ESOS Compliance support 

The Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000 (ESOS) sets out the legal framework governing the delivery of education to overseas students studying in Australia on a student visa. It is primarily focussed on consumer protection acting in addition to regulatory requirements to govern the registration process and obligations of registered providers.

ESOS providers operate in a complex regulatory environment with challenges that include:

• Ensuring all marketing materials are subject to detailed review to ensure they are ethical and accurate, then monitoring to ensure that the requirements are continuously met.

• Recruiting,inducting and monitoring education agents who are often located interstate or in another country

• Assisting international students to adapt to the Australian education system, which is often very different from their home country’s education system

• Proactively support students academically so that they will successfully complete their studies within the agreed duration

• Having suitable academic and support staff or contracted arrangements who will ensure that all regulatory requirements are satisfied

• Ensuring deferment of study is only approved where there are compassionate and compelling circumstances and education providers need to ensure all applications for leave are carefully assessed

• Managing younger students and homestay arrangements

• Maintaining accurate PRISMs data including reporting of changes

• Ensuring that maximum capacity requirements are met, particularly with respect to having suitable student to staff ratios

 We have extensive ESOS experience, having conducted ESOS compliance audits and reviews since 2006 for:

• Universities

• Higher Education providers

• TAFE Institutes delivering Higher Education, VET, English Language and secondary school education services

• Registered Training organisations delivering VET and English language education services

• Department of Education and training (Government schools)

• Non-government schools and non- school secondary providers

Our work also includes acting as an ESOS auditor for the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority, currently for non-government schools.

Our ESOS support services include:

• ESOS audits and compliance advice for a regulator in the school sector

• Comprehensive ESOS internal reviews for education providers

• TEQSA, ASQA and School sector re-registration CRICOS application and support work

• Student file reviews to ensure compliance with the ESOS Act in all sectors

• ESOS advice or support to deal with ESOS issues eg. Student transfers or deferment.

• Review and updating of Policy frameworks and supporting documents

• Pre and post audit support

We have recently completed work for one of the regulator’s in respect to the recent changes to the ESOS Act and proposed National Code.