Student Handbook
Last reviewed: July 2026
The Student Handbook for CAQA RTO, part of CAQA Groups and a Career Calling International initiative, brings together in one place the information every learner needs before enrolling in, and while completing, nationally recognised training with us. This website exists so that prospective and current students can review our courses, understand their rights and obligations, and make an informed decision before any enrolment agreement is signed or any fee is paid.
Who this handbook is for
CAQA RTO serves adult learners across Australia who study online or in blended mode: school leavers building a first qualification, workers upskilling for promotion or licensing, career changers, and employers arranging training for their teams. The handbook applies to every person who enquires about, enrols in or completes a qualification or skill set listed on this website.
What we offer through this website
Through this site you can browse more than thirty nationally recognised qualifications, from Certificate III to Graduate Diploma, across business and leadership, project management, work health and safety, accounting and finance, information technology, creative and digital media, property services, and procurement and contracting, together with over 120 skill sets. Course pages describe delivery mode, duration, units and entry requirements. Enrolment enquiries are made through our contact page, by phone or by email; this website does not process online payments.
Pre-enrolment information
Before you enrol, and before any fees become payable, you will receive a written Pre-Enrolment Information Pack and an Enrolment Agreement setting out the training we will provide, all fees, costs and charges, and every obligation or liability that applies to you. Take the time to read these documents, ask questions and confirm the course suits your goals. Our Enrolment Terms explain the process step by step.
Fees, payments and refunds
We charge no enrolment or application fees. The advertised tuition fee is the total course cost, inclusive of learning materials, online resources, trainer support and up to two re-assessment attempts per unit. You may pay upfront or through interest-free weekly or fortnightly payment plans, and we never hold more than $1,500 of your money in prepaid fees at any time. A cooling-off period, pro-rata refunds after commencement and a full refund on provider default all apply; the detail is in our Fees and Refunds policy.
Support services
Every student receives, at no extra cost, a dedicated trainer/assessor, language, literacy, numeracy and digital literacy assistance, study-skills coaching, reasonable adjustment for students with disability, wellbeing support through a designated Student Support Officer, and a technical helpdesk for the student portal. If you are in crisis, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 at any time.
Complaints and appeals
Anyone may raise a complaint about our services free of charge, and you may appeal any decision we make, including assessment and refund decisions, at no cost. Complaints are acknowledged within two business days and we aim to resolve them within fifteen business days. See Complaints and Appeals for the full pathway, including independent mediation and the National VET Regulator.
Recognition of prior learning and credit transfer
You should never have to repeat learning you have already achieved. Recognition of prior learning is available for every course we deliver, and credit transfer for identical or equivalent units completed with any Australian RTO is applied free of charge. Read RPL and Credit Transfer before you enrol so credits can be applied to your Training Plan from day one.
Privacy, USI and your records
Through this website we collect only the personal information you choose to give us, such as enquiry form details and newsletter subscriptions. At enrolment we collect the additional information the law requires, report enrolment activity to the National VET Data Collection, and require a verified Unique Student Identifier before issuing any qualification or statement of attainment. Our Privacy Policy and USI and National Data Collection pages explain how your information is handled, accessed and corrected.
Your conduct as a student
Study with us is built on honesty, respect and safety. The Student Code of Conduct sets out the behaviour we expect in the student portal, in assessments and in all dealings with staff and fellow learners.
Download the full handbook
The complete Student Handbook is provided free with every enquiry and is available as a PDF: download the CAQA RTO Student Handbook. The handbook expands on every policy summarised on this page.
Limits of this information
The information on this page and across this website is general course and service information. It is not career, financial, migration or legal advice, and it does not take your personal circumstances into account. Your formal rights and obligations are set out in the Enrolment Agreement and the policies it references. If anything on this site appears to conflict with your signed Enrolment Agreement, the agreement prevails.
Contact us
You can reach our student support and enrolment team by telephone on 1800 266 160, by email at info@caqa.com.au, or through our contact page. We respond to most enquiries within one business day.