International

Before coming to New Zealand to study, you need to be aware of your rights and responsibilities here. Below you will find details about our key policies relating to international students.

Withdrawal & Refund Of Fees

International students are required by the New Zealand Immigration Service to pre-pay oneyear's tuition fees to Bay of Plenty Polytechnic in order to be granted a student visa. This policy details the process for refunding those fees.

When you sign the Student Detail and Enrolment Form you are signing a legally binding agreement. If you then choose not to go ahead with your programme of study, you must advise of your withdrawal in writing to the appropriate Head of School. Fees will be charged as detailed below.

When requesting a refund of fees, or fees to be written off, the reasons for withdrawal must be stated and accompanied by supporting documentation e.g. medical certificate, statutory declaration etc.

Bay of Plenty Polytechnic will only refund / write off fees in the following circumstances:

1. Where the programme of study is cancelled by the Polytechnic the full fee shall be refunded/written off.
    
2. For full-time programmes (twelve (12) weeks or more) where written notice of the student’s intention to withdraw is received:
   1. Up to programme commencement, all tuition fees paid, less an administration charge of $100, will be refunded. In the event of a student not having paid a deposit or fee, a $100 administration charge will apply.
   2. Up to two (2) weeks after programme commencement, all tuition fees paid, less an administration charge of $200, will be refunded. In the event of a student not having paid a deposit or fee, $200 will be charged plus, where appropriate, a charge for consumables and / or costs incurred.
   3. Other than in extenuating and exceptional circumstances, there will be no refunds for notifications received after two (2) weeks of programme commencement. In the event of a student not having paid a deposit or the full fee, the full programme fee will be charged.
       
3. For part-time programmes (including all programmes greater than one (1) or more) where written notice of the student’s intention to withdraw is received:
   1. Up to programme commencement, all tuition fees paid, less an administration charge of $50, will be refunded. In the event of a student not having paid the fee, a $50 administration charge will apply.
   2. Up to two (2) weeks after programme commencement, all tuition fees, less an administration charge of $100, will be refunded. In the event of a student not having paid the fee, a $100 administration charge will apply plus, where appropriate, a charge for consumables and / or cost incurred.
   3. Other than in extenuating and exceptional circumstances, there will be no refunds for part time programmes for notifications received after two (2) weeks of programme commencement. In the event of a student not having paid the fee, the full programme fee will be charged.
       
4. Withdrawal from short courses of less than one (1) week where written, e-TXT or telephone notification is received:
   1. Seven (7) calendar days or more prior to commencement, all tuition fees shall be refunded. In the event of a student not having paid the fee, no further action will be taken.
   2. For employers sending one or more staff member to a short course, a substitute person may be sent up to and including the first day of the course without incurring an additional fee if the original person enrolled can no longer attend.
   3. Other than extenuating circumstances, there will be no refund for notifications received less than seven (7) calendar days prior of the short course or after commencement.
       
5. Where through exceptional and extenuating circumstances a student can no longer complete the programme of study, the amount to be refunded / written off shall be determined by the appropriate Head of School, but shall not exceed the unconsumed portion of the fee less an administration charge. Examples of extenuating circumstances include serious illness or disability of the student, death of a student or close family member. Final acceptance / reject on of an application for a refund / write off of fees will be at the discretion of the Director Academic.

Attendance requirements

• The Polytechnic treats international students as it does domestic students and the Polytechnic's policies apply.
• Parents and agents of international students who are failing to meet course requirements will be contacted promptly.
• If a student withdraws or ceases to attend, the Polytechnic will notify the New Zealand Immigration Service  www.immigration.govt.nz

Charges
Bay of Plenty Polytechnic will charge late payment and debt collection charges on all unpaid accounts.

N.B. The standard fee set for programmes is applicable for New Zealand citizens and permanent residents only. An international fee is payable for non-New Zealand citizens/permanent residents.

Medical and Travel Insurance

Compulsory
International students must have appropriate and current medical and travel insurance while studying in New Zealand. These are a requirement of the New Zealand Ministry of Education’s Code of Practice for the Pastoral care of International Students.

Eligibility for Health Services in New Zealand
Most International students are not entitled to publicly funded health services while in New Zealand. If you receive medical treatment during your visit, you may be liable for the full costs of that treatment. Full details on entitlements to publicly funded health services are available through the Ministry of Health, and can be viewed on their website at http://www.moh.govt.nz.

Purchasing your Medical and Travel Insurance Policy
Students are strongly advised to make it a condition of purchase from other providers that any policy purchased is approved by the Polytechnic as being Code compliant. Students will be required to show evidence to the Polytechnic, either before they arrive or before completing enrolment, that they have a medical and travel insurance policy for their travel to New Zealand and the duration of their studies. Your policy should be purchased before leaving home to ensure that insurance cover is available during your travel and transit to New Zealand.

Accident Insurance
The Accident Compensation Corporation provides accident insurance for all New Zealand citizens, residents, and temporary visitors to New Zealand, but you may still be liable for all other medical and related costs. Further information can be viewed on the ACC website at http://www.acc.co.nz.

Harassment Policy

Harassment may be sexual or racial, discrimination may be based on age, beliefs, values and attitudes, sexual orientation, disability, gender, job position or status, physical appearance, race or religion. Bullying is unreasonable behaviour to a person or group that creates a risk to the mental or physical health of a person.

Harassment, bullying or discrimination is against the law in New Zealand.

Bay of Plenty Polytechnic has harassment, bullying and discrimination policy and procedures in place order to create a safe environment for staff and students.

The aim of these procedures is to encourage any staff member or student who has a harassment concern, access to a fair and confidential process, assisted by understanding personnel.

Legal Position
Harassment is unlawful under both the Employment Relations Act 2000 and the Human Rights Act 1993. The Polytechnic is committed to providing a secure, supportive and harmonious environment for all, one which:

• Recognises and values the diversity, potential, contribution and special needs of all people
• Is free from all forms of harassment.

The Polytechnic will:

1. Maintain a pro-active approach to the provision of a safe environment
    
2. View allegations, and false allegations of harassment seriously
    
3. Apply processes and have policy and procedures in place that are seen to be fair and impartial and undertake to investigate formal complaints appropriately
    
4. Have an adequate and pro-active harassment prevention programme in place, with trained contact people, resources, counselling and facilitation available
    
5. Seek to redress issues of harassment and will endeavour to ensure that no detrimental consequences result for the person who was harassed, nor that any person who has made a complaint of harassment in good faith is victimised
    
6. Take reasonable steps to prevent repetition of alleged harassment
    
7. Satisfy its obligations under New Zealand human rights, employment and education legislation in respect of harassment

Who can be affected by harassment?

• People in all situations – students or staff members
• Student to other student or staff member
• Staff member to student or other staff member
• Customer/client/subcontractors of employer to staff member or student

Note
All people (including both the respondent and complainant) involved in a harassment case must ensure that all aspects of the case are kept confidential.

Your personal information and the Privacy Act 1993

You should read this information before completing the International Application form.

Bay of Plenty Polytechnic undertakes to collect, update, use, store, disclose and exchange personal information in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act 1993. The Polytechnic will, in accordance with the provisions of the Act, make available the personal information it collects from a particular student to that student on request and will make any appropriate corrections to that information to ensure the information held is accurate. If you have any further questions about the implications of collection, holding, use and disclosure by the Polytechnic of any of your personal information, please contact the Polytechnic at info@boppoly.ac.nz.

Use of Personal Information Collected
Intending students are advised that the information sought on the forms for enrolment is required to enable the Polytechnic to comply with its purposes and functions under the Education Act 1989. The information will be held by the Polytechnic and used in the following ways:

1. Within the Polytechnic, relevant personal information from a student’s enrolment form will be available to those members of the Polytechnic staff responsible for:
   1. The student’s enrolment at the Polytechnic, establishing and maintaining the student’s records
   2. Providing tuition, appropriate academic advice and support
   3. Providing student services
   4. Maintaining order and discipline
2. The Polytechnic is also required by certain statutes to provide some personal information to some other agencies. The agencies that may require the Polytechnic to provide this information include:
   1. Ministry of Education
   2. New Zealand Qualifications Authority
   3. Work and Income New Zealand
   4. StudyLink
   5. Inland Revenue Department
   6. Department of Immigration
   7. Agencies who support particular students through scholarships, prizes, payment of fees and other awards
3. Information about particular students may be supplied to the following agencies in the circumstances detailed:
   1. New Zealand Vice Chancellor’s Committee Placement Services and the Ministry of External Relations and Trade where the student concerned is an international student studying at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and is funded by the Ministry
   2. Other educational institutions where the student concerned is transferring his or her records to another institution
4. The information may from time to time be used to advise details of other education/training related services and products

Failure to Supply Information

Students are advised that failure to supply the information requested by the Polytechnic, or the supply of incomplete or false information may result in the Polytechnic declining or cancelling the enrolment.

False or Misleading Information
If you supply information to the Polytechnic that is found to be misleading or false, the Polytechnic’s will review your enrolment. Bay of Plenty Polytechnic may also take appropriate legal action.

Holding of Personal Information
The personal information you supply will be held permanently within Bay of Plenty Polytechnic's record system. While you are enrolled at the Polytechnic you will be asked to annually update any information that has been changed.

Concerns & Complaints

Complaint Procedures at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic

Bay of Plenty Polytechnic takes student complaints seriously and is committed to dealing with them fairly and promptly. Our goal is to resolve complaints as quickly as possible. Complaints are handled according to a clearly defined set of procedures.

Concerns or complaints may initially be made informally through your tutor or the International Pastoral Care Coordinator.

Concerns and complaints may also  be made in writing to the Head of School or directly to the Complaints Officer, using a form provided by the School Administrator, the Information Centre, Ako Awe, the Library and Student Worx.

The Students' Association (BOPPSA) is also able to support you in making a complaint.

Find out more about our Concerns & Complaints Policy.

The International Education Appeal Authority

You can also contact the International Education Appeal Authority (IEAA), an independent body established to deal with complaints from international students about pastoral care aspects of advice and services received from their education provider or the provider's agent. To contact or find out more see the IEAA website.

International Education Appeal Authority
Tribunals Unit
Private Bag 32001
Panama Street
WELLINGTON 6146
Ph: 04 462 6660 Fax 04 462 6686
Email: ieaa@justice.govt.nz