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Fee Determination Procedure - Tuition Fees

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Section 1 - Purpose / Objectives

(1) See Fees Policy .

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Section 2 - Scope / Application

(2) See Fees Policy .

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Section 3 - Definitions

(3) Nil

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Section 4 - Policy Statement

(4) See Fees Policy .

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Section 5 - Procedures

(5) The procedure relates to the setting, amending, reviewing and publication of tuition fees and charges as identified in the Fees and Charges Regulations 2013 Part 2 . It ensures that tuition fees and charges are set, reviewed, amended, reported and published in accordance with legislation.

(6) This procedure applies to tuition fees and charges that the University has the power to impose or charge on persons who are on University premises, using University facilities and services or engaged in University activities. The tuition fees and charges which can be imposed or charged by the University are:

  1. Local full fees
  2. International full fees
  3. English language intensive course fees
  4. Government funded course fees
  5. Study Abroad tuition fees

(7) Fees for award course international students are established and published 2 years in advance to facilitate the provision of proper and appropriate advice to the market. Approval timeframes are the same but the approval is sought for the fee year ahead of the fee year being established for domestic and English language intensive students.

(8) While the timelines below will be adhered to, the Fees and Charges Regulation 2013 does not limit the power of the University to fix or impose other fees and charges or to change fees at any time.

Part A - Key Dates

Activity Due Date
Annual Review of Tuition Fees and Charges January to July
Submit Tuition Fees and Charges to Finance Services for CFO approval 15 July
Approval of tuition fees and charges 15 August
Publication of tuition fees and charges on University website 1 April for units with a census date in the same year between 1 July and 31 December

1 October for units with a census date in the subsequent year between 1 January and 30 June

1 October for all VUE English language intensive courses for the subsequent year

31 December for international student fees for the subsequent year + 2
 

Part B - Roles and Responsibilities

Role Responsibility
Admissions Overall co-ordination of the tuition fee approval process. In consultation with all relevant University stakeholders, preparation of updates to all tuition fees (units of study and/or indicative course fees) Validation of suggested amendments from Colleges Maintenance of the documentation for all relevant processes.
Chief Financial Officer Responsible for tuition fee determination endorsements
Colleges Advice regarding currency of courses and units of study.

Advice regarding market positioning of courses

Review of updated tuition fee recommendations prepared by Admissions.

Completion of costings templates for re/calculation units of study costs.
Finance Financial advice regarding the financial context, including the yearly increase of tuition fees. Maintenance of costings templates for re/calculating units of study.
Marketing Market research advice regarding tuitions fees. Publication of tuition fees
Quality Information and Planning Incorporation of tuition fees into University planning processes
Vice Chancellor and Senior Management Team Setting and approval of tuition fee schedule
Student Systems Configuration of tuition fees in VUCONNECT. Advice and actions regarding government reporting requirements.
VET Strategy group Advice regarding VE/FE strategy, context and associated requirements
VU International(VUI) Advice regarding international context and associated requirements Recommendations re fee levels
Victoria University English (VUE) Recommend pricing levels for English language courses based on market comparison

Part C - Tuition Fee Setting Process

(9) There are three main stages of tuition fee setting: Fee Determination, Fee Approval and Fee Publication.

Fee Determination

Stage 1: Preparing to recommend

Activity Responsible
(10) Co-ordinate tuition fee determination schedule and activities Admissions team
(11) The Commonwealth and Victorian governments release the HE CSP Funding Clusters/Student Contribution Bands and the VE/FE Indexation Rates respectively.

This information is received and processed by VU.		 Admissions team
(12) Ensure that all relevant parties have received the Government Funding Clusters and Indexed Rates Admissions team
(13) Conduct market analysis against like organisations and courses Marketing / VUI / VUE / Admissions team

Stage 2: Recommendations

Activity Responsible
(14) Prepare recommendations regarding tuition fee levels to be submitted to the CFO which factors in the following: Current Fee Schedule Code, Title, EFTSL, FOE codes Advice from Finance Information on salary, on costs and marginal costs Market comparison information and international market information Advice from Colleges of all upcoming course changes via CAMS Commonwealth Government Indexed Rates for 201x (HE CSP) Commonwealth Government Allocation of units of study to funding clusters and student contribution bands according to Field of Education Codes for 201x (HE CSP)

Victorian Government Ministerial Indexation rates for 201x (VE/FE)

Course delivery plans, listing all core and elective units (for domestic full fee courses)

(15) Output

VU Fee Schedule recommendations (increased as per government requirements and/or default VU index)

Indicative course fees (for Domestic full fees).		 Co-ordinated by Admissions team Input from Colleges / Finance / Marketing / VUI / VET / VUE
(16) Send recommendations to all parties for review Admissions team
(17) Review tuition fee recommendations Colleges, Finance, Marketing, VUI, VE/FE
(18) Submit Recommendations
Collate and validate (with consideration of advice from relevant University business units) suggested recommendations from Colleges and prepare final recommendations for consideration by the Senior Leadership Team
. Send recommendations to the Senior Leadership Team Secretariat.		 Admissions

Fee Approval

Activity Responsible
(19) Consider Recommendations and Endorse Fee Levels Chief Financial Officer
(20) Send the recommendation to the Vice Chancellor and Senior Management Team for approval/sign off. Governance
(21) Receives recommendation request to set fees for the forthcoming year Vice Chancellor and Senior Management Team
(22) Reply with approval after consideration of annual budget. Vice Chancellor and Senior Management Team

Fee Publication

Activity Responsible
Configure/report/publish Fee Schedule as appropriate
 		 Student Systems, VUI, VUE, Marketing, Finance, QIP
Update fees as requested in line with authorised changes Fees Business Specifications and Configuration Officer
Communicate changed Fees as added to CRICOS to TEQSA Quality and Compliance, VUI

Part D - Assumptions

(23) This procedure is based on the following assumptions:
  1. That international tuition fees continue to be semester-based. (If this changes to unit-based fees, the approval process for domestic full fee tuition fees will apply)
  2. Re-distribution of business unit responsibilities is approved by the Senior Leadership Team
  3. Admissions are appropriately resourced to do this work.
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Section 6 - Guidelines

(24) VE / FE Costing Template
(25) Tuition Fee Determination Process Flowchart