What to do if your training provider closes

Occasionally a training provider closes when students are part-way through studying a course with them. If this happens to you, follow the advice below.

What your training provider should do

Your training provider has a responsibility to:

find you another training provider if you are enrolled and want to continue your training
give you a statement of attainment for completed units of competency
give you a transcript of results for a completed qualification
return any unmarked assessments to you.

Find out more on the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) provider closures(opens in a new window) page.

What you need to do

If the course you were doing was subsidised by Skills First or Free TAFE, the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions will send you a fee waiver letter. Note this may be via a text message.
What happens next?
You can continue your studies at a TAFE or training provider with the same or a similar course, without having to pay more tuition fees.
You will receive a fee credit for any units of study that you were doing when the provider closed.
You will need to pay the amenities or materials costs at the new training provider.
Before you transfer from the closing training provider
Before you transfer, make sure you get copies of your student records or a statement of attainment from your closing training provider.
Where to get help
If you need help you can contact:
- Australian Skills Quality Authority(opens in a new window) (ASQA)
- Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority(opens in a new window) (VRQA).
If your course was not subsidised by the Victorian Government and you were paying all of the fees yourself, contact the Tuition Protection Service(opens in a new window) (TPS). They may be able to help you transfer to a new course.
There is also information about fee refunds or credits on the TPS website(opens in a new window).
For further information and help, contact:
The Australian Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business will contact you if you were paying for your course by:
- VET Student Loan
- VET FEE-HELP
- FEE-HELP.
For more information, see Study Assist(opens in a new window).
If you are an international student on a student visa, contact the Tuition Protection Service(opens in a new window) (TPS). They will help you with:
- arranging to transfer to a course at another approved training provider
- making sure your visa remains current.