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Reporting requirements and exemptions

Understand provider reporting requirements for USIs and management of exemptions.

Data and reporting requirements

For data and reporting purposes, training and education providers need to follow appropriate reporting and legislation requirements:

Registered Training Organisations (RTOs)

Refer to legislation and the RTO reporting requirements.

Higher education providers

Amendments were made in March 2020 to the Student Identifiers Act 2014 to extend the USI from VET to higher education students. This allows HEPs and TACs to collect, use and disclose the USI for legislative purposes.

Amendments were made in June 2020 to the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA). 

All higher education students must have a USI to be eligible for a Commonwealth supported place, Commonwealth financial assistance and/or in order to graduate and received their award. This includes international students studying in Australia.

Exemptions

All vocational education and training (VET) and higher education students must have a USI if they are studying in Australia. Australian students studying with an Australian provider overseas must also have a USI.

Students may apply for an exemption from a USI. Information on exemptions and the consequences of not having one can be found on the Exemption page for students.

International students do not require a USI if they completed all their study outside of Australia.

When applying for Commonwealth financial assistance or a Commonwealth Supported Place the student must have a USI and cannot apply for an exemption. Commonwealth financial assistance includes:

If the Student Identifiers Registrar grants the student an exemption they will receive a letter of confirmation. The student is prompted to provide a copy of their letter to their provider to demonstrate they are exempt from having a USI.

Reporting student exemptions

If receiving an exemption from a student, providers cannot:

  • ask the student why they’re exempt
  • ask the student to sign or accept a government-based privacy notice (including any internal privacy notice about data they collect for their own use).

For more information for providers delivering VET training on how to meet their AVETMISS reporting obligations: 

Higher Education providers should email TCSIsupport@education.gov.au for guidance on how to satisfy their reporting requirements.

Exemptions for RTOs reporting VET data

An RTO can be exempt by their regulator from the requirement to collect and submit AVETMISS compliant data. Further information on provider exemption can be found under sections 5.3 and 5.5 of the National VET Data Policy.

Further information on exemption by VET Regulator can be found at NCVER fact sheet – Exempted RTO reporting.

Regulators

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Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connections to land, sea and communities. We pay our respects to them, their cultures and their Elders; past, present and emerging.