Australian Centre for Advanced Studies

Standard 3. The RTO issues, maintains and accepts AQF certification documentation in accordance with these Standards and provides access to learner records.

Standard Comments

3.1. The RTO issues AQF certification documentation only to a learner whom it has assessed as meeting the requirements of the training product as specified in the relevant training package or VET accredited course.
Only issue quals to students who have passed the course/units.

An RTO is automatically non-compliant on this item if it didn't meet course requirements.

No honorary quals.

3.2. All AQF certification documentation issued by an RTO meets the requirements of Schedule 5.
Obvious

Only the name of the issuing organisation (the RTO) can be included on testamurs/statements of attainment.

3.3. AQF certification documentation is issued to a learner within 30 calendar days of the learner being assessed as meeting the requirements of the training product if the training program in which the learner is enrolled is complete, and providing all agreed fees the learner owes to the RTO have been paid.
In ACAS, the assessment process is only complete when assessment results are lodged in the database and ACAS has been paid.

We can send quals to the auspicee, although they might not get them during school holidays.

3.4. Records of learner AQF certification documentation are maintained by the RTO in accordance with the requirements of Schedule 5 and are accessible to current and past learners.
Obvious. Done in the ACAS database.

3.5. The RTO accepts and provides credit to learners for units of competency and/or modules (unless licensing or regulatory requirements prevent this) where these are evidenced by:
a) AQF certification documentation issued by any other RTO or AQF authorised issuing organisation; or
b) authenticated VET transcripts issued by the Registrar.
Obvious. In an audit, it is good to note examples where this has occurred.

3.6. The RTO meets the requirements of the Student Identifier scheme, including:
a) verifying with the Registrar, a Student Identifier provided to it by an individual before using that Student Identifier for any purpose;
b) ensuring that it will not issue AQF certification documentation to an individual without being in receipt of a verified Student Identifier for that individual, unless an exemption applies under the Student Identifiers Act 2014;<
c) ensuring that where an exemption described in Clause 3.6 (b) applies, it will inform the student prior to either the completion of the enrolment or commencement of training and assessment, whichever occurs first, that the results of the training will not be accessible through the Commonwealth and will not appear on any authenticated VET transcript prepared by the Registrar; and
d) ensuring the security of Student Identifiers and all related documentation under its control, including information stored in its student management systems.
Obvious. Problems with USIs are ACAS's most frequent cause of application difficulties.

Standard	Comments
3.1. The RTO issues AQF certification documentation only to a learner whom it has assessed as meeting the requirements of the training product as specified in the relevant training package or VET accredited course.	Only issue quals to students who have passed the course/units. An RTO is automatically non-compliant on this item if it didn't meet course requirements. No honorary quals.
3.2. All AQF certification documentation issued by an RTO meets the requirements of Schedule 5.	Obvious Only the name of the issuing organisation (the RTO) can be included on testamurs/statements of attainment.
3.3. AQF certification documentation is issued to a learner within 30 calendar days of the learner being assessed as meeting the requirements of the training product if the training program in which the learner is enrolled is complete, and providing all agreed fees the learner owes to the RTO have been paid.	In ACAS, the assessment process is only complete when assessment results are lodged in the database and ACAS has been paid. We can send quals to the auspicee, although they might not get them during school holidays.
3.4. Records of learner AQF certification documentation are maintained by the RTO in accordance with the requirements of Schedule 5 and are accessible to current and past learners.	Obvious. Done in the ACAS database.
3.5. The RTO accepts and provides credit to learners for units of competency and/or modules (unless licensing or regulatory requirements prevent this) where these are evidenced by: a) AQF certification documentation issued by any other RTO or AQF authorised issuing organisation; or b) authenticated VET transcripts issued by the Registrar.	Obvious. In an audit, it is good to note examples where this has occurred.
3.6. The RTO meets the requirements of the Student Identifier scheme, including: a) verifying with the Registrar, a Student Identifier provided to it by an individual before using that Student Identifier for any purpose; b) ensuring that it will not issue AQF certification documentation to an individual without being in receipt of a verified Student Identifier for that individual, unless an exemption applies under the Student Identifiers Act 2014;< c) ensuring that where an exemption described in Clause 3.6 (b) applies, it will inform the student prior to either the completion of the enrolment or commencement of training and assessment, whichever occurs first, that the results of the training will not be accessible through the Commonwealth and will not appear on any authenticated VET transcript prepared by the Registrar; and d) ensuring the security of Student Identifiers and all related documentation under its control, including information stored in its student management systems.	Obvious. Problems with USIs are ACAS's most frequent cause of application difficulties.