A fee applies to most TAFE NSW courses and must be paid when you enrol. The amount of the fee depends on the type of course in which you enrol. Please note that TAFE NSW colleges will not accept cash for payment in relation to your enrolment.

Listed below are the fees for 2013, correct as at 14 September 2012. Please check the TAFE NSW website or ask at your college to confirm that these rates have not changed.

Please note:

• Fees for commercial courses, international students and temporary visa holders may differ
• All Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma Programs are offered on a commercial basis
• Other enrolment-related charges may apply

How to pay

Please note that TAFE NSW colleges will not accept cash for payment in relation to your enrolment. This includes the TAFE NSW fee and other fees such as Student Association fees and car parking fees.

Accepted methods of payment for the TAFE NSW fee and other related charges are EFTPOS, credit cards (Visa and MasterCard), personal cheques, bank cheques and money order made payable to 'TAFE NSW'.

Commercial short courses are offered on a fee-for-service basis and are priced according to a different schedule.

Refunds

You may be entitled to a refund of the TAFE NSW fee if you advise the college prior to classes commencing that you are withdrawing. There may be other exceptional circumstances when you would get a refund, such as, but not limited to, extended hospitalisation (supported by a medical certificate), acceptance to a university course within the first 3 weeks of classes or receiving Youth Allowance or Austudy within 2 weeks of classes commencing.

You may be eligible for a refund of the administration charge only if:

• You have overpaid the administration charge.
• You cannot start or continue a course because it has been cancelled by the college or Institute.
• You get Austudy or Youth Allowance and can show evidence of this to the college.
• You are offered and accept a place in a university or another TAFE college within the first three teaching weeks.
• You enrol to repeat a subject but are then granted a pass in that subject by an assessment review committee.
• You advise the college that you are withdrawing from your course before classes commence.
• In the opinion of the Institute Director, you would suffer unreasonable disadvantage if not granted a refund, for example, if you are unable to continue classes due to extended time in hospital.

Refunds for short courses

To cancel a booking that you have paid for, you should advise us in writing at least seven days before the course is due to commence. If you give us less than seven days notice, we cannot give you a refund but you may send a suitable person in your place. Course fees cannot be refunded to participants who are unable to attend classes for reasons beyond the Institute's control.

Other costs

Apart from the TAFE NSW fee, you may also need to pay:

• Course related charges
• Student Association membership
• Temporary visa holders tuition fees
• Fees for commercial courses
• License fees
• Commercial Recognition fee
• Car parking (semester or annual fee)
• Goods and services tax (GST) may be applicable. Ask your local college if this applies to your course.

Taxation

If you undertake a course to gain qualifications for use in carrying out a profession, business or trade in the course of employment, you may be entitled to claim a tax deduction. At the time you undertake your course there must be a direct connection between the nature of your course and current work activities. The course should either enable you to maintain or improve your skills or knowledge, or lead to increased income upon which your current income earning activities are based.

You will not be entitled to claim a tax deduction for your course fees where you undertake a course to gain new employment or to open up a new business or income earning activity within an occupation or field of employment in which you are not currently working. You cannot claim self-education expenses against income you receive from Youth allowance, Austudy payments, ABSTUDY payments, Assistance for Isolated Children, Veteran's Children Education Scheme, or similar schemes.

If your employer pays for or reimburses you for your course fees, you cannot claim a tax deduction. This expense may lead to a fringe benefits tax liability for your employer and a reportable fringe benefit on your payment summary.

The entitlement to a tax deduction for the TAFE NSW fee will depend upon your individual circumstances. For further information contact the Australian Taxation Office or your tax agent.