12 Jul 2011: Help for overseas students in private education

Overseas students in Australia who have problems with private education and training can now take their complaints to the newly created Overseas Students Ombudsman (OSO), if they cannot resolve problems with their education providers directly.

The Overseas Students Ombudsman is now a role for the Commonwealth Ombudsman, Allan Asher.

“This is an important service for an often vulnerable group,” said Mr Asher, launching the Ombudsman service at the first Council for International Students Australia (CISA) conference in Melbourne today.

“Together with State Ombudsmen who provide a complaints service for overseas students in public education, we are providing a much-needed safety net for those in private education.

“It means that students who are the victim of unfair or unreasonable action by private education providers now have a free, independent and impartial complaints service,” Mr Asher said.

The OSO provides the service to overseas students already in Australia, and those planning to come soon.

“It is appropriate to launch the Overseas Students Ombudsman service at CISA’s first conference as both organisations are the result of recommendations of the Baird Review of education services for overseas students in 2010.

“Students may want to complain about issues surrounding fees and refunds, course progress or attendance, cancellation of enrolments or accommodation or work arranged by providers. They may also want to complain about education agents working for their provider,” Mr Asher said.

“We will resolve complaints and provide information to education providers on best-practice complaint handling, drawing on the Commonwealth Ombudsman’s more than 30 years’ experience in complaint investigation. Importantly, we will also publish reports on problems and broader issues in international education identified through investigations.”

The Overseas Students Ombudsman provides a free, fair and impartial service.

The new role is one of a series of measures recommended by the Baird Review of the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000, and is also reflected in the COAG International Students Strategy for Australia 2010-2014. The Ombudsman role came into effect from 9 April, following the passage of legislation.

More information is available at www.oso.gov.au

Media contact: Media 02 6276 3759 or Media@ombudsman.gov.au

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Date of release: 12 July 2011