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Fee Setting Procedure

Section 1 - Summary

(1) This Procedure outlines processes to set and amend fees and charges for Victoria University (VU) programs and courses, as identified in the Fees and Charges Regulations 2013, and in accordance with relevant legislation.

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Section 2 - Scope

(2) This Procedure applies to all tuition and non-tuition fees for all onshore students taught by the University, excluding VU Sydney and VU Brisbane. Arrangements for Offshore locations are determined between Victoria University and its partners.

(3) Fee setting at VU Sydney and VU Brisbane is approved by the Vice-Chancellor upon the recommendation of the Joint Management Committee as described in the VU Sydney and VU Brisbane Operating Agreements between VU and ECA, and Part B - Procedural Fee Setting Principles and Framework in this Procedure. 

(4) This Procedure does not apply to Children’s Centre fees and Student housing fees.

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Section 3 - Policy/Regulation

(5) Fees and Charges Regulations 2013.

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Section 4 - Procedures

Part A - Summary of Roles and Responsibilities

Roles Responsibilities
Director, Performance Business Partnering
Annual Fee Setting Cycle: Leads the tuition fee recommendation and benchmarking process for Higher Education award and non-award courses, excluding VU Online, VU Sydney, Brisbane, and Offshore (TNE).

Responsible for coordinating the development, consolidation, review, and approval of tuition fees across HE, Research, VU Centre of Transition, VU Online, and VU TAFE. 
 
Collaborates with Colleges, VU Global, and VU Research to finalise an approved set of tuition fee settings, ensuring all relevant business areas are informed and aligned for accurate and timely publication. 
Out-of-Cycle Fee Adjustments: Coordinate the approval process for new course fees or any changes to existing fees for current or future years, requiring endorsement from the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Vice-Chancellor. 

Liaises with the Student Financials team to ensure accurate implementation of approved changes. 
Senior Manager, Administration & Governance, TAFE Co-ordinates the tuition fee creation, review and determination process for TAFE.
Undertakes a benchmarking review of indicative fee structures. 
Works with Teaching Centres to finalise a Centre-approved set of load targets and tuition fee settings. 
Ensures approved fees are published on relevant internal and external websites.
Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer  Presents proposed fees to the Load and Revenue Steering Committee for endorsement and final recommendations to the Vice-Chancellor's Group (VCG) for approval. 
Vice-Chancellor Approves tuition fees.
Chief Financial Officer Approves non-tuition (HE), non-award, short course and teach-out course fees annually and on an ad-hoc basis.
Manager, Student Financials & Scholarships
Configuration of approved HE fees in the Student Management System prior to enrolment. 
Ensures students are aware of costs for undertaking a course prior to enrolment. Publishes approved HE fees on the VU website prior to enrolment for the next academic year, in line with the Fees and Charges Regulations 2013, this Procedure and relevant legislation. 
Participates in consultation process with Colleges and Research Institutes (HE) and Teaching Centres (TAFE) to finalise an approved set of load targets and tuition fee settings.
Chief International Officer Participates in the Fees Benchmarking process.
Recommends International Student fees to Colleges, Research Institutes and TAFE.
Participates in consultation processes with Colleges and Research Institutes (HE) and Teaching Centres (TAFE) to finalise an approved set of tuition fee settings.
Executive Deans Reviews recommendations from key stakeholders and determine final fee proposals.
Accountable for a final fee and price recommendation.
 
Executive Directors, Research Institutes Reviews recommendations from key stakeholders and determines final fee proposals.
Recommend to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research & Impact a final fee and price proposal.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research & Impact Accountable for a final fee and price recommendation from VU Research.
Chief TAFE Officer Reviews recommendations from key stakeholders and determines final tuition fee proposals.
Approves non-tuition (TAFE) fees (excluding SSAF) annually and on an ad-hoc basis as required, where such courses are fully costed and fees are set at a level where the University remains financially viable.
Director Academic Quality and Standards   Responsible for providing strategic advice on governance matters related to both domestic and international course offerings.
Senior Web Content Coordinator, Web Services Publication of fees on the VU Website, prior to enrolment for the next academic year, in line with the Fees and Charges Regulations 2013, this Procedure and relevant legislation.
Chief Student Officer and Registrar Recommends SSAF rates for approval to the Chief Financial Officer.
VET Transition Team Configuration of approved TAFE fees in the Student Management System prior to enrolment.

Part B - Procedural Fee Setting Principles and Framework

Principles

(6) The University sets and reviews fees based on the following principles: 

  1. VU is the university of equity, opportunity and success – enriching both lives and careers; 
  2. VU ensures all course and unit fees: 
    1. represent good value for money for students;
    2. are fair and equitable to all students; 
    3. are set at a level where the University remains financially viable; and,
    4. are market-competitive. 

(7) Fee setting recommendations will be influenced by broader analysis of factors such as: 

  1. VU Financial sustainability; 
  2. Cost of delivery; 
  3. Price competitiveness; 
  4. Market sensitivity; and, 
  5. Price elasticity. 

(8) VU is committed to full disclosure and transparency of the costs of undertaking a Course. 

(9) All fees and charges are published on the VU website in an accessible manner in a timely fashion and in time for student enrolment.

Fee Setting Framework 

(10) The annual fee setting process at VU is integrated into the Annual Load Planning Process, and coordinated by the Performance Business Partnering team (HE) and Administration and Governance (TAFE). 

(11) For Non-Tuition Fees, the relevant VCG member as well as business areas responsible for the delivery of an activity, will prepare recommendations for fee changes annually.

(12) New course fees will be approved as part of the necessary processes and approvals detailed within the Courses Lifecycle Policy Suite.  

(13) Fees will be set for applicable courses listed on the TAFE free courses list, in order for VU to charge and report a fee for students who are not eligible for Free TAFE, or in cases where government policy changes.

(14) TAFE fee concession rates will be determined by the Dual sector VET Funding Contract.

Part C - Fee Setting Process

Non-Tuition Fees (HE)

(15) The University establishes fees and charges for services it delivers to students related to the provision of education. Business areas responsible for the delivery of an activity will prepare recommendations for fee changes annually, for consideration by the Chief Financial Officer.

(16) Finance Services will send out a request to Business areas to submit fee recommendations by the end of September each year.

(17) Where fees are wholly or part established by an external body (e.g. Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF)), the relevant Business area will ensure recommendations comply with current external requirements.

Non-Tuition Fees (VET)

(18) Teaching Centre’s responsible for the delivery of an activity will prepare recommendations for fee changes annually, for consideration by the Chief TAFE Officer.

(19) Administration and Governance will send out a request to Teaching Centre’s to submit fee recommendations by the start of June each year.

(20) Where fees are wholly or part established by an external body, the relevant Teaching Centre will ensure recommendations comply with current external requirements.

Part D - Fee Approval

Tuition Fees

(21) Table 1: Approval of Tuition and Non-Tuition fees

Fee Approval Authority
Tuition fee (HE) Vice-Chancellor, following endorsement by the Vice-Chancellor’s Group 
Tuition fee (VET) Chief TAFE Officer 
Non-Tuition fee (HE) Chief Financial Officer 
Non-Tuition fee (VET) Chief TAFE Officer 
SSAF Chief Financial Officer, following endorsement by the Chief Student Officer 

Part E - Fee Publication

(22) Following approval, Performance Business Partnering (HE) will send the approved tuition fees to:

  1. Student Services and Administration for configuration in the Student Management System and coordination with Web Services for publication on the VU website;
  2. Colleges and VU Research (specifically the Research Institutes and Admissions & Candidature);
  3. VU Global for updating in the EAAMS system, inclusion in the annual international course guides, and coordination with Web Services for publication on the VU website;
  4. Marketing and Communications; and,
  5. Other relevant business areas responsible for administering tuition fees.

(23) Following approval of tuition and materials fees, Administration and Governance (TAFE) will:

  1. send the approved fees to the VET Transition Team for configuration in the Student Administration System;
  2. Advise Teaching Centres;
  3. Advise VU Global of non-tuition fees (where relevant);
  4. Coordinate the publication of approved TAFE fees on the VU website;
  5. Coordinate publication of the approved fees through the MySkills and Australian Course Information Register (ACIR) websites.

(24) Following approval by the CFO, Student Services and Administration will send the approved non-tuition fees (HE) to:

  1. VU Global;
  2. Marketing and Communications; and,
  3. Relevant Business Areas responsible for the non-tuition fee (e.g.: Student Services for the SSAF).

(25) The Chief Student Officer and Registrar is responsible for ensuring the University communicates to students all costs for undertaking a course prior to enrolment, to provide them a realistic measure of actual cost of study.  Indicative costs may be published where the actual cost is variable.

(26) Business areas are responsible for ensuring non-tuition fees are published and available for students prior to enrolment.

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Section 5 - HESF/ASQA/ESOS Alignment

(27) HESF: Standard 7.2 Information for Prospective and Current Students.

(28) ESOS Act: Part 3 Division 2; Part 5 Division 2.

(29) Outcome Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations 2025: Standard 2.1 Information. Compliance Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations and FPP Requirements 2025: 20 Compliance with Laws.

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Section 6 - Definitions

(30) Domestic Student

(31) Fee

(32) Fine

(33) International Student (Onshore)

(34) Non-Tuition Fee

(35) Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF)

(36) Tuition Fee