• Section 1 - Summary
• Section 2 -  TEQSA/ASQA/ESOS Alignment
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Definitions
• Section 5 - Policy/Regulation
• Section 6 - Procedures
• Part A - Summary of Roles and Responsibilities
• Part B - Enrolment and Graduation
• Part C - Course Completion
• Part D - Security of USI Data

Section 1 - Summary

(1) This Procedure provides guidance to Student Administration Staff on the collection, storage and reporting of Unique Student Identifier (USI) data.

Section 2 -  TEQSA/ASQA/ESOS Alignment

(2) Standards for RTOs: Standards 3.6 and 5.

Section 3 - Scope

(3) This Procedure applies to all VET student enrolments in nationally recognised training, except those students who are deemed to be exempt. Exemption categories are:

1. International students who complete all requirements for their VET qualification or VET statement of attainment outside Australia.
2. An individual who has completed all the requirements for the VET qualification or VET statement of attainment before 1 January 2015.
3. Students who demonstrate a genuine personal objection to being assigned a USI. This exemption can only be granted by the Student Identifiers Registrar.

Section 4 - Definitions

(4) The Unique Student Identifier (USI) is a ten-digit, government issued student number, required for all students in nationally recognised VET training from 2015. This number links to an online account to provide each student with a single record of all of their nationally recognised VET training.

Section 5 - Policy/Regulation

(5) Enrolments Policy

Section 6 - Procedures

Part A - Summary of Roles and Responsibilities

Part B - Enrolment and Graduation

(6) Prospective students must be provided with information about the USI prior to enrolment. Information to be provided by:

1. AskVU — Future Students area on website;
2. USI information on website;
3. Course flyers;
4. USI Application requirement part of the application process.

(7) Information provided to prospective students must include:

1. The requirement to obtain a USI prior to enrolment by visiting https://www.usi.gov.au (except where a USI has already been obtained by the student at a previous enrolment at Victoria University (VU) or elsewhere).
2. The importance of ensuring that the personal details provided in the process of obtaining a USI must be identical to those provided to VU at enrolment (i.e. exact name, date of birth, etc.).
3. The need to provide their USI as part of the application process.
4. Access to further information on USI can be found at https://www.vu.edu.au/current-students/your-course/enrolment/first-time-enrolment#goto-proof-of-citizenship=0&goto-unique-student-identifier—vocational-education-ve-students=0.

(8) Students who express a genuine personal objection to being assigned a USI must be advised to apply to the Student Identifiers Registrar for an exemption.

(9) Such students, or students with any other valid exemption from the USI requirement must be informed that they will not be able to access records of their training through the Commonwealth register.

(10) Students who complete an application without a USI must be supported to access the website and obtain their USI as part of the application process. The authorised Enrolment Delegate, a Student Services Centre representative or Teaching Department Representative may provide this assistance.

(11) If, for any reason a VU staff member is requested to apply for a USI or verify an existing USI on behalf of a student, the following steps must be taken:

1. The student must complete and sign a Request for VU to Obtain or Verify a USI on Behalf of Student form.
2. The relevant USI number is to be entered into the USI application requirement or provided to Data Management Services to update in the student management system.
3. If verifying existing USI information, the student is required to log into their own USI account and set permission for VU to access their information.
4. Any personal information provided by the student to fulfil this request must be destroyed after the process of obtaining or verifying the USI is complete.

(12) The student's USI must be recorded in the student’s application.

(13) DMS staff verify the USI provided, using the automated USI verification functionality.

1. Where the USI is verified, no further action needs to be taken.
2. Where the USI is missing or is not verified, the student is to be followed up by a DMS staff member.

(14) Business Support and Reporting team generate reports listing students who have duplicate USIs. This report is provided to the DMS to check and correct data errors.

(15) The DMS Team must -

1. contact the student (where required) as soon as possible, asking them to re-provide their USI after checking both their personal information (i.e. first name, surname and date of birth) and USI number on the Government USI register.
2. Record the contact made with the student in the student management system.

(16) The information provided by the student is recorded in the student management system and verified on the USI Registry.

(17) For non-exempt students who still don't have a valid USI recorded on the student management system one month after their course commencement, DMS will contact each student in writing to inform them that:

1. They must provide a valid USI or that their enrolment will be withdrawn if the necessary information is not provided.
2. They will not be issued any AQF certification documentation (i.e. qualifications or statements of attainment) at the end of their program until the USI validation issue is resolved.

(18) For non-exempt students who still don't have a valid USI recorded on student management system two months after their course commencement, DMS will contact each student in writing to inform them that enrolment withdrawal will be considered if the necessary information is not provided.

(19) For non-exempt students who don’t have a valid USI three months after course commencement, DMS will provide a report to VU TAFE. VU TAFE will process course withdrawals for those students. 

(20) Records of communication and attempted communication with the student will kept against the student’s record.

(21) Any student wanting to change their name, must provide appropriate evidence for the name change (i.e. marriage certificate/name change certificate) along with evidence that the USI Registry has also been updated to reflect the name change. Name changes in the student management system will not be actioned without this evidence to minimize number of invalid USIs. Student also to provide A11 – Personal Detail Amendment Request Form (PDA) with appropriate evidence for the name change via a Student Services Centre or TAFE, request forwarded to DMS to process.

Part C - Course Completion

(22) No AQF certification documentation can be provided to non-exempt students who have not provided a valid USI.

(23) When requests for AQF documentation are received from individual students or from teaching departments, the Completions Team must check that the student has a valid USI before processing the request.

(24) A non-AQF statement or transcript of results for the training program may still be provided, even if the student does not have a validated USI.

(25) Student USI must not be included on any reports to the student, including confirmation of enrolment, AQF certification documentation or transcripts of results etc.

Part D - Security of USI Data

(26) The student USI stored within the student management system must not be made available to general staff accessing the system. Only those with responsibility for entering and editing the data should have access.

(27) The Student USI must not be provided on any student management system reports accessible by general staff.