Frequently asked questions
Got questions? Explore the topics below and get them answered
All students
Academic requirements
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You must have a legitimate reason to request an extension and extensions are not always granted. If you need to ask for an extension contact your Educator as soon as you become aware that an extension to the submission date is required.
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Students who wish to withdraw from their course are encouraged to contact the Educator or Student Engagement. You will be required to complete and submit a withdrawal form. If you have a VET Student Loan you will incur a debt that will need to be repaid to the Government if you withdraw after the census date.
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Yes you can access a photocopier at any of our study locations. Please speak with your educator.
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If you are not able to attend class for any reason it is important to email your Educator.
Access and login to student portal
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Follow the prompts on the Students portal log in screen. If you require further assistance contact student engagement.
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You will receive instructions at Orientation on how to access your online learning. Please seek assistance from the Student Engagement team if you have difficulty logging in.
ATAR and QCE accreditation
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Completed Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualifications may be used for tertiary selection in two ways:
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as one of the five inputs into a student’s ATAR; and/or
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as a stand-alone basis for tertiary admission
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Successful completion of a Certificate II course provides 4 credit points towards a Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE).
Successful completetion of a Certificate III course provides and additional 4 credit points towards a Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE). -
Each VET qualification level will have a single scaled score that can be included in the ATAR calculation. For more information about ATAR eligibility and what inputs can be included in the ATAR calculation, please refer to the QTAC website.
Relevant VET qualification levels for the ATAR are Certificate III, Certificate IV, Diploma and Advanced Diploma.
Enrolments
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Mater Education offers academic credit to students who have successfully completed the same unit of competency with other Nationally Recognised Registered Training Organisation.
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Once you have accepted your offer you will be able to order your uniform on line with our supplier. The details will be sent to you via email and are also available on the student portal accessible once you have commenced at Mater Education.
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Please wear smart casual clothing in line with our dress code. We recommend wearing comfortable shoes that you can walk around in as parts of the day involves walking around the campus. BYO lunch and water bottle. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided.
Fees and payments
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Mater Education can assist students to pay their fees by offering payment plans which are negotiated between the student and Student Engagement. Non-payment of fees may result in the student being removed from the course.
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To request a fee statement please contact Student Engagement at materstudentservices@mater.org.au
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All payment options are listed on the bottom of your invoice:
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B Pay
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Cheque money order
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Credit card
Please see your latest invoice for further information.
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If you require information regarding invoices or fees please contact Student Engagement at materstudentservices@mater.org.au
Personal details, records and statements
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You will receive a letter via email on Orientation day on request – we cannot provide you with this prior to attending Orientation day.
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Once you are enrolled you cannot change your concession status. The status applies as of the time of enrolment and applies to your entire enrolment in the course. Please note that a concession status only applies if you are also eligible for the Queensland Government funding subsidy.
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Please compete the Change of Personal Details form and provide to the Student Engagement team at materstudentservices@mater.org.au. If you are changing your name you will need to provide a certified copy of your change document e.g. a marriage certificate.
You must also notify the Australian Taxation Office (if you are accessing a VET Student Loan) and update your unique student identifier. -
All Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) are required by law to collect and submit comprehensive data on their delivery of Nationally Recognised Training. We are obliged to make every effort to collect data compliant with AVETMISS for the National VET Provider Collection from all students and report that data. If we fail to do this it is a breach of our conditions of registration as an RTO.
Find out more about the purposes for which your information may be collected, used or disclosed here.
Subsidised training
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You may be asked to complete Queensland Government surveys on your training goals, experience and outcomes if you are a student undertaking Queensland Government-funded training.
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To receive a credit transfer for a unit you must provide formal evidence that you’ve previously completed the unit or a unit which matches in content and outcome. Formal evidence can be a qualification certificate or transcript, statement of attainment or your USI transcript. When credit is recognised, you don’t need to repeat training or assessment for that unit. This formal evidence will need to be provided on application for enrolment.
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Concession card is considered once you satisfy other eligibility criteria for the subsidised funding. Please refer to the specific course you are interested in via our course finder for details on available subsidised training and elgibility for funding.
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Students who have deferred from university are still enrolled at university and are therefore not eligible.
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If a student holds an overseas qualification that has been recognised by an Australian professional body or other organisation as meeting the registration or licensing requirements for a specific occupation then the student would be deemed not eligible to access Career Start or Career Boost funding.
If student holds an overseas qualification that does not meet the Australian Qualification Framework standards, the student may be eligible to access a Career Start or Career Boost funded qualification or undertake study in a different area, if considering a change in career. -
You must provide a copy of your concession card prior to enrolment. The concession card must be valid at the time of enrolment. Expired cards are not accepted.
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The Queensland Government pays a higher level of subsidy for qualification undertaken by concessional students.
VET Student Loans Debt (VETSL Debt)
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Once you have applied for VET student Loan through the eCAF, you can choose to access or not access the VET Student Loan for any semester. You will need to inform Student Engagement, in writing, prior to the next census date.
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Yes, you can opt to pay more out of your own pocket (gap fee). Contact Student Engagement before census date and inform in writing, about the amount of gap fee you are wishing to pay for the semester to reduce your VET Student Loan debt.
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You cannot print the eCAF, it must be submitted electronically.
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To apply for a VET Student Loan debt you must complete the Request for a VET Student Loan electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (eCAF) before the first census date. Mater Education strongly recommends that you read the VET Student Loans Information Booklet on the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations before submitting the ’Request for Vet Student Loan eCAF’.
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To be eligible to for VETSL debt you must be either:
- an Australian citizen
- a permanent humanitarian visa holder, who is usually resident in Australia
- a qualifying New Zealand citizen. A qualifying New Zealand citizen is a New Zealand citizen who:
- holds a special category visa; and
- has been usually resident in Australia for at least 10 years; and
- was a dependent child when he or she was first usually resident in Australia; and
- has been in Australia for periods totalling 8 years during the previous 10 years; and
- has been in Australia for periods totalling 18 months during the previous 2 years.
If you are unsure, please check with our team. For more details refer to the VSL Student Manual on the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations website.
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Refer to the Schedule of fees under the Cost tab of our courses or contact our team.
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State funding and VET Student Loans are entirely different. You still have to apply for VET Student Loan debt (VETSL debt) even if you are subsidised.
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Mater Education cannot accept more than $1500 as prepaid fees. You can make single payment for your gap fee as long as the payment does not exceed $1500.
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If you do not complete the eCAF by the census date of semester one, you will have to wait until the next semester to request a VET Student Loan debt for future study and pay the fees out of your own pocket for the semester.
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If you are under 18 years of age, a parent or guardian must complete and sign a parental consent form. The completed parental consent form must be given to Mater Education before you can be issued with an eCAF application form.
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You must have a valid TFN by the first census date. If you don’t have a TFN, you can obtain a Certificate of application for a TFN. This certificate is available from the ATO after you have applied for a TFN. If you get a Certificate of application for a TFN, you are required to upload it to your eCAF before you submit. You may also provide (by uploading) a copy of the online application summary and barcode receipt issued by Australia Post.
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You will have to submit the eCAF by the census date (of semester two) in order to access VET Student Loan debt.
If you do not complete the eCAF by the census date of semester one you will have to wait until the next semester to request a VET Student Loan debt for future study. Retrospective access to VET Student Loans is not allowed under any circumstances.
Inform Student Engagement, in writing, prior to the census date, if you do not want to access the VET Student Loan debt for the next semester. -
The gap fee is decided by Mater Education for each course/ semester. The gap fee given on the schedule of fees is the minimum student contribution (gap fee) to be paid for the semester / course.
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Full fee paying/fee for service students will incur a 20 per cent loan fee on their VET Student Loan debt. Students whose enrolment is subsidised by the State government do not incur a loan fee.
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No, VET student loan is now called VET Student Loan debt which is abbreviated as VETSL debt.
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You cannot access VET Student Loans for a past census day. You must submit your eCAF on or before the first census day for which you wish the loan to apply.
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Contact our team via email at materstudentservices@mater.org.au or call on 1300 070 350.
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We will send you a CAN within 28 days after the census date, for the study period that you are enrolled in.
Your CAN will include information confirming:- The tuition fees for your course,
- The course code and title
- Upfront payment amount, and
- Any VET Student Loan debt incurred for that study period.
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Your CHESSN is a unique identification number that stays with you for the whole of your student life. You will be allocated a CHESSN when you first apply for admission to your course. Your CHESSN is printed on your Commonwealth Assistance Notice (CAN) which we will send you after the census date.
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We will send you VET Student Loans debt Fee Notice for the fee period of your enrolment. This will be sent to your nominated personal email at least 14 days before the census day. The Fee Notice is not an invoice it is just advising you of the fees you will incur after the census date. The fee notice contains a range of information including:
- your name, contact details and student identification number,
- the cost of the unit/s you are enrolled in for that part of your course,
- the census day(s) on which you will incur the debt,
- your CHESSN, and
- the loan fee (if applicable) – funded students do not incur a VETSL debt loan fee
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We will send you a progression email, using eCAF system, in February, June and October. You are required to confirm your continued engagement in your course of study by completing the progression. Your ongoing access to a VET Student Loan is dependent upon you demonstrating that you are still engaged in and progressing through your course.
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The census day for a course, or a part of a course (eg unit), is the last day you can:
- complete the eCAF to apply for a VET Student Loan for your course, or
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withdraw your enrolment without incurring a debt for the course or part of the course.
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Your VETSL debt forms part of your accumulated VETSL debt. You must start repaying your VETSL debt through the tax system once your income is above the compulsory repayment threshold, even if you are still studying. The threshold is adjusted each year. Please refer to Australian Taxation Office website for the threshold.
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Once you submit your eCAF, you will receive an email confirming your loan approval and providing you with a copy of your completed form. You should keep this form for your records.
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If you are unsure of your census date, please check the schedule of fees under the Cost tab on our course pages or contact our team to confirm.
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There is no interest charged on VETSL debts. Your VETSL debt is, however, indexed each year. It increases annually on 1 June to maintain its real value, adjusting in line with changes in the cost of living (as measured by the Consumer Price Index figure released each March). Debts are not indexed until they are 11 months old. You can find current and past indexation rates on the Australian Taxation Office website.
Diploma of Nursing students
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Whilst there are many employment options once completing the Diploma of Nursing program, Mater Education cannot guarantee employment.
Four to six weeks before your course completion, you are able to apply for registration online as an enrolled nurse (EN) with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).Job opportunities are varied, depending on the area of nursing you choose to pursue. Within Mater, you are able to apply for Mater's Nursing Graduate Program. Position availability is dependent on workforce needs : the graduate program application process is managed through the Human Resource Department. As we don’t employ all students, we offer career expos twice a year, where potential employers and tertiary pathway representatives are available to speak with students.
You may also wish to apply for a position as an EN within Mater or any potential employer. For any advertised positions at Mater however, you will need to apply and follow Mater recruitment processes. Please be advised these positions are limited, and there is no guarantee of employment.
Our team of educators and Learning Skills Teachers provide workshops to assist with CV writing, interview techniques and presentation to enhance your skills and optimise your ability to be a successful applicant in the path you choose.
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Mater Education has partnership with Universities that enable Graduates to enrol at University via direct entry pathways. Please note these spots are limited and all other university entry requirements must be meet. For more information contact the Student Engagement team.
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The amount of credit will vary between Universities but most will offer 80 credit points towards a Bachelor of Nursing Degree.
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To register with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) as an Enrolled Nurse, you must meet the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA)'s english language skills registration standard requirements at the time of your enrolment. Mater Education will only enrol students into the Diploma of Nursing program who meet the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia’s English Language Standards.
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To apply for the program you’ll need to:
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Complete an online application form via the Mater Education website. Before starting your application, please make sure you have:
- Your USI – Unique Student Identifier
- Proof of your citizenship
- Proof of your QLD residency
- If you are under 18 years of age you will need consent to study the course. You will need to provide parent or guardian contact details in the application form. Without this consent your application will not be able to continue.
- You will also be asked to upload some of the following documents:
- Australian birth certificate, passport or Australian citizenship papers or Humanitarian visa (Mater Education does not enrol international students)
- QLD driver’s license and/or Medicare card and/or healthcare card if you are not an Australian citizen (e.g. if you’re a permanent resident)
- evidence of meeting the English language requirement
- evidence of New Zealand SCV eligibility for a VET Student Loan, if required.
Finally, you will be asked to address a series of suitability questions. We ask that you make a reasonable attempt to answer these questions as your responses will provide us with valuable insight into your motivation, preparedness and suitability for the challenges of this course.
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Once you are offered a position within the Diploma of Nursing program, you will receive an offer of enrolment email and an invoice for your deposit. Once you receive your offer of enrolment email, you’ll need to:
- complete and submit your enrolment form online,
- apply and pay the relevant fee for a Criminal History Check using Fit2Work (the enrolment pack will have more information), and
- complete payment of your deposit.
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You should receive a confirmation email to acknowledge we’ve received your application.
If you don’t receive this notification within 24 hours (and you’ve checked your junk mail folder), contact the Student Engagement team to confirm whether your application has been received and that you have submitted the correct contact details.
Once your online application is submitted, the Student Engagement team will review it. Once all the details have been confirmed, you’ll receive a link to complete your online literacy and numeracy (LLN) test – remember to check your junk or spam folder.
When completing the LLN test, find a quiet space, take your time, and avoid using a mobile phone. If you don’t pass, you may have to wait before retaking it, so give it your best effort.
After passing the LLN test, you’ll move on to the pre-enrolment review, which ensures you’re prepared and supported for study success. This review confirms you have the necessary skills, technology access, and digital proficiency for the Diploma of Nursing.
After successfully completing the pre-enrolment review and confirming your documents, you will receive your official Letter of Offer. -
Applications submitted after the closing date will not be accepted for that intake, however we will be happy to consider your application as part of the next available intake.
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If you have any questions about our Diploma of Nursing or the application process, please contact the Student Engagement team on 1300 070 350 or visit the contact page for alternative contact details.
VSL Tuition Protection
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Where an approved course provider defaults and where a student accepts an offer of a place in a replacement course with Mater Education:
The student will be granted course credits for parts of the original course successfully completed by the student which will need to be evidenced by:-
a statement of attainment or other Australian Qualifications Framework certification documentation issued in accordance with the Australian Qualification Framework; or
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an authenticated VET transcript prepared by the Registrar (within the meaning of the Student Identifiers Act 2014).
Mater Education will not charge tuition fees for a replacement component of the replacement course if tuition fees have been paid for the affected part of the original course.
The student will be enrolled in the replacement course as soon as practicable and the VSL Tuition Protection Director will be given written notice of the acceptance within 14 days of the acceptance.
Read our full Tuition Protection Procedure here. -
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Mater Education will give written notice to the VSL Tuition Protection Director of the circumstances of the default. We will:
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notify VSL students enrolled in the course, in writing, the course is no longer being provided
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send the student notice to the student’s personal email address as held on the Student Management System
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specify in the student notice:
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the name of the course, or part or parts of the course the student was enrolled in at the time of the default
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the date of the default
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a website specified by the VSL Tuition Protection Director where the student can get further information about tuition protection.
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Within three business days of a default occurring Mater Education will give written notice to the VSL Tuition Protection Director specifying for each student in relation to who the provider has defaulted and, as soon as practicable update our website to reflect the course is no longer being provided and to provide tuition protection information.
Read our full Tuition Protection Procedure here. -