of study and may change from year to year.
   • 9.2 Fee calculations should be GST exclusive even though all Publishable Fees are GST inclusive.
10. Any charges to learners/ākonga which are not listed in the Schedule of Fee Components (refer to  Definitions and Schedules – Appendix 1) are not deemed part of the Learner Fee and are not covered by this policy.
11. Assessment of Prior Learning fees, if applicable, are excluded from this policy - refer to the Recognition of Prior Learning policy.
12. Refund of Fees is covered by the Withdrawal, Transfer, Cancellation and Refund Policy.
13. Disputes: Any domestic or international learner/ākonga who wishes to dispute fees owing must do so within one (1) month of receiving the notification (invoice or statement) showing the outstanding amount.
14. A request to review the outstanding amount must be made in writing to the Academic Registry Team Leader, Otago Polytechnic Limited, within the specified time There is discretion to accept reviews lodged outside the normal one (1) month time limit if Otago Polytechnic Limited considers that there was good reason for the delay.
15. The review should be completed within seven (7) working days of the date of receipt of the application for review. Any outstanding monies owing at the outcome of the review are to be paid to Otago Polytechnic Limited immediately once notification is received.
16. If the learner/ākonga remains dissatisfied they should refer to the Ākonga Concerns and Complaints Policy.

Policies

• Ākonga Concerns and Complaints Policy
• Discount on Internal Programmes/Courses Policy
• Graduation Policy
• Learner Results, Transcripts and Award Certificates for Qualifications Policy
• Recognition of Prior Learning Policy
• Withdrawal, Transfer, Cancellation and Refund Policy

 Other References

StudyLink 

Appendix 1 Definitions and Schedule 

Appendix 2: Schedule of Fee Components - Fees Rules

Learner Discount Request Form (downloadable)

Approved by:

Dr. Megan Gibbons

Chief Executive

Date: 17 June 2022

Policy Version V9:  Previously Coded: AP354