Fees and charges relief
ASQA will continue to waive or reimburse some fees and charges for VET providers and accredited course owners until 31 December 2021.
The Minister for Employment, Workforce, Skills, Small and Family Business, the Hon Stuart Robert MP, and the Minister for Education and Youth, the Hon Alan Tudge MP, on 30 April 2021 announced that ASQA will extend fee relief for vocational education and training (VET) providers and accredited course owners to lift the financial pressures on VET providers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Fee relief was first introduced in April 2020 as part of a package of measures to support the sector.
As part of these measures, ASQA will:
- continue to waive fees and charges that have been invoiced since 1 January 2020, through to 31 December 2021
- postpone its move to full cost recovery until 1 January 2022.
Excluded from these relief measures are ASQA fees related to:
- initial registration as a registered training organisation (RTO)
- initial registration on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS)
- initial accreditation of a VET course, for new course owners.*
* Fees related to initial accreditation of VET courses are waived for:
- owners of one or more existing accredited courses regulated by ASQA
- training organisations that are already registered with ASQA.
Invoices already issued for these services are excluded from fee relief and require payment in full. Payment of fees for these services will continue to be required.
The relief measures also include extending the postponement of ASQA’s move to full cost recovery until 1 January 2022, a further 6 months beyond the initial extension to 1 July 2021.
The table below shows how the financial relief measures apply to each of ASQA’s fees and charges. ASQA is completing the logistical work needed to implement these relief measures as quickly as possible. ASQA will keep stakeholders informed of progress and updated timeframes via this website and other communication channels.
* Fees related to initial accreditation of VET courses are waived for:
-
owners of one or more existing accredited courses regulated by ASQA
-
training organisations that are already registered with ASQA.
Which ASQA fees and charges are included in the relief measures? Which fees and charges are excluded?
The table below shows how the financial relief measures apply to each of ASQA’s fees and charges. ASQA is completing the logistical work needed to implement these relief measures as quickly as possible. ASQA will keep stakeholders informed of progress and updated timeframes via this website and other communication channels.
| Fee / Charge | Waived from 1 Jan 2020 to 31 Dec 2021, as part of COVID-19 relief measures |
|---|---|
NVR RTO Application-based Fees |
|
| RTO Initial Registration - Application Lodgement Fee |
✘ |
| RTO Initial Registration - Application Assessment Fee |
✘ |
| RTO Renewal Registration - Application Lodgement Fee |
✔ |
| RTO Change of Scope - Application Lodgement Fee |
✔ |
| RTO Annual Registration Charge |
✔ |
CRICOS Application-based Fees |
|
| CRICOS Initial Registration - Application Lodgement Fee |
✘ |
| CRICOS Initial Registration - Application Assessment Fee |
✘ |
| CRICOS Renewal Registration - Application Lodgement Fee |
✔ |
| CRICOS Renewal Registration - Assessment Fee |
✔ |
| CRICOS Change of Scope - Application Lodgement Fee |
✔ |
| CRICOS Annual Registration Charge |
✔ |
Performance Assessment (Audit) Charges |
|
| Compliance Audit Charge |
✔ |
| Complaint Investigation Charge |
✔ |
Evidence Review Fees |
|
| Reconsideration of Evidence Fee |
✔ |
| Reassessment of Evidence Fee |
✔ |
VET Course Accreditation Fees |
|
|
For existing course owners and existing RTOs: |
|
| VET Course Concept Assessment Fee |
✔ |
| VET Course Initial Assessment Fee |
✔ |
| VET Course Renewal Lodgement Fee |
✔ |
| VET Course Renewal Assessment Fee |
✔ |
| VET Course Minor Amendment Fee |
✔ |
| VET Course Major Amendment Fee |
✔ |
|
For new course owners: |
|
| VET Course Concept Assessment Fee |
✘ |
| VET Course Initial Assessment Fee |
✘ |
