Important Information for 2013 Applicants
- Eligibility
- Attendance
- Application and Course Dates
- Course Fees 2013
- Payment Options
- FEE-HELP
- Census Dates
- Late Withdrawal Fees
- Refunds
- Selection Criteria and Procedures
- Overseas Students/Applicants
- Available Places
- Notification of Place (Offer) and Acceptance of Place
- Wait List and Guaranteed Places
- Failed University Subjects
- Deferral, Suspension, and Cancellation
- Transfer and Exit Prior to Completion
- Living Allowances
- Part-Time Work or Study
- Onsite Computers
The Practical Training Course (Onsite & Online)
Leo Cussen Centre for Law offers a course of practical legal training for LLB graduates (or equivalent) leading to admission to the legal profession as an Australian Lawyer. All law graduates must complete practical legal training as a prerequisite for admission to the legal profession. This training can be undertaken either in ‘supervised workplace training’ known as Traineeships (replacing Articled Clerkships) or in a practical legal training course such as the Leo Cussen Practical Training Course.
Leo Cussen Centre for Law has been providing practical legal training since 1974. Its program leading to the Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice is approved by the Council of Legal Education and recognised by the legal profession as providing comprehensive and quality training. The program is delivered in both an onsite and online (blended learning) mode.
In 2012 Leo Cussen Centre for Law introduced a Part Time Online PTC.
Eligibility
Academic: You are eligible to commence the Practical Training Course (PTC) if you have completed all the requirements of the LLB or equivalent from a law school of an approved Australian university (and be qualified to graduate).
You may apply to the PTC while you are completing your final law degree subjects. Offers are then made conditional on you providing evidence that you have completed the requirements of the degree. See Selection Criteria and Procedures.
Residency: You must have a residency status permitting you to reside and study in Australia
Overseas Students (student visas) are only eligible to apply for the Onsite course. See International/Overseas Applicants, Course Fees and Selection Criteria and Procedures.
All applicants: please note that as (a) the course amounts to a single unit of study and (b) entrants to the legal profession require currency in legal practice, prior course credit (or Recognition of Prior Learning) is not typically granted. Practitioners seeking single topic training may be eligible for Traineeship Programs or interested in Essentials.
Attendance
Onsite: The Onsite PTC is of 24 weeks duration including public holidays and three weeks of professional placement immediately following the end of formal training. Full-time attendance is required from 9.00am to 5.00pm each day. You are provided with onsite workspace with other trainees at the Centre for the duration of the course. The Onsite PTC provides face-to-face intensive one-on-one mentor support and feedback.
Online: The Online PTC is a blended learning course with a combination of online and onsite activities of 24 weeks duration including public holidays and three weeks of professional placement. This placement may be undertaken during the formal training period. Applicants must have proficiency in email and internet applications, reasonable access to such resources, and an aptitude for successful learning via online delivery modes. A minimum of 25 hours per week is the expected commitment for full time Online PTC and 12-15 hours per week for part time Online PTC. Attendance for Online PTC Trainees is required onsite for an equivalent of 16 face-to-face contact days. The Online PTC provides intensive one-on-one mentor support and feedback.
Application and Course Dates
| Course Dates 2013 | Apply by | Offers made |
|---|---|---|
| Onsite PTC 1 (29 Jan to 5 July) | 5pm on 23 November 2012 | 30 November 2012 |
| Online PTC 1 (29 Jan to 5 July) | 5pm on 23 November 2012 | 30 November 2012 |
| Part Time Online PTC (29 January to 26 November) | 5pm on 23 November 2012 | 30 November 2012 |
| Onsite PTC 2 (15 July to 13 Dec) | 5pm on 10 May 2013 | 17 May 2013 |
| Online PTC 2 (15 July to 13 Dec) | 5pm on 10 May 2013 | 17 May 2013 |
No acknowledgment of receipt of application will be sent. Applicants will gain no advantage by early submission of their application, but, for administrative convenience, please do not leave your application until the last minute.
No fees or charges apply to late applications. Late applications will be placed on a wait list and considered in order of receipt.
Course Fees 2013
The fees applicable to specific categories of students are:
1. Onsite Overseas Students (CRICOS Code: 02224A) $14,500.00
2. Onsite Practical Training Course domestic students: $8,750.00
3. Online Practical Training Course domestic students: $8,500.00.
4. Online Part Time Practical Training Course domestic students: $8,750.00
A part tuition fee of $500.00 (or a completed Request for FEE-HELP Assistance form) is required to constitute an acceptance of an offer. The balance of the full tuition fee for Non FEE-HELP applicants is payable in full no later than two weeks before the commencement of the relevant course.
If you expect to have difficulty in paying the fee, then you should discuss the matter with the Executive Director, Elizabeth H Loftus, well in advance of the enrolment date. Course fees are reviewed every six months and may be subject to increase or decrease from course to course.
Additional Charges
A printing levy may be imposed and details will be notified on the website
A charge may be made for replacement of Course Reference Materials
Payment Options
FEE-HELP
FEE-HELP is available for PTC applicants. HOWEVER, PLEASE NOTE that FEE-HELP is available only if you are an Australian citizen or a student on a permanent humanitarian visa. If you are an overseas practitioner on a permanent visa for the purposes of bridging study, then you are NOT eligible for FEE-HELP for the PTC.
For eligible students, the tuition fee can be fully or partially covered by FEE-HELP. If you are not an Australian citizen or do not have a permanent humanitarian visa, then you will be required to pay the tuition fee upfront. All applicants wishing to access FEE-HELP loans must return a Request for FEE-HELP Assistance Form with their acceptance of offer (only original copies of this form are acceptable). Please select the link below for the appropriate forms. Hard copies can also be posted by request to ptcadmin@leocussen.vic.edu.au.
2013 Request for FEE HELP assistance form
2013 FEE HELP Information Booklet
After you apply for FEE-HELP, if you disagree with a decision about re-crediting or remitting then please read the Centre’s FEE-HELP Review Procedures.
Overseas Students
Overseas students may pay the course fee of $14,500 by instalments. However, an application for permission to pay the fee by instalments must be made in writing to the Executive Director no later than two weeks before the commencement of the course.
Payments may be made by direct deposit, bank cheque/money order or credit card. NOTE: a 2.0% surcharge applies to credit card payments
Census Dates
The census date is that immediately after which the full tuition fee for the PTC course accrues as a debt. In other words, any refund after this date is unlikely. The date falls approximately one fifth (20%) into the course. The census date applies to both Non-FEE-HELP and FEE-HELP applicants. The census dates for 2013 are 27th February (PTC1) and 9th August (PTC2). The Census date for the Part Time 2013 online Practical Training Course is 2 April 2013
- Non FEE-HELP Student: withdrawal after the census date means the full tuition fee is owed to Leo Cussen Centre for Law. Special circumstances may apply in limited cases. When applicable, the Centre follows a procedure similar to that for FEE-HELP students.
- FEE-HELP Student: withdrawal after the census date by a FEE-HELP student means the full tuition fee is debited from your FEE-HELP balance. Essentially, the full debt becomes owed to the Australian Government and is payable through the Australian Taxation Office. ‘Special circumstances’ as defined by the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (Cth) may apply in limited cases. For ‘special circumstances’ to apply, Leo Cussen Centre for Law must be satisfied that such circumstances were (a) beyond your control and (b) did not make their full impact until or after the census date and (c) were such that they made it impracticable for you to complete your study requirements.
[Please see Census dates and EFTSL values for 2013 on the Leo Cussen website]
Refer also to www.goingtouni.gov.au
Late Withdrawal Fees
A Late Withdrawal Fee applies to all students who withdraw after acceptance of offer but before the census date. The student is held personally liable for any late withdrawal fees and eligible FEE-HELP students are warned that the liability to pay a Late Withdrawal Fee is a personal one payable to the Centre and is not subject to payment via the usual FEE HELP procedures. Late Withdrawal Fees apply equally to both FEE-HELP and Non FEE-HELP students.
‘Acceptance of offer’ means:
- Non FEE-HELP Student: when an eligible applicant accepts the offer of a place in the course in writing and pays a Part Tuition Payment of $500.00, Leo Cussen Centre for Law deems acceptance to be at the time we receive the applicant’s acceptance in writing.
- FEE-HELP Student: when an eligible applicant accepts the offer of a place in the course in writing and completes and signs a Request for FEE-HELP Assistance form, Leo Cussen Centre for Law deems acceptance to be at the time we receive the applicant’s acceptance in writing.
Late Withdrawal Fees are charged principally as a disincentive and not in order to raise revenue or cover administrative costs – as per 8.5.1 (d) of the Higher Education Provider Guidelines under the Higher Education Support Act 2003. The principal purpose is to dissuade students from late withdrawal, hence disadvantaging other potential applicants who could have been offered the particular place in the course. The following Late Withdrawal Fees Schedule applies equally to students enrolled in the Onsite and the Online Practical Training Course.
Late Withdrawal Fees Schedule 2012/2013
| Practical Training Course 1 (onsite and online) | Practical Training Course 2 (onsite and online) | Practical Training Course 1 (Part Time Online) |
|---|---|---|
| Course commences 29th January | Course commences 15th July | Course commences 29th January |
| From "acceptance of offer" to 16th January (4pm) $500 | From "acceptance of offer" to 25th June (4pm) $500 | From "acceptance of offer' to 16th January (4pm) $500 |
| From 16th January (4pm) to 13th February (4pm) $950 | From 25th June (4pm) to 23rd July (4pm) $950 | From 16th January (4pm) to 27th February (4pm) $950 |
| From 10th February (4pm) to 25th February (4pm) $2,950 | From 25th July (4pm) to 9th August (4pm) $2,950 | From 27th February (4pm) to 2nd April (4pm) $2,950 |
Refunds
Students withdrawing between an ‘acceptance of offer’ and the census date are entitled to a refund of their tuition fees (FEE-HELP balance is not debited until immediately after the census date), subject to the Centre’s Late Withdrawal Fees Policy set out above.
Selection Criteria and Procedures
Prerequisites
The prerequisite for admission to the Practical Training Course is satisfactory completion of LLB degree or equivalent from an ‘approved law teaching institution’, which includes all Australian institutions that offer an approved course of study. Applicants must have completed the requirements of the degree or equivalent prior to the commencement date of the course enrolled in. See Eligibility
The degree should include all the academic subjects required for admission in Victoria.
All applicants who meet the prerequisites are eligible for a place in the Practical Training Course. Overseas Students (student visas) are only eligible to apply for the Onsite course. Applicants to the Online course must demonstrate a capacity to study online, to commit to the hours required and to onsite attendance requirements.
First preference may be given to applicants who meet the prerequisites at the time of application or are completing the prerequisites in:
- Semester 2, 2012, for applications to PTC Intake 1, 2013 and Part Time Online PTC
- Semester 1, 2013, for applications to PTC Intake 2, 2013
Consideration is then given to applicants completing the prerequisites in summer/winter school.
If the number of applications exceeds available places in each course, then selection is by ballot.
International/Overseas Applicants
Overseas Students
If you are an Overseas Student who has graduated from an approved Australian university, then you are eligible for the Onsite PTC. See Course Fees. Australian law supports and promotes quality education and consumer protection for Overseas Students through the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) framework. This framework is explained here.
Information about living in Australia including indicative costs of living and accommodation options can be found here.
As the pre-requisite for the Course is graduation in law from an approved Australian University, it is expected that Overseas Students will have greater English language proficiency than that required of entrants to undergraduate law courses. As a guide, Overseas Students are expected to have a proficiency of greater than 6.5 overall, with no individual band less than 6.0, as determined by the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
Overseas Qualifications
| Council of Legal Education | Tel: | (03) 9604 2407 |
| Ground Floor | email: | colevic@justice.vic.gov.au |
| 451 Little Bourke Street | ||
| Melbourne Vic 3000 |
Available Places
There are generally 140 places available in each Onsite course and 60 places available in each full time Online course. In 2013 20 places will be available in the Part Time Online PTC Course
Twenty-five places in each Onsite PTC are reserved for Overseas Students. Employer Sponsored Places (ESP) and hardship places are also available.
Notification of Place (Offer) and Acceptance of Place
- Successful applicants are notified by mail or email with a specified Acceptance Date
- Confirmation of acceptance must be received by the Acceptance Date and enclose:
- Outstanding documentation (refer Application form)
- Part Tuition payment of $500 OR
- Completed Request for FEE-HELP Assistance form
- If acceptance is not received by the Acceptance Date, then the place will be offered to an applicant on the Wait List.
Please ensure someone is authorised to accept an offer immediately on your behalf if you are not able to do this yourself.
Wait List and Guaranteed Places
If you do not obtain a place in the course of your choice, then you are placed on a Wait List. Please keep your contact details up to date with us so that we may contact you at short notice if a place becomes available.
In the past most applicants who have not been successful in the ballot have been offered places, due to withdrawals or deferrals. However, there is no guarantee that this will happen.
Up to 20 places in PTC2 are reserved for unsuccessful PTC1 applicants. If there are over 20 applicants in this category, then selection for the 20 places is by ballot.
Failed University Subjects after Applying to the PTC
If, after an acceptance of offer, the applicant subsequently discovers they have failed a subject or subjects in their law degree (or equivalent) and the applicant has therefore failed to meet the Centre’s selection criteria, then the applicant’s place in the course is forfeited. The applicant will receive a refund of any part tuition payments they have already made.
Please note that the applicant will generally be subject to the Centre’s Late Withdrawal Fees Policy. However, this policy may be waived by the Director Practical Training if it is clear that the applicant has promptly notified the Centre of their situation and their initial application objectively appears to have been made in good faith.
The applicant will usually be required to produce a transcript of results as proof of their failure. However, this requirement may also be waived at the discretion of the Director Practical Training.
In certain circumstances an applicant may apply to defer their offered place in one course to a subsequent course.
Deferral
Applicants wishing to defer should first carefully read the PTC Deferral, Transfer, Suspension and Cancellation Policy and Procedure and contact the PTC Registrar before making an application.
A summary of the Deferral component of the policy is as follows:
The applicant must:
- be an ‘eligible deferee’ by having been offered a place in the Centre’s PTC and;
- demonstrate compassionate or compelling circumstances (e.g. illness where a medical certificate states that the eligible deferee/trainee is unable to attend classes, family, travel, economic issues or other matters) and;
- submit a written Deferral Application to the Director Practical Training.
A Deferral Application must be in writing and addressed to the Director Practical Training. It may be emailed to: ptcadmin@leocussen.vic.edu.au. Applications will be considered by the Director PTC, who will respond promptly.
Applicants for Deferral should note that tuition fees may increase from year to year and they will be liable to pay the fee applicable at the time of enrolment.
Overseas Student deferrals (and suspension or cancellation of enrolments) are made in compliance with Standard 13 of the National Code 2007.
Transfer and Exit Prior to Completion
As the entire PTC is a single unit Equivalent Full Time Student Load (EFTSL) completed within twenty-four weeks, it is not possible to transfer into the PTC from another Registered Provider once the course has commenced. Nor is it possible to transfer out of the PTC with any relevant EFTSL completion before completion of the course.
The entire PTC comprises a single unit EFTSL because the PTC is a course that prepares law graduates for admission to the legal profession and eligibility for ‘admission’ is an indissoluble concept. A lawyer is either admitted to the legal profession or not based on their satisfactory completion of the entire complement of Practical Legal Training under the Legal Profession (Admission) Rules 2008.
Trainees exiting prior to the completion of the twenty-four week period do so subject to the Important Information for Applicants on the Institute’s website including: Payment Options, Census Dates, Late Withdrawal Fees, Refunds, Deferral, and the Complaints Policy and Procedure.
Living allowances (Austudy & Youth): the PTC is a full-time course
Commonwealth tertiary education assistance in the form of payment of means-tested living allowances is normally available to full time PTC students on the same basis as to undergraduates.
Part-time work or study
Part-time work or study must not interfere with full-time attendance at the Course or with the quality of the student’s work.
Applicants are encouraged to discuss any particular concerns with the Director Practical Training.
Onsite computers
A limited number of computers are provided for the use of PTC students. Students with lap top computers are encouraged to use them. A wireless network operates within the training area giving access to the interior and online learning environments.
