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Currently, only Australian citizens, residents and immediate family members can travel to Australia.

The official updates from the Australian Government Department of Health provide the very latest information, including health and travel advice (both for those coming into the country and those travelling abroad) and information on current travel restrictions. As this is an evolving situation and advice is being regularly updated, we encourage you to head to the following sites for the most up-to-date advice:

• The latest Coronavirus news, updates and advice from government agencies across Australia: www.australia.gov.au
• Health advice: Australian Department of Health
• Travel advice: Australian Department of Home Affairs

The official updates from the Australian Government Department of Health provide the very latest information, including health and travel advice (both for those coming into the country and those travelling abroad) and information on current travel restrictions. This is an evolving situation and advice is being regularly updated.

• Health advice for Australia

Please consult the websites of our Centres and Colleges in Australia for current updates:

• ANU College
• Taylors College Perth
• Taylors College Sydney

If you are based offshore and cannot travel to Australia, or if you are based onshore and your college is still closed, you can still start your program online from home. As soon as borders and/or your campus reopen*, we will provide you with the guidance, support and information you need to transition to face-to-face teaching on our campus.

*Subject to satisfactory completion of our detailed health and safety risk assessment.

Currently, only Australian citizens, residents and immediate family members can travel to Australia.

Please refer to the Australian Department of Home Affairs website for the latest information regarding border closures, visas, visa extensions and other travel advice.

We are proactively contacting all students regarding their arrival and any alternative study arrangements. Should you have questions, please contact your Study Centre or College, alternatively please contact globalstudentsupport@studygroup.com for assistance.

1. Confirm your place on your course in the usual way.
2. We will contact you before you are due to begin your studies to provide information about the online alternative available to you.
3. Let us know that you would like to proceed with your studies online by the specified deadline.
4. We will register you for your course and you will receive further instructions on how to access our online learning environment to begin your studies.

Due to the current travel restrictions, the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs has indicated you will not need a visa if you are overseas and studying online with an Australian education provider. 

You do not need a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) to being your program online. The Australian Government is making a number of changes to student visa arrangements which include:

1. The Government will recommence granting student visas in all locations lodged outside Australia. This means when borders re-open, students will already have visas and be able to make arrangements to travel.
2. If you held a student visa on or after 1 February 2020, and need to lodge a new visa application for an extension to complete your program due to COVID-19, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) may waive your Student Visa (subclass 500) application fee.
   • Please visit https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/student-visa for more information.
3. Current student visa holders studying online outside Australia due to COVID-19 will be able to use that study to count towards the Australian study requirement for a post-study work visa.
4. Graduates who held a student visa will be eligible to apply for a post-study work visa outside Australia if they are unable to return due to COVID-19.
5. Additional time will be given for applicants to provide English language results where COVID-19 has disrupted access to these services.

For more information, please refer to homeaffairs.gov.au

If you have already been issued a visa and are no longer travelling to Australia and are discontinuing your studies; you must inform us so that we can update your visa status with the Australian Department of Home Affairs.

We will support students who have started their studies online to transition to on-campus learning as soon as we can. In the unlikely event that a student’s visa application to continue their studies at a Centre in the 2020/21 academic year is unsuccessful, we have amended our refund policy to ensure they will be entitled to a refund of fees as the circumstances may dictate.

Visa and withdrawal from Study Group restrictions on refund offers

*Applicable in situations where students have met all Study Group academic entry requirements (and pre-GTE screening) but are not eligible to receive an CoE based on GTE issue.

We are committed to working with every student on the options to continue studying with us. You will be encouraged to continue with your course, where possible, by online delivery.

A number of our programs include a 21-day introductory period to allow you to decide if this is the right mode of study for you.

If, during the 21-day introductory period you choose not to continue your studies online you have two options available. You can choose to defer your place to a future intake, or you can choose to withdraw your place.

• If you choose to defer your place, we will work with you to find an alternative study plan so you can begin your studies at the next available intake that offers on-campus teaching in your chosen study destination. If we are unable to find an alternative study plan for you, we will refund the balance of your tuition fees.
• If you choose to withdraw your place, our usual cancellation and refund policy will apply. This will have been provided to you when you confirmed your place.

For a number of our programs, students can try online learning for 21 days or until census.

We understand you might be unsure about studying online, so we are now offering an extended introductory period to ensure you have confidence and financial peace of mind to begin your studies online.

You will have 21 days, or until census, to experience learning online with us and make an informed decision about whether it is the right mode of study for you. If, within the 21-day introductory period, you decide not to continue with your studies online, you can select to defer your place or withdraw your place with a full refund on your tuition fees.

Terms and conditions

If you choose to join our online classes you will have a 21-day introductory period to allow you to decide if this is the right mode of study for you*. You are not required to provide a reason for withdrawing, however, you are required to demonstrate at least an 80% attendance rate.

If, within the introductory period, you choose not to continue your studies online you have two options available:

• defer your place to a future intake,
• or withdraw your place.

If you choose to defer your place, we will work with you to find an alternative study plan so you can begin your studies at the next available intake that offers on-campus teaching in your chosen study destination. If we are unable to find an alternative study plan for you, we will refund the balance of your tuition fees. If you choose to withdraw your place, our usual pre-enrolment cancellation and refund policy will apply. This policy will have been provided to you when you confirmed your place.

Refer to the college or provider website for the refund policies as they apply to these programs.

If you choose to defer your place, we will work with you to find an alternative study plan so you can begin your studies at the next available intake offering on-campus teaching in your chosen study destination.

We are committed to working with every student on the options to continue studying with us and you will be encouraged to continue with your course, where possible, by online delivery.

Virtual learning will be made available to:

• Confirmed students who have already arrived in Australia and are unable to attend face-to-face classes
• Confirmed students who remain in their home country due to government health guidance and/or travel restrictions

If you are based offshore and cannot travel to Australia, or if you are based onshore and your college is still closed, you can still start your program online from home. As soon as borders and/or your campus reopen, we will provide you with the guidance, support and information you need to transition to face-to-face teaching on our campus.

In 2020, 83% of students surveyed reported that they were satisfied with their online program.

We work closely with online learning experts to ensure we are leading innovation for the benefit of our students. We are committed to providing the same high quality teaching and personal support in our virtual classrooms as we would on our campuses.

Teaching, learning and student support will involve 'live' sessions with your teacher. We will ensure that these sessions are delivered at a time of day which is suitable for the various time-zones of the students in your class.

Teachers will also be engaging with you individually in order to provide academic and pastoral support.

Check out these demonstration videos from our centres to see what the virtual learning environment looks like:

• ANU College
  
• Taylors College Sydney
  
• Taylors College Perth

To give you an idea of what a weekly timetable will look like, this is a sample timetable for a student studying at Taylors College Perth. Please note, classes are taught at the local time in Australia, not your home country.

If you begin your studies online, you will receive everything you would expect from our programs whilst knowing that you haven’t had to delay your study and career ambitions.

You can expect:

• World-class teaching
• One-to-one sessions with your tutor
• An engaged, international community
• English language tuition

Starting a program online during the current climate will show universities (and future employers) that you are committed to learning and are eager to progress your education and career.

Technology requirements for Study Group online courses

To access the virtual classroom, course materials, learning management system (LMS) virtual learning environment (VLE) and undertake assessments, it is important to be prepared with the appropriate technology.

Computer

While it is possible to access and interact with most course content using various tablets and smartphones, such as iPads, iPhones and Android devices, these devices will not work for assessments and therefore it is important that you have a PC or Mac based computer available for use.

PC

• Any Microsoft Windows based PC (laptop or desktop, preferably running Windows 10)
• Web Browser: Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge (Chromium version)
• Webcam
• Microphone
• Installation of Zoom for Virtual Classroom

Mac

• Any Apple MacOS based laptop or desktop
• Web Browser: Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge (Chromium version)
• Webcam
• Microphone
• Installation of Zoom for Virtual Classroom

Internet Connection

Internet connectivity is required for access to all coursework. Internet connectivity could be in the form of a fixed line connection, 3G/4G/5G, wi-fi or other technologies.

Minimum: 600kbps download and 600kbps upload speed

Recommended: at least 1.5Mbps download and 1.5Mbps upload speed

Zoom Restricted Countries

Zoom is used for access to virtual classroom and is therefore an important part of all courses. Zoom is unavailable or restricted in several countries, with the full restricted list available here. While Zoom may still work from the countries listed, individuals should test Zoom using their own equipment to ensure connectivity.

Your attendance will be monitored through your engagement with online learning activities. You will be expected to engage with all course activities provided to you.

• Assessments will be held online via coursework submissions. We use Turnitin software which scans for plagiarism and other forms of academic impropriety.
• We have introduced alternative assessment methods for things we cannot assess online, such as practical lab skills.
• We use Iris invigilation software to facilitate online assessments and exams.

Currently, there has been no change made to this aspect of our programs. Students will continue to work towards the same targets, and we will be supporting you to achieve these through online sessions.

Our university partners recognise all our online programs. Once you have successfully completed your program, you will be able to progress on to your chosen university.*

*Subject to university progression criteria and chosen university from one of Study Group's university partners.