User Choice Program
In the User Choice program which is Queensland Government funded, supports the delivery of accredited entry-level training to apprentices and trainees.
The program works in conjunction with the Commonwealth Australian Apprenticeships System, under which apprentices and trainees enter into legally binding contracts with their employers and receive structured training to achieve a nationally recognised qualification.
User Choice allows employers, together with their apprentices and/or trainees to negotiate directly with registered training organisations to arrange quality accredited training to meet their specific needs.
With User Choice, there must be a Supervising Registered Training Organisation (SRTO) for each apprentice and trainee. When FS Alliance is chosen as an SRTO we undertake to deliver specified services, including developing a training plan for the apprentice or trainee and monitoring the delivery of training and assessment stated in it.
Eligibility
To be eligible to receive a government contribution, the apprentice or trainee must:
- Have entered into a Training Contract for a qualification that is funded by the department
- Be registered on DELTA with a commencement date or recommencement date on or after 1 July 2010
- Select a training provider that holds PQS status for their nominated qualification.
The government contribution will be detailed in the apprentice or trainee’s Letter of Registration from the department, and is subject to student eligibility and their selection of an eligible PQS as their SRTO. Payment of funding is subject to the conditions set out in the VET Pre-qualified Supplier Agreement.
Important
- An apprentice or trainee can only receive one government contribution for a User Choice funded qualification at any single point in time
- A maximum of two government contributions will be funded per participant under the User Choice 2021–23 program
- A second government contribution is approved for participants who have previously commenced and completed one funded qualification under the User Choice 2010–16 program or User Choice 2016–17 program or User Choice 2017–20 program, User Choice 2020–21 program, or User Choice 2021–23 program and the second qualification is:
- A priority one qualification
- A higher priority than the first qualification
- Undertaken subsequent to a student completing a qualification under the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.
Student Contribution Fees (Tuition Fees)
Co-contribution Fees
FS Alliance must collect a student contribution fee, it may be paid on behalf of the student by their employer or a third party unrelated to FS Alliance, but cannot be paid or waived by FS Alliance, unless approved in writing by the department.
Invoices for students will be generated and sent to the Client after Student/s are approved for funding. The payment amounts consist of the compulsory Student Contribution Fees.
Students will not be changed for Individual Subjects which are Credit Transferred, or Transitional Gap trained.
When a student converts from a school-based trainee to a full-time or part-time traineeship, the student contribution fees will be charged for training and assessment for any units of competency not yet commenced. This does not apply when the student is under 21 and is undertaking a high priority qualification as identified by the department (refer to Priority Apprenticeship and Traineeship Qualifications section).
What is the current rate of student contribution fees?
The current rate of student contribution fee as set by the Queensland State Government is $1.60 per nominal hour. Here is an example of how this is calculated: The nominal hours for AMPX209 is 40 hours. To calculate the full fee for AMPX209 is as follows: 40hrs x $1.60 per nominal hour = $64.00.
You can check your training plan which will identify the units of competency you are enrolled in and the nominal hours allocated for each unit. You are then able to calculate the fees payable(cost) for each unit of competency you are enrolled in.
Refer to Course Fees and Refund Policy for further details.
Fee Exemptions
Partial Exemption – Tuition Fees
FS Alliance will only charge 40 percent of the student contribution fee where the participant falls into one or more of the following exemption categories:
- The participant is not at school, has not completed year 12 and was or will be under 17 years of age at the end of February in the year in which FS Alliance provides training.
- The participant holds a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card issued under Commonwealth law, or is the partner or a dependant of a person who holds a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, and is named on the card.
- The participant issues FS Alliance with an official form under Commonwealth law confirming that the participant, his or her partner or the person of whom the participant is a dependant, is entitled to concessions under a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card.
- The participant is an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person.
Full Exemption — Tuition Fees
Only trainees who fall under one of the following circumstances can a student receive a full exemption of student contribution fees for the entire qualification.
Financial Hardship
Where evidence indicates payment of the student contribution fee would cause the trainee extreme financial hardship. FS Alliance has process’ in place in order to explore further payment options to lessen the impact of a payment prior to applying for a fee exemption. Applications for financial hardship and relevant supporting documentation will be gathered and assessed on an individual basis and must be in place at the time of enrolment.
School-Based
All School-based traineeships receive a full exemption for student contribution fees.
Free Apprenticeships for Under 21s
The Free apprenticeships for under 21s initiative will cover the cost of training for Queensland apprentices or trainees who commenced or are undertaking one of Priority Apprenticeship and Traineeship Qualifications (see below) from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2023.
Eligibility for Free apprenticeships for those under 21s
To be eligible for Free apprenticeships under 21s, you must be employed as an apprentice or trainee under a training contract in one of the priority apprenticeship or traineeship qualifications on or after 1 July 2019.
Qualifications offered by FS Alliance that come under this category are:
- Laboratory Science
- MSL30122 Certificate III in Laboratory Skills – Traineeship
- MSL40122 Certificate IV in Laboratory Techniques – Traineeship
- Meat and food processing
- AMP30815 Certificate III in Meat Processing (Retail Butcher) – Apprenticeship
NOTE: Students must supply current relevant documentation to FS Alliance before concessional rates can be applied to contribution fees.
If an invoice has been raised at full fee rates because we are not in possession of the current relevant documentation at the time of invoicing, be advised that there is no retrospective adjustment regarding current/previous invoices.
Concessional rates only apply where current evidence has been received by FS Alliance Head Office.
Traineeship Cancellation
FS Alliance must be notified of all cancellations using the QLD cancellation form. The cancellation date is the date the trainee ceased employment with the company. For direction around the cancellation process refer to FS Alliance ‘s Withdrawal and Cancellation Information.
Refund Policy
In the event a trainee either cancels their training contract or nominates to change to another Supervising Register Training Organisation (SRTO), the student contribution fees paid will be reimbursed to the trainee, where the trainee has not undertaken the training, or a proportionate refund has been provided, where they have withdrawn from a unit of competency/ module. For additional information refer to the Fee Refund Information Sheet for full details.
