Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students

Fees Protection and Refund Policy

International College of Auckland has an agreement with Public Trust, who acts as a trustee to protect students’ fees by holding students’ fees in a trust account and pro rata, monthly, in arrears transferring the fees over to ICA. This protects all students’ fees against the unlikely event of insolvency, regulatory closure or withdrawal of accreditation of the college. This is an NZQA approved method of fee protection. Please ask us for a public trust information sheet if you require further information.

•    Students approach International College of Auckland (ICA), or one of ICA’s contracted agents.
•    A full enrolment pack will be given to the student in the student’s first language where available.
•    A student advisor or the Agent assists the student to complete the enrolment form and then submit it.
•    On receipt of the completed enrolment form, ICA will issue a letter of Offer of Place which is required for a student visa application.
•    On receipt of the full payment in the form of cash, cheque, bank draft or telegraphic transfer, ICA will issue a full payment receipt.
•    The student must notify ICA on receipt of the student visa, and confirm the start date and/or airport pickup and homestay accommodation.
•    ICA verifies and records a copy of the student’s visa/permit upon arrival.

Enrolment is subject to the following conditions which become legally binding on confirmation of the acceptance of a student by International College of Auckland (ICA).
a) Enrolment is completed only when ICA receives full payment of fees.
b) Conditions of enrolment can only be changed at the discretion of ICA Management.

a) All fees, including Goods & Services Tax (GST), are received and refunded in New Zealand dollars. ICA is not responsible for any currency fluctuations between enrolment and issuing of refunds.
b) All fees are calculated on complete weeks, including the weeks with public holidays. Exemption is made however, for a consecutive 2 week annual holiday which covers Christmas and New Year’s Day. Any part of a week is counted as a full week.
c) Registration fee is non-refundable.
e) All fees are non-transferable to other institutions or students.

Note: Students may be allowed to join a course as a late arrival after the scheduled commencement date. The provisions of ICA’s Refund Policy apply from the scheduled commencement date and not the date on which late students arrive.

In the event of withdrawal from the course after fees have been paid but before the commencement of the course, all tuition fees less 10% or $500, whichever is the lesser, will be refunded.

(1) For courses of up to and including four weeks and six days:

If a student withdraws within the first two days after and including the scheduled start date of their course, 50% of the tuition fees will be refunded. If two days constitutes the full amount of tuition paid for by the student, no tuition fees will be refunded.

(2) For courses of five weeks or more but less than three months: 

If a student withdraws within the first 5 days after and including the scheduled start date of their course, 75% of the tuition fees will be refunded.

(1) Withdrawal within the first eight days after and including the course start date:

If a student withdraws within eight days after and including the scheduled start date of their course, all tuition fees less 10% or $500, whichever is the lesser, will be refunded.

(2) Withdrawal on day nine or later of the course:

If a student withdraws from their course of study before the completion date, they would only be eligible for a refund of tuition fees in exceptional circumstances. This will be at the discretion of the Board of Directors and will be considered on a case by case basis. Students should provide documentation to support any such application which must be made within one month of the last day of attendance.

(1) Where a student has been expelled
(2) Where a student wishes to transfer to another school
(3) Where the enrolment application is found to be inaccurate in any way and the contract is terminated

Before processing a refund fees, ICA may require a student to provide written confirmation of the withdrawal from the student’s parents, guardian (if under 18 years old), or agent and, where a student has obtained a bank loan for the purpose of studying at ICA, may require confirmation that the lender consents to the withdrawal.

Where ICA is aware that a student has obtained a bank loan for the purpose of attending ICA, ICA will endeavour to refund fees, in accordance with the Refund Policy, to the relevant lending bank unless otherwise instructed by that bank.

All applications for withdrawal and/or refund must be submitted in writing with all original documents.

Any refunds must go to the person from whom ICA received the monies, unless written authority to refund directly to the student is received by ICA from the sponsor.

On withdrawal, ICA will advise the New Zealand Immigration Service that the visa/permit must be cancelled. The official receipt and Offer of Place document must be returned to ICA before any refund will be made.

a) Once a student commences living in a homestay, a minimum non-refundable period of 4 weeks is mandatory, unless the period of study is shorter than 4 weeks.
b) Non-advice of a late arrival will require a homestay payment from the advised arrival date.
c) Accommodation arrangement fee is non-refundable once the arrangement has been made.
d) Accommodation is guaranteed for the period of time covered by accommodation fees received and held by ICA.


Support Services

Requests for general personal or learning support should be made first to your tutor or programme leader or in emergencies the Principal.

General support:

- Accommodation
- Information on College operations
- Learning support
- Financial advice
- Limited personal advice
- Welfare support, especially in connection with health services
- Advice about and contact with welfare organisations in Auckland including-
 driving laws,
 advice on further training and courses,
 advice on welfare facilities etc.
 accessing information on sexuality
 advice on laws – sale of alcohol etc,
 addressing harassment.
 employment and course information

Learning Support:

Please contact your tutor or Programme Leader for the learning support.  The services include:
- Details of credit transfer, recognition of prior learning, recognition of current competency
- Re-sitting or re-visiting of assessments
- General English
- IELTS training
- Work based training support
- aegrotat passes

External Support:

If you have serious problems and require additional support please contact the Student Services Department. 
A list of key welfare organisations in Auckland is also included in Appendix 4 of the Student Handbook.

If you require additional support please contact the Student Services Department.  A list of key welfare organisations in Auckland is included in Appendix 4 of the Student Handbook.