• Section 1 - Purpose
• Section 2 - Scope
• Section 3 - Principles
• Eligibility
• Conditions
• Applications
• Fee Level
• Section 4 - Responsibilities
• Section 5 - Procedures

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) The Australian Government requires diplomats and their dependants who live in Australia to pay international student tuition fees when enrolling at a university.

(2) The University of Canberra (University) recognises the benefit of having members of the diplomatic community as its students. The University also recognises some members of the diplomatic community cannot afford the cost of full international student tuition fees. The University will consider providing a tuition fee concession in such cases.

(3) This Policy sets out the eligibility criteria and conditions for a tuition fee concession for diplomats and their dependants.

Section 2 - Scope

(4) This Policy applies to all diplomats and their dependants who are eligible for a tuition fee concession at the University or at the University of Canberra College (UCC) or University of Canberra English Language Institute (UCELI).

Section 3 - Principles

Eligibility

(5) To be eligible for a tuition fee concession, a student must:

1. be enrolled in an award course at the University or an English language course at UCELI;
2. live in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) or its immediate surrounds;
3. be the holder of a Visa Class 995, or be an immediate dependant of the holder of a Visa Class 995 at the time of commencing the award course (an immediate dependant is the child of the holder of a Visa Class 995 and is less than 25 years of age);
4. not already hold an award recognised by the Australian Government as the equivalent of, or a higher level than, the award being sought from the University; and
5. not be a citizen of New Zealand.

Conditions

(6) The following conditions apply to the award of a tuition fee concession:

1. Students must have accepted an offer of place in a University award course or English language course at UCELI.
2. The concession will be available for the duration of the course, even if the student ceases to be the holder of a Visa Class 995 or be an immediate dependant of the holder of a Visa Class 995 after commencing the course. A student who was once the holder of a Visa Class 995 or an immediate dependant of the holder of a Visa Class 995 is not eligible for a tuition fee concession in a different course.
3. The student must commence the course in the semester for which the fee concession is sought (deferment of the concession is not available).
4. Students must make satisfactory academic progress. A student who is excluded from his or her course of study and is subsequently required to re-apply for admission will no longer be eligible for a concession.

Applications

(7) Applicants for a tuition fee concession are required to provide:

1. Evidence of their diplomatic status, through the provision of their visa grant letter and/or a copy of their current passport.’ This information should be provided with the application form.
2. If applicants do not hold an Australian Visa Class 995, then they should provide evidence of being a dependant of a person who holds an Australian Visa Class 995 by submitting original or certified copies of the passport bio pages and the page containing their current Australian visa.

(8) Diplomats or their dependants applying for entry to the University must lodge an application, with all required supporting documentation.

Fee Level

(9) Undergraduate students eligible for a tuition fee concession will pay the minimum indicative course fee (with capital component) for on-campus fee-paying international students set by the Australian Government and published in the Higher Education Provider Guidelines 2023. This amount is considerably lower than the University’s standard fee, while complying with the requirements of the Higher Education Support Act 2003. Course fees are subject to indexation and are reviewed annually.

(10) Postgraduate and Higher Degree by Research students eligible for a tuition fee concession will pay a fee equal to the fees levied on domestic students undertaking the same course.

Section 4 - Responsibilities

(11) The Director, Student Connect will determine whether a tuition fee concession will be granted.

Section 5 - Procedures

(12)  Nil.