Payment plan for TAFE students
Victoria University (VU) offers a payment plan option allowing certain students to pay fees in instalments via direct debit.
Upon enrolment, all students agree to pay the fees by the due date. Although VU offers alternative payment options, students must be prepared to pay the full amount upfront in the event that they do not qualify for these alternative options or if they do not agree with the instalment amount offered to them.
The payment plan option is subject to approval by VU’s Finance Department and acceptance of the terms and conditions outlined on this page.
For the security of your financial information, an external company called FACTS handles direct debit arrangements on behalf of VU.
Eligibility & exemptions
Your application will be assessed to determine your eligibility for a payment plan.
Eligibility
During the application, you will be asked questions to determine your eligibility. Further assessment will be done by VU’s Finance Department to verify if you will be allowed to go on a payment plan. Generally, you may be eligible for a payment plan if you meet these criteria:
- domestic student who is not on a student visa; and
- studying a VET/TAFE course; and
- have no overdue fees; and
- payable fees are $500 or more; and
- understanding that the payment plan does not extend past November of the current year; and
- have already submitted your Tax File Number (TFN) (Diploma and above Australian citizens and Humanitarian Visa holders only).
*NOTE: For Diploma and above Australian Citizens and Humanitarian Visa holders who are studying courses that are part of the VET Student Loan (VSL) course list, only materials, auxiliary, student amenities fees and over-the-cap tuition fees can be paid under the payment plan option. Tuition fees must be deferred or paid upfront prior to census date.
Exemptions
The following groups are not eligible for a payment plan:
- international students - please refer to the International student refunds page
- higher-education students
- students studying short courses.
We may also refuse your application if you have a history of non-adherence with the payment plan or if your file has been referred to debt collectors. Further exclusions may apply.
Tax File Number
If you are eligible for a VET Student Loan, please provide your Tax File Number (TFN) before applying for a payment plan. If you have not submitted your TFN, your payment plan application will be declined. You must also allow 2 business days from the time of your TFN submission before submitting your payment plan application.
Instalments & payments
All payment plans must finish by the end of November each calendar year.
The length of the payment plan and the instalment amount is determined by how many fortnights or months remain until November. Do not request for a specific instalment amount as it will not be granted.
Each instalment amount is of equal value and students are always given the minimum instalment amount possible. You have the option to make extra payments, but must always pay the minimum instalment amount.
VU also reserves the right to change your minimum instalment amount if your fees/enrolment changes after your payment plan is created, rather than extending/shortening your plan. Refer to the student responsibilities section of this page for more information.
We do not provide an indicative instalment amount. If you want to know roughly how much the instalment amount may be, please refer to the table below.
Example instalments & payments
| Student | VU fees | Start date | Number of months till end November | Instalment Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John | $100 | 1 February | 10 months | $100 ÷ 10 months = $10 per month |
| Amy | $100 | 1 July | 5 months | $100 ÷ 5 months = $20 per month |
Direct debit process
Once you get a payment schedule, payments will be taken automatically by FACTS via direct debit to your nominated bank account or credit card.
Direct debit payments may have a five-business-day bank-clearing period before they transfer from your FACTS account into your Victoria University account.
Extra payments
You should not make any payments direct to the University as the direct debits still occur. If the dishonour fee was charged, it will not be refunded.
If you want to make extra payments, you must do so through your FACTS account. You have an option to apply your extra payment in any of the future instalments.
In the unlikely event that a student makes a payment directly to VU (this is not encouraged), we will allocate the payment to any arrears first, then equally across all future instalments. We do not allocate the payments to pay the earliest due instalments.
Cost of the payment plan
Below are the costs associated with setting up a payment plan with FACTS.
These charges are non-refundable and are solely taken by FACTS Management Company.
- $41 FACTS enrolment fee (registration fee) for each of your payment-plan calendar years.
- $33 returned-payment fee (dishonour fee) for each failed scheduled debit.
Account management
After you have registered for FACTS, you are encouraged to use the FACTS self-serve functionality.
By accessing your FACTS account, you will be able to do the following:
- change your contact details
- update your financial information
- make extra payments
- delay a scheduled debit date up to 5 days, maximum of 5 delays per year
- view payment plan schedule, balance and payments made
- view communications that were sent.
Arrears, termination & non-adherence
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the instalments are successfully debited on the scheduled date. Missing a single instalment is classified as non-adherence. Victoria University may cancel the payment plan without further notice and take the following course of actions:
- Apply sanctions onto your record, which may prevent you from accessing VU services such as further enrolments, graduations, access to results and transcripts.
- Refer your file to an external debt-collection company. Additional fees may apply at your own cost, and your credit rating may be affected if legal action is undertaken against your file.
- Impose late-payment fines and debt-recovery fees.
Victoria University may also terminate your payment plan and take the course of actions mentioned above if the payment plan becomes inactive.
This can be due (but not limited) to:
- invalid financial account
- unpaid enrolment/registration fee
- blocked debits by the bank.
Student responsibilities
Payments
- You must ensure that there are enough funds in your nominated account for the debit date. Otherwise, additional, non-refundable fees apply.
- Do not pay direct to VU as the direct debits will continue as scheduled. If you want to make advance payments, you must do so through your FACTS account.
Enrolments & fees
- Only the fees assessed at the time of application are included in your initial payment plan. Any additional or newly generated fees for the same academic year will be added into your payment plan where possible. If this happens, the new fees will be split equally across future instalments. Fees that were not added into the payment plan will have to be paid upfront in full direct to Victoria University.
- If you discontinue your course or unit on or before the relevant VET/TAFE census date (or within 28 days of each unit start date for Certificate level students) your payment plan will be adjusted/terminated as necessary. If you withdraw after the cut-off date, you will still be liable to pay for your fees and the payment plan will continue as normal. Find out more about refund eligibility.
- Victoria University’s system sends automated fee reminders whenever there is a new transaction in your student account. You will continue to receive these reminders when you are under a payment plan
- The due date on your invoice will not change. Your file will only be flagged as a ‘Payment Plan student’ in our system. This will exclude you from having penalties applied or from having your file referred to debt collectors.
Re-applying & settling
While on a payment plan, you will not be allowed to:
- have your award conferred
- graduate
- get an official academic transcript.
Once your payment plan with FACTS is finished, you must verify with VU if there are still fees payable that may not have been included in the payment plan.
If you are re-enrolling for the following academic year, you will need to re-apply for a payment plan.
Apply for a payment plan
The application process is divided into 2 stages. Both stages must be completed in order to formally enter a payment plan.
Applications for your course fees for the current year closes on 31 October.
Stage 1: Submit your application
- Complete and submit the online form.
- You will be notified of the outcome within 5 business days.
Stage 2: Create an online FACTS account
- Successful applicants will receive an email from FACTS Management Company and will be given a unique link so they can register for an online FACTS account. Make sure that you keep an eye out for emails coming from FACTS.
- During the account registration process, you will select the start date and frequency of payments. You will also be asked to provide your financial details at this stage. Note: you will not see the instalment amount yet as your fees are not uploaded into the FACTS system at this stage.
- VU will upload your fees into your FACTS account. This may take up to 5 business from the time you created your FACTS account.
- Once your fees are uploaded, FACTS will send you an email outlining the instalment amount and schedule of debits.
Apply now
After reading and understanding the information on this page, if you would like to apply for a payment plan, please complete the Payment Plan application: eligibility questionnaire.
