• Section 1 - Preamble
• Section 2 - Purpose
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Policy
• Review and publication of fees
• Invoicing and payment of fees
• Student fee responsibility
• Extension for payment
• Non-payment of fees and associated penalties
• Eligibility for refund of fees 
• Application process and payment of refunds
• Reinstatement of enrolment
• Complaints
• Reporting
• Section 5 - Non-Compliance

Section 1 - Preamble

(1) Charles Darwin University (‘the University’, ‘CDU’) is committed to ensuring that the management of student tuition fees is fair and transparent for all training, education and research courses.

Section 2 - Purpose

(2) This policy outlines the requirements associated with student fee payments, allocation, student refunds, financial penalties and cancellations.

Section 3 - Scope

(3) This policy applies to the following cohorts of students. The term ‘student’ or ‘students’ in this policy refers to these students

1. All international students on a student visa; and
2. Higher education international students who are on a visa other than a student visa, including students enrolled in:
   1. Coursework award courses;
   2. Higher degree by research courses;
   3. Non-award courses; and
   4. Microcredential courses.

(4) The following students are not in the scope of this policy and should refer to the Domestic Student Fee Policy:

1. Domestic students; and
2. Vocational education and training international students who are on a visa other than a student visa.

Section 4 - Policy

(5) The University sets student tuition fees and receives student fee payments within the parameters of Commonwealth legislation. The University will ensure the setting, review, and administration of student fees are:

1. accurate, accessible and transparent, with information on fees being publicly available so that fee liability can be known prior to enrolment; and
2. reviewed annually, taking into consideration insights from the market, sectors, accreditation bodies, grandparenting arrangements and strategic partners.

(6) Students who study at the University are responsible for ensuring that they:

1. pay fees by the due date;
2. provide accurate and timely information to the University relating to contact details for fee collection;
3. seek advice and assistance at the earliest opportunity where financial hardship or other difficulties are experienced that may impact on their ability to pay fees and, for international students on a student visa, seek advice from the Department of Home Affairs about the potential impact on their student visa; and
4. advise the University of any changes in visa status.

Review and publication of fees

(7) All international student fees will be set and published in accordance with the:

1. Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000;
2. Higher Education Provider Guidelines 2023 for Higher Education (HE) students; and
3. Revised RTO Standards 2025 for Vocational Education and Training (VET) students.

(8) All student fees will be reviewed annually and may change each calendar year.

(9) CDU Global recommends international student fee changes to the Vice-Chancellor for approval.

(10) CDU Global provides details of approved fees to Student Finance.

(11) Student Finance is responsible for the administration of student fees in the Student Management System.

Invoicing and payment of fees

Commencing students

(12) International students who will study on a student visa must pay the deposit as outlined in their letter of offer in order to accept their offer.

(13) Once the international student who will study on a student visa has paid their fees and accepted their offer, CDU Global will issue a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) to allow the student to apply for a visa.

(14) Commencing students who are not on a student visa are subject to the requirements for re-enrolling students, outlined below.

Re-enrolling students

(15) Re-enrolling students are students who have completed at least 10 credit points in their University course and includes students who are transitioning to the next course in a package or transferring courses after having completed at least 10 credit points in a previous University course.

(16) Students will be invoiced within six (6) weeks prior to the commencement of the relevant teaching period or when they enrol, whichever is later.

(17) Invoices will be sent in one of the following forms:

1. Students who have activated their student account – emailed to their official University email address.
2. Students who have not activated their student account – posted to their postal address.

(18) Students can access the balance of their outstanding fees at any time after fees have been assessed for that period through MyStudentInfo in the CDU Portal.

Student fee responsibility

(19) Fees will apply to:

1. commencing students who accept an offer of admission to study at the University; and
2. continuing students who enrol in units, unless they withdraw from their units:
   1. within 14 days of the unit commencement date for VET courses; or
   2. before the census date for HE courses.

(20) Students are required to pay their fees by the due date specified on their Enrolment and Fee Advice Invoice.

(21) A student may, if eligible, transfer their fee liability to a third party, where the relevant Third-Party Sponsorship form for this arrangement is put in place and the sponsor must pay the student fee by the relevant due date or the student remains liable for the outstanding debt.

Extension for payment

(22) The University recognises that some students may experience circumstances causing substantial or unforeseen financial hardship during their study. To assist during these circumstances, international students on a student visa may apply for an extension of time to pay their fees.

(23) Fee extensions are not available for higher education intensive periods.

(24) All applications for an extension for payment must be:

1. made before the due date specified on their Enrolment and Fee Advice Notice; and
2. accompanied by relevant supporting documentation.

Non-payment of fees and associated penalties

(25) Payment of tuition fees must be made in full by the due date specified by the University. Overdue student fees are managed in accordance with the Student Debtors Policy and Student Debtors Procedure.

(26) Students who have not paid their fees in full by the due date will be issued an Intention to Cancel Notice for non-payment of fees requesting the immediate payment of fees.

1. A student’s course enrolment may be cancelled if, within 20 working days of the issue of the Intention to Cancel Notice:
   1. payment is not received; or
   2. alternative arrangements for payment are not put in place.

(27) Students with alternative payment arrangements may have the following penalties imposed until all debts are fully discharged, or arrangements for the discharge of the debt have been agreed by the University. Penalties may include, but are not limited to, students being restricted from:

1. accessing unit results;
2. enrolling in further units;
3. obtaining a Transcript of Results or Academic Transcript; and
4. graduating from the University.

(28) CDU Global will inform the Department of Home Affairs when the Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) of an international student on a student visa is cancelled or suspended due to non-payment of fees. 

(29) The University may use an external debt collection agency to recover any outstanding payments of a student or Third-Party Sponsor.

Eligibility for refund of fees 

(30) Depending on the circumstances, prospective and enrolled students may be entitled to a full or partial refund of fees paid to the University.

(31) If a student’s application for a student visa is unsuccessful and evidence of the visa decision is provided to the University, then the University will refund any tuition fees that have been paid in advance and the Student Services and Amenities Fee, less an administration fee of $500 or 5% of prepaid tuition, whichever is the lesser.

(32) If a student fails to satisfy course progression requirements or fails to successfully complete a preliminary qualifying program in a particular semester and, for that reason, either:

1. the student is precluded from enrolling or re-enrolling in the course for the following compulsory semester; or
2. the student’s candidature is terminated during the following compulsory semester,

(33) Fees paid for the previous semester in which course progression or preliminary qualification program requirements were not met will not be refunded.

(34) If a student has withdrawn and demonstrated and provided evidence of compassionate or compelling circumstances that are beyond their control, the University will provide either a total or partial refund of tuition fees. Compassionate or compelling circumstances for this purpose may include but are not limited to:

1. illness or disability; or
2. death of the student or a close family member (parent, sibling, spouse or child); or
3. a political or civil event that prevents the student from accepting an offer of a place.

(35) If a student completes their course with a fee credit, and if they are not continuing onto the next course in a package, the University will refund the excess fees.

(36) If a commencing student withdraws from a course by providing the completed International refund form, available from Forms and guides, no later than four weeks prior to course commencement, then the University will refund fees, less:

1. 20% of the tuition fee payment; and
2. any payment made to an agent who recruited the student.

(37) If a commencing student withdraws from a course by providing the completed International refund form, available from Forms and guides, later than four weeks prior to, and before, course commencement, then the University will refund fees, less:

1. 30% of the tuition fee payment; and
2. any payment made to an agent who recruited the student.

(38) If a commencing student withdraws from a course by providing the completed International refund form, available from Forms and guides, within the first four weeks after course commencement for VET students or prior to the applicable census date for higher education students, a refund of fees paid will be made, less:

1. 50% of the tuition fee payment;
2. any payment made to an agent who recruited the student; and
3. the Student Services and Amenities Fee.

(39) If a student is excluded from taking further part in a course, either for a specific period or an indefinite period, as a result of disciplinary action taken under the University's governing documents, then fees paid by the student (including but not limited to tuition fees paid in advance at the time of the exclusion) will not be refunded.

(40) If a commencing student withdraws from a course after the applicable Semester census date, fees paid by the student will not be refunded.

1. The potential refund of any tuition fees paid in advance will be managed in accordance with this policy.

(41) Excess fees or fees paid in advance will not be refunded, and will instead be credited toward the student’s future study terms, where a student:

1. in higher education is granted credit or recognition of prior learning;
2. is granted approval to change course and the tuition fee for the new course is lower than the tuition fee for the original course; or
3. has made payments more than the required fees for their course.

(42) If a student transfers to another registered provider after commencement, then any refund due will be transferred to the new provider and will not be refunded directly to the student.

Changes to student residency status 

(43) A student in the process of applying for permanent residency status is still an international student and must pay all required fees by the due date. Permanent residency is recognised only after the date stamped on the student's passport, not the date on which the application for status is made.

(44) International students are responsible for notifying the University of a change in their residency status by lodging a Person Details Amendment form available at Forms and guides and provide evidence of their residency status. A student whose residency has changed must lodge the Person Details Amendment form before the last day to enrol for the relevant term. 

(45) Once Enrolments has updated the student’s details in the student management system, they will advise the student to complete an electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) in My Student Information. The student must complete the eCAF prior to the census date.

(46) A higher education international student who notifies the University and provides evidence of their permanent resident status prior to the last day to enrol will be given the option of a Commonwealth-supported place or paying the full fee that applies to domestic students, where there are places available. The University will refund any tuition fees paid for the semester in which permanent residency was recognised, less:

1. any payment made to an agent who recruited the student, if that payment relates to the semester in which permanent residency was recognised; and
2. the Student Services and Amenities Fee.

(47) If a Higher Education student is granted permanent residency after the last day to enrol for the semester, or if they do not notify the University before the last day to enrol, the student will be classified as an international student for the remainder of that semester and will be liable to pay the tuition fees applicable to international students for that semester. 

(48) If a VET student is granted permanent residency or a non-student visa that permits study, then the University will refund tuition fees on a pro-rata basis from the date that permanent residency is recognised, less any payment made to an agent who recruited the student if that payment relates to the semester in which permanent residency was recognised.

University default

(49) Where the University cancels a unit, unit offering, course, or course offering, the student will be notified in writing that their enrolment is cancelled due to this and advise the student to seek advice regarding their visa. 

(50) Students will be provided with options and must advise the University of their decision to:

1. transfer their enrolment to a similar course leading to a comparable award within the University; or
2. be offered a place in a similar course of study leading to a comparable award with another nominated institution, with:
   1. full credit for the units successfully completed at Charles Darwin University which are recognised by the new provider; and
   2. possible payment of the new provider’s fees for unit that have not been recognised by the new provider, as determined by the University; or
3. request a refund of all prepaid tuition fees for those units not yet completed.

(51) Fees paid for the previous semesters in which the student failed to complete within the recommended course duration will not be refunded except in special circumstances.

Application process and payment of refunds

(52) The student must submit an International Student Refund Form, with supporting documentation attached, by email to international@cdu.edu.au.

(53) An application will not normally be accepted if it is lodged later than 12 months from the end of the relevant semester.

(54) Where a refund is due to provider default, the University will pay the refund due within 14 days, as required by section 46D(2) of the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000, of the provider default (the date the course was due to begin, or the date the University ceases to provide the course).

(55) Refunds due under all other circumstances will be paid within 20 working days of the date the student applies for the refund, as required by the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000.

(56) Refunds will be paid via electronic funds transfer (EFT) and will be paid in the local currency or US dollars.

(57) Refunds will be paid to the same account from which the original payment was made. Payments made by credit card will only be transferred back to the original credit card account.

(58) Where a third party such as a sponsoring body or scholarship agency has paid the student's fees, any refund will be paid to the third party.

(59) Any unused portion of Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) will be refunded if the student’s payment has not been sent to the insurer, otherwise the student will be responsible for applying directly to the insurer for the refund.

Reinstatement of enrolment

(60) Students whose enrolment has been cancelled for the non-payment of fees may apply for reinstatement of their enrolment by emailing Student.Central@cdu.edu.au.

Complaints

(61) A student can submit a complaint in accordance with the Complaints Policy - Students.

Reporting

(62) All debts incurred and payments made are reported to the Australian Government (where relevant) immediately after the census date. Any changes to data reported by way of withdrawals and approved request for refunds require the University to report the amendments to the Australian Government.

(63) The University will inform the Department of Home Affairs when an international student’s enrolment is cancelled or suspended due to non-payment of fees. 

(64) Cancellation of a student’s enrolment and reporting to the relevant Government department will not take place until the expiry of the complaint period, or if an appeal is lodged, until after the appeal has been finalised, unless the student's health or wellbeing, or the wellbeing of others, is likely to be at risk. 

Section 5 - Non-Compliance

(65) Non-compliance with Governance Documents is considered a breach of the Code of Conduct - Employees or the Code of Conduct - Students, as applicable, and is treated seriously by the University. Reports of concerns about non-compliance will be managed in accordance with the applicable disciplinary procedures outlined in the Charles Darwin University and Union Enterprise Agreement 2025 and the Code of Conduct - Students.

(66) Complaints may be raised in accordance with the Complaints and Grievance Policy and Procedure - Employees and Complaints Policy - Students.

(67) All staff members have an individual responsibility to raise any suspicion, allegation or report of fraud or corruption in accordance with the Fraud and Corruption Control Policy and Whistleblower Reporting (Improper Conduct) Procedure.