10-Day Cooling-off
You have 10 working days to withdraw from your course with minimal fees
VET Loans Protection
Special protections if you used VET Student Loans to fund your course
RTO Closure Protection
Automatic protections if your RTO loses registration or closes down
Common Refund Scenarios
When you're entitled to a refund and what to expect
Cooling-off Period (10 Working Days)
All students within first 10 working days
Full refund minus administration fee (max $500)
Must not have attended more than 20% of course
5-10 business days
RTO Closure or Loss of Registration
All affected students
Full refund or course completion guarantee
Automatic protection under ASQA regulations
Immediate protection activated
Course Not Delivered as Advertised
Students where course differs substantially
Partial or full refund depending on circumstances
Evidence of misrepresentation required
Case-by-case assessment
VET Student Loans - Special Circumstances
Students with exceptional personal circumstances
Loan remission (debt cancelled)
Must meet special circumstances criteria
3-6 months assessment period
State-Specific Consumer Protections
Additional rights and protections by Australian state
NSW
13 32 20NSW Fair Trading
Consumer protection laws, additional cooling-off for door-to-door sales
VIC
1300 55 81 81Consumer Affairs Victoria
Victorian Consumer Law protections, extended cooling-off periods
QLD
13 74 68Office of Fair Trading
Queensland consumer guarantees, additional protections for online sales
National
1300 701 801ASQA / Australian Consumer Law
National VET regulations, consumer guarantees
Refund Policy Red Flags
Warning signs of problematic refund policies
Important: If you encounter any of these red flags, consider choosing a different RTO. Visit our RTO Red Flags Warning Signs guide for comprehensive provider evaluation.
Emergency Support
ASQA (National)
1300 701 801
VET Student Loans Ombudsman
1800 020 108
ACCC (Consumer Rights)
1300 302 502