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Student Handbook

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome to Charter Australia

Your Enrolment

Student Life

Your Rights and Responsibilities

Student Feedback and Complaints

Safety, Health and Wellbeing

Legislative and Regulatory Requirements

Welcome to Charter Australia

Welcome to Charter Australia where new and exciting experiences and adventures await you. We are happy for you to join our college family, and our experienced staff and Trainers are dedicated to providing every student with the best educational opportunity possible.
Charter Australia is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) under the National VET Regulator Act 2011. Charter Australia is also registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions & Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).

Charter Australia provides students with an effective teaching and learning environment designed to raise education standards, enhance employment opportunities and enrich personal lives.

Charter Australia offers a range of training and assessment services to local (domestic) and international students. These services include:

Domestic Students Programs (for Australian citizens; permanent residents, NZ passport holders and asylum seekers/refugees (eligibility requirements apply).

  • Nationally recognised full qualifications
  • Short Courses
  • Foundation studies

International Students (CRICOS) - delivered in Australia

  • ELICOS courses
  • Courses with a CRICOS code with a Student Visa (eligibility requirements apply). We call this type of enrolment ‘International Student’ (IS)
  • Courses usually reserved for local students on a working holiday visa or other visa (eligibility requirements apply). We call this type of enrolment 'Special Entry International Student’ (SEIS)
  • Short courses (e.g. First Aid)

International Students - delivered outside of Australia

Students studying in their home country, with no visa requirements. We call this type of enrolment ‘International Offshore Student’ (IOS)

Our general requirements and procedures are set out in this Student Handbook and apply to domestic and international students.  

Campus Contact Information

Campus Location

Level 3, 53 Walker Street, North Sydney, NSW 2060
Phone: +61 2 9955 5881
Email: support@charter.edu.au

Office Business Hours

Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Classrooms and Facilities

Training rooms

Modern, well-equipped air-conditioned training rooms provide students with an environment conducive to learning and developing the skills and knowledge required to achieve successful outcomes.

Computer facilities

Enrolled students are given access to free Internet, a variety of online platforms, and printing and e-mail facilities. It is a requirement that all students have their own computers to perform online study and assessment work.

Photocopying and printing

A photocopier and printer are available for students to photocopy or print their class and assignment work. (Fees apply, please see Reception, first 100 Pages per term is free). Students are required to abide by Copyright Policy.

Kitchen and dining area

There is a common kitchen/dining area in the college where students can have a snack between classes. It is equipped with a microwave and kettle as well as kitchen supplies. Coffee, tea, and biscuits are provided for free for Charter Australia students.

Reference Libraries

To supplement their own textbooks, students have access to Charter Australia Reference Library of textbooks and reference books. Please ask at Reception regarding the procedures for using the library. As a Charter Australia’s student, you can borrow and use facilities at a number of libraries which have partnership arrangements with Charter Australia. Applicable library fees may apply.

Important Information

  • Student Support Officer is your first point of contact. If you have a question or are confused about something, please talk to the Student Support Officer at Reception or 9955 5881.
  • In case of fire or any other emergency please follow the instructions given by your Trainers or other Charter Australia staff member;
  • Read college notice emails and announcements in the Student Portal for important college information, results etc.
  • Always follow the rules and regulations displayed on notice boards, in classrooms and near facilities like the computers, printer, photocopier etc.
  • Do not leave valuables unattended. Charter Australia is not responsible for any damaged, lost or stolen item.

Your Enrolment

Enrolling in a course at Charter

Students need to consider the Entry Requirements described on our website prior to enrolment.

There is detailed information on our website in the section Enrolment Steps.

Students are responsible for abiding with the conditions required under their enrolment. This may include:

  • Keeping their enrolment and contact information updated on the College’s system;
  • Regularly checking their student email account and Student Portal announcements;
  • Paying their fees in accordance with the deadlines given by the College; and
  • International students abiding by their visa conditions in relation to enrolment into a course.

Tuition Fees

Student tuition fees are based on the current rate at the time of issuing an offer. Fees are reviewed annually and are subject to change. 
All information for fees and fee refunds is found here. 

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Transfer

In accordance with the requirements of the RTO Standards 2015, Charter Australia provides the opportunity for students to apply to have prior learning recognised toward a qualification or units of competence for which they are enrolled.

Recognition generally takes two forms: recognition of prior learning and credit transfer. For more information, visit RPL and Credit Transfer.

Changes to your enrolment

  • Cancellation or Withdrawal
  • Taking a Leave of Absence
  • Deferral or Suspension

For further information on deferments, suspensions and cancellations, which may be initiated by either the student or Charter Australia, contact the Student Support Officer.

Charter may defer, suspend or cancel a student enrolment for:

  • A serious breach of a Charter policy
  • Breach of enrolment conditions
  • Where a student is considered to provide a threat to the well-being of other students or staff
  • Serious misconduct
  • Failing to meet the requirements of the course progress policy
  • Non-payment of tuition fee

Where suspension or cancellation is initiated by Charter, you will receive a Notice of Intent to Suspend or Cancel Enrolment. This notice will clearly indicate that you will be given 20 working days to access the College’s internal appeals process. 

When the appeal process is initiated, Charter will maintain the student’s enrolment until the internal appeals process is complete.

For international students, the suspension or cancellation will be notified to the Department of Home Affairs on completion of the 20 working days or at the end of the appeals process if the appeal is not upheld.

Student Life

Student Portal

Students access the Student Portal for learning resources, conduct certain learning activities and assessment tasks. After your enrolment is confirmed, you will receive Student Portal access details via email. If you have any problems using the platform, please contact support@charter.edu.au.

Student Support

These links will take you to specific information for support

  • Orientation
  • Academic and Study Support
  • Domestic Student Support
  • International Student Support

Studying with Charter

Course Materials and Textbooks

Required textbooks and recommended texts and materials will be listed in the Course Outline. The Course Outline and other course materials are published in the Student Portal.

Assessments

Details of assessment tasks for each course are available in the individual course Learning Plan in the Student Portal.

A range of assessment methods such as written questions, case studies, simulations and practical demonstrations may be used for a course. Charter Australia uses units of competence drawn from nationally endorsed industry Training Packages as our primary benchmark for assessment.

Completing and submitting assessments

You must submit all assessments via the Student Portal. Your trainer will mark your assessments and provide feedback via the Student Portal. It is important that you submit all your assessments on the due date. 

Satisfactory course progress is an important requirement of your student visa and it will be monitored by your trainer on a weekly basis. If you fail to complete your assessments within the required timeframe you will not complete satisfactory course progress. If you have any questions about this or will not be able to complete the assessment on time due to illness or compassionate and compelling circumstances, speak to your trainer before the due date.

Assessment outcomes

There are two outcomes of assessments:

  • S = Satisfactory and
  • NS = Not Satisfactory (requires more training and experience).

Students will be awarded C = Competent on completion of the unit when you have completed all assessments for the unit of competency and have provided the appropriate evidence required to meet all criteria.

If you fail to meet this requirement you will receive the result NC = Not Competent and will be eligible to be re-assessed.

Re-assessment

Students will be allowed two (2) further attempts at an assessment for which the outcome is Not Satisfactory, within the timeframe of due date of the assessment. No additional fees will be charged.

Further attempts will be charged a re-assessment fee.

Should a student require further time for medical reasons, he or she must request it in writing to their trainer. 

Students should be aware that any extension may mean that they are at danger of not completing their course within the timeframe or of not making satisfactory course progress. Student should speak to their trainer or the Student Support Officer if they are not able to complete assessments on time.

Transport

Our College is in the North Sydney CBD and is very easy to get to by public transport. It is a 3-minute walk from North Sydney train station and bus stop. To find the easiest way to North Sydney from your accommodation, go to: https://transportnsw.info/

Transport Concessions

Domestic students enrolled in a full-time course with Charter Australia can apply for Transport Concession Entitlement Card from Transport NSW. 

Contact Student Support Officer for more details.

Your Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights

Charter Australia’s vision is to be publicly recognised as one of the leading vocational training organisations in Australia. We want to be known as a provider of the highest quality training to our students from Australia and around the world. We want the community to regard our graduates as having achieved their qualification through the highest training.

Our mission is to be good at what we do by providing excellent training that improves our students' employment and career prospects, that provides desirable employees for businesses and that is value for money.

Our promise to you is that we will provide the highest quality service to you by using the best trainers to deliver relevant, up to date material and skills in a way that is responsive to our clients’ and our students' needs.

We will strive to make our training accessible to both the employed and the job seeker by working with private sector, not-for-profit and government organisations and overseas businesses to provide our services in the most cost-effective manner possible.

Charter aims to provide a supportive and collaborative teaching and learning environment to every student. You have the right to expect that your education at Charter Australia will be at a consistently high academic standard. You also have the right to equal access to resources and accurate and transparent information from the College.

Charter provides students with multiple channels to express their voice and their feedback. We welcome student feedback and Charter’s students have the right to report issues or grievances on both academic and non-academic matters. If you have any problems, complaints or grievance, you may report it to the CEO Ming Chen at any time.

Charter appreciates that privacy is very important to students. When you enrol at Charter, any personal information provided, such as address and contact details, is covered by the Privacy Act and the National Privacy Principles. Charter recognises your right to expect that your personal information will be kept confidential and held securely and privately.

Charter prides itself on being a fair, tolerant, inclusive and a welcoming environment to every student. Any acts of discrimination or harassment of any manner will not be tolerated.

Student Responsibilities

Charter is committed to providing its students with a rewarding and worthwhile learning experience. As part of this experience, the College and its students share the responsibility of maintaining a safe, tolerant and harmonious environment for all.  The following code outlines responsibilities that we expect our students to embody while studying at Charter.

Charter Student Code of Conduct


Responsible Behaviour

You are expected to behave responsibly and promote the values of the College at all times. You should respect all rules and regulations of the College. It is expected that you will follow the policies and procedures of Charter and attend to your duties as a student i.e. maintaining your academic performance as well as engaging with the wider community.

Academic misconduct

Students are to conduct themselves responsibly on their assessments. The College will not tolerate any acts of plagiarism, cheating, academic dishonesty and/or fraudulent behaviour on their assessments. 

Academic misconduct or plagiarism occurs when you reproduce someone else’s words, ideas, or findings and present them as your own without proper acknowledgment. It includes attempts by students to cheat or act dishonestly in an examination, test, assignment, essay, or any other assessment task. 

Students who are found cheating or guilty of plagiarism in any form of assessment will be deemed Not Competent for the relevant Unit of Competency.  An additional fee will apply when the student is required to repeat the unit.

If you use ChatGPT or other AI chatbots as tools for research and inspiration while studying, you must not copy and paste content. If you find information that is relevant to your assessment task, take the time to read and understand it and then put it into your own words.  Do not submit work that is not your own.

Respect for others

You are required to treat all members of staff and your fellow students with respect. Students are to be conscious of their behaviour and to not cause offence or discomfort to the teaching staff or their fellow students. For example, speaking consistently while lectures are in progress will not be tolerated and you will be asked to leave the classroom if you continually interrupt the lecturer or other classmates.

Respect for property

Students are to respect and maintain the property of their fellow students and the College. Students are not permitted to damage, destroy, pollute or vandalise any part of the premises, resources or facilities of the College. Students should also be mindful that their behavior does not hinder other’s access to the use and enjoyment of resources and facilities.

Harassment including Sexual Harassment

Any act of physical or verbal abuse, bullying, improper influence and/or intimidation committed by a student upon others within the College will be deemed as misconduct and subject to disciplinary action.

Sexual harassment means any unwelcome sexual advance, unwelcome request for sexual favours, or other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature which makes a person feel offended, humiliated or intimidated, and where that reaction is reasonable in the circumstances. 

Charter has zero tolerance of any type of harassment of any person that occurs during attendance at the College.

Discrimination

A student is not permitted to discriminate, antagonize or single out a person or a group of persons because of their gender, sexual orientation, race, religious beliefs, marital status, age or disabilities. Any form of discrimination is not acceptable at Charter and will not be tolerated. Serious cases of discrimination will be viewed as misconduct and will be subject to disciplinary action.

Offensive material

Offensive material will not be displayed or produced in any part of the College.  Students who access and display offensive material in any format including on-line images, graphics or audio will be subject to disciplinary action.

Noise levels

Out of consideration of the other businesses in the building, a noise level that disturbs others is considered inappropriate.

Alleged illegal activity

If a student is alleged to have engaged in illegal activity under the laws of any State, Territory or Commonwealth jurisdiction, the matter shall be reported to the police of that jurisdiction for investigation.

Firearms and dangerous weapons

Firearms or replicas of firearms (including ammunition or magazines), weapons, flammables, explosives or dangerous instruments are prohibited in the College.

Drugs and alcohol

Students are not permitted to bring any drug or alcoholic substances on to the premises of the College. No drugs, other than those prescribed by a medical practitioner, or available over the counter without prescription, will be tolerated in the College. Students are also not permitted to distribute drugs or alcohol to other students.

Smoking and Vaping are health hazards

Smoking and vaping are prohibited in the College premises including the toilets. If students choose to smoke, they may do so outside the building and at least five meters away from the doorway and within the designated area. Students are to ensure that they do not hinder or block the access of other users of the premises and must be mindful of other users when they are in the designated area.

Student Feedback and Complaints 

Student Feedback

Charter highly values student feedback and considers student feedback and evaluation as key components of a College’s internal and external quality assurance. Students’ views about their experience at Charter provide valuable information in maintaining a successful teaching and learning environment and contributing to ongoing improvement.

Charter has multiple channels in place to collect student feedback, including:

  • Learner Engagement Survey
  • Student Survey during the study journey including commencement, mid-way and completion
  • Individual student consultation
  • Email support@charter.edu.au
  • Speak to your trainer and/or any of the management personnel.

Complaints 

Charter wants its students to enjoy their time while studying at the College. You have the right to report problems, concerns or grievances regarding any aspect of your education or other related activities, which are within the control of the College and its management staff. The College will attend to your complaint and ensure that your concerns are addressed appropriately and as quickly as possible.

Charter will ensure the following when dealing with student complaints and appeals:

  • Your complaint will be heard and dealt with by procedural fairness;
  • You will be treated fairly and appropriately and you will be informed of how your complaint or grievance is being managed throughout;
  • Your appeal will be heard by an independent person or panel if so required; and you will have the opportunity to formally present your case you will be given a written statement of the appeal outcomes, including reasons for the decision.

The College will not tolerate any inappropriate behaviour of any kind that will negatively impact on its students’ experience. 

If you are being treated unfairly or are having a problem, complaint or grievance with other students or staff members, or see a student being bullied or harassed by anyone while they are at the College you should immediately contact the Student Support Officer who will mediate to resolve the problem.

Appeals

Any student who lodges a complaint or grievance will not be subject to discrimination or victimisation. Similarly, any respondent to a complaint or grievance will not be subject to discrimination or victimisation. A student may appeal the outcome of their formal complaint or review if they believe that the results of the formal complaint or review are unfair or incorrect on one of the following two grounds:

  • either, the process has been incorrectly followed and/or criteria incorrectly applied, or
  • new evidence is available which was not available to the original decision maker.

External Mediation

To provide you with a fair resolution to your complaints and grievances, independent third parties may be involved for advice and management of your complaint or grievance. If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of any appeals within the College, you may speak to the following independent external parties:

Safety, Health and Wellbeing

Charter is committed to providing and maintaining a healthy, friendly and collaborative environment for all students. You can find assistance via online resources, workshops and professional bodies or speak to your trainer or the Student Support Officer.

Safety

It is important to be aware of potential dangers and risks whilst travelling around the city. This may involve avoiding empty and badly lit places, especially at night. Walk with a friend or stay with a crowd and avoid empty train carriages. Be aware of your surroundings at all times, and make sure that you can access assistance if necessary.

For more personal safety tips and crime prevention, you can visit the safety page of City of Sydney via: www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/community/safety/crime-prevention/what-you-can-do. Multi languages are available. These safety tips cover household safety, car security, personal safety and fire safety.

Always remember, if there is emergency call 000 (Police, Ambulance and Fire). Further emergency contacts for dealing with critical incidents are provided below:

  • Lifeline: 131114
  • Victims of Crime Support Line: 1800 633 063
  • Crime Stoppers: 131 444
  • Alcohol and Drug Counselling: 02 9799 1199
  • NSW Rape Crisis Centre: 02 98196565 or 1800 424 017
  • Afterhours crisis workers: 02 9515 6111

Please note, if you encounter difficulty or danger and need support from Charter, please do not hesitate to ask us. Charter staff is here to support you, help you study and to live safely while in Australia.

Health

If you are unwell prior to arriving on campus, you are required to attend a medical practice close to your home. If you become unwell whilst on campus, the closest medical centre is:

North Sydney Medical Centre

Address: G Floor, 71 Walker Street, North Sydney NSW 2060
Phone: (02) 9922 3022

If you or your peers require urgent medical attention - call an Ambulance on 000 and follow their instructions.

Wellbeing

Counselling

It is important for you to know that you are not alone in dealing with the pressure you may face as part of your studies. All members of the Charter team are willing to offer guidance and support if required. Our management and the academic and administrative teams have an open door policy and are willing to talk to you about any issues you may be facing.

Our Student Support Officer can assist students with issues including but not limited to:

  • Personal/cultural problems, such as stressful circumstances or emotional issues which interfere with your studies
  • If you think you may have chosen the wrong course
  • Decision making, interpersonal issues and personal behavioural patterns
  • Incidents of harassment or discrimination
  • Attendance problems
  • Administrative problems or complaints
  • Adjustment to study
  • Guidance on future career pathways and academic progress
  • Guidance on mental health and life coaching

Individual assistance is available for students in need of specialised counselling. An external agency you may refer to. If you need immediate external support and intervention, please contact Lifeline on 131114. More information can be found on their website: https://www.lifeline.org.au/.

Please find below resources and information on various ways that you can get the right kind of help for you:

Cyber Safety

Spam Emails

If you receive an email from someone you don’t know and the subject line seems a bit strange, you may have received a Spam email. Here are a few tips to help you pick up whether you have come across Spam:

  • The email may be advertising something;
  • The email is making offers that you weren’t expecting;
  • There are misspelt words in the subject line and/or throughout the body of the email
  • The email may be in a different language; or
  • The email is announcing that you have won a prize or contest that you don’t recall signing up for.

Personal Information

Your personal information may include your passwords, tax file numbers, contact details and any kind of information that you would reasonably not want in somebody else’s possession. 

Such information can be used to identify you and if in the wrong hands could lead to issues such as identify theft. 

It is important that you do not disclose your personal information to parties that you do not know or trust online through social media, emails or through any other online modes of communication. 

Charter does not accept any responsibility for the misuse of your personal information that you may provide to an unauthorized party that is not connected to the College while you are using your student emails and facilities.

Website Dangers

Certain websites may have harmful programs or viruses that may damage your computer or steal your personal information. It is important that you are vigilant while surfing the web.

Here are a few tips to help you identify problem sites:

  • Avoid websites that encourage you to click on a link to download or save a file;
  • Avoid websites that are threatening, hurtful or contain adult content;
  • Avoid websites that ask for your personal information; and
  • Avoid websites that have pop-ups and advertisements attached to it.

Cyber bullying

Cyber bullying is when a person uses the internet to threaten, intimidate, embarrass or put down others. 

If think you are the victim of cyber bullying and the attacks by another student or staff member become overwhelming for you, please talk to your Student Support Officer for further advice. 

If you witness cyber bullying please help the College to promote a safe online environment for its student and staff and assist the victim where possible. 

Charter encourages you to report such behaviour so that we may respond appropriately. If possible, please save evidence of the alleged conduct in the event that the Student Support Officer needs to conduct investigations.

If a student is found to have engaged in in cyber bullying, Charter will not tolerate such behaviour and this will likely attract penalties and sanctions under the Code of Conduct.

General suggestions

Always have virus protection on your computer that is regularly updated;

Ensure that the software on your computer is regularly updated so that you do not lose any important assignments and work.

Legislative and Regulatory Requirements

The Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Legislative Framework

The ESOS laws are in place to protect the interests of international students. These laws include the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 and the ESOS National Code.

These laws provide international students with tuition and financial assurance as well as a nationally consistent approach to the approval of providers on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).

For more information on the ESOS Framework and the protection it offers to international students please visit: https://internationaleducation.gov.au.

Work Health & Safety

Charter guarantees to meet its duty of care to staff, students and visitors by providing a healthy and safe environment in which to work and study. 

As part of its guarantee, Charter is continually making improvements and establishing systems to ensure its employees and students are provided a safe working environment. 

Any possible hazards from equipment and facilities are to be reported to the CEO on 0428 133 302. 

It is expected that students and employees of Charter will conduct themselves in a safe and healthy manner and will at all times ensure that they prevent others from incurring any injury, damage or disease.

In case of fire, students are to make their way to the nearest exit and to meet outside and clear of the building for roll call.    

A first aid kit is located at the Reception area of College.

Discrimination and Harassment

Charter prides itself on being a tolerant, nurturing and welcoming environment to its student. Any acts of discrimination or harassment of any manner will not be tolerated and may be subject to penalties and sanctions. Charter has a framework of policies in place to address such issues. 

Students who wish to discuss a concern with respect to such matters should consult the Student Support Officer.

Copyright

The College, its employees and its students are to abide by the provisions of the Copyright Act at all times. Charter currently holds an Educational (Statutory) License as set out under the Copyright Act 1968 which allows for the College to copy and share print and graphic works for educational purposes only. 

Click her to read the Charter Copyright Notice

Privacy

Click her to read the Charter Privacy Statement

Privacy Notice for Students

Under the Data Provision Requirements 2012, Charter Australia is required to collect personal information about you and to disclose that personal information to the National Centre for Vocational Education Research Ltd (NCVER).

Your personal information (including the personal information contained on this enrolment form), may be used or disclosed by Charter Australia for statistical, administrative, regulatory and research purposes. Charter Australia may disclose your personal information for these purposes to Commonwealth and State or Territory government departments and authorised agencies; and NCVER.

Personal information that has been disclosed to NCVER may be used or disclosed by NCVER for the following purposes:

  • populating authenticated VET transcripts;
  • facilitating statistics and research relating to education, including surveys and data linkage;
  • pre-populating RTO student enrolment forms;
  • understanding how the VET market operates, for policy, workforce planning and consumer information; and
  • administering VET, including program administration, regulation, monitoring and evaluation.

You may receive a student survey which may be administered by a government department or NCVER employee, agent or third party contractor or other authorised agencies. Please note you may opt out of the survey at the time of being contacted.

NCVER will collect, hold, use and disclose your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the National VET Data Policy and all NCVER policies and protocols (including those published on NCVER's website at www.ncver.edu.au).

For more information about NCVER's Privacy Policy go to https://www.ncver.edu.au/privacy.