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14.1 - What is a cross‑institutional program?
A student is enrolled in a cross‑institutional program if the following criteria are met:
- a program of study comprising a unit or a set of units of study is being undertaken with one provider – the host provider – as part of a course of study for which the student is enrolled with another provider – the home provider
- there is an arrangement for recognition between the two providers
- the cost of providing the program of study at the host provider is met by the host provider; and
- the home provider does not receive any funding for the program of study, including, through student contributions or tuition fees paid by the student, the CGS, or through funding provided by an employer, a state, territory or Commonwealth department or agency, or any other individual or body
14.2 - Commonwealth supported students in a cross‑institutional program
Where providers have CSPs, they may offer places to students undertaking a course of study at another provider as part of a cross‑institutional program [HESA paragraph 36-10 (1)(b)].
The student load for a cross‑institutional program can be Commonwealth supported only if the student is a domestic student and the cost of providing the program of study at the host provider has not been provided to the home provider, for example, through the CGS, the student paying student contributions or fees, or an employer funding the study.
The student contribution amount is set by the host provider. It does not need to be equal to the student contribution amount that would have been incurred had the unit of study been undertaken at the home provider.
Providers should ensure that students in cross‑institutional programs are made aware of each provider’s requirements for enrolment variations and withdrawals.
If a unit undertaken by a student on a cross-institutional basis is a compulsory requirement of the course of study in which the student is enrolled as a Commonwealth supported student at a Table A home provider, the unit must be Commonwealth supported at another Table A host provider.
Although a student services and amenities fee may be charged by both the home and host provider for a cross-institutional student, the student may only access SA-HELP at their home provider, as that is where they are enrolled in a course of study.
Under the cross-institution arrangements where a student is enrolled in a course of study at one institution and undertakes a unit or two at another institution, if the student has not changed their course of study, they are a grandfathered student.
14.3 - Fee-paying students in a cross‑institutional program
For domestic students enrolled in a fee-paying place at their home provider, the unit of study being undertaken at the host provider may be fee-paying, or may be Commonwealth supported, if the host provider has CSPs. Students must complete the relevant CAF at both the home and host provider [part 9.1].
14.4 - Eligibility for FEE‑HELP
FEE‑HELP [part 31] is available to eligible cross‑institutional students. Students enrolled in FEE‑HELP eligible courses at their home provider are eligible for FEE‑HELP for units being undertaken at the host provider.
The units being studied at the host provider must be given recognition at the home provider as part of the course of study being undertaken at the home provider.
Students are required to complete a Request for a FEE-HELP loan form at the provider(s) at which they want FEE‑HELP to pay tuition fees [part 9.1]. For example, a student needs to submit a Request for FEE-HELP Form at both the home provider for the main course’s units, and another Request for FEE-HELP Form at the host provider for the units to be completed through the host provider.
14.5 - How are cross‑institutional programs reported?
All student loads for units of study that students are undertaking cross‑institutionally must be reported to the department by the host provider, irrespective of whether the load is counted for CGS funding. The home provider does not report the load for these units. For further information on data reporting [part 36].