ACT Australian Apprenticeships & User Choice Program

The Tuition Fee represents the contribution towards the cost of training charged by Foundation Education to the student or employer. Tuition Fees are collected as one upfront payment. Foundation Education do not currently offer payment plans for Tuition Fees.

Foundation Education include all tuition fees on the ACT Qualifications Register for each qualification and delivery mode we offer through the ACT Australian Apprenticeships pathway. This information is entered by Foundation Education into the RTO portal. The tuition fee represents the cost of the whole qualification and is not an annual fee.

Foundation Education must charge a tuition fee except where the student is exempt, or eligible for a concession and Foundation Education is approved to waive the remaining tuition fee.

Foundation Education may elect to offer a fee concession to eligible funded Australian Apprentices/Trainees (AA) in certain circumstances. However, both unfunded and fee-for-service AAs are not eligible to claim a fee concession reimbursement from the ACT Government.

A funded AA is eligible for a fee concession if, at the commencement of training they:

• hold a current health care card or pension card, or
• can prove genuine hardship.
• Where the AA is under 18 years of age this rule will apply if the parent/ guardian holds one of the above cards.

There are circumstances where AAs s may be eligible for full exemption from paying the tuition fee for their training. Foundation Education will not charge a tuition fee where:

a) the employer is the Training Provider for its own AA, or

b) the AA leaves one employer and recommences within 12 months with another employer, in the same qualification and with the same Training provider, or

c) the AA is required to go to a different Training Provider because of a change of RTO process, or

d) the student is an ASBA, and the school is the Training Provider.

Foundation Education will review and assess student eligibility for a fee concession or exemption prior to enrolment. If you would like to apply for a fee concession or exemption, please advise your Accounts Manager prior to your enrolment. You will be required to produce evidence of your eligibility for a fee concession upon request from Foundation Education.

AAs must meet the eligibility requirements before being signed into an Australian Apprenticeships training contract.

To be eligible for an ACT training contract the AA must:

1. work in the ACT
2. be at least 15 years of age
3. be:
   • an Australian citizen, permanent resident or New Zealand passport holder who has been a resident in Australia for more than 6 months, or
   
   
   • a person who holds a visa that is identified as being eligible (refer to the Skills Canberra website for a full list of eligible and ineligible visa types).
4. Receive remuneration for their work

• complete a minimum of 15 hours combined work and training per week (employment and training hours may be averaged over four weeks for non-ASBA training contracts)

1. undertake an approved Australian Apprenticeships qualification with an approved RTO, as listed on the ACT Qualifications Register
2. have the required supervision in the workplace for an AA. In the case of apprentices in the licensed trades of electrotechnology and plumbing, the supervisor must have the relevant qualification and license.

In addition to the above, to be eligible for an ACT training contract an Australian School-based Apprentice (ASBA) must:

1. be enrolled in a school under legislation that covers education in the relevant state/territory
2. combine part time work with an employer and structured industry approved training whilst attending school
3. continue employment and on/off-the-job training throughout the year including school holidays.

The Australian Apprenticeship must form part of their education program or individual learning plan whilst attending school. Students must speak with their VET coordinator, prior to the commencement of an ASBA or any subsequent ASBA as any qualifications must fit into the student’s pathway plan.

If you are not eligible for an ACT training contract or are seeking a different training pathway refer to the Skilled Capital page.

For more information on the eligibility requirements and the process for becoming an AA, please refer to the Skills Canberra website.

AAs who successfully complete their qualification may be eligible for a Completion Payment made by the ACT Directorate. The Completion Payment was introduced for AAs commencing on or after 1 January 2016. A Completion Payment will be paid directly to the AA upon completion of the qualification and a survey, if eligible. The completion payment for eligible AAs is:

• $300 for each qualification

The AA will be eligible to receive the completion payment for up to one (1) year after successful completion of the qualification, provided up to date email and bank account details are confirmed. The AA must lodge their bank account details via the AVETARS student portal.

An AA is not eligible for a completion payment if:

• They are in an unfunded or fee-for-service training contract
• More than 50% of the units are achieved through Recognition of Prior Learning.

An AA may be eligible for a completion payment if more than 50% of the units are achieved via credit transfer where the achievement is the result of:

• a training contract variation i.e. change of RTO and/or qualification; or
• the AA undertaking a training contract with a new employer for the same qualification or its replacement in a new training contract.

These completion payment eligibility criteria will apply to AAs that complete a qualification on or after 1 January 2019.