Complaints and Appeals

Your rights

• It is free. ALIT does not charge you to make a complaint or appeal.
• You can bring someone with you. A support person of your choice may accompany and assist you at
  any meeting or at any stage of the process.
• You will not be treated badly for complaining. Victimising anyone who raises a concern in good
  faith is a serious disciplinary matter at ALIT.
• Your complaint is handled confidentially. Information is shared only with the people who need it
  to resolve the matter, or where the law requires it.
• An assessment appeal is reviewed by someone new. A qualified assessor who was not involved in
  the original decision re-examines your evidence.
• You keep studying. If you are an international student, your enrolment is maintained while an
  internal or external appeal is under way, except in the limited circumstances the National Code permits.

How to lodge a complaint or appeal

Use whichever of these suits you. You do not need to use a particular form or particular words.

Method	Details
Email	complaints@alit.edu.au — the fastest option, available any time
Form	Download the Complaint / Appeal Form below and email it to us
Phone	(03) 9917 5018 — we will help you put it in writing if you prefer
In person	Ask any staff member at reception, 500 Spencer St, West Melbourne, Melbourne VIC 3003
Post	Compliance Manager, ALIT Education Group Pty Ltd, at the address above

Tell us what happened, when, who was involved, and what outcome you are seeking. If you need help writing
it down — in any language — ask us and we will assist. If English is not your first language we can help you arrange an interpreter through TIS National on 131 450.

What happens next, and when

1. We acknowledge it — within 5 working days
   You receive written confirmation that we have your complaint or appeal, and the name of the person
   handling it.
2. The Compliance Manager investigates fairly
   The matter is reviewed impartially and everyone involved gets the chance to be heard. For an assessment
   appeal, a different qualified assessor re-examines your assessment evidence.
3. We give you a written outcome — within 20 working days
   You receive the decision and the reasons for it in writing.
4. If we need more time, we tell you
   If a matter is complex and cannot be finalised within 20 working days, we write to you before that
   deadline explaining why, what remains to be done, and when you can expect the decision. We keep you
   updated until it is resolved.
5. Internal review by the Chief Executive Officer
   If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you may ask for it to be reviewed by the CEO, who was not
   involved in the original decision.
6. External review
   If you are still not satisfied after our internal process, you can take the matter outside ALIT —
   see below.

Taking it further

If you are not satisfied with our final decision, there are further avenues open to you. Which one fits
depends on what your complaint is about — these bodies have different roles, and we would rather be
clear about that than send you to the wrong place.

If you are	You can contact
An international student (student visa holder)	The Overseas Students Ombudsman — a free, independent service that investigates complaints about private education providers. ombudsman.gov.au or 1300 362 072.
A domestic student	Consumer Affairs Victoria for consumer matters — consumer.vic.gov.au or 1300 55 81 81.
Concerned about ALIT’s conduct as an RTO	ASQA, the national VET regulator — asqa.gov.au. ASQA does not resolve individual disputes but uses complaints to inform its regulation of providers.

The Overseas Students Ombudsman can investigate the substance of an international student’s
complaint. Consumer Affairs Victoria assists with consumer matters such as fees and refunds.
ASQA regulates us as a provider and uses complaints to inform that regulation, but does not decide
individual disputes.

Using an external body does not stop you from pursuing any other legal remedy available to you. Nothing in
this policy removes your rights under Australian Consumer Law.

What we do with what you tell us

Every complaint and appeal is recorded in our Complaints and Appeals Register, resolved, and then analysed
for patterns. Where a complaint reveals something we should do better, the improvement is recorded and
actioned. Complaints are one of the main ways ALIT improves.