International Student Program (ISP)

2. Marketing and recruitment

This section covers: information for prospective students, marketing and recruitment and education agents.

Purpose

Overseas students need clear and accurate information to help them decide which study option is best for them. When students and families have the right information they are more likely to be happy with their initial choice and stay in the program until their studies are complete. The best marketing strategy is a happy student.

The National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 (Cth) (the National Code) mandates key information that must be provided to prospective students to help them make an informed choice about study options in Australia. There are also stringent requirements about managing education agents.

To ensure accurate and consistent information is available for prospective students, DE International Education Division (IED) leads all marketing and recruitment initiatives, including production of marketing brochures for all schools to use and the accreditation and management of education agents.

Important requirements

Providing information for prospective students

• Only Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) registered courses can be marketed to prospective international students. The Department’s CRICOS registered courses are: Primary (Prep to Year 6); Secondary (7 to 12) and Victorian College of the Arts Secondary Course (7 to 12).
• The CRICOS registered provider name ‘Department of Education and Training’ and CRICOS Provider Code 00861K must be clearly visible on all school promotional material.
  Note: schools are registered on CRICOS as locations, not the registered provider.
• The National Code mandates specific information that must be provided to prospective international students. This includes details about courses, entry requirements and locations of study. Full details are contained in the Prospective International Students Required Information Checklist (DOCX). Schools should use the checklist to ensure their website contains all required information.

Marketing and recruitment

• Schools must NOT offer an enrolment place to, or imply that they will hold an enrolment place for, a student without DE first assessing the student’s application as successful through the DE’s international student application process and issuing a request to place (RTP).
• DE (IED) develops and leads all marketing and recruitment activities related to the ISP. IED develops an Annual ISP Marketing Action Plan that informs DE’s in-country recruitment activities. IED will contact accredited schools at the beginning of each year to obtain information about planned future international travel. Level 2 accredited schools will be invited to submit an ‘expression of interest’ to participate in these recruitment events. Only these schools will be invited to jointly participate in in-country recruitment activities in accordance with the DE Travel Policy (staff login required).
• IED approves participation in IED initiated in-country recruitment activities. DE Schools and Regional Services approves school travel (with input from IED). Accordingly, schools must also apply to their relevant DE regional office to seek approval for international travel activity. IED will work with schools to develop an itinerary and other information to help them to secure travel approval for participation in in-country recruitment travel.
• Level 1 schools cannot actively market to international students. However, are required to provide the CRICOS provider name and code on their homepage.
• Level 2 accredited schools will also list the CRICOS provider name and code on their website homepage and have an ISP webpage that contains relevant, accurate and up-to-date information in accordance with the ESOS National Code requirements.

Education agents

• DE (IED) has a register of accredited education agents (DOCX) who have been appointed to represent DE both overseas and onshore.
• DE (IED) undertakes an annual performance and conduct review of every agent against criteria which is designed to ensure only reputable agents with the highest integrity are engaged in DE’s recruitment activities.

Schools responsibilities and guidance

Providing information for prospective students

1. Display the Department of Education and Training as the registered CRICOS provider and the CRICOS Code 00861K on your school website homepage as follows, 'Sample Secondary College is accredited under the Department of Education and Training’s CRICOS registration (CRICOS provider name and code: Department of Education and Training, 00861K). For further information refer to Study Vic.
2. Use the Prospective International Students Required Information Checklist (DOCX) to ensure prospective students have access to required information about the ISP program.

Marketing and recruitment

1. Use only DE (IED) marketing tools and templates when marketing the ISP.
2. Submit an ‘expression of interest’ to participate in in-country recruitment activity when invited by DE (IED) each year.
3. Seek approval from their relevant DE Regional Office for international travel activity.

Education agents

1. Engage only with DE (IED) accredited education agents (DOCX).
2. Direct all new agent enquiries to the DE (IED) Agent Liaison Team at international@education.vic.gov.au
3. Do not enter into individual or financial arrangements with agents or appoint agents as exclusive representatives for their school.
4. Contact DE (IED) at international@education.vic.gov.au if you experience issues with agents.
5. Do not contact agents directly regarding recruitment, agent contracts and student application issues.

Compliance evidence

Schools must ensure the following information is available for audit:

1. school website specifies the Department of Education and Training as the registered provider.
2. school website clearly shows the CRICOS provider name and code.